REVIEW TELEVISION
RADID HIGHLIGHTS
I The Real Glenn Miller Story (Radio 2) Sat l7 Dec. 6.03pm. A drama documentary which promises to portray the ‘real Glenn Miller‘. According to writer Bob Sinfield. the world famous big band leader was a hard driving. hard headed. ambitious businessman and nothing like the man played by James Stewart in the film of the same name.
I Ruth Wishart’s Year (Radio Scotland) Fri 23 Dec. lptn. Popular columnist and presenter Ruth Wishart mulls over the year's events in her two part annual review. In this first episode she talks with Keith Aitken. Economics Editor at The St‘ULYIIlUII. Dorothy Grace Elder of Scotland on Sunday and Brian Meek. Tory councillor and journalist. Second part at the same time next week.
I The Radio 1 Top 100 Songs of All Time (Radio 1) Mon l9 Dec. all day. An apparently ‘illustrious' panel of music journalists have been chosen by Radio I to carry out that annual ritual of picking the top IOO tunes of all time. Steve Wright will play one of the l()() in each of his shows over the Xmas fortnight and on New Year‘s Day. the entire 100 will run in full.
I Arthur Smith on the Floor (Radio 5 Live) Thurs 22 Dec. 8.05pm. So you hate Christmas. But would you really. honestly want to kiss goodbye to your annual overdose of turkey. trifle and alcohol once and for all? Comics Kevin Day. Tony llawkes and Rhona Cameron join Arthur Smith at the London School of Economics fora heated debate on that most topical of issues. the abolition of Christmas.
I John Peel’s Festive 50 (Radio 1) Fri 23 Dec. 10pm. Another Festive 50 frotn Peelie‘s discerning posse of listeners. as he polls you lot out there for your favourite tracks of the year.
I The Snow Queen (Radio 4) Sat 24 Dec. 2.02pm. Radio 4 has come up with all the ingredients for that ‘one to make the mince pies to on a Christmas eve afternoon‘ with this radio dramatisation of Hans Christian Andersen classic. The Snow Queen starring Dame Diana Rigg as the Snow Queen and Sir Dick Bogarde as narrator.
I Eddie Mair’s Christmas Cliche (Radio Scotland) Sun 25 Dec. 10.06pm. How can you possibly resist it'.’ Radio Scotland‘s own Eddie Mair gets out the old red suit and fluffy white beard and does his annual Santa on the airwaves number. in this hour long Christmas Day special of Mair mayhem and festive frolics.
I Yule Never Believe (Radio 5 Live) Sun 25 Dec. 11.05am. The party poopers at 5 Live are here with just one in their series of amazing facts you never knew. The Christmas Day offering promises to deliver the disappointing news that we may well be celebrating on the wrong day — and even at the wrong time of year. Sorry folks. the arty's off.
I A Caribbean hristmas (Radio 2) Mon 26 Dec. l2.03pm. You may well be dreatning of a white Christmas. but Tommy Eytle and Mona Hammond. alias
Jools and Blossom in Eastenders have their eyes on a Caribbean Christmas as they present yuletide songs and stories designed to transport you to sunnier climes.
I The Magazine: Phone-In Competition (Radio 5 Live) Tue 27 Dec. 8.35am. Gun Laws; video nasties; hospital security; gay weddings; the royals; euthansia; the criminalisation of cannibis. You name it. you‘ve phoned in about it. Diana Madill presents the best so far of over 200 national daily phone-ins broadcast on Radio 5.
I Prime Suspects (Radio Scotland) Thurs 29 Dec. 5.30pm. A second chance to hear Sir Ian McKellen in conversation with Janice Forsyth as he talks candidly about his life work and commitment to the Gay Rights campaign.
I There Was This Stand Up Comic (Radio Scotland) Fri 30 Dec. 10pm. The lines that got the laughs at this year's Edinburgh Festival get to roll out the barrel fora second time in this festive package of 1994 comedy Fringe highlights. Arnold Brown. Will Durst. Jimeoin and Hunter & Docherty are amongst those lined tip to make you look back in laughter.
I The Best of the Hit Parade (Radio 1) Sat 31 Dec. lptn. In this special Hogmanay lunch-time edition of The Hit Parade Collins and Maconie take a look
i back at the highs and lows of another year
i in rock ‘n' roll while they‘re still enough
to remember it. They‘re joined by John Aizlewood of Q magazine and Mary Jane Robbins of Loaded. and the best frotn series Unplugged sessions. interview slots and play lists frotn over the last year.
I Paul Merton’s flour of Silence (Radio I) Sun 1 Jan. 7pm. Paul Merton. a man who knows a good comic pause when he hears one. leads this discussion on the idea that silence is something to be savoured. His guests include. Tony Slattery on a comedian's use of silence. Brian Eno on ambient music and journalist Barry Fox who has hummers syndrome and has a constant low pitched humming noise in his ears.
I Speaking Out (Radio Scotland) Sun 2 Dec. 10am. With the Tory mainstream still red-faced frotn the recent Commons defeat on VAT. Ruth Wishart chairs a timely live studio debate on pensioners and survival from the BBC studios in Edinburgh.
. I Storyline Extra: Trendelenburg
Position (Radio Scotland) Mon 3 Dec. 8.15am. With Alasdair Gray‘s latest novel A History Maker doing roaring trade in your local bookshops. Radio Scotland takes the opportunity to broadcast one of Gray's monologues. the blackly comic monologue ’l'remlelen/nme Position as performed by Jimmy Logan.
. I The Violence Files (Radio 4) Tue 3 Jan.
7.20pm. The first in a new series that plugs into the ongoing debate about
3 violence on our television and cinema
screens. Presenter Edward Stourton begins with the premise that Reservoir Dogs, Death li’ish and Natural Born Killers may well be the tnost violent films ever made and discusses the issues with a series of distinguished experts and filmmakers.
I Sporting Gaffes (Radio 5 Live) Wed 4 Jan. 9.35pm. Permission to laugh openly at sports presenters — a winning idea for a programme. John lnverdale hosts this brand new series of the best of those It'll Be Alright on the Night-style broadcasting blunders frotn sports radio. - I The City (Radio 4) Thurs 5 Jan. 8pm. To tnost of us. The City of London is a distant. alien world inhabited by faceless. and very rich young men in grey suits. In this new series Will Hutton. Economics Editor of The Guardian makes it his business to remind us exactly how much control the City has over British culture and society with a series of incisive reports beginning with Gentlemen Capitalists. (Ellie Carr)
TELEVISION moms-
A selection of television highlights covering the first two weeks of the double issue. Early January schedules
had not been finalised when The list
went to press. Television listings compiled by Eddie Gibb.
FRIDAY 16
I Moviewatch (Channel 4) 6.30—7pm. Johnny Vaughan. Sally Grey and a team of punters run thier eye over the new film releases. including The Specialist.
I Public Eye (BBC2) 8—8.30pm. The validity of convictions based on DNA fingerprinting is questioned. including the case of a Scottish man who is currently on hunger strike as a protest against his rape conviction which was based on DNA evidence.
I Police Academy Ill (Scottish) 8.3()-l()pm. Tired sequel in which the incompetent cops try to save the academy from closure. Sadly. they succeed.
I The Trial (BBC2) 9—9.50pm. A week in the depressing life of Edinburgh's sheriff courts is catalogued in ‘Sad. Bad and Mad‘. I Harry Enfield and Chums (BBC 1) 9.30— 10pm. Mr Cholmondley-Warner and Mr Greyson offer their guide to Christmas cheer. Could it involve pressing the Mercury button and phoning a loved one. perhaps“?
I Roseanne (Channel 4) Ill—10.30pm. The girls are talking about the boys‘ bedroom performance. but then then the boys find out . . .
I The Morning After (BBC I)
lO—I l.40pm. Jane Fonda plays an alcoholic actress who wakes up blearily after a hard night to find a dead man lying beside her. She hasn’t a clue how he got there but enlists the help of ex-cop Jeff Bridges to find out. in Sidney Lumet‘s tense thriller.
I Have I Got News For You (BBC2) l()—l0.30pm. Real life newsman Michael Buerk joins the comedians to play the headlines game.
I Tim Allen Rewires America (Channel 4) 10.30—1 1.10pm. The star of blue collar comedy Honte Improvement started out as a stand-up before becoming America's hottest sitcom star. In this recording of his stand-up show. Allen does observational material on the battle of the sexes.
I The Word (Channel 4)
I l.lOpm—l2.15am. More in-yer-face trash television from Terry. Dani and new girl Jasmine.
I Fantasy Football league (BBC2) 11.15-1 1.45pm. David Baddiel and Frank Skinner return mid-season for their entertaining football show which mixes Iaddish humour with some very dull soccer facts. First tip as celebrity managers are the blue-eyed boy of Scottish football Alan Hansen and the blue-eyed girl of frozen peas. Patsy Kensit.
I Tetsuo (Channel 4) l2. [5—1.25am. Cult Japanese film which brings the mango metal fetishist Tetsuo to life.
I The Serpent and the Rainbow (BBCl ) l2.20—l.55am. This Wes Craven horror movie is set in the Haiti. offering plenty of opportunities for voodoo charms and undead zombies. mixed in with references to the Duvalier regime.
SATURDAY 17
I Weird Night (BBC2) 8.35pm—6am. This themed evening frotn BBC2 features a pop culture mix of science fiction and science fact . . . or is it‘.’ The running order. which could inexplicably change at any moment. is roughly this: The Fortean Review of the Year (8.40—9.05pni) featuring strange phenomena observed in
the past year; Strange Days: Coincidences
THE BEST I Cracker Scottish. Robbie Coltrane was even more explosive second time round as the hard-drinking. fast-living Fitz: a clinical psychologist pursuing rapists, psychopaths and his long- suffering sidekick DS Penhaligon (Geraldine Somerville). Drama designed to grab viewers by the throat.
RUNNERS UP
I Finney Scottish. David Kane‘s tense thriller series set in gangland Newcastle threw David Morrissey into the role of Finney — white sheep of a particularly dodgy family. attempting to shrug off a legacy of violence.
I X-Files BBC2'.‘ Defying ett‘lr's'tattts;° this spooky joumey into the world of alien encounters. inexplicable deaths and the paranormal proved addictive. Probing a burial ground of unsolved FBI cases, Seully and Mulder made an unforgettable. if unconventional team.
I Seaiorth BBCI. Son of Ken Barlow. Linus Roache triumphed over a sometimes shaky script. giving a powerful performance as an eternal bad boy desperate to make good for the sake of love. Lia Williams made the earth move in this period drama with punch.
(9.05—9. 15pm) the first in a series of shorts sprinkled through the night about peoples bizarre experiences; The last American Freak Show (9. IS- 10pm ) see preview; Strange Days: Visions; WSll (ll). 10—] lptn) a docu-drama with Robert Vaughn which explores the power of the urban myth to destroy company‘s reputations; The X-Files ( l 1—] 1.45pm) with a specially weird episode of the FBI special agent caper; Strange Days: Beasts (ll.45—l l.50pm); and Weird Thoughts (I l.50pm-l2.2()am). Weird Night is rounded off by a bunch of wacko films through to morning: Martin The Vampire ll2.20am).' The Grandmother (2am); The Man With X-Rav lives (2.35am); Strange Holiday (3.50am); The Attack oft/1e 50 For)! Woman (4.50am) and if you're still awake. Pee W (e 's [Jig ell/genture (6am). Is there anyone still out there'.’ (See preview). I The Dead Pool (BBCI) ().15—l().55pni. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry returns to investigate an underground betting ring. I Nightmare on Elm Street (Channel 4) 1005—] 1.40pm. Seminal shocker with Robert Englund as a dead child-murderer who returns to invade the nightmares of
teenagers.
SUNDAY 18 .
I All I Want for Christmas (one I) i 7—8.3()pm. First showing for this Christmas comedy about two kids who
ask the Macy‘s Santa (Leslie Nielsen) if their estranged parents can get back i together. ' I Quick Change (Channel 4) 9~l().4()pm. l Bill Murray is the mastermind behind a j
The List l6 [December l9‘)4—l2 January I995 89