October 2021

  • "Getting off with a lay nun who believes in primal screaming…"

    Shetland, Series 6, Episode 2. No-one minds the writers and producers of TV drama messing around a bit with geography. Or for that matter, facts in general. In the case of Shetland, where the star of the show is the island scenery, you can sympathise with their various fast-and-loose playing with locations: placing Sumburgh and…

  • Shetland, Series 6, Episode 1: Nietzsche, ya bas

    “Even the plukes appear to be method acting…” I do feel for actors as they emerge, pale, hungover and blinking from behind their masks and locked-down Zoom monologues to face the cameras once more. And especially those involved in Shetland, who found themselves having to whip off their face coverings like Scandic-noir Zorbas to be…

  • Hard times at the Easy Hotel: four Glasgow nights

    A essay in rhyme and pictures Checking in “Where are your masks, lads?” “I’m exempt! I’ve got my driving licence here!” “Aye, me too, ’cause if I wear one, pal, I get the fear” ” I cannae drink my beer” “And that’s why we’re here, tae sink A hundred pints a fucking night, Alright? What…