TELEVISION LISTINGS
conquer proficient German Steffi Graf? Yawno.
I European Football Championship (Scottish) 7—9.30pm. Live coverage from Gothenburg of the second semi-final.
I The Mosquito Coast ( BBCZ) 8.30—10.30pm. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren star in Peter Weir‘s uneven adaptation of Paul Theroux‘s adventure yarn. Ford plays mechanical genius Allie Fox who. disillusioned with civilisation. uproots his family to begin life on the coast of Central America. Disaster inevitably ensues. River Phoenix plays the son. Charlie.
I Female Parts: Norah, Bose. Wynne And Dorothy (Channel 4) 9-]0pm. Nancy Banks-Smith wrote and narrated this tale of four real-life ‘Golden Girls‘ whose Lancashire homes are far from Miami. but
; whose attitudes and feisty approach are
similar to those of their fictional counterparts.
I Scottish Women (Scottish)
10.45pm—1 1. 15pm. Sheena McDonald introduces a discussion on the topic ofthe patient-doctor relationship.
I Talking Liberties: Julia Kristeva (Channel 4) 12.05—12.50am. Kristeva has been one of France‘s foremost intellectuals for more than 20 years. In this film she talks about human rights. feminism. psychoanalysis and the pros and cons of Michel Platini‘s sweeper system.
, TUESDAY 23 .
I The Comedians (Scottish) 8.3(I—9pm. The Granada series featuring all your favourite ancient gags told by unremittingly ugly comics from the Northern club circuit.
I Boys From The Bush ( BBCI) 9.3()—l().25pm. Doris wins a tripto England in a competition. but Reg tnoans that the football season is over and he won't be able to see his beloved ()PR in action.
I Cinema Canada: H (Channel 4) 10—11.45pm. A grim and gritty directorial debut from Darrell Wasyk. depictingthe horrors of withdrawal from heroin addiction by lovers Martin Neufeld and Pascale Montpetit.
I More Than A Game: The Dynamo Runs Down (BBCI) ll.2()pm—12. lilam. A look back at the bad days of the Soviet Union when four Moscow Spartak footballers spent twelve years in labour camps for having the temerity to defeat Stalin‘s favourite team Dynamo Tbilisi. Nowadays former Soviet sports stars are struggling to come to terms with their new status.
I 7 Up (Scottish) 10.40—11.4(lpm. A group ofseven-year-old Germans talk about their lives and their thoughts for the future.
WEDNESDAY 24
I Land Of Hope and Gloria (Scottish) 8.30—9pm. Unpromisingly feeble title fora new sitcom by Simon Brett. set in astately home.
(Channel 4) 9—l()pm. A new series
of television‘s only lesbian and gay programme opens with a report on the ()bscene Publications Squad and asks why gay men‘s videos and magazines are targeted.
I Bat21(Scottish)9—I(lpm.
10.40—1 1 .40pm. Nothing to do withthe caped crusader. this is a routine ‘Nam (Viet rather than Chelten) drama starring Gene Hackman and Danny Glover. hacking their way through Cong-infested jungle.
I CIA: Berlin Cowboys (BBCl) 9.3(I—li).25pm. The first part ofa new documentary series looking at the history of the American intelligence agency. The ‘cowboys' were the post-war agents in Berlin. where Hitler's intelligence files and former Nazis were used against the Soviets. See preview.
I Bunch Of Five: Shall We Gather ByThe River? (Channel 4) 10.30—1 1pm. Another pilot sitcom. this time based on the rather shaky premise of a young boy obsessed with funerals. A distinguished cast includes Beryl Reid and Rosemary Leach. I Moio Working (Channel 4) 11—1 1 .3()pm. A new roots music series opens with a preview of future shows. including footage ofJames Brown. Muddy Waters. Chuck Berry. The Rolling Stones andJimi Hendrix.
THURSDAY 25
I Scottish Questions (Scottish) 7.30—8pm. David Whitton and Bernard Ponsonby present the political discussion programme.
I On The Line (BBC2) 8—8.30pm. More reports from behind the changing-room doors in the investigative sports series. presented by Wimbledon footballerJohn Fashanu.
I The Travel Show (BBC2) 9—9.30pm. Penny Junor and intrepid traveller Matthew Collins return fora new series with a rather different approach. Collins takes a video camera on his lone adventures. while Junor presents the show on the road. which usually means Manchester Airport. The first programme includes reports on Blackpool. Greece and ways ofcoping with a fear offlying. I 999 (BBCI ) 9.3(F1i).25pm. A new series looking at dramatic real-life rescues. presented by Michael Buerk and Fiona Foster. The first programme tells the story of Eva. trapped beneath the remains of her home after it was demolished by a massive gas explosion. I True Stories: Torso Murders (Channel 4) 9.3(I—1().5()pm. A cracking title fora seamy story of the North London underworld. In 1974 a dismembered headless corpse was washed up in the Thames. heralding the longest murder trial in legal history. Reg Dudley and Bob Maynard were jailed for life. but still protest their innocence. a view that is supported by new evidence.
I NB (Scottish) 10.40—1 1. 10pm. Janice Forsyth presents a profile ofAlexander Stoddart. the most accomplished neo-classical sculptor in Britain. Ile takes us around Paisley and Rome (the latteris the one with the sunshine) and suggests that modern art is finished. and it istime for neo-classicism to come to the fore.
! FRIDAY 26
I The European Football Championship Final (BBCl ) 7—9. 10pm. Live coverage of the tournament finale from Gothcnburg‘s Ullevi Stadium. introduced by Desmond Lynam with comments from Terry Venables and Jimmy Hill. ()ne ofthese days that pair are going to come to fisticuffs and I want to be there to see it.
I The Crescent and The Start BBCZ) 8—8.3(lpm. A new series that looks at the emergence of the Central Asian states after 70 years of Soviet rule. asking whether a combination of nationalist and religious fervour will lead to the formation of fundamentalist Islamic republics. The first programme focuses on 'I‘urkmenistan where a personality cult is developing around President Saparmurat .\'iyazov.
I Roseanne (Channel 4) llL- 10.30pm. Becky and Mark split up. but Dan continues to employ him in the shop. while taking an immediate liking to Becky's new boyfriend.
I Kiss Of Death (Channel 4)
11.4(lpni- l .4ilam. Victor Mature stars asa small-time crook who turns informer and seeks vengeance after his wife commits suicide because of threats from psychopth Richard Widmark.
SATURDAY 27
I Denis Norden's 21 Years DIShowbusiness (Scottish) 7.20—8. 10pm. You know you're getting on a bit when you even consider watching this long-winded bundle of mannerisms drone on endlessly.
I Black And White In Colour ( BB( ‘2)
8.45—1 1 .35pm. Beginning a season of archive and specially made programmes tracing the history of black people on television. This would seem to include an episode of Z Cars from 196-1. and a Play For Today from 197‘) called Hole In Babylon.
I GDH (Channel 4) 9- 10.40pm. The second part of the Bleasdale saga with Jim Nelson falling deeper into despair and the occasional wardrobe as well.
I The OutsiderS(BB(‘l) “INF-11.55pm. Francis Ford Coppola‘s emotional tribute to the 50s youth film genre is set in Tulsa in 1966 and stars the ‘brat pack‘ ofTom Cruise. Rob Lowe. Matt Dillon. Patrick Swayze and Emilio Iistevez. It's a sort of realist West Side Story. surprisingly restrained for Coppola. Tom Waits makes his regular cameo appearance.
I Teenage Diaries: The Daughter Sentirom Hell (BBCZ) 11.35pm-12.25am. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer tells her story. about being torn between her own life and the needs of her mother who has multiple sclerosis.
I Revolution (BBC2) 12.25-2.3t)am. There‘s something about Al Paeinoin period costume that doesn‘t quite gel. Irwin Winkler‘s American War Of Independence epic is somewhat undermined by the expectation that Pacino is going to demand a slice ofthe drugs and gambling action at any moment. Nastassia Kinski almost makes amends.
SUNDAY 28
I The Cosby Show (Channel 4) 6.3(L—7pm. A new series ofcomic capers from those lovable Huxtables. whose family gets more extended with every episode.
I Strathblair(BBC1 ) 7.45-8.35pm. The rural ‘feelgood‘ series set in 50s Perthshire continues to pit the Ritchies against their neighbours and often their livestock as well.
I Conquest Of The South Pole (Channel 4) 10-] 1.45pm. Gillies MacKinnon filmed his debut feature around Leith.adapting Manfred Karge‘s hit play about five unemployed young men escaping their aimless existence by re-creating in fantasy Roald Amundsen's Antarctic expedition. The low budget does not prevent it being both poignant and comic.
I Frankie's Dn (Scottish) li).25—l l . l5pm. Yes. we know he‘s dead. bttt by the miracle of television it's a new variety series with Frankie Ilowerd. Titter ve probably won‘t. '
I My Left Foot (Scottish)
11.55pm— l .45am. In case you missed it on Channel 4 recently. here‘s another chance to catch Daniel Day Lewis in the moving story of handicapped writer (‘hristy Browne. with ()scar-winner Brenda I~‘ricker as his mother. Jim Sheridan directs with a feel for both place and pace.
MONDAY 29
I Secret History: Deep Sleep (Channel 4) 9— llipm. A new season ofthe documentary series that investigates some of the more shadowy corners of recent history. The first film reportson experiments into human reaction sto three or more days of drug-induced sleep. Patients at an Australian private hospital were subjected to electric shock therapy and experimental operations while unconscious. resulting in 7‘) deathsand ()77 cases of brain damage.
I Northern Exposure (Channel 4) III—10.55pm. The offbeat Alaskan saga continues with Joel (Rob Morrow) facing more tribulations.
I Scottish Women (Scottish)
lil.-iil—-l l.llipm. Sheena McDonald and ltleanellists discuss anothertopical
TUESDAY 30
I Crime Limited (BBCI ) 8.30—9pm. Nick Ross and Sue (‘ook continue their behind-thc-scenes look at crime investigation.
I RearWindow: Miniatures (Channel 4) 9-9.45pm. The Persian and Indian tradition of intricate miniature painting has fascinated collectors for centuries. Some miniatures are more genuine than others though. as a highly-skilled forger demonstrated.
WEDNESDAY 1
I Out (Channel 4) ‘)—l(lpm. A report on homophobia in I Iollywood. art attitude that extends to the screen product. plusan item on class barriers and how they affect sexuality. Is it true what they say about a ‘bit of rough"?
I CIA (BBCI ) ‘).3IL 10.25pm. The second programme in the series looks at CIA activity in Italy and Indonesia. See preview.
I Bunch Of Five: Miles Is Better (ChanneH) 10.30—1 lprn. The last of the sitcom pilots. this one was written by (ilasgow writer Peter Arnott and stars Andy Gray as Miles. a would-be entrepreneur whose get-rich-quick attitude is frowned upon by his Stalinist granny.
I Laverne And Shirley(Scottish ) 11.3tlpm—midnight. Baffled by the brewery sequence in Wayne's li’nrld‘.’ Check out the opening titles ofthis cult American sitcom and the penny will drop. Tightly-written slop in the Happy Days. Lucy Show style.
THURSDAY 2
I On The Line (BBC2) 8—8.3(Ipm. The investigative sports series delves into another sporting story behind the headlines. Presented by John Fashanu. I LA Law (Scottish) 9- l()pm. More writs and bitchiness in the riot-torn legal practice.
I True Stories: Heavy Petting (Channel 4) 9.30— 10.50pm. Hilarious dos and don'ts from the 50s about the ‘pitfalls of love‘. ie sex. form the foundation for a succession of candid confessions from the likes of David Byrne. William Burroughs and Laurie Anderson about their formative sexual experiences. See preview.
I NB (Scottish) l().-i()—l 1.10pm. Assorted highlights from the Scottish artsand entertainments scene presented byJanicc Forsyth and Bryan Burnett.
SD The List 19 June — 2 July 1992