RIVER CITY

In many ways, River City is the juggernaut of Glaswegian television shows. Sure, some have been running for longer, others have caused a somewhat sparkier zeitgeist, but River City has been the Scottish television's industry beacon of bright light for the last decade.

Initially River City was viewed, by the public and the media, as a bit of an embarrassment. Scots cringed as they heard their own broad accents being banded about the screen. Looking back, this was no surprise. All major British soaps started badly. When Eastenders began in 1985, there were immediate calls for it to be axed. Within two years it gained the biggest ever audience in British broadcasting history. Now River City doesn't quite have a phoenix rising from the ashes story to rival its London counterpart, but over the last decade, it's gained a steady, and determined following.

In the early years, the show was plagued by constant rumours that the BBC were eager to show it across all their networks. Thus far, that has turned out not to be the case. In hindsight, it's probably lucky that national stardom has never come knocking. The show was built by Scots, for Scots, and amidst the glamour of the network, would have been demands for higher ratings, and necessary changes, to make it palatable for the Home Counties. And at that point it would have lost its little spark of Scottishness that sets it apart, and makes it ours.

Shellsuit Bob, minus the shellsuit.

In its 10 years, it's showcased both established stars - Johnny Beattie and Eileen McCallum to name a few - and nurtured new talent. Characters such as Shellsuit Bob and Scarlett Mullen have become ingrained in the national psyche, and echo the Glaswegian tone - neither character could appear in any other television show, never mind any other soap.

BBC Scotland, in an effort to save money mooted an idea a few years back to only broadcast River City for 40 weeks of the years, but a public outcry ensued. Lead by The Scottish Sun, and supported by the likes of Lorraine Kelly (who was a guest star on the soap in 2007), and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the campaign uncovered the high level of support the show had amongst its devotees, and it was saved.

Scarlett. Someone not to be trifled with.

On a personal level, it's the show I hear about most regularly. I've lost count of the amount of Facebook statuses I've seen from people who seem to have found their 15 minutes of fame, moonlighting as an extra, starring as "Girl sitting in cafe", or "Man walking past flats". Apparently extra work pays quite well, and lunch is provided. A definite plus for any cash-strapped students out there!

River City isn't just a hit at home. Scottish expat communities as far away as Canada, Australia and New Zealand manage to keep up with the goings-on in Shieldinch. Interestingly, this differs from the Brits who live abroad and regularly catch-up on Coronation Street. For much of the Scottish diaspora, River City wasn't broadcast until after they left our shores, but somehow they've found it. And like very few other TV shows, it connects them to home.

River City is shown on Tuesday evenings at 8pm on BBC1 Scotland.

BROADCAST:- 2002-present.
WEEGIE RATING:- Brull-yant. Of the pure dead variety.