LISTINGS TELEVISION
transformed from evil to farcical, with examples provided by John Cleese, Benny Hill, Freddie Starr. Mel Brooks etc.
I Troubleshooter 2: Grasping The Nettle (BBC2) 9.50—10.30pm. SirJohn Harvey-Jones visits the diary-printing company Letts, and inspects their factory at Dalkcith. As usual the situation is grave.
I Film 0n Four: Soursweet (Channel 4) 10pm-12.05am. Ian McEwan‘s unconvincing adaptation of Timothy Mo‘s novel follows the fortunes ofa young Hong Kong couple arriving in London to seek their fortune.
I Omnibus: John Ford (BBCl)
1025—] 1.15pm. The second part ofthe profile of the American film director, focusing on his later movies including The Quiet Man, My Darling Clementine and The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance.
I King Kong (BBCl) 1 1.15pm—12.50am. The cute classic made in 1933 featuring that legendary scene atop the Empire State building when old Kongie gets a crush on Fay Wray.
WEDNESDAY 9
I Scotsport European Special (Scottish) 7.15—9.30pm. Jim White presents live coverage of Rangers second European Champions Cup League qualifier. as they take on CSKA Moscow in the German town of Bochum.
I Travelog (Channel 4) 8.30—9pm. Pete McCarthy gets to stay in Hampton Court, while Simon Hoggart heads for Devon. Pseudish Robert Elms drones on about Prague in his singularly irritating way.
I Pole To Pole: Bitter End (BBCl) 9.30—10.20pm. Michael Palin missed the boat to the Antarctic last episode, and now faces a desperate search for alternative transportation, that means abandoning all those self-imposed restraints.
I The Golden Girls (Channel 4) 10—10.30pm. Dorothy starts dating a jerk, which is a cue for all those reminiscences from past episodes.
I I’m All night Jacques (BBCl) 10.20—10.50pm. Pete McCarthy offers his quirky slant on that Summit. See preview.
THURSDAY10 “
I Gamesmaster (Channel 4) 6.30-7pm. Dominik Diamond introduces more computer games antics, hints and challenges and gets racing driver Johnny Herbert to try his hand at ‘Lotus: The Final Challenge.‘
I Scottish Questions (Scottish) 7.30—8pm. Donald MacCormick and Bernard Ponsonby report the latest issues emerging from Westminster.
I Sittan Pretty (BBCI ) 8—8.3(lpm. John Sullivan‘s melancholy sitcom continues. with Annie (Diane Bull) awaiting the return of ‘Vietnam vet‘ Justin.
I Critical Eye: How Low Can You Go? (Channel 4) 9—10pm. Geordie comedian Mike Elliott investigates the scandal of low-paid work. asking whether Britain is turning into a Third World country in terms of wages.
I Absolutely Fabulous ( BBCZ) 94.30pm. Jennifer Saunders stars as single mother Edina, in the surprise hit sitcom. Patsy (Joanna Lumley) moves in and crosses swords with Saffron (Julia Sawalha).
I The Big Battalions (Channel 4) 10—1 lpm. The religious drama continues with Edward (Brian Cox) heading for EthiOpia to secure the release of Martha (Jane Lapotaire).
I ND (Scottish) 10.45—1 1.15pm. The arts and entertainments magazine programme with Janice Forsyth and Bryan ‘20 Regal‘ Burnett.
FRIDAY 11
I Framed (Scottish) 9—10pm. The Lynda La Plante drama continues, with Detective Lawrence Jackson following up some very unofficial lines of enquiry.
I Cheers (Channel 4) 9.30-10pm. The
rivalry between Cheers and the Olde
Towne Tavern takes on a sinister edge l with the arrival of a new Tavern manager, i Frank ‘Angel Of Death‘ Carpaccio. l I Have I Got News For You (BBC2) ' 10—10.30pm. Angus Deayton hoststhe topical news quiz, with the vulgar captains lan Hislop and Paul Merton joined by Peter Cook and Douglas Adams. 9 I The Word (Channel 4) 11.10pm—12. 10am. More post-pub mayhem with the foolish foursome and their unwitting guests. I The Funny Fann (Scottish) 11.10—11.40pm. Stu Who? hosts more comedy and music, featuring Brenda Gilhooley as her alter ego, Page Three girl 1 Gail Tuesday. 5 I Montpamasse 19 (BBCZ) L 11.25pm—1.10am. Jacques Becker re-creates between-the-wars Paris in his study of bohemian life, starring Gerard Philippe as the wild and dissolute artist Modigliani.
SATURDAY 12
I The Royal Variety Performance (BBCl) 7.15—10. 15pm. There‘s probably more entertainment to be gleaned by checking out Charles and Di‘s body language than by watching the assorted naffmusical excerpts and showbiz ‘personalitics‘ on show.
I Americana: Fat (Channel 4) 9—10pm. Jonathan Ross returns to his happy hunting grounds in the tackier end of American culture, opening with a discursive film on the topic of food, from Big Mac museums to naked college girl waitresses. See preview.
I Perionnance: Six Characters In Search or AnAuthor (BBC2) 9.05—10.35pm. John Hurt, Brian Cox, Patricia Hayes and, yes, Tara Fitzgerald star in an arty adaptation of Pirandello’s play within a play within a play. Director Bill Bryden has relocated the action in a 405 film studio and gone for a very ‘B‘ Movie feel.
I Danton (Channel 4) lOpm—12.35am. Gerard Depardieu stars as the idealistic revolutionary in Andrzej Wajda‘s cerebral tale of Danton‘s battle with Robespierre.
I Scotsport (Scottish) 5—6pm. Jim White introduces all the goals from the Premier Division plus highlights from Europe.
I Sports Review 0t1992(BBC1) 7.50—9.35pm. Desmond Lynam and Steve Rider present a review of an exciting year in sport, with a substantial chunk of
Olympic retrospective. Towards the end the prize for Sports Personality of the year
that Nigel Mansell is a bit of a wanker, it really has to be Linford Christie (who he? — Theatre Ed).
I Funny Business: Feeding The Monster (BBCZ) 10.05-10.55pm. A week in the
‘ SUNDAY13 ;
will be awarded. With everybody agreeing 5
life of super sitcom Roseanne going behind the scenes on the show where the egos are as huge as the star's waistline.
I Poetry in Motion (Channel 4) 8—8.30pm. John Mortimer waffles on about God in a discussion of vice and villainy in poetry. I‘naclng With The Moon (BBCZ) 10.40pm—12.25am. Sean Penn, Elizabeth McGovern and Nicolas Cage star in a wartime romance set in a small Californian town. Cage and Penn are determined to live life to the full before their call-up to the Marines.
MONDAY 14
I Doctors To Be: Look Back in Anger (BBCZ) 8—8.50pm. The final programme in the series examines the regrets some of the doctors have about their choice of career.
I Witchcraft (BBCZ) 9—10.30pm. A new two-part tale of sorcery and revenge starring Lisa Harrow, Peter McEnery and Alan Howard. McEnery plays scriptwriter Jamie Matheson who is rescarchinga script on 17th century witchcraffand adultery, based on a 17th century Witchfinder. He enlists the help of hisold professor (Howard) who seems to be harbouring a dangerous obsession. Concluded on Wednesday.
TUESDAY 15
I The Snow Show (BBC 1 ) 8—8. 30pm. Muriel Gray offers a unique perspective on how to survive the slopes in dayglo outfits.
I Without Walls: Apres Le Deluge (Channel 4) 9-10pm. Melvyn Bragg, joined by Edmund White and Steven Berkoff. paints a portrait of Paris immediately after the war, a city of philosophers, writers (and loads of people pretending that they hadn‘t collaborated with the Germans).
I Film 0n Four Strapless (Channel 4) Ill—11.55pm. David Hare’s less than scintillating drama stars woman ofthe
moment Bridget Fonda as the carefree sister of Lily (Blair Brown) whose life is transformed by a mysterious stranger (Bruno Ganz).
I Midnight Cowboy (BBCl) 11.05pm—12.55am. John Schlesinger‘s classic buddy movie starring Jon Voight as a naive would~bc gigolo who teams up with tubercular sleazeball Ratso (Dustin Hoffman). The first X-rated film to win an Oscar, fact fans.
WEDNESDAY 16
I Open Space: Full Frontal (BBCZ) 7.40—8.10pm. A frank look at British naturists by naturist Sue Piper who seeks to address the myths about folk who get their kit off.
I The Secret Of My Success ( BBCI) 9.30—1 lpm. Michael J. Fox stars as country boy Brantley Foster, determined to make it in the big city at his uncle's corporation. Limp romantic comedy.
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I UPtront(BBC1) 8.30—9pm. Kirsty Wark introduces the current affairs programme featuring film reports and studio discussions.
I Absolutely Fabulous (BBCZ) 9—9.3(lpm. Edina (Jennifer Saunders) finds her 40th birthday a distinctly depressing affair, even when daughter Saffron organises a party.
I The Big Battalions (Channel 4)
10—1 1.05pm. The concluding part ofthe religious blockbuster. Edward and Martha face up to the failure oftheir marriage and Lizzie‘s loyalty is tested.
I ND (Scottish) 10.454 1.15pm. Bryan Burnett and Janice Forsyth on the trail of arts and entertainments news around the region.
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— 17 December