Still Game is a television comedy that I stumbled, upon purely by accident while programme skimming on Netflix.
I quickly became hooked by the humorous banter of the characters, this was a new world to me especially as I have no knowledge of its antecedents.
It is very broad Scots and I can quite see, how many viewers can be put off by that, but then I am not a novice at Scottish humour.
My introduction to it was way back in the days of the TV show the White Heather Club, which used to be seen on our TV screens south of the border around Hogmanay.
For me this was very much a mixed blessing especially what passed for humour, the least said about that the better as personally it was dire.
It wasn't until the broadcast of the telly show Naked Video, that I really started to take any notice at all. That led to the frankly seminal Rab C. Nesbitt, we'd been prepared for it as Rab and Mary's characters had been trailed in Naked Video.
This show for me sets the scenario for Still Game, with similar neighbourhoods, bottom of the barrel characters, situations and lives.
When my son Jamie first saw Still Game he immediately pinpointed something that I had ignored, that these were merely youngish blokes, simply camouflaged as older codgers.
While I freely admit that is the case I prefer to, ignore that and concentrate on the comedy, character banter, and the hilarity of the yes, often absurd but still very funny, situations that the characters become immersed in.
There is often strong language used between them, but this is one of shared experience, and genuine attitudes and feelings, between people who have to, let's face it effectively sink or swim in the same surroundings.
I can appreciate Still Game more now because I am, of the similar age group as Jack and Victor at 74.
They are a great cross section of humanity having to, survive in this small community of Craigland, all of whom are deftly drawn by the brilliantly observed character acting.
I quickly became hooked by the humorous banter of the characters, this was a new world to me especially as I have no knowledge of its antecedents.
It is very broad Scots and I can quite see, how many viewers can be put off by that, but then I am not a novice at Scottish humour.
My introduction to it was way back in the days of the TV show the White Heather Club, which used to be seen on our TV screens south of the border around Hogmanay.
For me this was very much a mixed blessing especially what passed for humour, the least said about that the better as personally it was dire.
It wasn't until the broadcast of the telly show Naked Video, that I really started to take any notice at all. That led to the frankly seminal Rab C. Nesbitt, we'd been prepared for it as Rab and Mary's characters had been trailed in Naked Video.
This show for me sets the scenario for Still Game, with similar neighbourhoods, bottom of the barrel characters, situations and lives.
When my son Jamie first saw Still Game he immediately pinpointed something that I had ignored, that these were merely youngish blokes, simply camouflaged as older codgers.
While I freely admit that is the case I prefer to, ignore that and concentrate on the comedy, character banter, and the hilarity of the yes, often absurd but still very funny, situations that the characters become immersed in.
There is often strong language used between them, but this is one of shared experience, and genuine attitudes and feelings, between people who have to, let's face it effectively sink or swim in the same surroundings.
I can appreciate Still Game more now because I am, of the similar age group as Jack and Victor at 74.
They are a great cross section of humanity having to, survive in this small community of Craigland, all of whom are deftly drawn by the brilliantly observed character acting.