The best Scottish TV shows of all time and where to watch them 📺

Still Game

Pensioners Jack and Victor are beloved by fans in the hugely successful show, Still Game. The iconic duo first appeared in Chewin’ The Fat before becoming the stars of the spin-off show.

You can watch all nine series of Still Game on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.

Chewin’ The Fat

The comedy sketch show ran from 1999-2002 with several Hogmanay specials also airing. Featuring several hilarious recurring characters including The Big Man, The Lonely Shopkeeper and The Lighthouse Keepers, the series made creators and actors Greg Hemphill and Ford Kiernan into household names.

You can watch some of the best episodes of Chewin’ The Fat on BBC iPlayer.

Scotch and Wry

Classic series Scotch and Wry ran from 1978-1992 and is just as enjoyable to watch to this day!

Sadly Scotch and Wry isn’t streaming anywhere in the UK so to watch all of the episodes you might have to invest in a boxset!

Taggart

One of the longest-running TV shows in the UK, crime drama Taggart is certainly a fan favourite, especially the original episodes with Mark McManus.

You can watch episodes of Taggart on STV Player, UKTV Play, Sky Go, and Virgin TV Go.

Rab C. Nesbitt

Old Glasgwegian drunk Rab and his wife Mary were a huge hit with viewers in the 90s. As one of the most successful Scottish sitcoms of all time, it brought us many laughs over the years until the show wrapped up in 2014.

You can watch series 4 and 5 of Rab C Nesbitt on BBC iPlayer.

River City

Fans have been keeping up with the lives of the residents of Shieldinch on the Scottish soap River City since 2002, and the show is still going strong.

You can watch River City on BBC One Scotland and BBC, and you can catch up with past episodes on BBC iPlayer.

Take The High Road

Filmed around Luss and Loch Lomond, Take The High Road was set in the fictional village of Glendarroch and explored a whole host of issues faced by the community.

The soap was renamed High Road in 1994 and ran for 23 years in total before it came to an end in 2002.

You can watch episodes of Take The High Road on STV Player, and Sky Go.

Two Doors Down

Two Doors Down follows married couple Eric and Beth Baird as they navigate situations that arise with their family and their insufferable neighbours.

Series 5 of the hilarious show is currently airing on BBC Two and you can catch up on all previous episodes of Two Doors Down on BBC iPlayer.

The High Life

While The High Life only aired for one season, it certainly left an impression and is remembered fondly more than 25 years later. The comedy show followed the crew of the fictional airline Air Scotia and included theatrical dance numbers as well as the recurring catchphrase “Oh dearie me!”.

Although The High Life is not currently streaming anywhere in the UK, it has been rerun by the BBC several times, so keep a look out!

Gary: Tank Commander

The BAFTA award-winning sitcom Gary: Tank Commander follows Gary and his army friends who are trying to have a good time while back home in Scotland.

Gary: Tank Commander isn’t currently available to stream but you can buy all three series of Gary: Tank Commander on Amazon Prime.

Outlander

The time-travelling drama Outlander has gained worldwide popularity since it first started in 2014. There are now six amazing seasons of the hit Scottish show with a seventh season on the way.

You can watch season one of Outlander on Amazon Prime Video, but will need the StarzPlay top-up to watch the other five seasons on the platform.

Hamish MacBeth

Hamish Macbeth stretches over a number of genres, with elements of mystery, comedy and drama, as we follow the police constable in the fictional Scottish Highland town of Lochdubh, and his West Highland Terrier, Wee Jock.

All three seasons of Hamish Macbeth are available to watch on Amazon Prime.

City Lights

Starring Gerard Kelly as unlucky bank clerk Willie Melvin, City Lights was hugely popular in its day and was even turned into two stage shows with the original cast! Chock full of Glaswegian words, the comedy series is still a favourite with Scots to this day!

Many fans of the show have asked for reruns of the programme, as it sadly isn’t being streamed anywhere at the moment.

Shetland

Set in Shetland (unsurprisingly) this gripping crime drama follows Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez and his team as they investigate secrets from the past and uncover ‘the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth’.

Season 7 of the show is set to be released on BBC One in autumn 2022. You can watch series six of Shetland on BBC iPlayer, and series 1-6 are available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.

The Nest

Set in Glasgow, The Nest is a 2020 thriller programme starring Martin Compston (Line of Duty).

There is only one season of The Nest and you can watch it on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.