LISTINGS TELEVISION
musical about a nanny with magical powers. Marietta Higgs would no doubt have a few questions to ask.
I Rock Steady Special: ltd Iang (Channel 4) 7.25-8pm. Canada's coollest county crooner (and Martina Navratilova‘s main squeeze if the rumours are to be believed) in concert. performing tracks from her latest album Inge/rue.
I Days Of Thunder (BBC l) 8—9.45pm. All-American thrills and spills in this so- so action adventure starring Tom Cruise. his future missus Nicole Kidman and Robert Duvall. Cruise plays cocky stock car racer Cole Trickle breaking into the big-time. but then having an accident on the track that leads him to sexy doc Kidman.
I Black Widow (Scottish) 9—l().55pm. Bob Rafelson's distaff slant on the 'tec tracks serial killer tale. starring Debra Winger and Theresa Russell. Look out for David Mamet in a cameo role.
I LA Requiem (Channel 4) 9-l()pm. Remember Evelyn Waugh‘s The Loved One? This film looks at the real American Way Of Death. from the celebrated Forest Lawn to the LA pet cemetery.
I The Name Of The Rose (BBC2)
9.30—1 l.35pm. Sean Connery stars in an atmospheric adaptation of Umberto Eco‘s medieval whodunnit. He plays Franciscan monk Brother William of Baskervillc investigating the deaths of monks at a remote Italian monastery.
I Northern Exposure (Channel 4)
[0—1 lpm. More outlandish adventures from Cicely Alaska with Holling and Maurice facing a dilemma about how to dispose of their hunting buddy Bill‘s body according to his wishes.
TUESDAY 13
I The Lowdown: My Friend Really Fancies You (BBCl ) 5.10—5.35pm. A painfully voyeuristic look at a junior disco in Southend. Essex. where chat-up lines are created and romance is conducted over a packet of Rolos rather than a cocktail. I Without Walls: New Nightmares (Channel 4) 9—l()pm. The first of a three- part special looking at technological advances in artificial intelligence. robotics and plastic surgery. asking whether these innovations threaten to dominate the world.
I Broadcast News (Scottish) 9—10. l().4()pm—12.l()am. James L. Brooks bitchy look at the world of a newsroom. using a love-triangle situation to investigate the ethics and pretensions of TV journalists. Holly Hunter and William Hurt star, with Jack Nicholson almost stealing the show with an amusing cameo. I 40 Minutes: The Agony Of The Ecstasy (BBC2) 9.50—l().3()pm. A light-hearted look at sexual advice offered over the last l00 years. from Victorian admonitions about the dangers of excess to the recent Lovers' Guide videos.
I Movie Nightmares: 2001: A Space Odyssey (Channel 4) l()pm--12.35am. Shown in letterbox format for all you pseudy cinephiles out there. Kubrick's landmark sci-fi tale centres on the discovery of a mysterious black monolith on the moon. and a subsequent joumey to Jupiter in search of extraterrestrial life. No Clangers though.
I Out There (Scottish)
I l.4()pm—l2. l()am. An exclusive acoustic session with Roddy Frame. who also talks about Aztec Camera‘s forthcoming new album.
WEDNESDAY 14
I Rough Guide To Careers (BBC2) 6.50—7.30pm. Promising 50 ideas in five episodes. this new series promises to offer tips on virtually every aspect of choosing a career. Off-beat careers featured in the first show include chocolatier. hat-maker and soccer groundsman.
I Goggle Eyes (BBC2) 9.25—l0.05pm. The final episode of the excellent adaptation of Anne Fine‘s story. Kitty
I The Golden
(Honeysuckle Weeks. who has a fine future if she can live down that name) concludes her story of the dreaded Gerald (Alun Amistrong).
v 1-‘1. -' "I l: /_ 4.3, a" Si 9 14$ v, «sq-M
Palace (Channel 4) l()—l().3()pm. With Dorothy gone. The Golden Girls sell up their house and buy a hotel. with plenty of problems to solve before they can make it a going concern. Will the format survive the change of scene. and losing a vital member?
I !Vlva Cabaret! (Channel 4)
l().3()—l l.2()pm. The latest attempt to bring variety-style entertainment to the small screen. The opening line-up looks promising with host Tom Jones joined by Sandra Bernhard. sword-swallower Johnny Fox and Australian sickos The Doug Anthony Allstars.
I The Funny Farm (Scottish)
ll.4()pm— l 2. l()am. Fred MacAuley introduces a new series of the hit-and- miss comedy show in a less demanding Wednesday night slot. Guests include John Thomson. the Draylon Underground and Mickey Hutton.
THURSDAY 15
I Just A Gigolo (Scottish) 8.30—9pm. The brothers Brim decide their financial situation is so dire that Nick should resume his career as a gigolo. Tony Slattery and Paul Bigley star in the dubious sitcom.
I True Stories: Aileen Wuornos — The Selling or A Serial Killer (Channel 4) 9.3()-—l I.I5pm. Nick Broomfield is a director with a fondness for controversial subjects. and this film is no exception. He joins the media circus surrounding Wuornos. a 35-year-old prostitute who killed seven men. Even before her arrest. she claims the police were dealing with film companies. Since then. elaborate negotiations regarding the rights to her story have made her a multi-million dollar property.
FRIDAY 16 I Europe Express (Channel 4) 8—8.30pm. The continental news series returns. with
reports on a murder outbreak in Spain. a dispute in Andy Warhol's hometown in Slovakia. and Europe‘s only disco train. I The nlff-naff Element (BBCl) 9.3(l—10.20pm. Debbie Horsfield‘s eccentric drama series continues. Ambassador Roger Tundish (Ronald Pickup) is awaiting a new posting. and is filling in the days by giving his fatnily a hard time.
I Cheers (Channel 4) 9.3(l-l()pm. The Boston bar regulars attempt to cheer up Frasier when he receives Lilith's divorce request -- Rebecca going further than duty requires.
I Nave I Got News For You (BBC2) l()—l().3()pm. A new series (the fifth) of the award-winning news quiz. with regulars Angus Deayton. Ian Hislop and Paul Merton joined by guests Peter Cook and Jonathan Ross for the first show. If you miss it. there's an early evening repeat on BBC2 tomorrow.
I Roseanne (Channel 4) l()—l().3()pm. Roseanne is worried sick when Darlene returns home late from a rock concert.
I Only A Game (BBCl) ll.4()pm—12.3()am. William Mcllvanney narrates another trip down soccer's memory lane. looking at golden moments in club history.
I Billy (Scottish) ll—l l.3()pm. Billy Connolly stars in the American sitcom as the lovable Green Card husband.
I Badlands (BBC2) 11.20pm --12.55am. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek star in Terence Malick’s bleak. atmospheric tale of a murderous drifter and his teenage lover on the run from the law through the Badlands of South Dakota.
SATURDAY 17 ‘
I Grandstand (BBCI) l2.l5>-5.15pm. Featuring live coverage of the World Snooker Championship. eueing off at Sheffield's Crucible. How will Scottish leading lights Stephen Hendry and Alan McManus fare? I Wings Of The Apache (BBCI ) 7—8.2(lpm. Top Gun-style airborne hokum in this routine action drama starring Nicolas Cage. Tommy Lee Jones and Sean Young. The Apache helicopter is the latest weapon in the war against drugs and. naturally enough. requires an elite force of cocky young pilots to fly the thing. They don't come much cockier than Jake Preston (Cage) . . . I There’s Something About A Convent Girl (Channel 4) 7—8pm. An investigation of the pros and cons of a convent-school education. Alumni interviewed include Germaine Greer. Carmen Callil. Anne Robinson and Alison Halford. I Arena: Tales Of Rock ’N’ Roll (B B(‘2l 8.55—9.2(lpm. The first in a new series looking at the real stories behind those rock classics. The first programme traces the story of Buddy Holly‘s ‘Peggy Sue'. Sec preview. I The Beiderbecke Affair (Channel 4) 9—l()pm. James Bolam stars as ajazz- fixated teacher. Barbara Flynn as his conservationist girlfriend. finding themselves up to their necks in a weird conspiracy. I The Second lieimat: A New Generation (BBC2) 9.20—l 1.20pm. Another sprawling l3-part series from Edgar Reitz. ‘omprising nearly 26 hours of growing
p. falling in love and living in the big city. Definitely not a sequel to Heimat. says Reitz rather disingenuously. I Hidden Agenda (Channel 4) ' l()pm~midnight. IRA activities permitting. a chance to see Ken Loach's complex and controversial thriller about
Northern Ireland. Brian Cox plays a CID inspector uncovering a conspiracy while investigating the murder of American human rights activist Brad Dourif.
SUNDAY 18
I A Year In Provence (BBC!) 7.30-8pm. The BBC's latest shocking folly continues
its run with John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan well into summer and looking more haggard by the hour.
I Heartbeat (Scottish) 7.45—8.45pm. Nick Berry stars in the bland SOs drama about a Yorkshire copper. Kind of All Trttnt'ltetms Great And Small.
I Inspector Alleyn (BBCl) 8—l0pm. Yet another detective to blight our schedules. Patrick Malahide plays Ngaio Marsh‘s cultured Scotland Yard sleuth in a series of five feature-length sub-Morse whodunnits.
I Nuns do The Run (Channel 4) 9—10.45pm. Robbie Coltrane and Eric Idle star in this strangely popular one-idea farce about a couple of petty crooks hiding out in drag in a convent. Cue series of dubious tranvestism and Catholic gags. Idle‘s latest effort Splitting Heirs is even feebler. according to reports.
MONDAY 19
I Naked Sport (Channel 4) 9—l()pm. The first in a new series looking at the business interests behind American sport. The first film looks at boxing where promoter Dan Duva currently rules the roost.
I Medics (Scottish) 9—10pm. More surgical traumas with Tom Baker and his team of neurotic sidekicks. Casualty is being repeated on Fridays for true blood- opera fans.
TUESDAY 20
I The Fury (Channel 4) l()pm—12.l()am. Demonic possession a go-go in Brian De Palma's characteristically bloody psychic shocker with Kirk Douglas. John Cassavetes and Amy Irving. Lacking the suspense of Carrie. the plot suffers from over-elaboration and pretentious attempts to flesh out the characters.
I Scottish Books (Scottish) 11.40pm—12.l()am. Jenny Brown hosts the occasional review and discussion programme focusing on the latest Scottish releases.
WEDNESDAY 21
I Scotsport European Special (Scottish) 7.20—9.3(lpm. Live Coverage of Rangers’ clash with Russian champions CSKA Moscow. In all likelihood Rangers will already be aware of their fate. but will want to round off the qualifying stage with a convincing victory over a weak Russian side.
I I Lovett (BBC2) l().()5—-l().35pm. The exceedingly off-the-wall sitcom starring Norman Lovett as an eccentric whose life revolves around his daft inventions.
THURSDAY 22
I Mulberry (BBC!) 8—8.30pm. Karl Howman stars in the second series of the other-worldly sitcom. as the son of Death. trying to make the last days of Miss Farnaby (Geraldine McEwan) a little more pleasant.
I The Comic Strip Presents. . . Detectives On The Edge Of A Nervous Breakdown (BBC2) 9—9.40pm. The Comic Strip team return with a new series of spoofs. opening with a nasty case of internecine squabbling amongst TV 'tecs. I Sylvania Waters (BBCl )
9.30— l(). l()pm. The first part of a fly-on- the-wall documentary series following six months in the lives of the Baker Donahers. a not-so-typical family from Sydney. See preview.
I True Stories: Blast ’Em (Channel 4) 9.30—l lpm. An irreverent look at the life of the paparazzi. luiltm ting (unsit )wtltzg New Yorker Victor Malafronte as he 1 chases major celebrities in search of a picture. I I Married With Children (Scottish) l0.45—l l.l50pm. Dysfunctional fatnin
fun with America's appealing Bundys.
The List 9—22 April I993 53