The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a varied, vibrant place offering a backdrop like no other. With rolling hills, mountain peaks and towns ranging from the quaint and rustic to the huge and bustling, it’s no wonder that the U.K. has been considered a prime location for various forms of media. It was established very early that Pokémon Sword & Shield’s Galar region was heavily inspired by the British Isles, for instance. Not to mention the much-beloved Harry Potter series, in which the iconic Hogwarts Castle is nestled in the Scottish Highlands.
Speaking of which, Scotland has had the honor of hosting some fantastic tv shows and movies. From a jewel of Mel Gibson’s long career to horror and comedy classics, here are some of the best examples of small- and big-screen entertainment that were filmed in Scotland.
10 Outlander
This series began in August 2014, based on Diana Gabaldon’s hit novel series. It may boast a bit of a wacky premise (heroine Claire Randall is a nurse in the year 1945 who is taken back to 1743 by Craigh na Dun’s mysterious standing stones), but Outlander’s blend of action, drama, real heart and romance has enthralled legions of fans.
Beginning in Inverness, Scotland, the show’s seasons take Claire and Highlander husband Jamie Fraser to Paris, then to Boston, as they try to find their place in a world in turmoil. This tremendously popular show has been filmed in stunning locations around Scotland (and elsewhere).
9 Braveheart
If there’s any movie that absolutely screams Scottishness, it’s Braveheart. This 1995 classic has its share of questionable moments with regards to historical accuracy (as do many of the best Medieval movies of its type), but there’s no denying that it tells a fascinating and gripping tale from start to finish.
The Australian Mel Gibson has the starring role as William Wallace, the legendary Scottish warrior who fought to unite his people and secure their freedom from their English neighbors. Filming took place in Scotland’s Glen Nevis, Glen Coe and the Mamore Mountains, though some scenes were also filmed in Ireland.
8 Taggart
Taggart is a much-acclaimed crime drama that follows the work of detectives of the Strathclyde Police. Detective Chief Inspector Jim Taggart was the focal point of the show, which was centered around Glasgow but also featured segments that took place elsewhere in Scotland.
One of the longest-running crime dramas in TV history, Taggart is also one of Scotland’s best-known TV shows. It ran (in different forms) from 1983 until 2010, maintaining such popularity that it continued long after the sad death of Mark McManus, who played Jim Taggart, in 1994.
7 Local Hero
Local Hero also originally released in 1983, but it didn’t really become the sensation that Taggart would. Nevertheless, some movie connoisseurs savor it as an excellent example of smaller Scottish cinema.
This rather underappreciated ‘80s movie is a comedy drama set in the town of Ferness in the west of Scotland. Ferness is not a real place, but the emotion in the movie certainly feels real, as a Texan executive visits the quaint town in an attempt to convince the residents to sell in order to make way for an oil refinery. While there, "Mac" MacIntyre becomes smitten with the place (and beautiful local oceanographer Marina). This leads to a change of heart, a new marine research institute and warm, fuzzy feelings for everybody watching.
6 Guilt
It’s tough for small-scale productions to really make an impact these days. In a time when so many viewing options are available to consumers, when there’s just so much content to enjoy, it’s the shows that garner the most attention online that tend to be the most popular.
2019’s Guilt doesn’t have the biggest advertising budget or acting superstars to its name, but it became a big success (especially locally) when it launched on BBC Scotland and BBC Two in the U.K. It has only four episodes to its name so far, but there’s a lot of anticipation for its second series in 2021. It’s set in Edinburgh and explores the relationship between two brothers, Jake and Max, after they run down and kill a man while driving in Edinburgh. Deciding to try and conceal the crime, the show explores their guilt (hence the name) and the way it impacts not only their relationship but those between other characters. It’s a grim subject but a fascinating watch.
5 Trainspotting
The 90s really was an excellent decade for British movies, and Trainspotting is definitely a highlight. This acclaimed movie is also based on a novel (written by Irvine Welsh), presenting an unsettling and dark but endlessly fascinating look at drug addiction and poverty in an area of Edinburgh.
The film takes viewers to some very dark places, but it shines a spotlight on some crucial social issues and even manages to elicit a lot of laughs along the way. The journey of “Spud,” Begbie and the gang is a must-watch, as is its 2017 sequel T2 Trainspotting.
4 Shetland
If there’s one genre in which Scottish television really seems to excel, it’s the crime drama. Shetland premiered early in 2013 and quickly established itself as another gripping show worth investing some time in.
Originally, the storylines of the show were inspired by the novels of Ann Cleeves, with her character Jimmy Pérez (played here by Douglas Henshall), a detective inspector, tasked with solving the grisliest of crimes in the titular area of Scotland. The stunning locales seen in the show reveal that it was filmed in other areas of Scotland too.
3 The Wicker Man
A horror classic starring the utterly inimitable Christopher Lee, the original The Wicker Man was released in December 1973. A humble movie set on a distant Scottish island (part of the Hebrides), it’s gone on to be considered another true highlight of British cinema.
In The Wicker Man, a police sergeant (Neil Howie) journeys to Summerisle on the case of a missing girl. There, he discovers that the islanders’ crops have failed and their less-than-scientific plan for such an eventuality is a human sacrifice in a gigantic wicker man.
2 Chewin’ The Fat
Chewin’ the Fat is a popular Scottish sketch show, which ran in the country from January 1999 to December 2005. As can be the case with such shows, some of the characters and sketches wouldn’t quite fly today, but Chewin’ the Fat is a fascinating time capsule of Scottish humor (and language).
Recurring characters include Bish and Bosh (two decorators with an unfortunate penchant for thievery) and Jack and Victor, two troublesome pensioners from Glasgow who would go on to appear in the sitcom Still Game.
1 Filth
A bit of a curveball entry to round off the list, Filth had a very interesting ride to the big screen. Originally deemed to be “un-filmable” as a result of more eccentric elements of the source material (such as a tapeworm which acted as protagonist Bruce Robertson’s ‘conscience’), Irvine Welsh’s novel was adapted to the big screen in 2013.
As expected from the author of Trainspotting, Filth is a grim Edinburgh-set tale, following the life of Robertson, a Detective Sergeant whose misadventures are as unseemly as they are impossible to look away from. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but Filth is a truly unique piece of cinema with some heavyweight talent (including James McAvoy and Jim Broadbent) behind it.
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