"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Monday, September 16, 2013

Rab C. Nesbitt: Series 1, Episode 0 – “Seasonal Greet” (1988)


The character Rab C. Nesbitt apparently originated as a recurring character in a sketch comedy show and was eventually given his own sitcom.  The titular Rab is the belligerent patriarch of a low-income Glaswegian family.  The show actually bears a strong resemblance to Shameless:  drunken rants, attempted benefit fraud, regional accents.  Just replace the explicit content with a laugh track and, it seems, you have Rab C. Nesbitt.
 
In the pilot Christmas special “Seasonal Greet,” Rab, finding himself short of cash, decides to denounce Christmas.  You know, on principle.  He refuses to buy gifts, tears down decorations, and rails against all manner of holiday cheer.
 
As part of said railing, Rab staggers down the high street and goes head-to-head with everyone he meets:  charity collectors, buskers, sidewalk vendors, and a street preacher played by PC.  Rab repeatedly heckles every attempt the preacher makes to spread the good news.
 
Not much to say here.  PC’s in one scene, and he doesn’t have much to do.  Preach, be on receiving end of rude remark, valiantly try to continuing preaching, repeat.
 
Also, a head’s up:  the accents in this show are intense.  Thick, broad, Glaswegian comedy accents, with regional slang to book.  I really had to listen to understand what was being said, and I still missed the occasional sentence entirely.
 
Accent
 
Scottish (in case you couldn’t figure that out from the above paragraph!)
 
Recommend?
 
In General – Not in my opinion – I didn’t really care for it.  Super-broad sitcom acting, and the characters didn’t particularly interest me.  But the show ran for nearly ten seasons in Britain, so it was obviously popular.  Make of that what you will.
 
PC-wise – For completists only.  Just one scene, without a lot to do.
 
Warnings
 
Despite the Shameless similarities, it’s fairly tame:  some light swearing, drinking, and general law-disregarding behavior.

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