Name: Rab C. Nesbitt
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1990-09-27
Rating: 7
Cast: Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper, Elaine C. Smith

A drunk Glaswegian philosopher in a string vest will ruin your life... then fix it with a pint.

Watch(GB)

working-class chaosphilosophical gutter wisdomScots-specific savagery

Latest Episode

30 min

Season 10 • Episode 7

Latest

John

Nov 9, 2011

Overview

Comedy

BBC comedy series about Rab C. Nesbitt, a drunken, string-vested layabout who lives with his long-suffering wife Mary and his two sons in the working class area of Govan in Glasgow. When he's not getting drunk with his pals that include the devious, womanising Jamesie Cotter, he's offering his philosophical outlook on life to whoever will listen.

Content warning

dark comedy satire breaking the fourth wall sitcom alcoholic self-destruction scotland white trash glasgow, scotland

poverty and dignitymasculinity in crisisworking-class identityself-destruction as performance

Standout Aspects

Acting

Gregor Fisher's physical comedy is genuinely masterful.

Writing

Pattison's scripts are basically Scottish Shakespeare with hangovers.

Production

Govan itself: the most authentic character on screen.

Best for:Solo·Rewatch·Background

Heads up:Language·Violence

Creator

Ian Pattison

First AiredSep 27, 1990

StatusEnded

Vibe

Pacesteady

Intensitymedium

Tonedark

Feelheavy

Seasons10·Episodes61

Top Cast

Gregor Fisher

Rab C. Nesbitt

Tony Roper

Jamesie Cotter

Elaine C. Smith

Mary Nesbitt

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

Rab's string vest became so iconic that Glasgow museums considered acquiring one for display.

Trivia

The 2014 one-off special was written partly in response to Scottish independence referendum discourse, with Rab's political incoherence deliberately mirroring national confusion.