Rab C. Nesbitt

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.

Rab C. Nesbitt (1990-2011) is a British national-television dark comedy sitcom created by Ian Pattison for BBC One. Gregor Fisher plays Rab C. Nesbitt, a drunken, string-vested layabout in the working class area of Govan in Glasgow, who dispenses grand philosophical opinions to anyone who will listen. Tony Roper plays his devious, womanising pal Jamesie Cotter, and Elaine C. Smith plays Mary Nesbitt, his long suffering wife who holds the household together while Rab drinks with his mates. The engine of the show is simple: Rab wants nothing more than his next drink and a moment of self regarded wisdom, while the world around him keeps intruding through money troubles, family rows and pub schemes. Each episode is a self contained half hour of talky scenes and blunt Glaswegian humour, unfolding across ten seasons and sixty one episodes. Its satire of Scottish working class life is grim, sardonic and affectionate in equal measure, and the comedy often breaks the fourth wall. Fans of Still Game and Father Ted will find resonance in its blend of bleak humour and absurd dignity.

• Still Gameshared working class scottish setting and bleak comic tone around a hard drinking antihero
• Father Tedshared satirical dark comedy about a self destructive layabout with philosophical monologues
• Shameless (UK)shared blunt british sitcom grit and dysfunctional family dynamics in a working class setting

Created by

Ian Pattison

Release Date

1990-09-27

Episode runtime

30 min

Rating

7.5 / 10 (32)

What is Rab C. Nesbitt about?

A drunken, string-vested layabout in Glasgow's Govan philosophises his way through a life of pub-fuelled chaos.

What is Rab C. Nesbitt like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rab C. Nesbitt as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Rab C. Nesbitt violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Rab C. Nesbitt as mild.

Which shows are like Rab C. Nesbitt?

Shows with a similar feel include Still Game, Father Ted, and Shameless (UK).

How long is Rab C. Nesbitt?

Rab C. Nesbitt: 10 seasons, 61 episodes.

Is Rab C. Nesbitt still running?

No, Rab C. Nesbitt has ended.