LISTINGS TELEVISION
TELEVISION
A selection of television highlights, listed by day, in chronological order. Television listings compiled by Eddie Gibb.
FRIDAY 24
I Movievratch (Channel 4) 6.30—7pm. Johnny Vaughan and a bunch of movie buffs give their verdicts on Natural Born Killers and Robert Redford’s Quiz Show. I Operavox (BBC2) 7.30—8pm. Verdi’s Rigoletto gets the animated treatment.
I The Photo Show (BBC2) 8—8.30pm. New photography series with Lana Wong and Andy Earl which mixes how-to tips with a behind-the-lens look at the professionals at work. The series kicks off with a Radio Times cover shoot and a look at one of the few female sports photographers in the business.
I Ellen (Channel 4) 9—9.30pm. Ellen suffers a fit ofjealousy and ends up putting her foot in it again.
I ooctor Finlay (Scottish) 9—lOpm. Finlay is visited by an old friend and has to deal with a violent incident in this Scottish country doctor drama.
I Rising oamp (Channel 4) 9.30—10pm. Ruth is down in the dumps. but Rigsby has an idea how to cheer her up.
I Our Man in . . . Havana (BBC2) 9.30—10.20pm. Clive Anderson travels to Cuba to hear the views of ordinary people on Castro‘s regime.
I oangertield (BBCI) 9.30—10.20pm. The doctor is called to the police station to examine a drink-driving suspect — only to find it’s his partner at the practice.
I iloseanne (Channel 4) lO—IO.30pm. DJ. isn't doing too well at school. but Dan's on the case.
I For the Boys (BBCI) IO.20pm—l2.40am. Bette Midler and James Caan are a pair of forces entertainers during World War II who marry and get their own television show when the war finishes.
I .lo Brand Through the Cakehole (Channel 4) 10.30—11.05pm. It’s celebrity gameshow time with Una Stubbs. Gaby Roslin, Mark Lamarr and Steve Coogan joining hostess lo.
I Big Trouble in little China (Scottish) 10.30pm—12.20am. John Carpenter's entertaining thriller with Kurt Russell as a trucker pursuing his friend's Chinese fiancee into San Francisco‘s Chinatown, where he runs into a 2000-year-old ghost. I The Word (Channel 4) ll.05pm—12.05am. Bands. American gossip and embarrassed interviewees in the usual trash culture stew.
I The Mrs Merton Show (BBC2)
lI.IS-—I 1.45pm. More comfy chat with the awfully nice Mrs Merton. aka comedienne Caroline Hook.
I Duckman (BBC2) 11.45pm—l2. 10am. An orange-haired duck with a caffeine addiction is the newest recruit to the adult animation hall of fame.
I Beavls and Butt-head (Channel 4) 12.05-12.40am. Doltish humour from the cartoon slackers in short trousers.
SATURDAY 25
I The llew Adventures of Superman (BBCI) 6.15-7pm. Return of the superhero. who by day works at the The Daily Planet.
I Bookmark (BBC2) 8.05—8.55pm. New series of the book programme chugs off with a look at the life of Thomas the Tank Engine creator Reverend Wilbert Awdry. I Arena (BBC2) 8.55—10.05pm. Last part of the Peter Sellers profile. starting with the actor’s marriage to Britt Ekland before he left for Hollywood to work with Billy Wilder on Kiss Me Stupid.
1 It
I At 24, slacker Charlie isn’t what you’d call a responsible adult but when his
parents die in a car crash, he finds himself head of a family of five siblings,
including baby brother Owen. This hit American show described as an ‘emotionally compelling drama’ follows the fortunes of this family unit as they try to hold together while coming to terms with their parents’ deaths. Party of Five starts on Sun 5 Mar at
6pm on Channel 4.
I The Chemistry lesson (BBC!) 9.15—I0.05pm. Alan Cumming is a teacher who discovers a pagan ritual which enables him to seduce an attractive colleague. Last film in the ‘Ghosts‘ series. I Bobocop (Scottish) IO—I 1.45pm. Paul Verhoeven's dazzling cyborg movie about a rebuilt policeman who pursues the bad guys relentlessly through a futuristic Chicago cityscape.
I Paul Merton — The Second Series (Channel 4) 10.05—10.35pm. Final farewell from Paul. although he pops up on every other channel these days. with Delia Smith giving him a send-off.
I Is This Your life? (Channel 4)
10.35—1 1.20pm. Exceedineg uncomfortable interview set—up which tries. with some success. to undermine the nauseous backslapathon of the This Is Your Life format. Tonight Andrew Neil tries to unearth the truth behind Olivia Newton John’s girl-next-door persona.
I The nanny Baker Show (BBCl )
II. lO—ll.55pm. Danny Daz welcomes the Brand New Heavies and cerebral football pundit Alan Hansen onto his show.
I Badge of the Assassin (Scottish) 11.45pm—I .30am. Surprisingly good TV movie based on a true story with James Woods as an Assistant DA. in New York directing a manhunt.
' I later With Jools Holland (BBC2)
12.45—I.50am. The live music line-up tonight includes Ali Farka Toure. The Cocteau Twins and David Byrne.
SUNDAY 26 '
I Machinations (Channel 4) 5.45—6pm. New series of short films looking at specially-commissioned mechanical
' sculptures which ‘explore movement
through their own idiosyncratic constructions'.
I Catherine Cookson’s The Gambling Man (Scottish) 7.45--8.45pm. Schmaltz fans ahoy with a new threespart story from the doyenne of romantic novelists. Rory Connor is a South Shields card sharp in the I870s who tries to win enough cash to marry his sweetheart.
I Reality on the Rocks (Channel 4) 8—9pm. Last of maverick presenter Ken Campbell‘s search for the meaning of the universe. In ‘Beyond Our Ken’ (har. har!) he is baffled by Stephen Hawking. Aren't we all?
I Moving Pictures (BBC2) 8.20—9.10pm. Howard Schuman talks to Robert Altman about his fashion industry satire Pret a Porter: plus a look at the work of Michael Crichton who is currently writing a sequel to Jurassic Park.
I Taggart (Scottish) 9—1 1pm. The first post-McManus 'Iiiggart is a one-offdrama in which .lardine and Reid bury their boss. while trying to solve a bizarre murder
I King of Hearts (Channel 4) 9—lOpm. Screening of the remaining three TV operas commissioned by Channel 4 starts with Michael Torke’s piece about a lonely teacher who collects discarded love letters.
I The Buccaneers (BBC!) 9.05—10pm. More cleava e-heaving in the fourth instalment o the Edith Wharton adaptation. Nan scandalises the house— party by heading upstairs with Guy.
I Awakenings (Channel 4) lOpm—12.20am. First television screening of Penny Marshall's film about neurologist Oliver Sacks’ ‘awakening' of patients trapped in a coma for up to 30 years. Robin Williams is the doctor and Robert de Niro is awakened.
I Don’t look Down (Scottish)
11—] 1.45pm. lattice Forsth is your
hostess with the rnostest Scottish arts stories.
I The South Bank Show (Scottish)
I l.45pm—l2.45am. Two films tonight: the first by David Bailey who tries to understand women through his wife Catherine; the second a documentary about photographer Roger Ballen on a shoot in South Africa.
I It’s Just a Ride (Channel 4)
12.20—1. 10am. Marking the first anniversary of the death of Bill Hicks. this absorbing documentary about the comedian is reshown. One of his last televised perfonnances is shown on Tuesday.
MONDAY 27
x“ I “T . / l l’ i I Cutting Edge (Channel 4) 9» ll)pm. Documentary following the work of a team of cave rescuers during the ‘silly season' in October. when large numbers of inexperienced cavers get trapped.
I Tango and Cash (Scottish) 9—1 1.35pm (includes News at Ten). Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell are rivals in the LAPD who form a reluctant partnership when they‘re framed by a drug baron in an averagely entertaining comedy thriller.
I Panorama (BBCI)9.3()+1().1()ptii. Documentary about the media furore in America surrounding Natural Born Killers and its alleged connection with several recent murders. The programme suggests a more complex connection between screen and real violence than simple ‘copycat’ killings.
I Game On (BBC2) 9.30— lopm. New sitcom about three twentysomethings who share a flat. See preview.
I NYPD Blue (Channel 4) 10—10.55pm. The detectives investigate the death of a chiropractor.
I Ruling Passions (BBC2) lO-IO.30pm. Fascinating new documentary series that explores attitudes to sex in the Empire. See preview.
I Man Ray (BBC2) 11.15—1 1.55pm. This Late Show special. ‘The Man Who Invented Himself‘. profiles the photographer whose work goes on sale at Sotherbys on Tue 28.
. TUESDAY 28
I Without Walls (Channel 4) 9-10pm. In the first film I ’Accuse: The National Trust. former Design Museum director Stephen Bayley gets stuck into the ‘eIitist' heritage organisation. while Heigh Ho! looks at the life of seven real-life dwarves doing panto Eastboume.
I Murder Most llorrid (BBC2) 9-9.30pm. Rerun of Dawn French‘s comedy series. Tonight she plays a woman on the verge of suicide. with Amanda Donohoe as a hit-woman.
I Cardiac Arrest (BBC2) 9.30—lOpm. Manic hospital drama satirising the health service continues its rerun. prior to the start of a second series.
I llita, Sue and Bob Too (Channel 4)
10-1 1.45pm. Bob is a man with the kind of cash and flash lacking in the lives of his babysitters Sue and Rita. He suggests a bunk-up. theyjump at the chance. but then it gets messy in this witty sexual comedy.
The List 24 Feb-9 Mar 1995 77