LISTINGS TELEVISION

I The South Bank Show: Looking For The l Perfect Beat (Scottish) 3 I l.4()pm— I 2.40am. An exploration of the l growth and popularity of rap music frorn I the streets of the Bronx to the gangsta |

phenoiiietiori of l .os Angeles. as the music I

developed a political edge.

MONDAY 28 '

I Helson’s Column (BBCl ) 7—-7.3()ptn. i Joliti Gordon Sinclair plays local l newspaperjournalist Gavin Nelson. iii the new sitcom series. I Beyond The Clouds (Cltantiel 4) i 9— l().l5prii. The first iii a seven-part documentary series shot over two years in l the small Chinese city of l.ijiang. Concentrating on four families and their everyday lives. the series is shown twice a week (Mondays and 'l‘liursdays) as a kind

of soap i't'ritt‘. (

I Northern Exposure (Channel 4) l(). lS—l l.l()pm. Joel (Rob Morrow) coaches the Cicely Quarks for their annual 1 basketball match against Sleetrnute.

I Film 94 Special (BBC I) t I - ll..i(ipni. Barry Norman speaks to acclaimed

director Robert Alttiiaii about his new film Short Cuts based on short stories by Raymond Carver.

I Face To Face: Billy Connolly (BBC2) l|.l5—l 1.55pm. in a rare interview. Jeremy lsaacs speaks to the Glasgow comic and actor about his life and career. frorii his childhood. through working in the Clyde shipyards. to international fame.

I How Do They Do That? (BBC 1)

S 8.45pttl. Avuncular host Desmond l.ynarii presents the pop science show highlighting human problem-solving achievements.

I September Song (Scottish) 8.30—9pni. The return of the gentle comedy about .sliowbi/ wannabes Ted and Billy. played by Russ Abbott and Michael Williams. I Peak Practice (Scottish) ‘)—l()pm. Kevin Whately returns as the rural GP. tackling more eccentric cases with the help of Amanda Burton.

I Without Walls: The Penis Unsheathed (Channel 4) ‘).3()-—l()piii. Camille Paglia traces the history of pliallus worship from classical times to 20th century homo- erotic imagery. and asks whether feminism has caused a wilt. so to speak. I 40 Minutes: Portrait Of A Mid-Life Crisis ( BBCZ) 9.50 l(). ‘~()pm. A portrait of publioscliool educated Andrew Weston-“ebb who chose to give tip his comfortable middle-class existence and live in a one-rooiii council flat. finding everything he needs in skips and bins.

I Pascali’s Island (Cliatitiel 4)

H) -l 1.55pm. An unusual romantic thriller starring Ben Kingsley as a Turkish spy on an Aegean island at the beginning of the century. whose involvement with English archaeologist Charles Dance leads to tragedy.

I EXS: Para Handy Actors And Women First (BBCl) l().2()- l().5()pm. With BBC Scotland's 'I'lie 'Iitles ()j'l’um Hum/y

currently in production. Iz'X-S looks at the history of writer Neil Munro. his characters and the three television

productions of his stories.

I Axiom (BBCI) 10.50 -1 1.40pm. Kirsty Wark chairs the riionthly discussion programme. debating the issue of genetic engineering and the issues arising front the proposed use of aborted foetuses to

treat infertility problems.

I The Rock ’H’ Roll Years: The 808 (BBCl ) 7 7.30pm. A new series of the popular history and rock archive show opens with l‘lS l. the election of Ronald Reagan. Chuck and Di's wedding and Soft Cell’s 'Iiu’ntt't/ Love.

I Here And How (BBC l) 7.3(i—spni. A new current affairs series hosted by Totti Marigold aiming to bring a snappy and accessible approach to the running news stories.

I The Jewel Of The Nile (Scottish)

S lllptii. Michael Douglas. Kathleen 'l‘urner and Danny De Vito star in another flashy adventure romance. set this time in the Arabian desert where the fabulous

lew cl is the subject of much overwrought argument.

I A Taste Of Africa (Channel 4)

5. ill (llllll. .\lore .\'ile iii the series looking at the cuisine of Attica presented by Dorintla llatnei who tonight treks down the rrv er sampling the cuisine of iigypt. I Screen Two: Genghis Cohn (BBCZ)

‘) lll.:llj)llt. Anew season ofsingle dramas opens with an tinttsual black comedy starring Antony Sher as a Jewish ventriloqtiist who is killed at Dachau iii IU-ll. Srsteen years later. he returns to haunt the SS ()fficer who ordered his death (Robert Lindsay l. llts t‘t‘\t‘tlgt‘ ts bi/arrc to say the least.

I The Day Today ( BBCZ) t) .usrlpiii. More half-baked new s spoofei'y. Steve Coogan does his bit as hapless sports presenter Alan Partridge. and the rest of the team includes Arriiando lanucct. Chris Morris. Doon Mackichen and Patrick Marber.

I The Underworld: The Krays (BBCt ) ().3()~l().2()piii. Reggie Kray's former right-hand titan Albert Donoghue rerninisces about the heady days working for the twins. ‘They never provoked a row in their life.‘ he assures us. ‘they was provoked.‘

I Minder (Scottish) 8.30 -‘).3()ptii. The interminable Cockney series finds Arthur the subject of a nasty campaign to frame him. The trail leads back to a certain blagging in Willesden in 1970.

I Murder Most Horrid (BBCZ) 9 —<).3(lpm. A new series of half-hour comedy

whodunnits starring Dawn French. Steven Moffat wrote the first story about a suicidal woman coerced into helping out with a murder. See preview.

I Absolutely Fabulous (BBC 1) 9.30-10pm. Chaotic comedy for the Soho set with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna [.umley. Edina is frantic when she thinks her alimony is going to be cut.

I The Rector’s Wile (Channel 4)

10—1 l.()5pm. The first part of a series based on the best-selling novel by Joanna Trollope. Lindsay Duncan plays rector's wife Anna Bouverie. who is increasingly restless after twenty years of marriage.

I The Man From Auntie (BBC 1) 10—10.30pm. Bert Elton offers more sardonic and satirical observations on life as we live it.

I Age or Dissent (Channel 4)

l l.()5ptii—-12.()5arii. Gay lovers William

Parry and Hugo Greenhaugh talk about 1 their response to the campaign to lower

the age of homosexual consent.

FRIDAY 4

I The Chief (Scottish) 9—l()piii. ()ne of Cade‘s officers infiltrates a neo-Nazi group who are planning a rally and the Chiefcomes under pressure to issue a ban. I laurel Avenue (B BC2) ‘).3()—l().3()ptii. The first in a three-part critically- acelaimed drama serial from America following the lives of a black family from Minneapolis. the Arnetts. In the first episode police sergeant Yolanda finds herself almost shooting her nephew Rushan in a drugs bust. The story continues toriiorrow.

I Roseanne (Channel 4) l()—l().3()pm. Roseanne wants another baby. but a certain member of her family has beaten her to it.

I Amsterdamned (Scottish) l().3()prii—12.~1()arii. A Dutch cop heads the hunt for a random killer who emerges from the canals iii Atiisterdani to attack his victims. iii an unusual and stylish thriller.

I The Jack Dee Show (Channel 4)

l().3() ~l l.()5pni. Jack muses on the subject of regional traffic warnings on the radio.

I Over The Brooklyn Bridge (Channel 4) 12.05-2am. Ari amusing. very New York Jewish comedy starring Elliott Gould as a cafe owner whose uncle Sid Caesar demands he gives up his lrisli lover Margaux Hemingway and marry his Jewish cousin.

I NYPD Blue (Channel 4) 9- 10pm. More sleazy cop action from the downtown cop precinct. Sipowit/ goes undercover in a topless bar. This yoti have to see.

I Arena: Louise Bourgeois (BBCZ) 10.55 ll.5()piii. A profile of the 85-year- old artist who was selected to represent America at the Venice Biennale. 'l‘ln‘ougliout her career she has avoided fads and trends to develop her own idiosyncratic style.

I United States Of Television (Channel 4) l 1.05- 11.50pm. Laurie Kiglitlinger presents more titbits from the melting pot Ul- l'S TV.

I Ariel (BBCZ) ll.5()pni slam. A typically eccentric coriiedy from l’irinish director Aki Kaurisiiiaki. After being made redundant. the reclusive Taisto takes to the road in a Cadillac convertible and falls in love with a meter maid.

SUNDAY 6

I The Deer Hunter (Channel 4)

9.30pm 12.55am. The De Niro season gets into swing with Michael Ciiiiino's classic Vietnatii epic. Three Pennsylvania steelworkers are seen at work. at play (deer-hunting) and at war. in a vivid psychological narrative.

I Sunday Night Clive (BBCt l

0.55 -l().~l()pm. (‘live James offers another dose of lumbering wit and plenty of

' opportunities to laugh at the foibles of

foreigners.

I "3 Special (Scottish) 10.35-l 1.20pm. Allan Campbell introduces a special devoted to The Proclaimers' return to the charts after a lengthy absence. See feature. I The South Bank Show (Scottish) ll.20pm—l2. 15am. A profile of the legendary American composer George Gershwin.

MONDAY 7

I Scottish Passport (Scottish) 7—7.30pm. Katie Wood and Bryan Burnett host the travel guide for Scottish holiday-makers. with tips on destinations at home and abroad. See Backlist.

I The Hen And Stimpy Show (BBC2) 6.25—6.50pni. More adventures of the cool cat and crazy chihuahua in the cult American animation series.

I The Memoirs or Sherlock Holmes (Scottish) 9—10pni. A new batch of elementary whodunnits with the Edwardian sleuth and his dim medical side-kick.

I Northern Exposure (Channel 4)

10—1 lpiii. Cicely. Alaska plays host to more quirky adventures in check-shirt country.

TUESDAY 8

I Without Walls: A Curse On The House Of Windsor (Channel 4) 9—9.30pm. Hammy luvvie Miriam Margolyes revives Queen Victoria to take an acerbic look at the current state of the riionarchy.

I Queen at Hearts (Channel 4) l()prii-12.05am. Tony Grisoni‘s bitter- sweet tale follows the lives of three generations of an Italian family living in post-war London. with [an Hawkes playing the ten-year-old narrator.

I EXS: The Master Builder (BBCt ) 1().2()-l().50pm. Literally going behind the scenes at the Royal Lyceum. the cameras follow the artistic and financial dealings involved iii the recent Brian Cox production. under the aegis of artistic director Kenny lreland.

I Time Gentlemen Please (BBCt ) 1050—] 1.30pm. Helena Kennedy narrates the first part of a new series looking at the struggle for equality by Scottish women in the 20th century. See preview.

WEDNESDAY 9

g I Green Card (Scottish) 8' l()piii. Gerard ; Depardieu does his loveable if whiffy

SATURDAY 5

tortured Frenchman bit in Peter Weir's engaging comedy about a riiarriage of convenience. Andie MacDowell is the local who falls for the covert charms of our Gallic chum.

I Screen Two: Skallagrigg (B BC2i ()—l().2()prii. Bernard Hill. Kerry Noble and John McArdle star in the powerful story of listher. a young disabled girl.

Since the death of her mother she has

been left iii an institution. bill when her father reclaims her. she embarks on a

quest to track down the seriii-rnythical

hero of stories told by disabled people around the country.

I Flying Blind (Channel 4)

l2. l0 12.40am. Corey Parker stars in the flakey sitcom about a straight kid who gets involved with a bohemian set.

THURSDAY 10 i

I Minder (Scottish) 8.3(l~9.3()prii. More dodgy dealings and Cockney capers with George Cole.

I Absolutely Fabulous (BBC! )

9.30— 10pm. Jennifer Saunders plays scatty PR Ediria. with Joanna l.umley as Patsy and Julia Sawallia as long-suffering daughter Saffron.

I The Rector’s Wile (Channel 4)

l()—l l.()5pni. The second part of the Joanna Trollope adaptation with Lindsay Duncan.

I Bagdad Cate (Scottish) lt).3()— l lpiii. US comedy from the diner in the desert.

.__J

The List 25 February ~l() Miarchhl‘J‘H 67