TElEVISIOH LISTINGS
- MONDAY 27
I Side BySide (BBC1) 8.30—9pm. Another of those sitcoms with ‘One series maximum‘ stamped all over them. Starring Gareth ‘flexible wrist‘ Hunt. I Cutting Edge: Paths Oi Conflict (Channel 4) 9—10pm. More battles between a few fox-hunting landowners and the rest of us. Cutting Edge looks at the right to roam, unfortunately championed by several hundred kagule-wearing ramblers who always look too ridiculous to be taken seriously. The programme puts their case better, showing that the law of ‘trespass‘ is in fact an infringement of civil liberties. I Panorama (BBC1) 9.30—10. 10pm. Looking at the most serious drought in southern England for 200 years. Couldn‘t be a bit of Divine judgment on them always voting Tory could it? No, surely not. I Northern Exposure (Channel 4) 10—11pm. The earnestly wacky Alaskan adventure continues wth Ed attempting to write a blockbuster movie and Rick worrying about the short life-expectancy of Maggie‘s boyfriends (for he is one). I Ex-S(BBC1) 10.10—10.40pm. John Byrne introduces a report on Edinburgh’s Traverse theatre which is about to move to a plush new home next to the Usher Hall. Byrne ponders the question of whether the demand for financial solvency will dull the creative edge which has made the Traverse one of the most famous theatres in the world.
TUESDAY 28
I Crime Limited (BBC1) 8.30—9pm. An extension of Gorewatch (sorry, that should be Crimewatch) UK presented by Cook and Ross, once again. The first in the series looks at the work of profilers.
I A Fare to Remember (Channel 4) 8.30—9pm. A welcome repeat for one of the funniest documentaries of recent years in which two mad bastards, Edward Kelly and, the aptly-named ‘Mad Dog‘ Morgan catch a taxi outside Buckingham Palace and ask to be driven to Sydney Opera House. The eventual bill was£31,000.
I KYTV (BBCZ) 8.30—9pm. Golden boy Angus Deayton, in one of his earlier guises as Mike Channel. together with the rest of the KY team, in anotherspoof satellite show.
I Rear Windoiv: Looking Both Ways: Berlin— lstanbul (Channel 4) 9—9.4Spm. Snappy title for a film about Hanefi Yuter—the best known Turkish painter working in Western Europe (me neither).
I Physical Evidence (BBC1) 9.30—11.05pm. A rare serious outing for Burt Reynolds, here coupled with Theresa Russell who plays the defence lawyer trying to get Reynolds off a murder rap (as they say).
I Piasticine People: Early Bird/War Story (Channel 4) 9.45—10pm. Two cartoons from the team that created the superb Creature Comforts.
I The Company at Strangers (Channel 4) 10—11.55pm. One of those films which almost broke through to become a success on the lines of Driving Miss Daisy but somehow didn’t quite make it. Nevertheless, the story of seven elderly women marooned after their bus breaks down is charming in the best sense of the word.
WEDNESDAY 29
I Best 01 The Word (Channel 4) 6.30-7pm. Contradiction in terms!
I The Thing is. . . Boredom (Channel4) 8.30—9pm. Mr Clever Trousers Paul Morley with a new series of his personal sphincter exploration. Loathe him or loathe him, he does make interestingTV, although maybe not tonight.
I OED: Little Monsters (BBC1) 9.30—10pm. Children’s hyperactivity, and the drugs, psychotherapy and removal of
sunset orange colouring from Wotsits that is meant to combat it.
I Mr Wakefield's Crusade (BBCZ) 9.40-10.30pm. Second episode of the surreal series featuring Peter Capaldi as Wakefield and Miranda Richardson as hooker-with-a-heart, Sandra.
I Sean's Show (Channel 4) 10.30-11pm. Mr Hughes’s really rather good stab at the sitcom tonight features Tracey MacLeod,
. as our Sean finally looks like making it in
the arts world. A quick straw-poll around the List office finds a division between the culturally-aware northerners who think that the show is great and the sad southemers who don't get the joke. Which are you?
I 4-Play: Oeptiord Graiiiti (Channel 4) llpm—12. 10am. A repeat for a quirky comedy-drama starring Nabil Shaban as a wheelchair-bound gnome painter rescued from a life of monotony by a gang of Hell’s Angels. You know it’s Channel 4, don’t you?
THURSDAY 30
I Oprah (Channel 4) 5-5.55pm. Ms Winfrey once again brings us some boring straight-down-the-middle TV like you get on Wogarr every week. Diane meets her ex-husband’s gay lover for the first time in front of Oprah’s audience. Doncha just lurv it?
I Harry Entield’s Television Programme (BBCZ) 9—9.30pm. Scousers' wedding, Tim Nice But Dim in trouble with the police and a fleeting appearance from the Darling Slobs of May. All your favourite characters from Dick Emery 11.
I True Stories: Black Harvest (Channel 4) 9.30—1 1 . 15pm. In Papua New Guinea, a local tribal chief has been persuaded to join forces with a plantation owner to grow coffee. The chief thinks that this will bring great wealth to him and his tribe but modern and ancient factors intervene. First there is a global fall in coffee price and then a tribal war erupts with a neighbouring clan.
I The Shetland Sessions (BBC1) 10.15—10.45pm. Aly Bain and guestsfrom around the world round-off the 11th Shetland Folk Festival.
I H8 (Scottish) 10.45—11.15pm. More from Scottish arts from your favourite trio.
I Sumo: The Rev: Order (Channel 4) 11.15—11.45pm. A report on the amazing surge to prominence of an eight-stone
ex- jockey after the retirement of Chiyonofuji. Just kidding.
FRIDAY 1
I Tales oi Gold (BBCI ) 7.30—8pm. Tonight, in the Olympic triumphs nostalgia show, Kitty Godfrey talks about winning the ladies doubles. And yes, we are talking tennis and she is British. ltwas 1920 when she won, though.
I Bruce’s Night Out (BBC1) 8—9pm. Neil Sedaka reminisces about 30 years in the biz, Jimmy Tarbuck swaps golfing anecdotes, and Paul Nicholas sings a number from Jesus Christ Superstar. The worst programme ever broadcast? Definitely a contender.
I Cheers (Channel 4) 9L9.SOpm. Going on the accurate assumption that repeated Cheers is better than no Cheers at all, Channel 4 continue their reruns of the second series featuring Diane (Shelley Long).
I Roseanne (Channel 4) 10—10.30pm. A hint of desperation about this plot which centres on Roseanne’s bid to quit smoking. Can you ever remember her lighting up in the five or so years of this show?
I Made in the USA (Channel 4) 11-.10—11.55pm. A point of possible interest is that the show is available in stereo. Laurie whispering 'helllooo‘ in both ears simultaneously? It’s enough to make a grown man go weak at the knees. Tonight — Atlanta.
I Chilling Out: The Doctor and the Devils (Channel 4) 11.55pm—l .35am. Latest in the horror season is a 1985 film with a script by Dylan Thomas?! Work that one out if you can. it stars Timothy Dalton as Edinburgh‘s Dr Knox - an early customer of Auld Reekie‘s renowned dig-‘em-up and flog-’em-cheap bodysnatchers.
SATURDAY 2
I TV Heaven: 1968: The Prisoner (Channel 4) 10.25—11.30pm. Last ofthe paradise trips for the current series and choosing the cult favourite to end all cult favourites to finish on. Patrick McGoohan's career nose-dived once he cast off the tight-fitting jacket and trousers of Number Six and the show looks horribly dated. but for Orwellian tension and camp charm, The Prisoner takes some beating.
I The Making oi a Brief History otTime (Channel 4) 11.30pm—midnight. Having bought the rights. Channel 4 are certainly making the most ofthem. This precursor to tomorrow night’s first episode includes inte'rviews with Steven Hawking, family and friends.
I The Strangler(BBC2) midnight—1.25am. David McLean in one of those harrowing, early-60s films noir which always cast someone with a foreign accent as the prime suspect. In this case. Victor Buono is accused of a series of stranglings.
SUNDAY 3
I Strathblair (BBCZ) 7.45—8.35pm. Make or break series as far as BBC Scotland is concerned. An all-star cast, dreamy locations and a solid production team would suggest success. See preview.
I A Briei History oi Time (Channel 4) 8.30—10pm. The first episode in a major TV adaptation of Steven Hawking‘s best-seller covering life, the Universe and everything.
I High Hopes (Channel 4) 10pm—12.05am. Mike Leigh’s return to the big screen after an eighteen-year absence is a funny. but not totally satisfying, comedy of manners. Philip Davies and Ruth Sheen are terrific as the glarineg unfashionable central characters but the peripheral figures emphasise the limitations of Leigh‘s improv-and-act method. Certainly still worth catching, though.
MONDAY 4
I Standing Room Only (BBC2) 6.50—7.40pm. Simon O’Brien presents the soccer fanzine with the help of Baddiel and Newman from Mary Whitehouse.
I Cutting Edge: Neighbours (Channel 4) 9—10pm. And not a twin in sight. The excellent documentary series looks at Britain’s gypsies and the conflict which seems to follow their caravans wherever they go. Particular attention is given to the ancient law which forces councils to provide sites on which the gypsies may make camp — a law which many local authorities are now starting to ignore. IEx-S (BBC1) 10.10—10.40pm. The BBC‘s Scottish arts strand which is a kind of cerebral NB.
I Bill Hicks: Relentless (Channel 4)
1-1 .SSam. Last year in the Edinburgh Fringe, Bill Hicks, though hyped tothe eye-balls, more than lived up to expectations. This is his set from the year before, recorded at the Montreal Comedy Festival, and featuring a fair bit of the nastier material which Hicks gradually
eased out of his routine. For the new. more idealogically-sound Hicks, check him out in Mayfest or at Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall. See Cabaret listings for details.
TUESDAY 5 '~ - ~
I How To Save The Earth (Channel 4) 8—8.30pm. Jonathon Porritt. one of the world‘s most rational and respected environmentalists, presents a new series which will probably only preach to the converted. Should be compulsory viewing for Major, Clarke etal.
I Roses Are For The Rich (BBC1) 9.30-11pm. Part one of an American mini-series starring the nervy, quirky and generally superb Bruce Dern. Part two tomorrow at 9.35pm.
I The Racing Game (BBC2 ) 9.50—10.30pm. Britain’s racing scene isin something of a recession. with major owners leaving for the continent, the bookies still making Scrooge look like St Nicholas and the race courses becoming increasingly tatty. This new. six-week series takes an in-depth look at the Sport of Kings.
WEDNESDAY 6
I Haggis Agus (Scottish) 6.30—7pm. The ultimate cult, Gaelic. cookery programme which always comes up with something original to do with herrings.
I Taking Liberties (BBCZ) 8—8.30pm. David Jesse] reports on another topic which will embarrass the authorities. Tonight, it's a harrowing account ofthe provision (or lack of it) of psychiatric care in Britain, with particular attention given to a case in which a mentally disturbed man killed two of his fellow patients.
I MrWakeiield's Crusade (BBCZ) 9.25—10. 15pm. Final instalment ofthe (very) strangely compulsive mini-series. I The Thing ls. . . Motorways (Channel4) 8.30—9pm. Paul Morley chooses off-the-wall topic for lightweight investigation.
I Sean's Show (Channel 4) 10.30-1 1pm. Surrealism and plenty of bath time fun from Mr Hughes.
I 4-Play: In The Border Country (Channel 4) llpm—12.05am. A repeat for this play which examines life in Northern lreland. in a style inspired by the Greek myths. The strange, washed-out colours and eerie music take a bit of getting used to. but itis a powerful story worth persevering with.
THURSDAY 7
I The State Opening of Parliament (BBC 1) 10.40am—noon. The one occasion when British democracy truly seems to be the best in the world. Pomp, tradition and the Queen‘s Speech — what more could you ask for? More money for the National Health Service. perchance?
I True Stories: The Good Women oi Bangkok (Channel 4) 9.30—1 1pm. Dennis O‘Rourke went to Bangkok to make a documentary about bar girls, sold into prostitution when children and exploited by pimps throughout their short ‘careers'. The film‘s emphasis changed somewhat when Rourke fell for. and eventually married, one of the girls he was filming.
I Harry Eniield’s Television Programme (BBCZ) 9—9.30pm. Songs, sketches and jokes old and new, as Melvyn Hayes used to say. Probably the funniest show onTV, but let‘s hope that Essex men are not inspired by the rugby players asthey were by Loadsamoney.
I LA LOW (Scottish) 9:10pm. Amanda Donohoe and the rest of the Californian law firm show The Advocates how to make legality interesting.
I The Bting (Channel 4) 11.50pm-12.50am. A new seriesfrom Holland set on the eve of the Second World War should provide an interesting comparison with SecretArmy for those who can remember back that far and ’A110, 'A 110 for those who cannot.
60 The List 24 April — 7 May 1992