I don’t think people realise how good Scottish television has become. There’s no fanfare, no grand announcements, but over the last few years we’ve been producing drama that’s every bit as good as anything coming out of England or America. And yet it still feels like we’re flying under the radar, as if the rest of the UK hasn’t quite noticed what’s happening up here.
Take Rebus. The new adaptation is superb: dark, atmospheric, properly Scottish in a way that doesn’t feel forced or kitschy. It captures Edinburgh without turning it into a postcard. The city is a character in itself, grimy and beautiful and complicated, and the show treats it with the respect it deserves. I’ve watched plenty of crime dramas that are set in Scotland but don’t feel Scottish. Rebus gets it right.
More Than Just Crime Drama
Then there’s Shetland, which has been quietly brilliant for years. It’s not flashy, it’s not trying to be the next big thing, but it’s consistently engaging and well-made. The landscape is used perfectly, the characters feel real, and the storytelling is patient in a way that modern TV rarely allows. It’s comforting, in the best sense of the word.
The Rig took a different approach, leaning into thriller territory with a supernatural edge. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ambitious, and I appreciated the willingness to take risks. Scottish TV doesn’t always have to be gritty realism or tartan nostalgia. We can do genre work too, and The Rig proved it.
Vigil was another example of Scottish drama punching above its weight. A submarine thriller set against the backdrop of Scotland’s nuclear deterrent, it was tense, political, and thoroughly gripping. It felt distinctly Scottish without being parochial, and it was watched by millions across the UK. That’s the sweet spot: telling Scottish stories that resonate beyond Scotland.
Why This Matters
What strikes me about this wave of Scottish television is how it’s managed to avoid the usual pitfalls. It’s not performatively Scottish. It’s not caricature or cliche. It’s just good drama that happens to be set here, made by people who understand the place and care about getting it right.
And the timing matters too. Scottish TV is competing in a crowded market, and it’s holding its own. That says something about the quality of what’s being produced.
This is a golden age for Scottish television, even if it’s a quiet one. No one’s shouting about it, but the work speaks for itself. I just hope the funding and support continue, because this is too good to lose.
