Angus and bestie Boab (Scott Fletcher and Stephen Purdon)
Top: Frank Gallagher as Lenny Murdoch.
Bawbags, burrrds, dysfunctional families and gangsters: few TV soaps cut to the heart of Glasgow humanity like ‘River City’. But alas, it is no more, and last night’s episode was the final, after twenty four crazy years.
A few spoilers here, in case you want to check it out, but suffice to say, it was Foulkes v Murdoch, the two rival gangster families in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Actual spoiler: Lenny Murdoch, Shieldinch’s answer to Joe Pesci, bested arch nemesis Harry Foulkes (Jim Sturgeon), culminating in a car crash that Scorsese would have delighted in. It’s been a long time coming, and felt a bit much, to be blunt, a tad OTT.
And Shellsuit Boab, aka Bubba, played by the inimitable Stephen Purdon, had a sweet, poignantly rendered moment of reflection with his ma, Scarlett (Sally Howitt) as they ruminated on those long gone. It felt like a middle finger to the BBC and their axing of the show, to be honest, but subtly done. I loved Scarlett, who always walked with her boobs leading the way, had vertiginous fringes, and never backed off from many a confrontation.
Below: Sally Howitt, the vision in leopard print that is Scarlett.
She’s a classic soap matriarch, and now she’s met her match in Sam (Grant Stott). Meanwhile, gobby daughter Kelly- Marie (Carmen Pieraccini) a chip off the auld block, has become the proud new owner of local pub The Tall Ship, alongside easygoing yummy husband Chris (Graeme Dalling) pictured below. That’s living the dream.
What followed after the action was a reunion with some of the cast, chuckling at the fights, funerals and special FX. Best of all though, was Johnny McKnight, our brilliant Scottish pantomime dame and writer, who wrote the final episode, chuckling at how he got the job. “Ah just emailed them and asked”, he grinned, with a typically McKnight one-liner. “Shy weans* never get the sweeties” . What a pick ‘n’ mix it’s been… The cast were visibly emotional , as well they should be. Because when this show was good, it was very, very good. I’d have loved a meteor to land on the city though: that would have been my choice of finale.
*kids
Hit The North 