Rab C. Nesbitt
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Ian Pattison
Starring	Gregor Fisher Elaine C. Smith Andrew Fairle Eric Cullen Tony Roper Barbara Rafferty
Country of origin	Scotland
Language(s)	English Scots
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	53
Production
Producer(s)	Colin Gilbert
Location	Govan, Scotland
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC Two
Original run	December 21, 1988 – June 18, 1999

Rab C. Nesbitt was a Scottish sitcom that ran from 1988 to 1999. Produced by BBC Scotland, it starred Gregor Fisher as the titular character; an alcoholic Glaswegian who believed that unemployment was the life for him. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Ian Pattison is a Scottish writer who lives in Glasgow. ... Gregor Fisher (born 22 December 1953) is a popular Scottish comedian and actor. ... Elaine C. Smith (born August 2, 1958) is a British actress and comedienne. ... Eric Robertson Cullen (July 12, 1965 — August 16, 1996) was a Scottish actor with achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism. ... Tony Roper (born 19 August 1941) is a Scottish actor. ... This article is about the country. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Scots refers to the Anglic varieties spoken in parts of Scotland. ... Govan (Baile a Ghobhainn in Gaelic) is a district and former burgh in the southwestern part of the Scottish city of Glasgow. ... This article is about the country. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1989. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1999 in television involved some significant events. ... This article is about the country. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... The year 1990 in television involved some significant events. ... The year 1999 in television involved some significant events. ... BBC Scotland (BBC Alba in Gaelic) is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. ... Gregor Fisher (born 22 December 1953) is a popular Scottish comedian and actor. ... King Alcohol and his Prime Minister circa 1820 Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholics normal personal, family, social, or work life. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Originally a regular character in the network BBC 2 sketch series Naked Video (1986-1990) The pilot of the sitcom was originally made for Scotland only in 1988, a Christmas special entitled "Rab C Nesbitt's Seasonal Greet" subsequently repeated on the network the following year.

The show began its first series on September 27, 1990 and continued for seven more series, finally ending on June 18, 1999. Rab C. Nesbitt is currently airing on Paramount Comedy 2, around 9pm on Wednesdays, shown in double episodes. is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1990 in television involved some significant events. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1999 in television involved some significant events. ...

The programme is especially notable for approaching far darker topics and themes than those that are usually encountered in sitcoms (although almost always in a blackly comedic manner rather than a serious one), amongst them cannibalism, contract killings on the homeless, suicide, sexual harrassment, neo-Nazism, zoophilia, murder of suspects by police officers whilst in custody, alcoholism, devil worship, mass long-term unemployment, mariticide, police brutality, ringworm, domestic violence, transsexuality, infertility, drug abuse, atheism, alcohol-induced cirrhosis, eating Rottweiler flesh, murder and cancer. Also notable is that Rab is frequently seen breaking the fourth wall. It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Black comedy and List of black comedies, accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Cannibal redirects here. ... A contract killing (also contract murder or murder-for-hire) is a murder in which the killer is hired by another person for material reward, usually money. ... A homeless person in Paris. ... For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ... Sexual harassment is harassment of a sexual nature, typically in the workplace or other setting where raising objections or refusing may have negative consequences. ... The terms Neo-Nazism and Neo-Fascism refer to any social or political movement to revive Nazism or Fascism, respectively, and postdates the Second World War. ... This article is about zoophilia, the emotional and (optionally) sexual attraction of humans to animals. ... For the band, see The Police. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... Satanism is a religious or philosophical movement centered around Satan or another entity identified with Satan, or centered around the forces of nature, particularly human nature, represented by Satan as an archetype. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Mariticide (not to be confused with matricide); from the Latin maritus (married) & cidium (killing), literally means the murder of ones married partner, but has become most associated with the murder of a husband by his wife. ... David Kirkwood on the ground after being struck by police batons Police brutality is a term used to describe the excessive use of physical force, assault, verbal attacks, and threats by police officers and other law enforcement officers. ... This article is about the fungal infection. ... “Domestic disturbance” redirects here. ... Look up Transsexuality in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a man or a woman to contribute to conception. ... Comparison of the perceived harm for various psychoactive drugs from a poll among medical psychiatrists specialized in addiction treatment[1] This article is an overview of the nontherapeutic use of alcohol and drugs of abuse. ... “Atheist” redirects here. ... Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrotic scar tissue as well as regenerative nodules, leading to progressive loss of liver function. ... A platter of cooked dog meat In some countries, apart from being kept as pets, certain breeds of dogs are raised on farms and slaughtered for their meat. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... Specifically in a proscenium theater, the term fourth wall applies to the imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a theater through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play. ...

On August 31, 2006, the Evening Times reported that Rab C. Nesbitt would be returning to BBC Two, with production starting in early 2007.^[1] Producer and director to the series, Colin Gilbert also told the Herald that a new series was a "distinct possibility".^[2] is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Evening Times, is an evening tabloid newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Lighthouse, Charles Mackintoshs Glasgow Herald building The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland. ...

The series also features a young David Tennant (later the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who) in the third series episode 'Touch' as a pre-op transsexual. Also in the 6th episode of the 5th series, Sylvester McCoy (The Seventh Doctor) played Rab's demented brother. David Tennant is the stage name of David John McDonald (born 18 April 1971), a Scottish actor from Bathgate, West Lothian, best known for portraying the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in the television series Doctor Who. ... The Tenth Doctor is the name given to the tenth and current incarnation of the fictional character known as the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... For other uses, see Doctor Who (disambiguation). ... A transsexual (sometimes transexual) person establishes a permanent identity with the opposite gender to their assigned (usually at birth) sex. ... -1...

Cast and characters

The Nesbitt family

• Robert "Rab" C. Nesbitt (Gregor Fisher): alcoholic (in denial), deadbeat, self-styled "street philosopher" and "sensitive big bastard", although "sensitive by Govan standards, y'understand, y'know. Ah awiz keep mah pinkie oot wan ah batter sumwan oor the heid wi a basebaw bat." Described by his wife Mary as not "an unemployed person" but "the original unemployed person.". Rab is very rarely seen in anything other than a pinstripe suit in very poor condition, rotting plimsolls, a filthy headband and a string vest. Father to Gash and Burney. Rab has 4 brothers, all dead; Rab only survived because he was the only one out of the five who was able to understand the benefits form. Claims to have been talented as a teenager, but never went anywhere with it due to Govan-dwellers being scared of talent when they saw it and tried "tae beat it tae death wi bottles".

• Mary "Mary Doll" Nesbitt (Elaine C. Smith): Rab's long-suffering wife, and considerably more functional and aspirational than her husband. Claims that on the day she was born it was a toss-up whether her or the dog would end up at the bottom of the river Clyde in a sack (Burney: "She won. There's nae bloody justice, eh?").

• Gash Nesbitt (Andrew Fairlie): The Nesbitts' elder son. Described by his father as "so anal-retentive he's still shitein rusks." Has dabbled with Christianity, hard drugs, Hare Krishna and ram-raiding BT shops in his efforts to find himself.

• Burney Nesbitt (Eric Cullen): the couple's younger son (the first three seasons only). Briefly dallied with neo-Nazism. Was also discovered to be gifted at painting, although gave up on this avenue when he realised it wasn't getting him sex. Apparently has "a tattoo awn mah erse an baws like gooseberries". Referred to as "that wee bendy toy" by Gash.

• Screech Nesbitt (David McKay): Rab's nephew (Replaces Cullen in the fourth, fifth, and six season, after Cullen was unable to continue in the show due to a breakdown occasioned by a personal life scandal).

Gregor Fisher (born 22 December 1953) is a popular Scottish comedian and actor. ... The little finger, often called the pinky in American English and pinkie in Scottish English (from the Dutch word pink, meaning little finger), is the most ulnar and usually smallest finger of the human hand, opposite the thumb, next to the ring finger. ... Four historically significant baseball bats showcased in the National Baseball Hall of Fames traveling exhibit Baseball As America. ... Pin striping describes the application of a pin stripe: a very thin line of paint or other material, generally used for decoration. ... Plimsoll shoe A plimsoll or plimsoll shoe is a type of athletic shoe with a canvas upper and rubber sole, developed as beachwear in the 1830s by the Liverpool Rubber Company (later to become Dunlop). ... A vest is a type of mens garment. ... Elaine C. Smith (born August 2, 1958) is a British actress and comedienne. ... The River Clyde opening out at Newark Castle, Port Glasgow past Clydeport Ocean Terminal, Greenock, to the Firth of Clyde on the left, and to the right past Ardmore Point to the Gare Loch. ... The term anal-retentive (or anally retentive, anal retentive) derives from Freudian Psychology, although in common usage the original meaning has been altered. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Hard drugs are drugs that lead to physical addiction, opposed to soft drugs, such as marijuana and hashish, that are only psychologically addictive. ... Hare Krishna Mantra in Devanagari The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Maha Mantra (Great Mantra), is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra made well known outside of India by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as the Hare Krishnas)[1]. It is believed by practitioners... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... BT Group plc (which trades as just BT, and is commonly known by its former name, British Telecom) is the privatised former British state telecommunications operator. ... Eric Robertson Cullen (July 12, 1965 — August 16, 1996) was a Scottish actor with achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism. ... A child prodigy is someone who is a master of one or more skills or arts at an early age. ... “Painter” redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... David McKay (b. ...

The Cotter family

• James Aaron "Jamesie" Cotter (Tony Roper): Rab's longtime friend, as well as chronic serial philanderer and self-described 'scumbag'. Jamesie is always seen with his trademark shabby sportsjacket and bottle of Irn-Bru. Possesses an odd obsession with the imprints he leaves when stepping in puddles with trainers, a habit that very nearly got him eaten by Young Young McGurn. "Some men climb Everest, some men write symphonies, but Jamesie Cotter left a good imprint when he stood in a puddle." Despite his womanising, Jamesie is infertile and allegedly poorly-endowed, according to his wife Ella.

• Ella Cotter (Barbara Rafferty): Jamesie's fiery wife, with her red beehive haircut and leopard skin coat. Seems to loathe her husband and frequently considers murdering him, and has stabbed him at least once.

Tony Roper (born 19 August 1941) is a Scottish actor. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Irn Bru Irn Bru is the most popular caffeinated soft drink in Scotland. ... ‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... Cannibal redirects here. ... “Everest” redirects here. ... A symphony is an extended piece of music for orchestra, especially one in the form of a sonata. ...

The Two Ways Inn regulars

• Andra (Brian Pettifer): one of Rab's best friends, described more than once as looking "like a Ninja Turtle". Married to a woman who he is so repulsed by that he dry heaves when thinking about sleeping with her.

• Dodie (Iain McColl): another of Rab's best friends.

• Dougie (Charlie Sim): The Barman of the Two Ways Inn.

• Norrie (John Kazek): the 2nd Barman of the Two Ways Inn.

Brian Pettifer is a Scottish actor who has appeared in many Scottish themed television shows. ... TMNT redirects here. ...

Recurring cast members

• Phoebe (Sara Corper): An extremely middle-class English woman, married to Hugh.
• Hugh/"Shug" (Sean Scanlan) A relative of the Nesbitts, Hugh feigns Englishness or at least pretends to be a middle-class Scot from Berwick-upon-Tweed due to Scottish cultural cringe and the distaste displayed at anything working-class and/or Scottish on the part of his wife Phoebe.

Map sources for Berwick-upon-Tweed at grid reference NT9952 Berwick-upon-Tweed from across the river Berwick-upon-Tweed, (pronounced Berrick) situated in the county of Northumberland, is the northernmost town in England, situated on the east coast on the mouth of the river Tweed. ... Cultural cringe, in cultural studies and social anthropology, is an internalized inferiority complex which causes people in a country to dismiss their own culture as inferior to the cultures of other countries. ...

Notable one-time characters

• John William Pure Mad Mental Intae Yoor Body Simpson Craig Gemmell Chib The Bam Rib-Racker No Real Young Rebel Ya Bas St. John McGurn aka Young Young McGurn (Maurice Roeves) from 'That's Entertainment': a local "psychotic, with cannibalistic tendencies" who regularly threatens to eat people who displease him. McGurn's family burgle and vandalise local houses with impunity. Unfortunately for Jamesie Cotter, he chose to the "whap the meat oop" McGurn's daughter Tracey, a fact that very nearly got him eaten himself.

• Peter The Warlock (Peter Mullan) from 'Life Has Meaning': a Devil worshipper who, after feeling insulted by Rab, places a hex on him, resulting in a dart embedding itself into Rab's cranium. Owns a cloak allegedly once owned by Aleister Crowley (but is most often seen naked) as well as a dog with a unicorn-like horn.

Thomas Gemmell was a Scottish footballer. ... A detail from The Haywain Triptych by Hieronymus Bosch A stabbing or dicksucking is the penetration of a sharp or pointed dick at close range. ... Maurice Roëves (born 19 March 1937 in Sunderland) is a British actor. ... Psychosis is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a loss of contact with reality. Stedmans Medical Dictionary defines psychosis as a severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration... Peter Mullan (born in 1959 in Peterhead, Scotland) is a Scottish actor who has been appearing in films since 1990. ... Satanism is a religious or philosophical movement centered around Satan or another entity identified with Satan, or centered around the forces of nature, particularly human nature, represented by Satan as an archetype. ... Look up hex in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up dart in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Cranium can mean: The brain and surrounding skull, a part of the body. ... Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley, (12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947; the surname is pronounced // i. ... “Nude” redirects here. ... The gentle and pensive maiden has the power to tame the unicorn, in this fresco in Palazzo Farnese, Rome, probably by Domenichino, ca 1602 For other uses, see Unicorn (disambiguation). ...

Episodes

This article contains summaries for the Episodes/specials of the Scottish comedy/Sit-com television series Rab C Nesbitt, the show began airing on September 27, 1990 and finished on June 18, 1999. Some shows still get broadcast nowadays though on Paramount Comedy 2. This article is about the country. ... The word comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humor with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... A television program (US), television programme (UK) or simply television show is a segment of programming in television broadcasting. ... Rab C. Nesbitt is a British sitcom that was produced by the BBC. It starred Gregor Fisher, alongside Elaine C Smith, as an unwashed Glaswegian drunkard, and was a feature of Scots comedy. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Paramount Comedy 2 is a television channel shown in Ireland and the United Kingdom. ...

Pilot Episode:

• Rab C Nesbitt's Seasonal Greet (31/12/1989) (First shown in Scotland (21/12/1988))

Series 1:

• Work (27/9/1990)
• Rat (4/10/1990)
• Holiday (11/10/1990)
• Drink (18/10/1990)
• Offski (25/10/1990)
• City of Culture (1/11/1990)

Special:

• Fitba (15/7/1991)

Series 2:

• Country (14/5/1992)
• Lesson (21/5/1992)
• Domestic (28/5/1992)
• That's Entertainment (4/6/1992)
• Ethics (11/6/1992)
• Life Has Meaning (18/6/1992)

Special:

• Home (31/12/1992)

Series 3:

• Rich (16/11/1993)
• Touch (23/11/1993)
• Gifted (30/11/1993)
• Wean (7/12/1993)
• Right (14/12/1993)
• Cell (21/12/1993)

Series 4:

• Love (19/9/1994)
• Mother (26/9/1994)
• Buckfast (3/10/1994)
• Test (10/10/1994)
• Eorpa (17/10/1994)
• Further (24/10/1994)

Special:

• More (29/12/1994)

Series 5:

• Affair (5/1/1996)
• Fuel (12/1/1996)
• Lottery (19/1/1996)
• Pie (26/1/1996)
• Racket (2/2/1996)
• Father (9/2/1996)

Series 6:

• Fast (1/8/1997)
• Wild (8/8/1997)
• Growth (15/8/1997)
• Semmitry (22/8/1997)
• Bulbs (29/8/1997)
• Binge (5/9/1997)

Series 7:

• New (21/8/1998)
• Cocktails (28/8/1998)
• Duel (4/9/1998)
• Property (11/9/1998)
• Community (18/9/1998)
• Back (25/9/1998)

Series 8:

• Heat (14/5/1999)
• Commons (21/5/1999)
• Night (28/5/1999)
• Fruit (4/6/1999)
• Bug (11/6/1999)
• Trips (18/6/1999)

Quotes from the show

• Rab: "I will tell you this, I will tell you this".

• Rab: "Mary, we huv knain each other tae long to let a pound ae dead meat tae come between us".
  Mary: "Let's leave oor sex life oota this"

• Mary: {To Burney but referring to Rab} Is that him back?
  Burney: Dunno Maw, wait an i'll ask. Is that you back, da?

• Shug: There are more people in the greater London than there is in the whole of Scotland.
  Rab: but I mean, for goodness sake, it's quality that counts, not quantity.

• Rab: I will skive and skive again.

• Rab: I was born a cynical bastard and I'll die a cynical bastard!

• Rab: Some place, Govan, eh? Where else can y'get a fish supper at 9:OO AM? Simple. Jes steal it aff a drunk whit's been layin pished ootside a close aw neet.”

• Peter The Warlock: [to Rab] Now if you'll excuse me, I have a unicorn to sacrifice and a virgin to deflower. [to three of the guys as he leaves the pub] See youse.
  Dodie: He must be a warlock right enough to huv found a unicorn in Govan.
  Jamesie: He must be Sherlock Holmes to huv found a virgin.

Warlocks are, among historic Christian traditions, said to be the male equivalent of witches (usually in the pejorative sense of Europes Middle Ages), and were said to ride pitchforks instead of broomsticks. ... The gentle and pensive maiden has the power to tame the unicorn, in this fresco in Palazzo Farnese, Rome, probably by Domenichino, ca 1602 For other uses, see Unicorn (disambiguation). ... In Roman times, Vestal Virgins were strictly celibate or they were punished by death. ... A portrait of Sherlock Holmes by Sidney Paget from the Strand Magazine, 1891 Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. ...

DVD, Video & Book releases

Seasons

The first 5 seasons of Rab C. Nesbitt have been made available on DVD, also the Christmas special "A Seasonal Greet" and the two other feature length specials Fitba and Home have also been released. Series 6, 7 and 8 are due for release in October 2007. Video releases include Fitba, which follows Rab to Italy as he follows Scotland's progress in the 1990 World Cup, a Live show, plus various episodes have been released on video. This article contains DVD information about the American drama/mystery television series Desperate Housewives. ... The year 1990 in television involved some significant events. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... The year 1992 in television involved some significant events. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... The year 1993 in television involved some significant events. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... The year 1994 in television involved some significant events. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1996. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

A book entitled A Stranger Here Myself has also been released. Two script books were also released.

References

1. ^ http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5056584.html
2. ^ http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/69205.html

External links

• Rab C. Nesbitt at bbc.co.uk Comedy Guide
• Rab C. Nesbitt at Phill.co.uk
• Rab C. Nesbitt at British Film Institute Screen
• Rab C. Nesbitt at The Comedy Unit
• Rab C. Nesbitt at the Internet Movie Database
• Rab C. Nesbitt Videos at YouTube