LISTINGS TELEVISION
A selection of television highlights. listed by day. in chronological order. Television Listings compiled by Tom Lappin.
Large amounts of Wimbledon still dominate BBC scheduling. and timings could be attested it they will insist on showing tie-breaks.
FRIDAY 28
I East ( BBCZ) 8.8.3lipm. A new series devoted to Asian affairs in Britain and abroad. presented by Shyama Perera and Krishnan Guru-Murthy. The first programme examines the practice of buying and selling young women in Pakistan. and the network of refuges that has grown up where they seek sanctuary. I Heroes (Scottish) 8— iopm. Jason Donovan and Paul Rhys star in the true story of Operation Jaywick. Ivan Lyon‘s plan to raid the Japanese Fleet in World War II. using a fishing boat to blow upthe entire Japanese Navy. Sounds like they‘d cracked a few too many coldies to me. but apparently they didn‘t give a XXXX.
I Europe Express (Channel 4) 8.3lI—9pm. The return of the acclaimed European current affairs series opens with reports on the fragmentation of Yugoslavia. and the making ofa pan-European soap opera. See panel.
I Cheers (Channel 4) 9—9.3(lpm. Sam‘s attempts at babysitting go seriously awry. I The Cowra Breakout (BBCI )‘).3ii—i lpm. the Australian serial continues. ForJunji and his fellow prisoners. there is only one choice left to make — survival or death.
I The Second Russian Revolution: Breaking Ranks (BBCZ) 9.3(i—- 10.20pm. The inside story of how sections ofthe Soviet Communist Party turned against Gorbachev in 198‘) in dismay at the collapse of the Warsaw Pact nations.
I Roseanne (Channel 4) l()--1t).3tipm.
her dodgy boyfriend Mark.
IAbsolutely (Channel 4) 10.30—1 l .(lSpm. Morwenna Banks. Jack Docherty. Moray Hunter. Gordon Kennedy. Peter Baikie and John Sparkes in an anarchic comedy sketch show offering the Scottish perspective on England's World Cup win in 1966.
j I Sport in Question (Scottish)
I 10.40—1 1.45pm Archie MacPherson is joined by Gordon Brown. John Taylor. John Bromley and Brian Meek todiscuss the vexed question of amateurism in
| rugby.
l ._ I The Doors Are Open (Channel 4)
l I .05pm—12.2t)am. Rescheduled showing for the band of the moment captured in concert at the Roundhouse in 1968. The only organs on display belong to Ray Manzarck. and the music is regularly interrupted by vaguely relevant documentary newsreels.
TELEVISION : .m;
Roseanne has a showdown with Becky and
|
SATURDAY 29
I The World This Week: (Channel 4) 7—8pm. The international affairs programme returns. presented by Sheena McDonald and Nik (Sowing.
I Bringing It All Back Home ( BBCZ) 8.20—9.10pm. First in a five-part series looking at the spread of Irish musicacross theAtlanticandtheinfluencestravelhad I on musicians. See preview. Ithirtysomething(Channei4)9-9.55pm. . Nancy prepares for her final round of chemotherapy. and Elliot tries to relieve his stress with a business trip to hisold town. , I Casualty ( BBC] )9.3(}—lll.2()pm. Repeated blood-and-guts with Charlie hitting the bottle after the death of aclosc friend.
I ParamountCity (BBCI l 10- 10.40pm. Curtis and Ishmael introduce the usual comedy and music. with outrageous American comedian Bill Ilicks and has-been popste rs Bros.
‘ .
9.
V I
it. t 3 .. I City Cop (Channel 4) 10pm— I 1 .45am. A Swedish documentary-style drama in which all parts were played by genuine policemen. thieves and junkies. Will we notice the difference?
SUNDAY 30
I Dallas (BBCI ) 3~3.45pm. JR is about to get engaged to (iayle llunnicutt aka Vanessa. but Ewing Oil is slipping further out ofhis grasp.
I The Pursuit Di Power (Channel 4) 4.25—4.55pm. Adam Raphael intmduces another personal political interview. this time with Michael ‘Tarzan' l leseltine.
I Family Pride (Channel 4) 5—5.3lipm. A new soap opera set in the Asian community in Birmingham. See panel.
I Kabaddi (Channel 4) 6—6.3tlpm. More frankly odd Indian sport. with the final of the men‘s tournament. where West . Bengal face Punjab.
I Fragile Earth: Birds As Prey (Channel 4) 7—8pm. Ilunters and conservationists air their views on the 900 million birds killed in Europe every year. mostly by ‘sportsmen‘ in Italy or France. although Prince Philip contributes a fair share. no doubt.
I Come In Spinner ( BBC! ) 7.45-8T35pm. Aussie drama series seem to be coming thick and fast at the moment. The latest is set in Sydney in 1944 in a hotelwhere
three different women are thrown
together by circumstance. English actress Lisa llarrow stars. along with Rebecca (iibney and Kerry Armstrong.
I Redemption Song: iron In The Soul
(BBCZ) 8. lS—‘).t)5pm. Stuart I lall (the Jamaican academic and writer rather than the Lancastrian It’s A Knockqu
presenter) journeys through Caribbean history examining the diverse influences that have given the islands their unique culture. The first programme examines
the British influence.
I Hard News (Channel 4)8.—8.3()pm. David Jessel presents another in the newspaper watchdog series.
I The Real Charlotte (Scottish) 8.40—9.4Upm. Final part of the drama
series set in Ireland in 1895. with plenty of violence. ruination and tragedy. I knew it. I
I Badlands (BBCZ) 9.35—1 1 . 10pm. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek each made their debut appearances in this thriller. as a murderer on the run with histeenage accomplice. They travel through the Badlands of South Dakota killing anyone in their path. driven on by the knowledge that they are inevitably destined to become a Bruce Springsteen song.
I The Dame Edna Experience (Scottish) 10.05—10.55pm. Repeated Antipodean
antics with guests Dusty Springfield. Edward I Ieatli and Dolph Lundgren.
I GBH (Channel 4) 10.05-1 1.35pm. Another chance to catch last Thursday‘s fourth episode of the Alan Bleasdale drama.
I The Prowler (BBCZ) l I.1(Ipm—12.45am. A woman frightened by a prowler ends up having an affair with the cop who comes to investigate. Unfortunately her husband finds out and trouble ensues. It‘s a tightly—plotted thriller. but not quite as gripping as it thinks it is.
I The Strange Case 0t The Pope. The Fish And Robbie Coltrane (Channel 4) l1.40pm—12.15am.JoolsIlolland presents a spoof documentary on Coltrane's latest film The Pope .WILS'I Die.
MONDAY 1
I Them And Us (BBCI ) 7.3(I—8pm. Poet and comedian Craig Charles turns people's champion in this new series examining injustices and bloody~mindedness throughout Britain. That's Life it ain‘t. thankfully.
I Hope It Rains (Scottish) 8-8.30pm. Downbeat comedy set in a seaside resort starring the lugubrious Tom Bell.
I Horizon: T Rex Exposed (BBCZ) 8.10—9pm. Not a hatchet job on Marc Bolan. but a report on the excavation ofa dinosaur skeleton. and the mythsthat surround the greatest land carnivore ever known.
I Birds 0t A Feather (BBCI ) 8.3ll—9pm. Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson star in a repeated run of the sparky Cockney sitcom. with Tracey‘s husband Darryl staging a break-out from jail.
I Travellers' Tales: Into The Land OtOz (Channel 4) 9—10pm. First in a new series of hazardous adventures. this one presented by opinionated writer I Ioward Jacobson. who unfortunately doesn‘t get eaten by a croc.
I Half Moon Street (BBCZ) 9-in3opm. Michael Caine and Sigourncy Weaver star in a political thriller. She playsan academic turned high-class prostitute who becomes embroiled in a terrorist plot. Tosh. essentially. with a few bright moments. but I bet Sigourney was glad to get back to wrestling with aliens.
I ENG (Channel 4) ill—11pm. More pacy action from the Canadian television news station on the track ofsome hot stories. including UFOs and scandalous conditions in a sweat-shop.
I Scottish Women (Scottish) 10.50—11.10pm. Sheena McDonald introduces the show that canvasses the views of 100 Scottish women on a variety ofsubjects. tonight‘s being Love.
I ZPG - Zero Population Growth (Scottish) 12. ill—1.55pm. Another ropey sci-ti movie. this one set in a futuristic earth where conception has been banned. The curators of a museum defy the laws. and you don't need me to tell you that one of them is Oliver Reed.
I Spitting Glass (Channel 4) 12.30—1.4l)am."l‘wenty-four hours in the life of Clare ()lita. whose life. city. father. boyfriend and body are not functioning too well. An original. quirkyand ultimately rather optimistic offering from writer/director Ed Bowes.
TUESDAY 2 ‘
I The Literary Island (Channel 4) 8.3(l—9pm. Melvyn Bragg introduces the first in a new series exploring the relationship between the British landscape and its literature. Ile startsoff in Dorset talking to Peter Ackroyd and John Fowles.
I The Wheel 0t Fortune (Scottish) 8.3(l—9pm. The quiz show. hosted by Nicky Campbell.
I The Best or Saturday Night Clive ( BBCZ) 9-9.45pm. Reheated morsels from Clive
James‘s last series. tonight featuring Raymond ‘Ironside' Burr.
I Selling Hitler (Scottish) ‘)——lf)pm. Bidding for publishing rights to the diaries begins. aand forensic tests are set in motion. llenri Nannen. founder ofStem magazine is convinced the company is being ripped off.
I Art is Dead. . . Long Live TV (Channcl4) 9.30-10pm. Muriel Gray asks why art films seem to rejoice in theirown obscurity. Peter (ireenaway seems an appropriate man to ask.
I From Wimps To Warriors: That‘s
Masculinity (BBCZ) ‘).45—l().30pm. The testosterone-fuelled series looks at how gay men create and manipulate theirown ideas of what it means to be a man.
I Beyond Eating: 0 Lucky Man (Channel 4) lflpm-l .20am. Lindsay Anderson‘s overlong (by about two hours) anarchic comedy stars Malcolm McDowell as trainee coffee salesman. Mick Travis. becoming embroiled in atomic research. genetic experiments and shady international business deals in rapid
succession. The New York Times called it
a ‘Mod Pilgrim‘s Progress'. but what do
they know‘.’ Worth pcrsevering with for
the notorious ‘pig‘s head scene‘.
WEDNESDAY 3
I Reaching For The Skies: Pioneers j (BBCZ) 8.05—9pm. The first in aseries | about aviation looks at the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers in 1903. I The Visit: The Fight ForAIexander . (BBCI ) 9.3(l—Il).2ilpm. Desmond Wilcox‘s sehmaltzy series reports on a j family learning to cope with the traumaof
a brain-damaged child. ‘J
The List 28June— I 1 July 199] 77