TELEVISION LISTINGS

MONDAY 6

I EIdorado(BBC1) 7—7.30pm. Sun. sand (and not too much sex at seven o’clock) in the new soap series. set and shot in Spain. near Malaga. Will it succeed. or just suck? See preview

I Coronation Street (Scottish) 7-8pm. Ooh. they don’t miss a trick do they? Just as BBCl launches its new soap. those sneaky chaps at lTV schedule an hour-long special edition of the only soap that really matters. Bad form. chaps. but with philandering taxi-driver Don Brennan on his deathbed. it'll be impossible to miss this.

I Three Men And A Baby (Scottish) 8—10pm. Surprisingly popular kiddie-comedy starring Tom Selleck. Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson as three bachelors unexpectedly left in charge ofa baby girl.

I Secret History: Birds Oi Death (Channel 4) 9—10pm. The documentary series takes us back to the early days of the RAF. when our boys were employed to bomb the living daylights out ofpcasant villages in the glorious days of the Empire.

I Off The Page (Scottish) 10.40—1 1.10pm. Jenny Brown returns with a new series of the low-budget literary interview series. opening with a chat with William Mcllvanney.

I Sisltel And Ebert (BBCZ) 11.15—11.55pm. Step aside. Barry Norman. here come two no-holds-barred film critics from the USA. sizing upthe new releases and occasionally disagreeing rather amusingly about the worth ofthe films on offer. And why not?

I Talking Liberties: Helene Cixous (Channel 4) 12.05—12.50am. The celebrated French feminist literary theorist talks about her views.

TUESDAY 7

I The Old Man Of Hoy (BBCZ) 6.40-7.3Upm. Twenty-five years ago. the scaling of the Orkney pinnacle was filmed for a programme that became a mini-landmark in broadcasting. The original climbers and technical team recall the hazards and excitement of the project. I The Comedians (Scottish) 8.30—9pm. The Granada series featuring all your favourite ancient gags told by unremittingly ugly comics from the Northern club circuit.

I Colin’s Sandwich (BBCZ) 8.30—9pm. A welcome repeat for an overlooked sitcom from a couple of years ago. Mel Smith plays Colin Watkins. a British Rail clerk with literary aspirations.

I Rear Window: Bright Through The Tears: A Celebration Of Irish Culture (Channel 4) 9—9.45pm. A two-part programme about the controversial Field Day anthology of Irish writing. Lauded by some critics as a rich and varied collection, it has been deplored by others for its omissions. The programme opens with readings from the anthology. before moving on to a heated discussion.

I More Than A Game: Whose Game Is It Anyway? (BBCl) 1055—1 1 .45pm. The final programme in the series asks whether ‘Sport For All‘ is more than just an impractical ideal.

WEDNESDAY 8

I Land 0t Hope and Gloria (Scottish) 8.30-9pm. The upmarket sitcom continues with Gloria deciding that the guided tours of the house should be updated.

I Out (Channel 4) 9—10pm. The lesbian and gay magazine show goes back in time via Betty Bourne’sA Storm In a Teacup.a history of London‘s gay scene from the 205 onwards. Some of the participants in the scene take us back to the places where they met friends and lovers. and escaped police raids.

I Screenplay (BBC2) 9—10.20pm. A tense psychological thriller about an RUC

l l

detective. played by Donal McCann. who becomes obsessed with finding the terrorists who killed his partner.

I CIA: High Tech Low Cunning (BBCI)

t 9.30—10.25pm. The story of the American

intelligence agency continues with the technological advance of the U2 spy plane. which revolutionised intelligence-gathering. The programme uses extensive interviews with KGB

officers and meets the man who shotdown

t the plane carrying Gary Powers.

43:11:

IAosoluiely (Channel 4) 10.30-1 1 .05pm. A selection of highlights from the third series with all your old favourites. Written and performed by Morwenna Banks. Jack Docherty. Moray Hunter. Gordon Kennedy, Peter Baikie and John Sparkes. I Moio Working (Channel 4)

ll.05—l 1.30pm. A celebration of the blues ofB.B. King. a cool old dude who came to fame in the SOS with his extraordinary combinations of classic delta blues with modern R&B.

THURSDAY 9

I On The Line (BBCZ) 8—8.30pm. More reports from behind the changing-room doors in the investigative sports series. presented by Wimbledon footballer John Fashanu.

I The Travel Show (BBCZ) 9—9.30pm. Penny Junor and intrepid traveller Matthew Collins present the consumers‘ holiday show. which includes a report on Cyprus.

I 999 (BBC1)9.30—l().25pm. More true-life tales ofderring-do from the emergency services. including the story of a climber rescued from the foot ofa cliff-face despite the rapidly rising tide.

I True Stories: Petersburgl (Channel 4) 9.30—11.()5pm. A portrait ofthe Russian city and its inhabitants in winter. A happy. sad. violent and occasionally humorous account of how Russians are tryingto build a future in a city that keeps changing

I Heaven Can Wait(BBC1) 10.55pm—12.40am. A Warren Beatty floperoonie ofa romantic fantasy. He plays a footballer whose career ends when he is killed (it happens). but after a spot of pleading at the Pearly Gates returns in the body ofa baddie millionaire. Daft and often very sloppy stuff.

FRIDAY 10

I The Crescent and The Star: The Islamic Revival (BBCZ) 8—8.30pm. The third documentary in the series looks at the republic of Tajikistan. the only Persian-speaking country in Central Asia. with the lowest per capita income and the highest birthrate.

I Roseanne (Channel 4) 10-10.30pm. Roseanne tries to convince her boss that the Conner family are the ideal choice to star in a new TV commercial for the coffee sho .

I Coma (BBCl) l().20pm—12.1()am. Michael Douglas and Genevieve Bujold star as a couple ofjunior surgeons in a so-so medical thriller. Bujold examines the case of a friend who emerged from an operation in an irreversible coma. Further investigation uncovers an international medical conspiracy.

I Deadly Nights: Cry or The City (Channel 4) 11.3(lpm— l . 10am. Victor Mature plays a homicide cop who is forced to hunt down his childhood friend Richard Conte after a fellow cop is murdered.

SATURDAY 11

I The Big Picture Show (Channel 4) 7—8pm. Emma Freud and her team turn their attention to transport. asking how people can be persuaded to realise that public transport is better for the environment.

I GBH (Channel 4) 9— l().4(lpm. The Blcasdale saga continues with Michael Murray (Robert Lindsay) optimistic that Barbara Douglas (Lindsay Duncan) is beginning to warm to him.

I Runaway (BBCl) l(). 10—] 1.45pm. Tom Selleck stars as tough cop Jack Ramsay whose job is to catch malfunctioning renegade robots. Naturally enough. there‘s an evil genius with a cunning plan lurking in the shadows.

I Les Ouatre Cents Coups (Channel 4) 10.35pm— 12.25am. Truffaut's first movie is a vivid account ofa thirteen-year-old‘s bleak family life. his spell at reform school and an uncertain escape. A rather dark portrayal of childhood with various cameo appearances by NOUI‘c’Ht’ Vague luminaries to liven up the dull moments. I Secrets OI A Married Man (BBCl) 11.45pm-l .2(lam. William Shatner plays a seemingly perfect husband who turns to a prostitute (Cybill Shepherd) because he‘s not getting it regularly enough at home. Not even a cameo appearance by the Klingons i‘m afraid.

SUNDAY 12

ITosca—Actl(BBC2)11—11.55am.The first part of a unique collaboration between BBCZ and Channel 4 to screen Puccini's opera featuring Placido Domingo. The production takes place in Rome in the exact settings and times specified by the composer. Act [comes from the Church of St Andrea. Act ll is screened at 8.40pm and Act ill on Monday.

I The Cosby Show (Channel 4) 6.30—7pm. More comic capers from those lovable Huxtables. whose family gets more extended with every episode.

I Strathblair(BBC1) 7.45—8.35pm. The rural ‘feelgood‘ series set in 50s Perthshire continues to pit the Ritchies against their neighbours and often their livestock as well.

I Rhythms CI The World: A RealWorld Recorded (BBC2) 9.30—l().3()pm. For a week in the summer of 1991 . Peter Gabriel‘s Real World studios in Wiltshire played host to a large gathering of musicians from around the world. who were encouraged to collaborate and experiment to produce music for eight albums. This film captures the creative process.

I Frankie's 0n (Scottish) 10.25—1 1 . 15pm. More laughs and innuendoes from beyond the grave with the late Mr Howerd.

I Cinema! Cinemal: Cleo From Five To Seven (Channel 4) 11.30pm—l . 15am. Cleo is a successful pop singer who. depressed by an imminent medical report. quits her

secluded life for the Parisian streets. Agnes Varda‘s airy. lightweight film is oppressively playful and overlong. but has its moments.

MONDAY 13

I Secret History: October In Paris (Channel 4) 9—lilpm. An investigation of the events of October 17 1961 when an Algerian demonstration in Paris was broken up by police. and indiscriminate violence. the true extent of which was hidden bythe authorities. broke out against Algerians throughout the city.

I Island Son (Scottish) 9—10pm. The Richard Chamberlain Hawaiian mini-series continues with Dr Kulani heading for a happy reunion with girlfriend Nina.

I Blood From The Mummy‘s Tomb (Scottish) 12.(l5~ l .5()am. There‘s nothing like a nice spot of l lammer horror inthe night. and this is a superior effort about the nasty deaths of several members ofan expedition who rather rasth brought a mummy back with them to Blighty. The expedition leader‘s daughter is possessed by the bandaged one‘s spirit for good

TUESDAY 14

I Hear Window: Carlo Levi Stopped Here. .. (Channel 4) ‘Flllpm. Old emnities between north and south in Italy are still very much alive. Carlo Levi is a product of the urbane. industrial north. but in his writing and painting he attempts toshow the beauty and culture of the south to his fellow northerners.

I The Conversation (Channel 4) 1(lpm—lZ.(l5am. Early Coppola drama about the threat ofelectronic surveillance. released in 1974 and rather overshadowed at the time by the real-life Watergate revelations. Gene llackman is an obsessive surveillance expert who believes he has stumbled on an impending tragedy. As it is. he himself is not as distanced as he believes. A powerful and compelling film that is only very distantly related to Coppola‘s later. more spectacular. works. I Say Goodbye To The President ( BBCl) 10.55—11.45pm. Supposedly Marilyn Monroe's last words. they provide the title for a 1985 documentary about the life and death of the cinema‘s most potent icon. screened to mark the 30th anniversary of her mysterious demise.

WEDNESDAY 15 i

I Screenplay: Bad Girl (BBCZ) 9—l().3()pm. The reliable Jane Horrocks stars as nightclub singer Maggie whose easy-going lifestyle is overturned when her young son Ben is taken into care bythe social services. Maggie is determined to fightback at any cost.

I Out (Channel 4) 9—10pm. A reporton disability and homosexuality. and another chance to see Stand On Your Man. a film about lesbians‘ fondness for country and western music.

I Laverne And Shirley (Scottish) 11.30pm-midnight. The amiable classic US sitcom revolving around a couple of workers in a beer bottling plant.

THURSDAY 16

I LA Law (Scottish) 9—10pm. More writs and bitchiness in the riot-torn legal practice.

I True Stories: Ayclitte’s Chidren (Channel 4) 9.30-10.50pm. Michael Whyte returns to the Aycliffe Centre in County Durham to see how the treatment of highly disturbed children has changed since he first made an award-winning film about the centre in 1977.

I Omnibus Special (BBCl) 10.55—11.40pm. Times critic Robert Hughes visits Barcelona on the eve ofthe Olympics. to see how the sporting jamboree has affected one of Europe‘s most stylish cities.

66TheList3-16July 1992