TELEVISIDN LISTINGS
TELEVISION
A selection of television highlights,
listed by day, in chronological order. Television listings compiled by Tom lappin.
FRIDAY 13
I NB (Scottish) 7-7.30pm. Bryan Burnett and Janice l‘orsyth open their Edinburgh coverage with a preview of the Festival and Fringe.
I Dad’s Army (BBCl) 7-7.30pm. A bomb falls on the strong-room of Captain Mainwaring's bank and he enlists his platoon to guard the money.
I Parenthood: (BBC2) 7.20—7.45pm. Gil (Ed Begley Jr) and family are faced with the problem of getting rid of a raccoon trapped under their kitchen sink.
I Cheers (Channel 4) 9.30—10pm. Diane develops an allergy to Frazier’s dog.
I Nurses (Channel 4) lO—lO.30pm. Gina and Paco declare war on Paco‘s slum landlord.
I The Brain Drain (BBC2) lO—lO.30pm. Featuring [fish/Australian comedian
J imeoin. who. by the magic of theatre. is opening this very night at the Edinburgh Fringe Club.
I llalred City (Channel 4) li.05pm—12.05am. / '1 hour ofinnovative music presented by Caitlin Moran and Johnny Vaughan.
SATURDAY 14
I Grandstand (BBCl) 10.50am-5. 15pm. Steve Rider and the mighty Des Lynam introduce coverage of the World Athletics Championships from Stuttgart. including the heats of the 100 metres with Linford Christie.
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Neighbours (Channel 4) 8—9pm. The extraordinary stories of KGB spies Peter and Helen Kroger who can'ied on their espionage at the height of the Cold War while posing as antiquarian booksellers in Ruislip.
I Viva Elvis! (Channel 4) 9—lO. 15pm. A repeat showing for Jonathan Ross‘s engaging film about the cult of Elvis worship in the US of A. His own spangled karaoke tribute to the King is not to be missed.
I The Wextord Trilogy (BBC2) 9-10.30pm. Billy Roche’s series of three plays concludes with Belfry. the story of the town's sacristan who falls in love with another man's wife.
I Speeder (BBCl) 9.45—lo.40pm. Our Geordie hero is caught up in the sleazy nightclub scene while investigating a local club-owner who is supplying under-age dancers to clubs in Barcelona.
I Teenage Diaries: Anyha And The Temple Of Doom (BBC2) 10.30-1 1.30pm. Twelve-year-old Anyha is a sports fanatic.
ambitious to compete in the Olympics.
Her diary follows her attempts to save for a holiday in Egypt with her Mum.
I Cinema, Dinemalz Dr Petiot (Channel 4) lO.50pm—l2.40am. Christian de Chalonge’s expressionistic drama based on days in the life of the French serial killer (played by Michel Serrault) who killed 24 Jews in occupied Pan's under the pretext of helping them escape.
SUNDAY 15
I Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories: Mr Magic (BBCl) l.35-2pm. Sid Caesar stars as a has-been magician who wants to go out with a bang. When he discovers an old deck ofcards in a bookshop his prayers could be answered.
I llypnosis (Channel 4) 5.30—6pm. The trancey. dancey rave series offers more sound and vision in a daft. crusty. Cockney hippy sort of style. Guests include Yazz (who she?) and Aswad.
I Concerto! (Channel 4) 8—9pm. Dudley Moore teams up with Michael Tilson Thomas of the LSO to present six orchestral performances in a new series. opening with Mozart‘s concerto for flute and harp.
.. .‘i%§ I Summer’s Dut: Torch Song Trilogy (Channel 4) 9-ll.15pm. Channel 4’s gay season opens with Harvey Fierstein's camp comedy about a Jewish drag queen. Anne Bancroft co-stars. I Travelling llorth (BBC 1) 9.20—10.55pm. A bittersweet Australian comedy starring Leo McKern as a cantankerous retired engineer. travelling north from Melbourne in the company of troubled divorcee Julia Blake. I Over The ltainbovr (Scottish) 10.05—10.35pm. Neil and Spence rent out their bedroom in an attempt to pay off their bar bill. I Moviedrorne: The long Riders (BBCZ) 10.25pm—12.05am. Sibling time. as for sets of real-life brothers — David and Keith Carradine. James and Stacy Keach. Dennis and Randy Quaid and Christopher and Nicholas Guest — star as The James Gang in Walter Hill‘s stylish Western. The gang are folk heroes for their daring robberies. but the Pinkerton Detective Agency are hot on their trail. and some of the boys are talking of settling down . . . The screenplay is. in part. by Bill Bryden. current BBC Scotland drama chief. I The South Bank Shovr (Scottish) 10.35pm—12.05am. Melvyn Bragg presents a profile of sad folkie turned international world music superstar Paul Simon. focusing on his visits to China and South Africa.
MONDAY 16
I Batman (Channel 4) 6—6.30pm. Channel 4 maintain their commitment to innovative left-field programming with a rerun of the 60s caped crusader series. Tonight Batman and Robin tackle the Riddler.
I Birthrights: Black Ink (BBC2) 8-8.30pm. An examination of the history of the black press in Britain. looking at publications like The Voice.
I Frank Stubbs Promotes (Scottish) 9—lOpm. Frank (Timothy Spall) faces the problems of representing an unreliable soccer star.
I I’ll Fly Away (Channel 4) lO—lO.55pm. The 50s American drama continues. Lilly (Regine Taylor) applies for legal separation from her husband.
I Edinburgh llights (BBCZ)
ll.lS—l 1.55pm. Kirsty Wark hosts the first of nine Edinburgh specials. opening with a feature on The Waking Dream. an exhibition charting the development of photography from 1839-1939. See preview.
I Making Advances: The Right To Manage (BBC 1) 1 1.40pm—12. 10am. Emma Freud investigates the measures employers could take to protect female employees from harassment.
TUESDAY 17
I Far Flung Floyd: East Malaysia (BBCZ) 8.30—9pm. Floyd has a stint as Robinson Crusoe. when he finds himself temporarily marooned on a desert island. Luckily he stopped off at a fishmonger‘s in advance. and cooks up some coconut curried fish.
I Rear Window: Dracula - The Undiscovered Country (Channel 4) 9—9.45pm. An examination of the vampire legend front its origins in Transylvania to its current resurgence in the cinema.
I Summer’s Dut: Desert llearts (Channel 4) 10—1 1.40pm. A warm lesbian love story from director Donna Deitch. Teacher Vivian (Helen Shaver) arrives in a Nevada desert town seeking a divorce. She finds herself attracted to the lively Cay (Patricia Charbonneau).
WEDNESDAY 18
I On The line: Men In White Coats (BBC2) 8.30—9pm. lt's notjust the English cricket team who are cheesed off. apparently the umpires are angry and disillusioned as well. fed up with constant cheating and intimidation on the field. And they call it the gentlemen's game.
I 15: The lite And Death Of Philip Knight (Scottish) 9—lOpm. 10.40pm—12. 15am. A drama documentary investigating the case of a fifteen-year-old boy held on remand in a Swansea adult prison. who was subsequently found dead in his cell.
I The Wednesday Play: Hard labour (BBCZ) 9—10. 10pm. Liz Smith and Clifford Kershaw star in Mike Leigh's 1973 drama about the detail ofa family's life. dwelling in his usual cheery manner on their lives of mindless drudgery.
I Summer’s Out: The Hours And The Times (Channel 4) 9—10.05pm. The story of an imaginary weekend in Barcelona spent by Brian Epstein and John Lennon in the 60s. Epstein suffers agonies of unrequited love. while Lennon parries his attempts at seduction.
I The Golden Palace (Channel 4) 10.05—10.35pm. Shades of I‘tlll'lfl' Towers as a food critic dies after tasting one of the hotel meals at the relaunch party. How do they hide the body until the party is over? I Bruce Forsyth - 50 Years In Shotvbusiness (BBC 1) l 1.10—1 1.40pm. Showbiz celebs of the old school turn up to salute the last of the great troupers. Give us a twirl Brucie. and other catchphrases.
I Edinburgh llights (BBCZ)
ll. lS—l 1.55pm. Scouse mouth almighty Margi Clarke and controversial theatre director Peter Sellars are featured in the round-up of reports from the Festival and Fringe.
I Just For laughs (Channel 4) 12.10—l.40am. Highlights from the Montreal festival of comedy. featuring Vic Reeves as a sinister heckler.
THURSDAY 19
I Dinosaur Footprints (Channel 4) 8—9pm. Dinosaur experts discuss the physical attributes of our Jurassic chums. I Crime limited (BBCl ) 8.30—9pm. Broadcasting stool-pigeon Nick Ross presents another batch of crime reconstructions. featuring a housewife tumed police informer. I The Travel Show (BBCZ) 8.30—9pm. Penny Junor presents the consumers‘ holiday programme with reports from Carol Smillie checking out walking holidays in the New Forest. and Paddy Haycocks in Brittany visiting the magaliths at Carnac. ‘ ‘ A.
9—i0pm. Christopher Hitchens explores some of the bizarre cults and quasi- religions of Los Angeles in the latter half of the 20th century. En route he encounters 60$ drugs guru Timothy Leary. I Summer’s Dut: Storm In A Teacup , (Channel 4) 11.05pm—12.05am. A history i of the London gay scene from the 40s to the 70s including an introduction to the secret language. Polari.
94 The List l3—l9 August 1993