LISTINGS TELEVISION
TELEVISION mam-
A selection of television highlights, listed by day, in chronological order. Television listings compiled by Eddie Gibb.
FRIDAY 24
I Top of the Pops (BBC 1) 7—7.30pm. Mark Goodier presents a Song for Europe special. previewing the eight finalists in Jonathan King‘s revamped format. Among the groups competing to represent the best in British pop are Sox. fronted by former page three ‘stunna' Sam Fox. Welsh indie band Fff and Londonbeat. whose song ‘I‘m Just Your Puppet on a String‘ has a familiar Eurovision ring . . . I Top Gear Motorsport (BBC2) 7.30—8pm. Four-wheeled action with a new series of the motorsport programme. including a weekly flashback spot looking at yesteryear‘s kings of the road. I Ellen (Channel 4) 9—9.3()pm. Ellen decides to face up to her problems. even if it causes conflict. I The Ruth Bendell Mystery (Scottish) 9—IOpm. First in a new three-part village whodunit about the disappearance of a woman. Her best friend believes she has been murdered but no one else is listening.
I Rising Damp (Channel 4) 9.30—10pm. There’s a new lodger at the digs, who‘s clearly better class than existing tenants. I Our Man in . . . Dominica (BBC2) 9.30-10. 10pm. Clive Anderson visits the original banana republic to find out why the income from this Caribbean islands main crop is under threat. I Jagged Edge (BBC 1) 9.30—1 1. 15pm. Jeff Bridges stars in this tense thriller about a man charged With the murder of his heiress wfe. His relationship with defence attorney Glenn Close goes beyond the purely professional.
I Roseanne (Channel 4) IO- 10.30pm. Darlene and Becky find they have something in common after all — a dislike of mum.
I Russian Wonderland (BBC2)
IO. IO—lO.30pm. Tonight‘s video diary about the lives of ordinary Russians follows a doctor and a paramedic trying to survive in an under-funded healthcare system.
I The Jack Dee Show (Channel 4) 10.30—1 1.05pm. More deadpan humour from Jack. plus special guest Pauline Henry.
I The Word (Channel 4) ll.05pm—12.05am. The word is that this will be the last series. so catch it while you can.
I Fantasy Football League (BBC2) 11.15—11.45pm. David Baddiel and Frank Skinner return for the second halfof this season‘s armchair football show. in which celebs are invited to select a dream team. I The Mrs Merton Show (BBC2)
l 1.45pm—12.15am. Final edition of the spoofchatshow with GMTV‘s Mr Motivator and Ned Sherrin the foils for Caroline Hook’s humour.
I Beavis and Butt-head (Channel 4) l2.05-12.35am. The delinquent duo ride again (huh. huh!) for more cartoon capers. I Seize the Day (Channel 4) l2.35—2.25am. Robin Williams is excellent as a man in mid-life crisis in this successful adaptation of the Saul Bellow noveL
SATURDAY 25
I The Road to Hollywood (BBC2) 4.05—4.45pm. Documentary about the findings of a Commons select committee which last year examined the state of the British movie industry.
I ‘I‘ve been asked . . . why didn’t l step in and prevent it,’
(Q A P
said photojournalist
Malcolm Brown. ‘I guess the only answer is that I’ve been brought up In the tradition that a correspondent should never intervene.’ Brown’s photograph ot the burning monk (above) was, along with llick Ut's ‘llapalm Girl’, one of the detining images of the Vietnam war. As part of BBC2’s Vietnam Stories season, a Late Show special looks at the impact of photography on the course of the war.
The Camera at War is on Monday 27 March at 11.15pm on BBC2.
I Bookmark (BBC2) 8—8.5()pm. Assessment of the influence of the character Don Quithe on literary fiction. with contributions from AS. Byatt and Ben ()kri.
I Casualty (BBCI) 8.05—8.55pm. Last in this series of the l'lolby General hospital drama. with the staff receiving threats from a patient with a grudge.
I Aui Wiedersehen, Pet (Channel 4) 9—l0pm. 02 goes on a bender and finds himself accidently back in England.
I Cracker - The Movie (Scottish) ‘)—l().55pm. The excellent crime drama has been re-edited into TV movie format. Criminal psychologist Fitz (Robbie Coltrane) is called in to help it ith the hunt for a missing boy. while Bilborough's first child is due any day.
I The White Room (Channel 4)
lO—l 1.05pm. Mark Radcliffe introduces more bands playing in the white room including new noise Heather Nova. who does a sort ofsinger/songwriter tum. apparently.
I The lied Light lone (Channel 4) ll.05pm—3.45am. Do you consider yourself part of an ‘intelligent. enquiring and irreverent audience"? If so. Channel 4‘s sex-themed strand is for you. It's shaping up to be more of a set-the-video zone. with some excellent films amongst the fillers. Tonight's running order is; Go Go Archipelago (I l.()5pin) Scottish production about the lives of four Russian strippers working in New York. Drag King (I l.40pm) Film about lesbian women who dress up as men in Manhattan. How to Read a Dirty Movie (11.45pm) Promising to show a wide variety of porno clips (at lastl). sex therapist Susie Bright talks dirty. Rosebud (midnight) Short drama about a woman who becomes fascinated by her lesbian neighbours. Daddy and the
Muscle Academy (12.20am) Documentary about graphic (in both senses) artist Tom of Finland. who is intemationally famous for his drawings of leather clones and other gay icons. lllghts (1.25am) Comedy drama split into five parts offering different views of a couple's short relationship. lstanbul‘s Third Sex (2.40—3.45am) Film about transvestites in Istanbul living in the shadow of Islamic disapproval.
I Birdy (BBC2) ll.05pm—l2.55am. Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage star in Alan Parker‘s well-made adaptation of William Wharton‘s Vietnam movie. about two traumatised vets in a psychiatric hospital.
I The Stand Up Show (BBCI) ll.50pm—12.20am. Old timer Barry Cryer introduces a mixed bag of comedians including Patrick Kielty and Jeff Green.
SUNDAY 26
I The Sunday Show (BBC2)
12.45—l .30pm. Katie Puckrik and Donna McPhail introduce more entertainment news and gossip with ace reporter Dennis Pennis.
I The Big Story (Channel 4) 5.30—5.45pm. Screening of two of the three British animated shorts that have been nominated for Oscars. with a film about a journalist who wants a crack at a big story. Followed by Triangle about the change in a young couple's relationship. I Ilamish Macbeth (BBCI) 7.30—8.20pm. First in the major new drama with Robert Carlyle as a village policeman in the west Highlands. See feature.
I Moving Pictures (BBC2) 8.30—9.20pm. John Travolta talks about how his Oscar- nominated performance in Pulp F iction has revived his career.
I Band of Gold (Scottish) 9—lOpm. Tire intriguing series about prostitutes in a northern city where a killer is on the loose. starring Cathy Tyson and Barbara Dickson.
I Satellite Vlars (Channel 4) 9—9.45pm. New series about the changes in broadcasting technology and the media moguls who profit from them. See preview.
I The Choir (BBCI) 9.05—10pm. Second part of the adaptation of a Joanna Trollope novel about chon‘sters and cathedrals.
I Bob’s Birthday (Channel 4) 9.45—10pm. The third British animation to be Oscar- nominated is about a dentist in the throes of a mid-life crisis.
I A Bit of Fry and Laurie (BBCI) lO—l().30pm. Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie serve up another helping of sketch-
based comedy. include a spoof Alan Bennett monologue.
I Awakenings (Channel 4) IOpm—l2.20am. Robin Williams plays Oliver Sachs. the neurologist who ‘awakens‘ patients who have been in comas for as long as 30 years. This is the television premiere of Penny Marshall's excellent movie.
I A Very Open Prison (BBC2)
I0. 10-1 1.40pm. A new season of Screen Two kicks off with this film about a beleaguered Home Secretary (aren’t they always?) who’s having a bit of bother with his prison system. Any similarity to Michael Howard is probably not entirely coincidental. as the script comes from news satirst Guy Jenkin who created Drop the Dead Don/rev. Tom Wilkinson is the minister.
I The Lloyds Bank BAFTA Production Awards (Scottish) l().lS--l l.45pm. In the prescence of royalty (Wet Wet Wet and Princess Anne) James McPherson and Evelyn Glennie present the Scottish film and television awards.
I Don’t Look oown (Scottish)
I 1.45pm—12.30am. Janice Forsth introduces films about the Citz‘s 50th anniversary and Scottish beat writer Alexander Trocchi.
MONDAY 27
I World In Action (Scottish) 8.30-—9pm. Report on the infiltration of football gangs by far-right groups such as Combat 18.
I Deadline (Channel 4) ‘)--‘).30pm. Second instalment of this behind-the- scenes series about Yorkshire Television‘s news show. presented by Countdown man Richard Whiteley.
I She’s Dut (Scottish) 9—10pm. Dolly Rawlins reverts to type wrrh an audacious robbery plan. but not before she‘s weeded out the police informer in the gang. Lynda La Plante‘s classy sequel to IVlt/(IWS connnues
I Undercover Britain (Channel 4) 9.30—10pm. New series of the hidden- camera documentary starts with an investigation into the exploitation of people whose only home is a caravan.
I Buling Passions (BBC2) 10—10.3()pm. The series about sex and empire looks at the effect of missionaries on the sexual attitudes in Africa.
I RYPD Blue (Channel 4) IO—lO.55pm. Solomon pulls rank to take a case off Simone.
I The Camera at War (BBC2) 11.15—11.55pm. A Late Show special about war photography in Vietnam.
TUESDAY 28 ' .g 'g
I East (BBC2) 7.30-8pm. Documentary about the controversy surrounding the film Bandit Queen. including an interview with Phoolan Devi on whose life story the film is based. She is currently suing Channel 4. which funded the film. for invasion of privacy.
I Surprise Proposals (Scottish) 8.30—9pm. Can it get any worse? Pat Sharp introduces a new series featuring
'hidden camera footage of people
proposing to their partners on national TV.
W The List 24 Mar-6 Apr I995 77 _