Still Game is a Scottish sitcom, produced by
The Comedy UnitThe Comedy Unit or known sometimes as just Comedy Unit is a Scottish company that produces sitcoms, comedy sketches, live shows and other comedy productions...
with the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. It was created by
Ford KiernanFord John Kiernan is a Scottish actor and comedian. Along with his comedy partner, Greg Hemphill, he is best known in the United Kingdom for his appearances in Still Game and Chewin' The Fat.-Personal life:...
and
Greg HemphillGregory "Greg" Hemphill is a Scottish actor and comedian. He has also presented on television and radio. Along with his comedy partner, Ford Kiernan, he is best known in the United Kingdom for his appearances in Still Game and Chewin' the Fat.-Personal life:Hemphill was born in Glasgow, Scotland,...
, who play the lead characters - two
GlaswegianGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
pensionerIn common parlance, a pensioner is a person who has retired, and now collects a pension. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom and Australia where someone of pensionable age may also be referred to as an 'old age pensioner', or OAP. In the United States, the term retiree is more...
s, named Jack Jarvis and Victor McDade respectively.
Since its debut on 1 September 2002,
Still Game aired
forty four episodes, including
ChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and
HogmanayHogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
specials. The first three series were broadcast only on
BBC One Scotland, though five episodes compiled from the first two series were later broadcast throughout the UK on
BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
in January–February 2004. All subsequent episodes received UK-wide broadcasts on BBC Two. The show enjoyed higher ratings than its neighbours on the BBC Two Comedy Zone, and received wide critical acclaim.
History
Still Game started as a stage play, featuring three characters: Jack Jarvis, Victor McDade, and Winston Ingram. Due to a broken lift, the three men are stranded in Victor's flat, and discuss a variety of subjects ranging from death to sex. The stage play toured Scotland, England, Ireland and Canada before returning to Glasgow, where it was filmed and released on video and DVD.
A small number of revisions accompanied Still Games transition from stage to television.
Gavin MitchellGavin Mitchell is a Scottish actor and comedian.He is best known as Boaby the Barman in Scottish sitcom Still Game. He previously played the character of Winston in the stage show Still Game...
, who originally played Winston (and was replaced by Paul Riley for later performances), played the part of Boabby the Barman in the series. Characters mentioned in passing were later fleshed out into supporting characters.
In 1998, Jack and Victor appeared in a number of skits in the tongue-in-cheek documentary about Scottish
pop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
called Och Around the Clock
. In these they are shown to be watching while sitting in Victor's flat. As with the Muppet characters of Statler and Waldorf, their skits centred on the duo's disparaging comments about the performers.
The characters re-appeared in Kiernan and Hemphill's sketch show Chewin' the FatChewin' the Fat is a Scottish comedy sketch show, starring Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and Karen Dunbar. Comedians Paul Riley and Mark Cox also appeared regularly on the show.Chewin' the Fat first started as a radio series on BBC Radio Scotland...
, nearly every episode of which featured Jack, Victor, Tam and Winston, with minor differences from their counterparts in the series. By the time Still Game
became a show in its own right, Winston's physical appearance had changed significantly, but he was still played by Paul RileyPaul Riley is a Scottish actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Winston Ingram in the Scottish sitcom, Still Game. He previously worked on the sketch show Chewin' the Fat, the show that Still Game was a spin-off from...
. As the show evolved, supporting characters assumed greater prominence. Jack and Victor made their final appearance on Chewin' the Fat in the 2002 Hogmanay Special.
Still Game's sixth series ended on 23 August 2007 on BBC Two. A Christmas special aired on BBC One Scotland on 23 December and to the rest of the UK on BBC Two on 28 December. There was also a Hogmanay special called "Hootenanny" aired on BBC One Scotland, later aired to the rest of the UK on 2 January 2008.
Characters & Cast
- Ford Kiernan
Ford John Kiernan is a Scottish actor and comedian. Along with his comedy partner, Greg Hemphill, he is best known in the United Kingdom for his appearances in Still Game and Chewin' The Fat.-Personal life:...
as Jack Jarvis
- Greg Hemphill
Gregory "Greg" Hemphill is a Scottish actor and comedian. He has also presented on television and radio. Along with his comedy partner, Ford Kiernan, he is best known in the United Kingdom for his appearances in Still Game and Chewin' the Fat.-Personal life:Hemphill was born in Glasgow, Scotland,...
as Victor McDade
- Paul Riley
Paul Riley is a Scottish actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Winston Ingram in the Scottish sitcom, Still Game. He previously worked on the sketch show Chewin' the Fat, the show that Still Game was a spin-off from...
as Winston Ingram
- Mark Cox
Mark Cox is a Scottish comedian and actor born in Springboig in 1972. He is most famous for his role as Tam Mullen in the sitcom Still Game. He previously worked with the creators in Chewin' The Fat. It was announced in 2006 that Cox would narrate Roald Dahl favourite, Three Little Pigs...
as Tam Mullen
- Jane McCarry
Jane McCarry is a Scottish actress. She is most famous for her role as Isa Drennan in the Scottish sitcom, Still Game.Beginning in 2006, McCarry appears in the children's programme, Me Too! as the middle-aged childminder, Granny Murray...
as Isa Drennan
- Sanjeev Kohli
Sanjeev Singh Kohli is a Scottish Asian comedian, writer and actor. He is most famous for his role as Navid Harrid in the sitcom Still Game and as Rajesh Majhu in the radio sitcom Fags, Mags and Bags.- Early life :...
as Navid Harrid
- Gavin Mitchell
Gavin Mitchell is a Scottish actor and comedian.He is best known as Boaby the Barman in Scottish sitcom Still Game. He previously played the character of Winston in the stage show Still Game...
as Boabby
- James "Jimmy" Martin as Eric
- Lynne McCallum as Peggy McAlpine
- Jake D'Arcy
Jake D'Arcy is a Scottish actor best known for playing "Pete the Jakey" on Scottish comedy show Still Game.In a career stretching from the early 1970s, D'Arcy has had roles in both television and the cinema. He has appeared in TV dramas and films such as Dr. Finlay's Casebook, Adam Smith, Gregory's...
as Pete
- Paul Young
Paul Young is a Scottish television actor and presenter. He is the son of the actor John Young. Educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh....
as Shug
- Sandy Nelson as Chris the Postie
- Kate Donnelly as Frances Mullen
- Matt Costello as Stevie
- Jamie Quinn as Fergie
- John Buick as Joe
- Marj Hogarth as Fiona (Jack's daughter)
- Ronnie Letham as Harry (D)
- Stevie Allen as Manky Frankie
- Maureen Carr as Edith
- Grant Thomson
Grant ThomsonBorn in Falkirk, Grant 32 is currently based in Glasgow. Upon leaving Graeme High School, he enrolled on the HND Acting and Performance course at Falkirk College of Further and Higher Education. The 6'8" 'actor has several credits to his name in theatre, television and film...
as Charlie
- Johnny Irving as Wullie MacIntosh
- Rab Affleck as Mick
- James Young
James Young was a Scottish chemist best known for his method of distilling paraffin from coal.-Early life:James Young was born in the Drygate area of Glasgow, the son of John Young, a cabinetmaker and joiner...
as Goubo The Ned
- Alex Robertson as Jackie The Housing Officer
Guest stars
- Sylvester McCoy
Sylvester McCoy is a Scottish actor. As a comic act and busker he appeared regularly on stage and on BBC Children's television in the 1970s and 80s, but is best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to...
as Archie, a recluse in the episode "Oot".
- Billy Boyd as a young man in the train station in the episode "Faimly".
- Celia Imrie
Celia Diana Savile Imrie is an English actress. In a career starting in the early 1970s, Imrie has played Marianne Bellshade in Bergerac, Philippa Moorcroft in Dinnerladies, Miss Babs in Acorn Antiques, Diana Neal in After You've Gone and Gloria Millington in Kingdom...
as Mrs Begg, a woman who worked as Winston's home help in the episode "Wummin'".
- David Hayman
David Hayman is a Scottish film and television actor and director, best known for his role as DCS Mike Walker in ITV drama Trial and Retribution. He also a prominent supporter of the SNP's call for Scottish independence....
as Vince Gallagher, a hygiene-obsessed snack van owner in the episode "Scran".
- Clive Russell
Clive Russell is a British actor.Clive was born in Reeth, England and brought up in Fife, Scotland.He is a familiar face on British television and has appeared in numerous television series including Boys From the Black Stuff ,Hope And Glory, Neverwhere, Great Expectations, The Mists of Avalon,...
as Big Innes, who returns to Craiglang to sort out the local neds in the episode "Big Yin".
- Brian Pettifer
Brian Pettifer is an actor who has appeared in many television shows. Pettifer was born in Lower Durban, South Africa, and briefly brought up in Glasgow and London. He intended to become a photographer, but pursued a career as an actor...
as Bert Finlay, a depressed widower in the episode "Wummin'".
- Una McLean
Una McLean MBE is a Scottish actress and comedienne, best known for appearing in pantomimes. She was married to Scottish stage and film actor Russell Hunter from 1991 until his death in 2004....
as a vivacious widow in "Fly Society".
- Jeannie Fisher
Jeannie Fisher is a Scottish actress. She is best known for playing Morag Stewart in Take the High Road from 1981 until the last episode in 2003 and made an appearance in Still Game in 2007. Her real name is Edith Fisher and she was educted at Miltonbank Primary School and Possil Senior Secondary...
as a vivacious widow in "Fly Society".
- Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...
as Davie, a disturbed bus driver in the episode "Dial-A-Bus".
- John McCririck
John McCririck is an English television horse racing pundit. He is notable not only for his racing opinions but also for his old-fashioned style of dress and mannerisms...
as himself in the episode "Drama", appearing on Winston's television.
- Bill Torrance
Bill Torrance born May 13, 1946, to James and Mary Torrance, originally of Ayrshire, is a Scottish broadcaster and entertainer who is known for hosting The Beechgrove Garden on BBC Scotland throughout the 1990s, Torrance is currently a presenter on Dundee radio station Tay AM.In addition to TAY AM,...
as himself in the episode "Hard Nuts".
- Dorothy Paul
Dorothy Paul is a Scottish actress, comedienne and entertainer. She is best known for her stage shows often at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow.-Acting career:...
as Molly Drummond, Frances' sister who has a crush on Tam, appeared in the series five finale "Saucy".
- Eileen McCallum
Eileen McCallum is a Scottish actress. Her first major soap role was in Garnock Way playing Jean Ross from 1976–1979, before starring as Isabel Blair in Take the High Road from 1980 - 2003...
as Barbara, a charity shop worker with whom Jack develops a relationship in the episode "Courtin'".
- Jim Watt as himself in the episode "Seconds Out".
- Michelle McManus
Michelle McManus is a Scottish singer-songwriter, actress, radio DJ and television presenter, who rose to fame after winning the second series of the UK talent show Pop Idol....
appears in "Seconds Out" as herself.
- Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
appears in "One In, One Out" as herself.
- Michael Hines
Michael Hines is the Television Director of Still Game amongst other shows. Has directed every episode of the series except for the pilot which Colin Gilbert directed...
(producer/director of some episodes) had a cameo role as an advertising executive in "One In, One Out".
- Gordon McCorkell
Gordon McCorkell is a Scottish actor who has starred in several shows, such as Jeopardy , and is arguably best known as Derek Henderson in River City....
as Joe, Winston's grandson who is training for a boxing match in "Flittin'".
- Jackie Farrell as Wullie who is smitten by a much younger buxom brunette in "Kill Wullie".
- Dave Anderson
David "Dave" Anderson is a Scottish actor, playwright and jazz musician based in Glasgow. He is widely-known for a number of TV and cinema roles, perhaps most famously for the part of Gregory's father in Gregory's Girl and as the bank manager in the BBC Scotland sitcom City Lights .-External...
as the choirmaster in the 2007 Christmas special "Plum Number".
Filming locations
Although Still Game is set in the fictional Craiglang area of
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, the
MaryhillMaryhill is an area of the City of Glasgow in Scotland. Maryhill is a former burgh. The population of Maryhill is about 52,000. Maryhill stretches over along Maryhill Road...
district of the city is one of the most common filming locations. The shops featured in the series can be found in the
Townhead-Location:Townhead has no fixed boundaries. In ancient times it was the undeveloped area north of the cathedral and town. If we use this description then it is bordered to the west by the area of Cowcaddens, to the north by Sighthill and the east by Royston and south by Merchant City...
area of Glasgow. The
Forth and Clyde CanalThe Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River...
and its locks are used in background shots, as are the high-rise tower blocks, including the one in which Jack and Victor live called "Osprey Heights". For the first three series of the show, a real pub ("The Gimlet") in
RuchillRuchill is a district in the city of Glasgow. It lies within the Canal Ward of North Glasgow in the area between the Maryhill and Possilpark areas of the city. It has traditionally been characterised by a high degree of deprivation and social problems...
was used to film the exterior shots of the pub Jenny's, previously The Clansman. However, between series three and four, the owner of the pub had the building demolished, causing the fourth series production team to build an exterior in a set in
Dumbarton, the same lot where
River CityRiver City is a Scottish television soap opera, first broadcast in Scotland on BBC Scotland on 24 September 2002. River City storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional district of Shieldinch in Glasgow...
is filmed. An outdoor market in
PossilparkPossilpark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde. Following the closure of the Saracen Foundry in 1967, this section of Glasgow has become one of the poorest in the United Kingdom, with an above average crime rate....
was used in the episode "Cauld" when the character Winston buys several electric heaters. Scene interiors (Jack and Victor's flats, hallways and the interior of Navid's shop are specially constructed sets, built within a warehouse complex, now a Maryhill industrial estate (and called Craigmont Studios). Scenes from several episodes were also filmed in the
KnightswoodKnightswood is a suburban district in Glasgow, containing 4 areas: Knightswood North or High Knightswood, Knightswood South or Low Knightswood, Knightswood Park and Blairdardie. It has a golf course and park, and good transport links with the rest of the city. Garscadden and Scotstounhill railway...
area of Glasgow, including exterior scenes in the episode 'Courtin', and the golf course scenes in the episode 'Tappin'.
Finport, as mentioned and seen in the fifth series, was filmed on location in
LargsLargs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" in Scottish Gaelic....
and
Saltcoats- References :*McSherry, R. & M. . Old Saltcoats, Stenlake Publishing, Ochiltree. ISBN 1-872074-57-X.*Stansfield, G. . Ayrshire & Renfrewshire's Lost Railways, Stenlake Publishing, Catrine. ISBN 1-84033-077-5.-External links:***...
,
North AyrshireNorth Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
, both of which were once popular seaside resorts with Glaswegians. The shots of the promenade and the sea wall is that of Saltcoats' harbour area. The café that Jack and Victor walk past is The Melbourne Café in Saltcoats. The pub scene is set in the Royal Oak pub in Largs, while the
bed and breakfastA bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
where Jack and Victor stay the night is located at the north end of Largs promenade. In the scene where Jack and Victor arrive on the bus from the right in Finport this leads from the sea, there is no road there. In the scene where Jack and Victor find Winston, a wide panning shot reveals the famous Nardini's ice-cream building and the
Caledonian MacBrayneCaledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
ferry to
MillportMillport is the only town on the island of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde off the coast of North Ayrshire, Scotland. The town is four miles south from the Largs-based Caledonian MacBrayne ferry slipway....
.
Ardgowan HouseArdgowan House is a late 18th-century mansion and estate on the Firth of Clyde near Inverkip, Scotland. Ardgowan is located in Inverclyde, in the former county of Renfrewshire. The Ardgowan estate has been held by the Stewart family since the early 15th century. The present house was begun in 1797,...
, a late 18th-century mansion at
InverkipInverkip is a village and parish falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies about southwest of Greenock on the A78 trunk road...
,
InverclydeInverclyde is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Together with the Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire - which current exists as a registration county and lieutenancy area - located in the west...
, was used as the setting for Blair Tunnoch in the episode "Fly Society". Jack and Victor buy tickets for a meal and evening at the theatre from Tam who won them in a radio quiz. During the pre-theatre meal they meet two apparently sophisticated, attractive ladies, played by
Una McLeanUna McLean MBE is a Scottish actress and comedienne, best known for appearing in pantomimes. She was married to Scottish stage and film actor Russell Hunter from 1991 until his death in 2004....
and
Jeannie FisherJeannie Fisher is a Scottish actress. She is best known for playing Morag Stewart in Take the High Road from 1981 until the last episode in 2003 and made an appearance in Still Game in 2007. Her real name is Edith Fisher and she was educted at Miltonbank Primary School and Possil Senior Secondary...
, whom they try to impress with tales of overseas adventures and wealth. The women invite them to a country house party at Blair Tunnoch.
The area where Jack and Victor are sitting during the court recess in the episode 'Recipe' of Season 6 is the Main Lounge of The Crookston Hotel in Glasgow. The interior shots of the bakery in the same episode 'Recipe' were filmed at Pars Foods Limited in Balmore Industrial Estate Glasgow. Filming also took place at the Tunnocks factory in
UddingstonUddingston is a small town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the north side of the River Clyde, about seven miles south-east of Glasgow...
.
Series summaries
For the show's first three series, the broadcast of Still Game
was limited to BBC One Scotland. The show was then moved to BBC Two for the fourth series and shown throughout the UK. On 28 December 2005, Still Games first Christmas special was shown on BBC One, the first national broadcast of the show on the channel. A fifth series of the show started filming in February 2006 and was shown the following June on BBC Two. As of 2006, series three had not been shown nationally, and only five episodes from the first two series were shown on national BBC Two from 17 January to 14 February 2004. Series 2 was shown nationally from 10 July 2008. This meant it was listed as a new series on TV listings, even though it is not for Scottish viewers.
In the first three series, the episode titles were all
Scots languageScots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
words that were related to the episode. Starting from season four, the episodes were titled using standard English so that general audiences could understand them.
The events of
Still Game take place in a
floating timelineA Floating timeline is a device used in fiction, particularly in comics and animation, to explain why characters age little or not at all over a period of time - despite real-world markers like notable events, people and technology appearing in the works and correlating with the real world.A...
where the characters remain the same age from series to series. One of the most prominent examples of this is that Victor reveals that he is 74 years old in "Scran", an episode of the second series, but it is not until the fifth series ("Smoke On The Water") that he celebrates his 75th birthday.
| Series |
Still Game Airdates |
Channel |
| Series 1 |
1 September 2002 – 7 October 2002 |
BBC One Scotland |
| Series 2 |
29 March 2003 – 24 May 2003
10 July 2008 – 4 September 2008 |
BBC One Scotland
BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
|
| Series 3 |
17 June 2004 – 21 July 2004 |
BBC One Scotland |
| Series 4 |
22 July 2005 – 26 August 2005 |
BBC Two |
| 2005 Christmas Special |
28 December 2005 |
BBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
|
| Series 5 |
19 June 2006 – 24 July 2006 |
BBC Two |
| 2006 Hogmanay Special |
31 December 2006
1 January 2007 |
BBC One Scotland
BBC Two |
| Series 6 |
12 July 2007 – 23 August 2007 |
BBC Two
BBC One Scotland (Repeats) |
| 2007 Christmas Special |
December 2007 |
BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
|
| 2007 Hogmanay Special |
January 2008 |
BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
|
Series 1 (2002)
Flittin' - Jack's life is increasingly miserable due to anti-social neighbours. He is keen to move but can't find a house until the man across the landing from his best friend Victor dies.
- English Translation- Moving
Faimly - Victor is awaiting a visit from his son John who now lives in Johannesburg. But when John leaves a message on Victor's answering machine, a crucial part of it is blocked out by the sound of a train horn. Jack and Victor set out to discover what it says with help from their friend Shug who has an acute sense of hearing. Meanwhile Winston gets injured in a fight with Peggy at the butchers over who gets the gigot chops.
- English Translation- Family
Cauld - The residents of Craiglang are experiencing one of the coldest winters in years when Winston offers a solution - free electricity through by-passing the meter. Gradually a number of locals accept Winston's help but Victor takes the moral high ground and refuses to participate.
- English Translation- Cold
Courtin' - Jack asks Barbara, the woman from the charity shop, to go out with him leaving Victor feeling lonely and resentful of his friend's new romance. Meanwhile, Winston gets barred from The Clansman and looks for new places to drink.
- English Translation- Dating
Waddin' - It's the wedding of the year and both Jack and Victor still haven't received an invite - they decide to do something about it. Meanwhile, it is thought that Wullie MacIntosh has died and Winston plans to rummage through his house to find something that will assure him an invite.
- English Translation- Wedding
Scones - Jack and Victor are irritated by Tam's success at entering and winning competitions and embark on an attempt of their own, involving composing a slogan for scones. Their attempts are futile, and of course, hilarious. Meanwhile, Winston is having problems with the Social Security office who have stopped his benefits. Isa's estranged husband, Harry, also returns after a six year absence.
Series 2 (2003)
Gairden - The residents of Craiglang are being terrorised by the local neds, but the pensioners have had enough and decide to make their own haven they can escape to. Meanwhile Jack and Victor check on old Ronnie who has been recently committed to the sanatorium after being found dancing in George Square in his underwear.
- English Translation- Garden
Wummin' - Jack and Victor are concerned for old friend Bert Findley who is deeply depressed following the death of his wife. Winston is having his own troubles with a less than sympathetic home help.
- English Translation- Women
Doacters - Jack and Victor are amazed at the dynamic vitality of their friend Stuart who has a newfound zest for life after being prescribed a new "yankee" wonder drug and they plan a strategy to obtain a supply for themselves. Meanwhile, both Tam and Winston try to impress the new librarian, Frances.
- English Translation- Doctors
Brief - Victor buys a new car hoping it will give him the freedom he always wanted, but it ends up that
he is the one being taken for a ride. Meanwhile, Winston tries his hardest to encourage Tam not to be tight-fisted.
- English Translation- Local slang for car
Tappin' - A money lender appears in Craiglang and soon finds customers. Isa thinks Jack and Victor have borrowed money when she notices they have more than usual, when in fact they are spending some extra money they had saved. Tam and Winston are enjoying a round of golf at Craiglang golf course until they are interrupted by the neds. Their attempts to solve the problem only end in disaster.
- English Translation- Tapping (borrowing money)
Scran - Navid's brother has died and he asks Jack and Victor to run the shop while he's away. Winston sees a chance to make some extra cash and decides to set up a take-away hot food sideline from the back shop, unwittingly infuriating the local snack van owner who Winston already holds a grudge against.
- English Translation- Food (Eating)
Shooglies - Jack and Victor celebrate their momentous sixtieth anniversary as best pals and decide to have a day out when they encounter a face from the past.
- English Translation- Local slang for trams ("shoogly" means "shaky" in standard English)
Buntin' - Craiglang is suspicious when Pete, the local alcoholic tramp, tells everyone he has secured a very important job at the council's new "facility", Jack and Victor decide to follow him to find the truth of the rumours. Meanwhile Navid, Winston and Shug are on a hunt for a bin-raiding fox.
- English Translation- Bunting
Dug - Jack makes arrangements to visit his daughter, Fiona, in Canada. Asked to come along, Victor initially refuses, but in the end goes with his friend on the holiday. Meanwhile, Winston ends up having to pretend to be Isa's "Pumpkin" to see off her estranged husband Harry.
Series 3 (2004)
Hoaliday - Jack and Victor arrive in Canada to visit Fiona. Just like in Scotland, the two get up to more mischief than the usual pensioners. Back home, Winston tries to ignore Isa's gossip while still enjoying her home cooking as he continues seeing her even though Harry has left.
- English standard - Holiday
Swottin' - Jack and Victor are back in Craiglang and on the hunt for more adventures - in this case enrolling in a night class for a first-aid course. They intend to use this new knowledge to win The Clansman quiz.
- English standard - "Swotting" Studying
Cairds - Jack and Victor enlist the help of their friends and set about winning back disabled Joe's electric scooter from Tam who won it in a poker game. Shug is arrested on suspicion of being a peeping-tom and Lady Luck shines on Winston as his long-shot accumulator bet at the bookie's returns a big win - or does it?
Big Yin - Jack and Victor need a favour from old friend, Big Innes, who has moved away from Craiglang to a remote area. The neds are out of control and Big Innes is just the man to sort them out! However, it is emphasised to everybody that Innes must not be given
Midori liqueurMidori is a bright, green-coloured, muskmelon-flavored cordial made by Suntory. It is manufactured in Japan, Mexico and France, though it was made only in Japan until 1987. It was first concocted in 1978, with a launch party held in New York's famous Studio 54....
under any circumstances. Winston joins the staff of "Food-Fare" and deals with work-place bullying in his own unique way.
- English standard - Big One
Oot - Long time recluse, Archie, has no option but to leave his home which is earmarked for demolition. Oblivious to world events and bewildered by all the changes over the decades, he re-enters society under the care of Jack and Victor. Winston inquires about a new, large screen, wall-mounted television in the High Street, but when he sees the price makes plans to build his own.
Aff - Isa is frantic with worry after a psychic in The Clansman tells her she is going to be run over by a silver car. Will she meet her date with destiny? Winston is told by doctors his leg will need to be amputated, a consequence of years of smoking. He takes solace in the news that he will qualify for extra money in invalidity benefits. On seeing Winston's leg, Jack throws his pipe in a bin pledging never to smoke again. And Victor fakes illness in a bid to get more attention from his absent son John.
Series 4 (2005)
Kill Wullie - Jack and Victor's friend, Wullie, is dating a younger woman. Rumours abound in Craiglang that his mistress is trying to bump him off. Meanwhile Winston struggles with his new leg and a young hooligan is conning pensioners out of money.
Wireless - Jack and Victor take up the job of the local hospital's radio station as stand-ins for Tam who is away on holiday and build up quite a fanbase in the process. Navid also ends up in hospital with a very personal problem.
Dial-A-Bus - Jack and Victor find themselves on a terrifying bus journey when the driver, Davie, suffers a psychotic episode. Meanwhile Tam decides to tag along while Navid goes to get stock and Bobby decides to take time off to go cycling, leaving The Clansman in the charge of a temporary barman. Winston takes advantage of Bobby's absence by pretending to be the real owner of The Clansman.
Ring - Tam decides to marry Frances, his sweetheart from the second series. As always in Craiglang, things
never go to plan. Meanwhile Navid's shop is part of a big business take-over.
Hatch - Jack has got Sky Digital TV, Victor hasn't, they solve this problem by arranging for Shug to put a "hatch" put in between their rooms so that they can both watch. But things go terribly wrong when Isa suspects they are gay. Meanwhile, Winston has to look after his neddy grandson while his parents are on holiday.
Who's The Daddy? - Jack, Victor and Winston fear they may have fathered a child in their teenage years, but they are unsure who it may be. The child in question is also part of the plan to demolish The Clansman.
Christmas special (2005)
Cold Turkey - Jack and Victor fear for their Christmas dinner after being nasty to Isa and Winston gets to grips with his turkey.
Meanwhile Frances gives Tam a ton of Christmas cards for him to deliver.
Series 5 (2006)
Drama - Jack and Victor learn about free whisky tasting sessions and win a visit to a distillery. Winston is in no mood to welcome the new bookie to Craiglang, being certain that it's his old nemesis, Stevie.
A Fresh Lick - The pensioners put on their decorator's overalls to redesign Isa's flat. In their usual style, the two have trouble adjusting to the job at hand. Meanwhile Tam discovers a video featuring Bobby and some scantily clad women.
Smoke On The Water - Jack and Victor sail in celebration of Victor's 75th birthday. The two decide, along with Winston, to take a sail down the local river. Unfortunately, a run-in with the local neds means things won't go smoothly.
Hard Nuts - Boaby the Barman has a chance to be on television. Unbeknown to him at first, the programme is "Blighty's Hardest Boozers".
All The Best - A sad farewell to Winston as he leaves Craiglang for a new life in the seaside resort of Finport. Meanwhile Jack and Victor are chauffeurs for the day.
Saucy - Frances's sister, Molly, comes to visit and makes a huge impression on Tam who is in awe of his sister-in-law's tight-fistedness. Meanwhile, Jack and Victor arrange to visit Winston in Finport but when they arrive, they find that all is not well.
Hogmanay special (2006)
The Party - On 31 December 2006, a
HogmanayHogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
special of Still Game aired on
BBC One Scotland - the show's first Scotland-only broadcast since Series 3. This was the first year that a Hogmanay special of
Still Game was shown as in previous years,
Chewin' The FatChewin' the Fat is a Scottish comedy sketch show, starring Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and Karen Dunbar. Comedians Paul Riley and Mark Cox also appeared regularly on the show.Chewin' the Fat first started as a radio series on BBC Radio Scotland...
was aired in its stead; the producers have now stopped working on
Chewin' The FatChewin' the Fat is a Scottish comedy sketch show, starring Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and Karen Dunbar. Comedians Paul Riley and Mark Cox also appeared regularly on the show.Chewin' the Fat first started as a radio series on BBC Radio Scotland...
. The plot, which is similar to the previous stage play (see History) in which Jack, Victor and Winston (also
IsaJane McCarry is a Scottish actress. She is most famous for her role as Isa Drennan in the Scottish sitcom, Still Game.Beginning in 2006, McCarry appears in the children's programme, Me Too! as the middle-aged childminder, Granny Murray...
in this version) are stuck in the Osprey Heights lift on their way to a Hogmanay party. The episode, called "The Party", involved flashbacks to
HogmanayHogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
1975.
JackFord John Kiernan is a Scottish actor and comedian. Along with his comedy partner, Greg Hemphill, he is best known in the United Kingdom for his appearances in Still Game and Chewin' The Fat.-Personal life:...
and
VictorGregory "Greg" Hemphill is a Scottish actor and comedian. He has also presented on television and radio. Along with his comedy partner, Ford Kiernan, he is best known in the United Kingdom for his appearances in Still Game and Chewin' the Fat.-Personal life:Hemphill was born in Glasgow, Scotland,...
's wives, Jean and Betty, respectively, appeared in the episode.
The episode aired the next day on 1 January 2007 on
BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
for UK viewers outside Scotland.
Series 6 (2007)
Series 6 of
Still Game started on 12 July 2007 on
BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. Shooting locations included the
Tunnock'sThomas Tunnock Limited, commonly known as Tunnock's, is a family baker in Uddingston, Scotland.The company was formed by Thomas Tunnock as Tunnock's in 1890, when he purchased a baker's shop in Uddingston. The company expanded in the 1950s, and it was at this time that the core products were...
factory in
UddingstonUddingston is a small town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the north side of the River Clyde, about seven miles south-east of Glasgow...
,
South LanarkshireSouth Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....
and at the Par's Foods factory
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, in episode 6 "recipe" (note incorrect episode order). One of the show's characters was killed off, which was revealed to be Isa's husband Harry in episode 1. The series had cameo appearances by
Lorraine KellyLorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
,
Michelle McManusMichelle McManus is a Scottish singer-songwriter, actress, radio DJ and television presenter, who rose to fame after winning the second series of the UK talent show Pop Idol....
and boxing champion Jim Watt. Although the series was originally planned for six episodes (like the previous two), it was revealed that another episode had been added, bringing the count up to seven.
When questioned about any further series (after the sixth), creator Ford Kiernan said he believed there was at least "three more series" worth of ideas for the show and that they are "not finished with Jack and Victor's story by a long shot". However after a dispute over the direction the production company was taking, it is understood Series 6 and the two seasonal specials were the last outing for Jack, Victor and friends.
Hot Seat - Craiglang is in the grip of a heat wave. Jack and Victor have found the perfect place to relax in the park on the ultimate bench. Unfortunately, Tam and Winston have the same idea. Isa receives news about her ex husband Harry that changes her life.
Fly Society - Jack and Victor get a taste of how the other half live when they are mistaken for two socialites by a couple of rich widows. But the gang from Craiglang are not happy at missing out.
Lights Out - After an accident at the local sub station involving a runaway lorry, Craiglang is plunged into darkness. After a crime wave occurs, the vulnerable pensioners start taking radical measures to protect themselves from the night crawlers.
Seconds Out - When a new pizza place opens in Craiglang, Boabby the barman and Stevie the bookie vie for the attention of the new pizza girl. Jack and Victor are hell bent on getting a free pizza now that their old pal Winston works there.
Hyper - Navid's business is suffering at the hands of the corporate giant Hyperdales and his regular customers loyalty is being put to the test. Meanwhile, Tam is going through some bizarre changes in behaviour. Eventually, Navid cracks and tries to burn down Hyperdales; though Jack, Victor and Winston talk him out of it, things go badly wrong when Tam's old personality comes surging back to life after they are locked in for the night. The episode ends with Winston asking Navid for some petrol to light a
barbecueBarbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
. The following scene depicts fire engines batteling a blaze and Navid, Jack, Victor and Winston slipping away in the background.
Recipe - Jack and Victor discover Pete the Jakey was the inventor of The famous BeefyBake and seek recompense on his behalf. Tam and Frances are having marital problems. Who can offer counsel, Navid?
One In One Out - Tam and Frances enjoy fame and fortune with their new addition but it means baby sitting stints for Jack and Victor which is proving a bit of a strain. As both wind up in hospital and Jack is diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, could this be the end for the duo?
Note: The British Sitcom Guide have plot synopses on their site. They are also reporting a 2007 Christmas special has been filmed. The BBC website for Still Game now also lists the episodes, with realplayer previews.
Christmas (2007)
Plum Number - Jack and Victor join the choir. Winston gets a job as a lollipop man. Boaby gets a new puggy for The Clansman with a jackpot of £1000. Tam enlists the help of Shug and Eric to intercept the slot machine's pay-out ratio but soon, they are joined by Jack and Victor who want their slice of the action.
Hogmanay (2007)
There was a
HogmanayHogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
special aired on
HogmanayHogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
at 11:15pm on
BBC One Scotland. It was broadcast to the rest of the UK on
BBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 2 January 2008 at 10 pm.
Hootenanny - Jack, Victor, Winston and Tam decide to spend their Hogmanay in a cottage on the remote island of Tighnahulish. Their celebrations are short-lived though when Jack and Victor manage to upset the island's few residents. Meanwhile, in Craiglang, Navid's wife Meena has gone on holiday to India, leaving Navid to enjoy a brief taste of single life.
DVD Releases
| DVD Title |
Discs |
Year |
No. of Ep. |
DVD release |
Notes |
Region 2DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
|
|
Complete Series 1 |
1 |
2002 |
6 |
3 July 2006 |
— |
|
Complete Series 2 |
2 |
2003 |
9 |
3 July 2006 |
— |
|
Complete Series 3 |
1 |
2004 |
6 |
17 July 2006 |
— |
|
Complete Series 4 |
1 |
2005 |
6 |
17 July 2006 |
Includes behind the scene's footage |
|
Complete Series 5 |
1 |
2006 |
6 |
16 October 2006 |
— |
|
Complete Series 6 |
1 |
2007 |
7 |
3 September 2007 |
— |
|
Complete Specials A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
|
1 |
2005–2007 |
4 |
3 November 2008 |
Includes the specials from 2005, 2006 & 2007 |
|
Complete Series 1 - 5 |
6 |
2002–2006 |
33 |
16 October 2006 |
— |
|
Complete Series 1 - 6 |
8 |
2002–2007 |
44 |
3 November 2008 |
Includes all of the specials |
Critical response
Referring to the fifth series' finale, the
Daily RecordThe Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
heralded for
Still Game to be added to the ranks of the "greatest sitcoms ever". They called the episode "classic comedy" and said it was " a perfect mix of empathetic friendship, laugh-out-loud gags, real feeling in the acting and genuine warmth and chemistry between the characters". The Daily Record also revealed
Still Game was trouncing rivals
The Catherine Tate ShowThe Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta. Tate also stars in all but one of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC...
and
Steve Coogan'sStephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
SaxondaleSaxondale is a British television situation comedy programme, starring Steve Coogan and co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by Matt Lipsey and produced by Ted Dowd. Coogan and Henry Normal served as executive producers...
with 300,000 and 700,000 more viewers respectively. Creator and star Ford Kiernan said of the ratings: "I am absolutely delighted. The figures have gradually increased - episode after episode."
Still Game was criticised for its "reliance on expletives" by Teddy Jamieson,
televisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
critic for
The HeraldThe Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
. He also commented that the sitcom "paints [Scotland] in broad strokes", through its use of stereotypes. TV Today praised the show for being "refreshing" in the age of dying sitcoms. It said the show was funny in a "straight down the line way".
Still Game has attracted interest from known screen legends, such as
Sean ConnerySir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
(who even requested a role in the show). Actor
Bill NighyWilliam Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
is also reported to be a fan, calling upon the distinct Glaswegian accent
for a roleDavy Jones is a fictional character and antagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Davy Jones is the captain of the Flying Dutchman , roaming the seas in search of souls to serve upon his vessel for a century...
. The show has won awards in both the 2004 and 2005
BAFTA ScotlandBAFTA in Scotland is the Scottish branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Formed in 1997, the branch holds an annual awards ceremony, the British Academy Scotland Awards , to recognise achievement by performers and production staff in Scottish film, television and video games...
awards and was named as the winner in the Best Broadcast category at the 2004 Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards.
In 2006,
Still Game was once again nominated for a
BAFTA ScotlandBAFTA in Scotland is the Scottish branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Formed in 1997, the branch holds an annual awards ceremony, the British Academy Scotland Awards , to recognise achievement by performers and production staff in Scottish film, television and video games...
award for the "Most Popular Television" category. Other contenders included
RebusRebus is the title of the detective drama based on the Inspector Rebus novels by the Scottish author Ian Rankin set in and around Edinburgh produced by STV Productions for the ITV Network....
and
TaggartTaggart is a Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler, who has written many of the episodes, and made by STV Productions for the ITV network...
.
Paul RileyPaul Riley is a Scottish actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Winston Ingram in the Scottish sitcom, Still Game. He previously worked on the sketch show Chewin' the Fat, the show that Still Game was a spin-off from...
, who plays Winston, was also awarded for his role in the show.
Filming
Just before the fifth series started filming, a pest control team had to be called in to the Maryhill studio set when it was discovered that rats had infested Navid's shop and were eating their way through the stock. The alarm was raised after
Jane McCarryJane McCarry is a Scottish actress. She is most famous for her role as Isa Drennan in the Scottish sitcom, Still Game.Beginning in 2006, McCarry appears in the children's programme, Me Too! as the middle-aged childminder, Granny Murray...
(Isa) found a dead rat on the set. The high rat population in the area was due to the proximity of the
Forth and Clyde CanalThe Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River...
The theme music used on the TV broadcasts of the show is an excerpt from "Cuban Boy", performed by The Cuban Boys, which is itself sampled from
Frank ChacksfieldFrank Chacksfield was an English pianist, organist, composer and conductor of popular light orchestral easy listening music, who had great success in Britain and internationally in the 1950s and early 1960s.-Life and career:...
's track of the same name from the album
West of Sunset.
Future
Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and Paul Riley's company
Effingee ProductionsEffingee Productions is a television production company known for its comedy in Scotland. It was created by Greg Hemphill and Ford Kiernan of Chewin' the Fat and Still Game.-TV Productions:...
is thought to have split up after Riley walked away to go it alone after being refused more control over the future of the company by Kiernan. Hemphill then also walked away after saying he didn't want a "boardroom battle". Therefore there will almost certainly not be another series of
Still Game.
Riley has since taken the lead role in the sitcom
Dear Green PlaceDear Green Place is a Scottish comedy programme set in a park in central Glasgow. It first aired on 19 October 2007 on BBC One Scotland. The second series has just finished airing on the same channel....
, playing a park keeper, while Kiernan also features prominently as the chief park keeper.
Sanjeev Kohli's self-written radio sitcom
Fags, Mags and BagsFags, Mags and Bags is a Scottish radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Its first series was nominated for a Sony Radio Award.The writers, Sanjeev Kohli and Donald McLeary, received a Writers Guild Award in November 2008 for Radio Comedy of the Year....
features himself as a Glasgow convenience-store owner, not dissimilar to his Still Game character of Naveed.
See also
External links