Still Game

We just "discovered" this show on NetFlix two weeks ago and we are addicted to it! We have watched all the episodes on NetFlix and are watching them all again already. (Thank goodness for the subtitles because some of the slang we can't understand, haha.) Great actors, clever scripts, so funny! We just LOVE Victor, Jack and Winston!! This show is unique because it's funny and has genuine "heart". The cast is top notch and we truly care about them so when Jack is missing his wife or Jack and Victor go to visit Winston in his awful new apartment out of town, the viewers really care about these characters in their sad situations (this proves what great actors they are). There are too many great episodes to pick a favorite! So many lines from this hilarious TV series have crept into our every day language, like "cheery-bye" (haha). We love how they make reference to many famous American entertainers that we love (like Perry Como, Jack Lord, "Quincy," Abbott & Costello, etc.) We are so excited to hear that they are filming a new season this summer although we don't know how long it will be until American viewers can see them. Unfortunately, we can't find the series on Region 1 or 0 even though we would love to own them on DVD. We love, love, love "Still Game"! Thanks, NetFlix, for bringing this amazingly clever, creative, fun, unique show to American viewers! (This show is funnier than any new American TV shows/movies!)

Jack and Victor from Chewin' the Fat now have a show of their own and if the first episode is anything to go by then success is a certainty. The first episode was about Victors next door neighbour dying and Jacks attempts at getting the house and removal day. A nice little subplot was the grandson trying to be a boxer. As per usual there was lots of originality and typical Scot's humour. One of the best scenes was all Jacks worldly possessions going up in flames in a dodgy removal van. Of the new characters I liked was the Asian shopkeeper and his wife. The wife you never seen her face, that sort of reminded me of the next door neighbour in Home Improvements. Shot on location in Maryhill, Glasgow its good to see old characters played so well. Possibly only Harry Enfield has ever made being an old git so funny.

Back in the days NBC's "Golden Girls" pioneered in discovering a fresh comedic potential according to the premise: Pensioners are also entitled to some post-prime fun before a career-move that involves pushing up the daisies. Especially when they're operating from Miami, Florida, of course. Now picture this as good old Sophia would say: How about we give the whole retiree idea more edge, relocate the girls to Scotland (complete with heavy accent), change their gender and language to something way stronger and offensive (yet in its own way endearing), and replace the picturesque Miami-scenario with fictional "shitehole" Craiglang "somewhere near Glasgow" with prospects being hee-haw as a Scot would say. You'll see: The fun refuses to concede defeat. Quite to the contrary. Welcome to "Still Game"!

Spun off from Ford Kiernan's and Greg Hemphil's sketch show "Chewin' the Fat", "Still Game" features strong 70+ characters ranging from the comedic widower duo Jack and Victor (Kiernan/Hemphil) over curmudgeon Winston, blabbermouth Isa and tight-arsed Tam to Indian-born shop owner Navid, who sports a rare talent for one-liners of the side-splitting kind. Now pleasures may be limited for old duffers, but life goes on and as such revolves around the local waterhole "The Clansman", the bookies, and the grocer's, with Isa's rumor mill working incessantly. Romance is a mere footnote. In that sense "Still Game" is not that far off the mark as real old geezers go. But in Craiglang there's a bright side to the shadow of old age: Death for example is a constant companion, accepted and dealt with in creative fashion (two words: hypothermia sweepstakes), and in the meantime as far as shaping the rest of one's life is concerned: disaster, small or large, is always around the corner. "Still Game", while out-and-out hilarious, occasionally dark-humored and sometimes over-the-top in a memorable way, also has its powerful dramatic moments. Character developments feel palpable and add another layer to the show and depth one wouldn't want to miss. The nine year long pause between season 6 and 7 is hardly noticeable. Following popular demand, "Still Game" is back again, as stand-up comedy and sitcom. So brush up on your Scottish, or turn on the subtitles. You don't want to miss this.

Still Game is fantastic - taking on board some of the other peoples comments - the humour has been crude at times, and you could see some things coming - but the best thing about it is that a joke comes completely out of the blue (eg. Series 3 Ep1 with the tacky souvenirs and the "Canadian Beaver" t-shirt).

Either way, it's worth a shot. Like many TV programs, it may take a few episodes to get into. In Scotland this series has been highly popular in the ratings, but not shown Nationwide in the UK.

There is some talk about toning down the language - It is a disgrace trying to change it, as this is a representation of part of Scottish culture. If we apply the BBC's attitude to Still Game to other comedies then Only Fools and Horses would have contained no Cockney Rhyming Slang (and no where near as funny as it actually is)

One interesting thing noted is that as a series it appears to be taking a leaf from "The Simpsons" and branching out with many supporting characters who appear from time to time. I think this is keeping the series fresh.

For those brave enough to visit where the series is filmed - you'll no be able to get a pint down the Clansman - as the pub you see from the outside was knocked down sometime between April and May 04.

Like most of the other comments about this show - I would recommend this to anyone.

Still Game is an absolute little gem of a comedy taking Victor and Jack from their sketch's in 'Chewin the Fat'into the wider world of fictional Glasgow scheme estate Craigland.

Victor and Jack are two elderly widowed gentlemen living in a grim world of scraping by on their pensions trying to keep warm in their high storey flats. But they make sure they make the most of their situation and it's pretty inspirational stuff.

The best laughs come from the other characters, crafty Winston, gossip Isa, shopkeep Naveed, barman Boaby etc, plenty of good story lines and sharp put downs make for the type of show where if you buy the DVD you watch one episode and keep on until the end, then go out and buy the another series Sadly on the network the BBC has seen fit to screen only a select few episodes. Okay the accents and certain jokes/references require a knowledge of Scottish culture/dialect but like Rab C Nesbitt the comedy is strong enough to shine through.

The laughs are often dark, and set amongst the bleak black drops of old age, poverty, crime, loneliness you name it! But like say 'One foot in the Grave' it is adept at handling serious situations then bringing us back to the comedy with just one hot line. For a spot of spirit in adversity look no further.