I was too young to catch this when it came out back in 1987, and as it was only repeated once shortly after then confined to the archives it remained a bit of a mystery. However there had to be something about the show as it seemed to be spoken about in terms of 'masterpiece'
Therefore I was glad to finally get hold of a copy on DVD over 20 years on, and now I know what people were talking about, it's a perfect 6 hours of deathly dark but usually hilarious comedy.
The casting is spot on at all levels, a real ensemble of the some of the best Scottish talent that at most levels are still highly familiar today. I love the use of location, whether in Glasgow the main setting or one of the less than glamorous towns on the road, namely Buckie, Methil and Ardrossan. It's almost as if they chose the locations after listening to 'Letter from America' by the Proclaimers.
I'm sure I'm not the only one when watching this to get the most enjoyment from the Clockerty/Toner relationship. Is there something gong on here, or is it merely penny pinching on Clockerty's behalf that Eddie and Janice share twin rooms and cabins on Sleeper Trains. Either way it's a blast.
All in all I'm very thank full that they finally got this out on DVD, keeping it locked away for so long is a crime on a par with wiping all those great sitcoms back in the 1960s.
