LISTINGS TELEVISION
TELEVISION m
The best of the rest of the TV viewing overthe holiday period. For movie details see previous page.
FRIDAY 20
I Gone To The Dogs (Scottish) 8—9pm. Continuing the romantic comedy series starring Warren Clarke. Larry and Lauren return from their round-the-world trip to a surprise welcome.
ICheers (Channel 4) 9—9.3(lpm. Samand Rebecca draw up a pre-conceptual agreement for their planned child. Unfortunately. they hit a difficulty deciding on the future offspring‘s last
I Casualty (BBCl ) 9.3o—lo.2(lpm. The series reaches a dramatic climax in the
final episode when an airliner veers offthe
runway and provides plenty of victims for the crash team. Meanwhile I Iolby General is about to opt out of the NI IS. A new series is planned for the autumn.gore fans.
I Dream On (Channel 4) 10— 10.35pm. After confiscating a joint from his son. Martin is caught in the act of smokingit. and forced to make a promise he might not be able to keep.
I Omnibus: Benny Hill - Clown Imperial (BBCI) 1020-] 1.20pm. A celebration of the life and career of the sleazy old fat man who enjoys international acclaim as a comedian. Fans include Burt Reynolds. Mickey Rooney. Michael Caine. John Mortimer and Walter Kronkite.
IThB Word (Channel4) 11.15pm—12.15am. Christian. De Cadenet and Puckrik try desperately to talk sense. They haven't managed it yet.
SATURDAY 21
I A Periect Christmas (BBC2) 12.10pm—ll.15pm. A day‘s worth of festive TV nostalgia. raiding the BBC archives for televisual plum puddings from the past. Among the standard Izastenders and Top Of The Pops repeats are acouple of classic comedies from the 70s. the delightfully downbeat Steptoe A nd Son and the original Vic and Bob. Morecambe And Wise.
I Trainer Wars (Channel 4) 7—8pm. 98% of Americans own at least one pairof trainers. which makes them big business. dominating both the sports field and high street fashion. This film from Glasgow‘s Big Star In A Wee Picture company follows the cut-throat competition between the manufacturers and the literally cut-throat rivalry between gangs who use trainers as a status symbol.
I Blind Date Christmas Special (Scottish) 7.45—8.45pm. The show you love to cringe at. Cilla Black looks back over a year of match-making which included the first Blind Date wedding.
I Yves Montand: The Loneliness OlA Long-Distance Singer (Channel 4)
8—9. 15pm. A tribute to the French singer and actor who died earlier this year.
I The Ruth Randell Christmas Mystery (Scottish) 8.45—10.15pm. A nice whodunnit always goes down well at Christmas. and these productions are a cut above the usual Agatha Christie tosh. Inspector chford is called in to investigate when a mother discovers that her baby has been swapped at birth.
I Dame Edna's Hollywood (Scottish) 10.30—1 1.30pm. The season‘s first dose of Barry Humphries. as the Antipodean housewife superstar. introducing special guest Cher.
. I Together With Clili Richard (BBCI )'
4.50—5.45pm. This is what you need to get that schmaltzy Christmas spirit flowing. a good dose of cliche from Cliff and the usual accompaniment of sleighs. carols. snowmen and children roasting on an open fire. or do I mean chestnuts? You decide. I Jim Henson’s Greek Myths (Channel 4) 5—5.3(lpm. Michael Gambon narrates another ofthese rather scary tales. this time telling the story of Icarus. a sort of Ancient Greek Richard Branson.
I NB Special Christmas SIIOW(Scottish ) 5.15—6pm. Allan Campbell. Bryan Burnett and Janice Forsyth check out what‘s happening in Scotland over the seasonal period. as well as offering up a few Christmas surprises.
I The Darling Buds or May( Scottish ) 7.15—8.15pm. You didn‘t think you could escape the Larkins did you? Bucolic bliss is back with David Jason. Catherine Zeta-Jones et a! preparing for a perfick Christmas. Don't it make yer wanna puke?
I The British Comedy Awards (Scottish)
8. 15—10. 10pm. Jonathan Ross introduces an end of year back-slappingsesh. although some of the nominees seem singularly uncomic. Michael Barrymore. Freddie Starr and Patricia Routledge anybody?
I Tom Waits: Bigtime (BBC2)
I l .5()pm-I .20am. An extraordinary concert from the gravel-voiced songwriter who describes it as ‘Un Operachi Romantieo‘ or ‘a musicotheatrical performance played in dream time”. Whatever you want to call it. it does feature some of his best songs of desertion. solitude and whisky-addiction.
MONDAY 23
I Tango Brasileiro (BBC2) 5.20—opm. Musicologist Joshua Rifkin tells the story of the legendary Brazilian tango composer Ernesto Nazareth who has been described as ‘the true incarnation ofthe Brazilian soul‘.
I Wish You Were Here (Scottish) 7—7.30pm. Judith Chalmers and chums look at Christmas breaks in Australia. Sweden and Boston. USA.
I Only Fools And Horses (BBCI)
7. l()—8pm. Two for the price of one this Christmas as Del and Rodney reprise the classic episode from last February when Del‘s baby Damien (I) was born.
I Bernard And The Genie (BBCI) 8—9.1(lpm. Bernard Bottle (Alan Cumming) faces a bleak Christmas when he is sacked and jilted by his girlfriend on
the same day. However. he gets to rubbing
an old lamp (as you do) and lo. Lenny Henry appears as a very angry but rather streetwise genie. . . A wacky update ofthe Aladdin story with a healthy revenge plot thrown in for good measure.
I Christmas Decorations (Channel 4) 8.3(l—9pm. Everybody‘s favourite post-modernist. Paul Morley. tries to make smart and witty comments about Christmas shopping.
I Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense (BBC2) 11.05pm—12.45am. One ofthe
finest concert movies ever made. featuring
the band growing from one man and his baggy suit to a full-scale dance orchestra. Directed by Jonathan Silence ()f'l'he Lambs Demme.
CHRISTMAS EVE
I Richard Burton's Christmas Story (Scottish) 2. 10—3. 10pm. A film adaptation of the Welsh actor's only published work. It‘s an autobiographical tale ofChristmas in a Welsh mining village during the 30s. Sort of It‘s Grim Out West.
I Facing The Angels (Channel 4)
3.20-4. 15pm. Tom Conti presents a documentary about angels. Just how many can you get to dance on the head of a pin? I Father Christmas (Channel 4) 5.45—6.15pm. Raymond Briggs has become as vital a part of Christmasas Bernard Matthews of late. This is his latest story to be animated for TV; an hilarious tale of what the tubby old guy gets up toon the other 364 days of the year. Mel Smith provides the voice.
I Pallas (Channel 4) h. lS—6.25pm. 10.50—10.55pm. 11.25—1 1.35pm. The Royal Family gets the irreverent Ferdinand [)e Bargos treatment three times a night. and about time too. See preview.
I Only Fools And Horses ( BBC!) 7.30—8.2(lpm. John Sullivan‘sgormless duo are back for the first of a two-part Christmas special with Del and Rodney winning a holiday in Miami. Needlessto say. all is not entirely ‘cushty‘. Part two just after the Queen's Speech tomorrow. See preview.
I Re-Joyce (BBC2) 8.3(l—1i).15pm. One for Auntie Madge to get all nostalgic about. as Maureen Lipman re-creates her stage role as the legendary Joyce Grenfell. I Boon (Scottish) 8.30— 10pm. A specially extended Christmas tale for Michael Elphick‘s detective. somewhat low on festive cheer this time around.
I Have I Got News For You? (BBC2)
ll). lS—l 1pm. Suspend the goodwill to all men bit and enjoy some much-needed bitchiness as Angus Deayton and the panellists get stuck into people in the
I Christmas Eve Service (BBCl)
l 1.20pm—12.3()am. The next best thingif
you can t be swaying with the drunks in 2. ‘.
church is to be swaying with the drunksin‘ front of your TV set.
CHRISTMAS DAY ‘\
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I Top Of The Pops Christmas Day Special (BBCI)2—3pm. Anotherfestive perennial. Turkey on the plate and turkeys in the charts. but who will be No 1? List money says it‘ll be Bohemian Rhapsody sixteen years after it was first released. I Coronation Street (Scottish) 2.50—3.35pm. My Christmas highlight. no question. By a stroke ofgenius. the producers have managed to interweave the showing of the Queen‘s speech into the plot. so you can join Alf Roberts. watching as Her Majesty delivers the usual platitudes. I Stephen Sondheim's Into The Woods (BBC2) 5.20—7.5llpm. An adult fairytale from the musical maestro. featuringthe original Broadway cast. Storybook
characters. including Cinderella and Little
Red Riding Hood set out on a magical journey.
I The Snowman (Channel 4) 5.25-5.55pm. More Yuletide fun from Raymond Briggs. .loyless old cynics suggest you leave the room during the ‘Walking In The Air‘ sequence.
I Birds Of A Feather ( BBCl ) 8—8.5(lpm. Sharon and Tracey face another bleak Christmas with their husbands inside. Or at least they do until a friendly rock star offers them the use of his villa in Mallorca for the holiday season. Never happens to
I The GhOSIS 0f Oxford Street (Channel 4) l().()5—l 1.05pm. Malcolm McLaren‘s romp through the history ofLondon‘s shopping centre. with guest appearances from the Happy Mondays. Sinead O'Connor and Tom Jones. See feature. I Archaos: A Circus Spectacular (Channel 4) 11.05pm-IZ. 10am. Remember those sultry days of summer with a telcvisual visit to the over-the-top French circus
troupe. the highlight of many an h".
Edinburgh Festival. BOXING DAY '
I The St Petersburg Ballet in The Stone Flower ( BBCZ) S.35~7.3()pm. The company who used to be the Kirov perform Prokofiev‘s folk tale as part ofthe composer‘s centenary celebrations.
I Ray Of Hope (Channel 4) 7-8pm. A profile of the former Liverpool and England footballer Ray Kennedy. who has shown immense courage fighting Parkinson‘s Disease.
I Bergerac Christmas Special ( BBCI) 7.30—9.2(me. John Nettles plays the Jersey cop on assignment in Bath with a priceless painting in tow. Rumour has it that this could be the end of the line forold Jim. so does he end up as a murder victim? I The Ruth Rendell Mystery Movie: Achilles Heel (Scottish) 8—lilpm. Another dose of Inspector Wexford. this time stumbling over an interesting case while supposedly on holiday in Corsica.
I The Marriage OI Figaro (Channel 4) 8—11.15pm. Mozart‘sfarce—like opera is performed by an all-British cast. tackling the themes of love. deception and jealousy.
I Paul Simon In Central Park ( BBCZ) 9.45—] 1.15pm. Recorded in August this year. Simon performs songs from the Rhythm Of The Saints album and early favourites before three-quarters ofa million New Yorkers.
I Manhattan Cable Christmas Special (Channel4) l l.25pm—l.l$am. A festive special presented by Laurie Pike. revisiting all your old favourites like Filthy the Dawg. and looking at Christmas in
I New York.
The List 20 December 1.991 Jib-January I992 83
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