Still Game
BBC ONE, 9.30PM; WALES, 10.00PM
In Scotland, this sitcom about a couple of mouthy, hard-drinking and permanently a-littledown-on-their-luck Scottish pensioners is something of a national institution. It initially ran from 2002-2007, before a series of sell-out live performances saw it return to TV in 2016, gaining a prime BBC One slot in the process. So what should new fans expect? The short answer: if you like your sitcoms smart but traditional and admire the way in which Mrs Brown’s Boys plays with the genre while remaining true to it, then you’ll love
Still Game. But if laugh tracks, broadly drawn characters, slapstick and jokes about the eating habits of the gentrified inhabitants of Glasgow’s West End aren’t your thing, then you’re unlikely to be that amused.
Yet there’s no doubting that Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, who both write the show and take the leading roles as elderly reprobates Jack Jarvis and Victor Mcdade, know their audience and comedy history. Still Game is lovingly crafted, with each character from nosy-parker Isa (Jane Mccarry) to well-meaning barman Boabby (Gavin Mitchell) given their chance to shine. It’s not for everyone but it’s easy to see why those who love it do.