Rab C. Nesbitt

- Season 1

(1990)

To Hard-drinking Govan resident Rab C. Nesbitt, there is no magic to Christmas when you have no money and he cannot share his long-suffering wife Mary or teenage sons Burney and Gash's enthusiasm for the festive season, preferring instead to comment cynically to camera on its commercial trappings. The ultimate betrayal is seeing neighbour and best friend Jamesie Cotter working as a department store Santa, which leads to a fight and a spell in gaol for Rab. True he gets home in time for Christmas but finds the atmosphere so cheerless he prefers to go back inside for ...

When Mary finally leaves him and moves in with her parents. Rab has to learn to fend for himself. Which proves only to be the start of his problems.

The local bi-elections take place once again in Govan. Much to the irritation of the string vested philosopher.

Glasgow is named European City of Culture, playing host to international artistic acts and Rab and Jamesie get into the spirit by starting a fight with a Peruvian folk band, for which they get sentenced to ten days in Barlinnie prison. On release Jamesie organizes his own 'sub-culture' tour, showing the seamy side of Glasgow, whilst Rab and his sons inadvertently expose the weaknesses of the city council to a pair of visiting European ambassadors.

Rab is informed by his GP that he must give up alcohol or he will only have less than a year to live.

When Gash runs away from home, Rab is forced to travel down to London to find him. Which means having to stay with Mary's brother 'Shug' and his wife Phoebe.

Mary wins a holiday for four to Spain. Leading the Nesbitt's to join the Cotter's on their first holiday abroad.

Rab, Burney and Jamesie go to Italy to see Scotland play in the World Cup,taking frail and elderly ex-soccer star Matt Fernie with them. Jamesie gets arrested - and visited by Ella,seeking a separation - but Matt is taken seriously ill before Scotland's final game and Rab must lie to let an old man die happy.