TELEVISION LISTINGS
I National Lampoon's Vacation (BBCZ) 9—lil.3()pm. Slapstick aplenty but laughs are thin on the ground in Harold Ramis‘s spoof tale of an unappealingaverage American family on a motoring holiday. Chevy Chase is the nerdy dad. Clark Griswold.
I The Visit: Bomb Disposal Man ( BBCl) 9.3(l—ll).2()pm. A film charting the lives of the front-line army officers who are faced with terrorist devices every day. The film crew obtained unique access to the selection and training of the officers.
I The New Statesman (Channel 4)
Ilium-1 lpm. Alan's position as most right-wing MP is threatened by an upstart rival.
I Manhattan Cable (Channel 4)
ll—l 1.45pm. Another trawl through the scum and detritus of New York's public access cable TV network. infinitely watchable.
THURSDAY 20
I Scottish Frontiers 0n Medicine (Scottish) b.3tl—7prn. A new series of the programme presented by Kaye Adams. investigating the treatments and techniques that keep Scottish medicine in the forefront of medical research.
I Rising Damp (Channel 4) 8.30-9pm. The sitcom classic from 1974 starring the late Leonard Rossiter. the late Richard Beckinsale and the still-alive Frances De La Tour. Tonight. Rigsby borrows a suit . . I On The Line (BBCZ) 8.3(1—9piii.'l‘lie
? investigative sports series looks at the
contentious issue of sex before sport. Ray Stubbs discoy ers that in the 90s. sex does have a place in the training manual.
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I GDH (Channel 4) ‘)-— lll.4()pm. The third
episode of the Alan Bleasdale drama. with Michael Murray (Robert Lindsay) planning a surprise party for Jim Nelson
(Michael Palin) . . . I The Travel Show (BBCZ) 9—9.3(ipm. Return of the ‘warts and all' holidaygttide
hosted by Penny Junor. Reports in the first
show come from Turkey. Orlando and
Swanage. There‘s a broad spread for you.
' I Divorce: (BBCZ) 9.30. 10.20pm. Scenes
from a divorce are improvised by actors
drawing on stories heard while conducting
research for the series.
I Screen One: SkullduggemBBCl)
1(i. lS—l 1.45pm. Writer Philip Davisis best-known for his acting talents and his collaborations with Mike Leigh. There's tnore than a touch of Leigh in the bleak humour of this film. set in a run-down London council estate. it concernsthrce school-leavers idling on the streets and getting involy ed in petty crime.
I Scottish Booits (Scottish)
1 1.15-1 l.45pm. Jenny Brown introduces the book review programme. tackling
works by (ieorge Bruce. Naomi Mitchison
and Alan Bold.
78The List 14 - 27Jtit1e1991
FRIDAY 21 l
I The Dog That Did Kill (BBC2)8—8.3(lpm. The government's plans to ban ‘killer breeds' excludes the Rottweiler. but in 1989 11-year-old Kellie Lynch from Dundee was killed by two Rottweilers while on holiday in Dunoon. This programme questions the logic ofthe proposed legislation.
I The Mary Whitehouse Experience (BBCZ) 9-9.3(lpm. Repeated skits and sketches from the series that proved remarkably popular. despite being the unfunniest
thing since Ugbert the Unfunny won the Unfunny prize at the Lack Ofllumour Festival in 1796.
I A Perfect Hero (Scottish) 9—l()pm. The final episode of the Second World War drama. littgh is obsessed with flyingagain. bttt has to be examined by a medical
board.
I The Second Russian Revolution: I Revolution From Below ( BBCZ) ' 9.3(F—ll).2()pm. A definitive account ofthe first meeting ofthe Soviet ‘parliament' in May 1989 — the moment when . Gorbachev's policy of reforms began to go out ofcontrol.
I The Cowra Breakout (BBCI )9.3l)—l 1pm. The drama series continues with a new intake ofJapanese prisoners. ()ne of
them. Shimoyama (Kenji lsomura) is determined to provoke a rebellion.
4;; 9%
I Roseanne (Channel 4) lll—li).3(lpm.
Dan suggests a trip to Las Vegas. but Roseanne has work commitments. IAbsolutely (Channel 4) li).3ll—l lpm. the usual anarchic comedy from the gang. introducing us to Attila The Brickie.
I Sport In Question (Scottish)
10.40—1 1.40pm. Archie MacPherson introduces a new series of the sports discussion show. kicking off with a debate about a new national football stadium. Guests include Jim Farry. Wallace Mercer. Tommy Gemmell and Gerry McNee.
I Friday At The Dome (Channel 4) llpm—IZ. 15am. Oleta Adams performs i live and Erasure make a film about their musical habits. and perform an acoustic 1 set.
I European Jazz Night (Channel 4) 12.2(l—2am. Live jazz from Cracowin Poland and Vienna featuring a host ofacts including the John Surman Quartet.
SATURDAY 22 '
I Sound Stuii: Deep Blues (Channel 4) 7—8pm. Dave Stewart ofthe Eurythmics conceived of this programme as a tribute to the blues of the Mississippi Delta. Surviving artists featured include Booker
T. Laury. R.L. Burnside and Jesse Mae 1 . liemphill. ; Ithirtysomething (Channel 4)9—l(lpm. '
More caring and sharing experiences from the young professionals.
lPointeIank(BBc2)iti—tt.3tlpm.lohn l Boorman directed this powerful i European-influenced thriller. Lee Marvin stars as a double-crossed gangster who comes back from the dead to take on the Organisation. More than just a Mob movie. this explores themes of depersonalisation in an increasingly mechanised world. and exposes the Organisation as being apparently respectable businessmen rather than gangsters.
I ParamountCity(BBC1)10.25—11.05pm. Double-act Curtis and lshmael introduce more comedy and live music.
I The Doors Are Open (Channel 4)
10.30—1 1.30pm. The band of the moment. captured in concert at the Roundhouse in London in 1968. Unfortunately (or fortunately ifyou happen to be a Doorsphobe) the director's fondness for cutting away to documentary footage distracts from the music.
SUNDAY 23
I The Cosby Show (Channel 4) 6.30—7pm.
A new series from the cosy lluxtable household. slightly overwhelmed by the return of wayward daughter Denise. IADay OutWith Dana(Scottish) -_ 6.40-7.1(lpm. The Irish singer heads off on another jaunt with a vaguely religious
tinge. In the last ofthe series (oh no!)she visits her home town of Derry.
I Fragile Earth (Channel 4)7—8. 15pm. David Attenborough introduces a special film following the hump-backed whale on its journey from the South Pacific tothe Arctic.
I Fortysomething (Channel 4)
8.30—9.3(lpm. Second in the documentary series looking at mid-life crisis.
I 68H (Channel 4) 10—1 1 .4()pm. A repeat for the third episode shown on Thursday. i I The Dame Edna Experience (Scottish) l().1()—11pm. Repeated possum references 2 from the Antipodean cross-dresser.
MONDAY 24 ‘
I Wimbledon 91 (BBC land 2) Regular times throughout the day. The start ofthe two-week extravaganza ofprima-donnas. exhibitionists and ruthless professionals. and that's just the ball-boys. The Brits always go out in the first round so thcyean earn their commentary fees. This will be Ivan Lendl‘s year in the men's singles. and Steffi Gran dad will fight anyone who says it isn't. Stock up with strawberries and cream now.
I Docurama: Puppy Love ( Scottish) . 440-5. 10pm. The torments and passion of teenage crushes and full-blown love affairs ‘ are examined in this half-hour special. See preview. IliopeIlfialns(Scottish)8—8.3ilpm.Tom 3 Bell stars in the seaside sitcom. as l larry. the waxworks proprietor. whose acting vitality rarely exceeds that of his charges. I Horizon: Cholesterol (BBCZ) 8. ill—9pm. Fix yourself a decent fry-up. crack open a few tinnies and sit back and enjoy.
I A Love Divided (Channel 4) 9— 1(lpm. The I documentary series focuses on the problems faced by Berliners Anne and Sebastian whose love affair across the wall was first filmed in 1989. and has been updated after German unification.
I ENG (Channel 4) lilpm—l lpm. Electronic News Gathering from the thrill-a-minute Canadian newsroom drama serial. Scot/mid Today was never like this.
I Scottish Women (Scottish) 10.45—11.15pm. Sheena McDonald introduces another topical discussion with 100 guests providing the opinions on work.
TUESDAY 25
I Listening Eye (Channel 4) 5.3(Hipm. The award-winning magazine programme for the deaf. presented by Rachell Bastikar and Clark Denmark.
I Wheel 0t Fortune (Scottish) 8.30—9pm. Nicky Campbell introduces more fortune-hungry contestants.
I Challdace (BBCz) 8.30—9pm. Final episode of the school drama looking at goings-on at David Lloyd George Comprehensive. After a dreary start it began to look promising and a new series would be welcome.
I The Thing ls . . . Weddings (Channel4) 9—9.30pm. Paul Morley turns his cynical post-modernist gaze towards the institution of weddings.
I Selling Hitler (Scottish) 9-10pm. The third episode of the comedy drama serial with the action moving towards the UK with Rupert Murdoch‘s Sunday Times bidding for the bogus books.
I Art Is Dead . . . Long Live TV (Channel4) 9.3(l-l()pm. Muriel Gray scrutinisesthe pretensions of architects in the second programme of the series.
I The Killing 0i Sister George (Channel 4) liipm~13.35am. Robert Aldrich adapted : Frank Marcus's stage play about an ageing ‘ lesbian actress (Beryl Reid) losing herjob and her lover. Unfortunately it completely misses the sensitivity of the original stageplay. and goes for over-the-top stereotypes and hysteria instead.
WEDNESDAY 26 5
I Fire! (Scottish) 9—9.3(lpm. More fly-on-the-wall fire-station adventures with Hugh. Pugh. Barney McGrew. Cuthbert. Dibble and Grubb. or their Hackney equivalents.
I Out (Channel 4) ‘)—l()pm. Return ofthe lesbian and gay magazine programme. starting with a film entitled Hume A lid Painters — apparently a Home Office euphemism for gays and prostitutes.
I The New Statesman (Channel 4) 10.30—1lpm. A re-run ofthe recent scatological series starring Rik Mayall as Alan B‘Stard MP. the hard-line Tory. IJust For Laughs (Channel 4)
11—] 1.30pm. Highlights from this year‘s Montreal Comedy Festival. introduced by 5 Jimmy Mulville and the ubiquitous Muriel Gray. i I Hothouse Flowers (Channel 4) 12.35-1.35am. A biography ofthe long-haired Irish band who bear no
relation to Johnny Mathis apparently.
THURSDAY 27
I Bellamy Rides Again (BBCI ) 8—8.3(lpm. The bearded vowel-strangler continues his environmental series.
I Rising Damp (Channel 4) 8.3tl—9pm. Leonard Rossiter and company in more boarding-house-related frolics. The cat is called Vienna. trivia fans.
I LA Law (Scottish) 9— lllpm. Mid-life crisis. double-murder and kidney brokers: all the rich pageantry oflife in LA is here. I GDH (Channel 4) 9—l().35pm. The fourth episode of Alan Bleasdale's drama. starring Michael Palin. Robert Lindsay and Lindsay Duncan.