Scottish television occupies a distinctive place in British broadcasting. With its own major production center at BBC Scotland and the Gaelic-language channel BBC Alba, Scotland produces television that serves both Scottish and UK-wide audiences. From hard-hitting crime drama to beloved comedy, from urban Glasgow to the remote Highlands and Islands, Scottish television reflects a nation with its own stories to tell.
Scotland’s television culture draws on a rich heritage of storytelling, dark humor, and a willingness to examine difficult social realities. Scottish drama often explores working-class life with unflinching honesty, while Scottish comedy has produced some of British television’s most distinctive voices. The landscape—from the tenements of Glasgow to the lochs and mountains of the Highlands—provides visual distinctiveness that marks Scottish production immediately.
The establishment of BBC Scotland as a major production center, particularly following the new BBC Scotland channel’s launch in 2019, has strengthened local production while maintaining Scotland’s contribution to network programming. Scottish Gaelic television, though serving a small audience, produces quality content that preserves and promotes the language.
Here are 25 television shows that represent the best of Scottish television.
1. Outlander (2014-present)
Network: Starz/Amazon Prime
Seasons: 7+
Starring: Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacroix, Graham McTavish
Setting: 18th Century and Contemporary Scotland
Diana Gabaldon’s time-traveling romance has done more for Scottish tourism than any television show in history. Shot extensively on location, Outlander uses Scottish castles, landscapes, and history as essential elements of its epic love story. Sam Heughan’s Jamie Fraser became a romantic icon while the show brought the Jacobite rising to international audiences.
2. Taggart (1983-2010)
Network: STV/ITV
Episodes: 110
Starring: Mark McManus, James MacPherson, Blythe Duff
Setting: Glasgow
“There’s been a murder!” became one of British television’s most quoted catchphrases thanks to Mark McManus’s DCI Jim Taggart. This long-running crime drama put Glasgow on the television map, portraying the city’s violence and social problems through compelling police procedural. The show continued after McManus’s death, eventually running for 27 years.
3. Still Game (2002-2019)
Network: BBC Scotland/BBC Two/BBC One
Seasons: 9
Starring: Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill, Paul Riley, Sanjeev Kohli
Setting: Glasgow
Jack and Victor, two pensioners navigating life in the fictional Glasgow estate of Craiglang, became beloved national treasures. The show celebrated and gently mocked Scottish working-class culture with warmth and wit. Still Game’s final live episodes sold out Glasgow’s Hydro arena multiple times, demonstrating extraordinary audience devotion.
4. Rab C. Nesbitt (1988-2014)
Network: BBC Scotland/BBC Two
Seasons: 10
Starring: Gregor Fisher, Elaine C. Smith, Tony Roper, Barbara Rafferty
Setting: Glasgow
Gregor Fisher’s string-vest-wearing, philosophizing alcoholic became an iconic Scottish character. The show portrayed Govan’s poverty and unemployment with dark humor while Rab’s monologues to camera offered satirical commentary on Scottish society. Controversial but beloved, Rab C. Nesbitt represented a distinctively Scottish comedy voice.
5. Monarch of the Glen (2000-2005)
Network: BBC One
Seasons: 7
Starring: Alastair Mackenzie, Susan Hampshire, Richard Briers, Dawn Steele
Setting: Scottish Highlands
This drama about the young laird of a Highland estate offered escapist viewing set against spectacular scenery. The show balanced gentle comedy with romantic storylines, using the Highlands’ beauty as a character in itself. Monarch of the Glen provided Sunday evening comfort viewing while showcasing Scotland’s landscape to international audiences.
6. Tutti Frutti (1987)
Network: BBC Two
Episodes: 6
Starring: Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Maurice Roëves
Setting: Glasgow and Scottish venues
John Byrne’s drama about a failing Scottish rock band blended comedy and tragedy with distinctive visual style. Robbie Coltrane’s Danny McGlone and Emma Thompson’s Suzi Kettles made for memorable characters, while the show’s portrait of Scotland’s entertainment industry was affectionate yet clear-eyed.
7. Shetland (2013-present)
Network: BBC One
Seasons: 8+
Starring: Douglas Henshall (2013-2023), Ashley Jensen (2024-present)
Setting: Shetland Islands
Ann Cleeves’s detective novels came to screen with Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Perez, investigating crimes in Britain’s most remote outpost. The Shetland Islands’ stark beauty and tight-knit community provided unique atmosphere, while the mysteries balanced police procedural with character drama. Ashley Jensen took over the lead role after Henshall’s departure.
8. River City (2002-present)
Network: BBC Scotland
Episodes: 1,000+
Setting: Shieldinch, Glasgow
Scotland’s contemporary soap, set in a fictional Glasgow neighborhood, has run for over two decades. River City provides Scottish stories for Scottish audiences, addressing issues from sectarianism to domestic abuse within its specific cultural context. The show has become an essential part of BBC Scotland’s output.
9. Rebus (2000-2007)
Network: STV/ITV
Seasons: 4
Starring: John Hannah (2000-2001), Ken Stott (2006-2007)
Setting: Edinburgh
Ian Rankin’s Edinburgh detective came to screen twice, with Ken Stott’s interpretation becoming definitive. DI John Rebus investigated crimes against Edinburgh’s backdrop, the cases reflecting the city’s contrast between prosperous New Town and deprived estates. The show helped establish Edinburgh as a crime fiction capital.
10. Take the High Road/High Road (1980-2003)
Network: STV/ITV
Episodes: 2,109
Setting: Glendarroch, Scottish Highlands
Scotland’s own soap opera followed life in a fictional Highland village for 23 years. The show provided Scottish-specific content that network soaps couldn’t deliver, addressing issues relevant to rural Scottish communities while offering gentle drama in stunning locations.
11. Hamish Macbeth (1995-1997)
Network: BBC One
Seasons: 3
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Ralph Riach, Brian Pettifer
Setting: Lochdubh, Scottish Highlands
Robert Carlyle played M.C. Beaton’s laid-back Highland policeman who’d rather avoid promotion than leave his village. The show combined gentle mystery with quirky comedy, using the Highland setting for visual beauty while Carlyle brought charm to a detective happy to remain constable forever.
12. Chewin’ the Fat (1999-2002)
Network: BBC Scotland/BBC Two
Seasons: 4
Starring: Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill
Format: Sketch Comedy
The sketch show that launched Still Game introduced characters and catchphrases that entered Scottish vernacular. Kiernan and Hemphill created a gallery of Scottish types, from “Gonnae No Dae That” to the Lighthouse Keepers. The show demonstrated Scottish comedy’s distinctiveness from English equivalents.
13. Burnistoun (2010-2012)
Network: BBC Scotland/BBC Two
Seasons: 3
Starring: Iain Connell, Robert Florence
Setting: Fictional Scottish town
This sketch comedy created characters including the voice-activated lift—”Eleven!” “Eleven!”—that achieved viral fame. The show proved Scottish sketch comedy could reach audiences beyond Scotland while remaining rooted in Scottish sensibilities.
14. Two Doors Down (2016-present)
Network: BBC Two/BBC Scotland
Seasons: 7+
Starring: Arabella Weir, Alex Norton, Jonathan Watson
Setting: Scottish suburb
This sitcom about nightmare neighbors who won’t leave created cringe comedy from recognizable Scottish suburban situations. The ensemble cast portrayed a couple whose evening is repeatedly ruined by intrusive neighbors, finding humor in the Scottish art of never quite saying what you mean.
15. Limmy’s Show (2010-2013)
Network: BBC Scotland/BBC Two
Seasons: 3
Starring: Limmy (Brian Limond)
Format: Sketch Comedy
Limmy brought internet comedy sensibilities to television with his distinctive sketch show. Characters like Dee Dee and sketches like “Steel is heavier than feathers” achieved viral fame. The show demonstrated how Scottish comedy could develop devoted cult followings while remaining distinctively local.
16. The Victim (2019)
Network: BBC One
Episodes: 4
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, James Harkness, John Hannah
Setting: Edinburgh
This thriller explored justice and vigilantism when a mother accuses a man of being her son’s killer, years after the murder. Kelly Macdonald’s performance anchored a drama that examined Scottish legal system and media culture while delivering gripping courtroom tension.
17. The Nest (2020)
Network: BBC One
Episodes: 5
Starring: Martin Compston, Sophie Rundle, Mirren Mack
Setting: Glasgow
This thriller about a wealthy couple who hire a teenage surrogate explored class in contemporary Glasgow. The show used the city’s contrast between wealthy and deprived areas to examine assumptions about who can be trusted.
18. Guilt (2019-present)
Network: BBC Scotland/BBC Two
Seasons: 3
Starring: Mark Bonnar, Jamie Sives, Emun Elliott
Setting: Edinburgh
This dark comedy-thriller about two brothers covering up a fatal hit-and-run found critical acclaim and devoted audiences. The show balanced genuine tension with black humor while exploring Edinburgh’s underbelly.
19. The Cry (2018)
Network: BBC One
Episodes: 4
Starring: Jenna Coleman, Ewen Leslie
Setting: Scotland and Australia
This thriller about a baby who disappears in Australia features significant Scottish settings and backstory. Jenna Coleman’s performance as a mother under suspicion anchored a mystery with fractured timeline and psychological depth.
20. Gary: Tank Commander (2009-2012)
Network: BBC Scotland
Seasons: 3
Starring: Greg McHugh, Scott Fletcher, Leah MacRae
Format: Comedy
This mockumentary about a young Scottish soldier deployed to Afghanistan found humor in military life while maintaining affection for its characters. Gary’s journey from deployment to returning home captured something real about young Scots in the armed forces.
21. Scot Squad (2014-present)
Network: BBC Scotland
Seasons: 7+
Starring: Jordan Young, Jack Docherty, Sally Reid
Format: Comedy Mockumentary
This mockumentary about incompetent Scottish police officers has run for multiple seasons, satirizing both police shows and Scottish life. The show’s gentle humor and memorable characters have built loyal audiences.
22. Annika (2021-present)
Network: BBC One
Seasons: 2+
Starring: Nicola Walker, Jamie Sives, Katie Leung
Setting: Glasgow waterways
Nicola Walker stars as a DI investigating crimes connected to Scotland’s waterways—the Firth of Clyde, lochs, and canals. The show’s unconventional format includes Annika breaking the fourth wall while the Glasgow and wider Scottish settings provide visual distinction.
23. The Field of Blood (2011-2013)
Network: BBC One
Seasons: 2
Starring: Jayd Johnson, Peter Capaldi, David Morrissey
Setting: 1980s Glasgow
Based on Denise Mina’s novels, this drama followed a young female journalist in 1980s Glasgow investigating crime while navigating a male-dominated newsroom. The period setting and feminist perspective made it distinctive within Scottish crime drama.
24. Eòrpa (1993-present)
Network: BBC Alba
Format: Gaelic current affairs
Language: Scottish Gaelic
This Scottish Gaelic current affairs program covers European and international stories from a Scottish Gaelic perspective. The show represents BBC Alba’s commitment to serious journalism in the language, demonstrating Gaelic television’s range beyond cultural programming.
25. Bannan (2014-present)
Network: BBC Alba
Seasons: Multiple
Setting: Western Isles
Language: Scottish Gaelic
This Gaelic-language drama series set in the Western Isles has developed loyal audiences while helping normalize Gaelic as a medium for contemporary drama. The show addresses universal themes through the specific context of Gaelic-speaking communities.
Conclusion
Scottish television reflects a nation with its own distinctive character—darker humor, grittier realism, and a willingness to examine social problems unflinchingly. From the working-class communities of Glasgow to the remote beauty of the Highlands and Islands, Scottish television uses its settings to tell stories that couldn’t come from anywhere else.
The establishment of the dedicated BBC Scotland channel in 2019 strengthened local production, while Scottish Gaelic television through BBC Alba preserves and promotes a minority language through quality programming. Scottish actors from Robbie Coltrane to Peter Capaldi to Martin Compston have achieved international recognition while maintaining connections to Scottish production.
What distinguishes Scottish television is the combination of the familiar and the foreign. Viewers across Britain can recognize universal themes in Scottish programming while appreciating distinctively Scottish perspectives, accents, and sensibilities. This combination has allowed Scottish shows from Taggart to Outlander to Still Game to achieve success far beyond their Scottish origins.
For Anglophiles interested in the diversity of British television, Scottish production offers essential viewing. Whether drawn to crime drama, comedy, or romantic epic, Scotland produces television that enriches the British landscape while maintaining its own compelling identity.
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