Then at 10pm Sky Atlantic has the brilliant Blue Bloods (19/22) and also at 10pm ITV4 is showing Apocalypse Now, which must be one of the best war films ever made.
Other Must See UK TV to look out for includes, the films 127 Hours on Film4 at 9pm; and Total Recall on ITV2 at 10pm.
Hope you find something great to watch and please let me know if I’ve missed your favourite show.
Thanks to the BBC, Friday night is comedy night. Starting with Would I Lie to You? (2/9) at 8.30pm, followed by Have I Got News For You (2/9) at 9pm, the evening continues with Not Going Out at 9.30pm and then it’s over to BBC2 for Twenty Twelve at 10pm before turning back to BBC1 for The Graham Norton Show at 10.35pm; finally there’s another chance to see The Matt Lucas Awards (2/6) at 11.30pm.
If comedy is not your thing, then Piers Morgan’s Life Stories (2/7) continues with Frank Bruno on ITV1 at 9pm; whilst Series 4 of The Mentalist (18/24) can be seen at 9pm on Channel 5. Meanwhile, FX has Dexter (4/12) at 10pm; followed by another chance to see the penultimate episode of True Blood (11/12) at 11.05pm.
If it’s a good film you’re looking for then the futuristic Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is on ITV4 at 9pm, followed by the harrowing American History X at 11.10pm. Alternatively, 5USA has Clint Eastwood as The Outlaw Josey Wales at 9pm, whilst Watch has The Da Vinci Code at 10pm and Film4 has Ip Man and Ip Man 2 at 9pm and 11.05pm respectively, which is followed at 1.15am with Alexander Payne’s Sideways.
Hope you find something there to enjoy but please let me know if I’ve missed your favourite show.
Tonight, there are two fascinating documentary programmes. First up is 9/11: The Lost Tapes, which is on Channel 4 at 9pm and at the same time BBC2 has the first part of Louis Theroux: Extreme Love (1/2), which explores Autism.
Alternatively, the BBC is offering two great comedy programmes starting with Russell Howard’s Good News (2/12) on BBC3 at 9pm and then a new series of Grandma’s House (1/6) starts on BBC2 at 10pm.
However, if it’s good quality drama that you want then Series 3 of The Good Wife (15/22) continues on More4 at 9pm and Series 2 of Saving Grace (13/14) follows at little later at 11.05, also on More4.
Wednesday night has some great must see UK TV.
First up at 9pm there’s a clash between The Apprentice (5/12) on BBC1; Elizabeth Taylor: Auction of a Lifetime on Channel 4; and the welcome return of Series 7 of Bones (6/22) on Sky Living.
Then at 10pm there’s another clash with The Apprentice: You’re Fired (5/12) on BBC2 ; Fringe (18/22) on Sky1; and Grey’s Anatomy (18/24) Sky Living.
There are two great films to recommend today and both are on Film 4.
The first is The Third Man at 4.40pm and then Crazy Heart at 9pm.
The Third Man
Joseph Cotten as writer Holly Martins (left) and Welles (right) as Harry Lime in The Third Man (1949) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Classic thriller written by Graham Greene, starring Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles and featuring Alida Valli. Holly Martins, a writer of western stories, arrives in Vienna after the end of the Second World War where he has been promised work by his old friend, Harry Lime. However, on his arrival, Martins is told that Lime is dead and was involved in racketeering. Martins resolves to clear his friend’s name but his investigations uncover some disturbing truths.
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/s59b/the-third-man-(1949)]
Crazy Heart
Cover of Crazy Heart
Music drama starring Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal. His self-destructive lifestyle has reduced former country star Bad Blake to bowling-alley gigs when he meets journalist Jean Craddock. Their attraction is mutual, but can Blake leave the bad habits of a lifetime behind to write a new song and be worthy of her love?
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/rm6c/crazy-heart-(2009)]
Enjoy!
Tonight see’s the start of a great new series on BBC2. The 70s (1/4) starts with 1970 – 1972 and ‘takes a radical look back at a decade which … shaped the Britain of today’ (Radio Times). Meanwhile, the concluding episode of Silent Witness can be seen on BBC1 at 9pm.
Also at 9pm, Game of Thrones (3/10) continues on Sky Atlantic (repeated at 12.10am), which is followed by Morgan Spurlock‘s New Britannia (3/10) at 10pm; and Universal has Series 2 of Harry’s Law (14/22) starring the brilliant Kathy Bates at 10pm.
Let me know if I’ve missed your favourite show.
Today’s must see TV includes some great shows.
BBC1 has a new two-part Silent Witness starting at 9pm (part two can be seen tomorrow at 9pm), which clashes with Channel 4’s brilliant Homeland; and the final episode of ITV1‘s Titanic. Although, Titanic hasn’t quite lived up the hype that ITV generated for this show, I think the problem lies with the way it was edited rather than the way it was filmed or written. With so much, repetition and seeing the same events play out from the perspective of different characters it is often difficult follow one particular narrative thread and emotionally connect with any particular character.
However, to coincide with the 100th Anniversary of the sinking it has a certain appeal but for a more engaging view you could try Words of the Titanic, which follows on ITV1 at 10pm.
Meanwhile, Sky1 has Series 2 of Hawaii Five-O (16/24), followed by Series 3 of NCIS: Los Angeles (16/24). Then on E4, Series 8 of Desperate Housewives (15/23) continues at 10pm.
Let me know if I’ve missed your favourite show.
Screenshot of Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There can only be one great film to recommend today and that’s Casablanca (1942) on Film4 at 3.05pm. This is Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman at their absolute best and it’s not difficult to see why this film often appears towards the top in any list of the greatest films of all time.
About The Film
Classic romantic drama starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid. Rick’s Café in wartime Casablanca is a watering hole for criminals, refugees, resistance fighters and Nazis. Its cynical owner, a mysterious expatriate American called Richard “Rick” Blaine, sticks his neck out for no one. No one, that is, until the arrival of the beautiful Ilsa Lund and her husband Victor Lazlo, who are desperate to escape to America.
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/cynmx/casablanca-(1942)]
Friday night is comedy night with some great returning shows tonight.
First up is a new series of Would I Lie to You? (1/9) on BBc1 at 8.30pm, which is followed by a new series of Have I Got News For You (1/9) on BBC1 at 9pm, and then a new series of Not Going Out (1/6) starts on BBC1 at 9.30pm.
Then turn over to BBC2 or BBC HD for Twenty Twelve (3/4) at 10pm and then back to BBC1 for The Graham Norton Show (1/13). If you missed the first episode of The Matt Lucas Awards on Tuesday then there’s another opportunity to see it tonight on BBC1 at 11.30pm; and likewise if you missed the first episode of Russell Howard’s Good News then there’s another chance to see it tonight on BBC3 at 10.30pm or 1.30am (Saturday)
What a fantastic line up. Thank you BBC!
With at least five great films on today, this is almost impossible to choose between them. Instead, I have decided to recommend them all:
First up is North by Northwest on BBC2 at 12.30pm; then later is Local Hero on Film4 at 6.45pm followed by Escape from Alcatraz at 9pm also on Film4; meanwhile ITV4 has Rocky at 9pm followed by Rocky II at 11.25pm.
North by Northwest (BBC2 at 12.30pm)
A suave advertising executive is mistaken for an American intelligence agent by a foreign spy and finds himself drawn into a world of espionage and adventure, leading to a high-tension cross-country chase made more perilous when the FBI intervenes. Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, starring Cary Grant, James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, Leo G Carroll and Martin Landau.
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/wr6t/north-by-northwest-(1959)]
Local Hero (Film4 at 6.45pm)
An American oil company representative is sent to buy a Scottish coastal village so it can be demolished to make way for a new refinery. He gradually takes a shine to the place, while the locals are more interested in the money they can get for parting with it. Bill Forsyth’s comedy drama, starring Peter Riegert, Burt Lancaster, Denis Lawson, Peter Capaldi, Jenny Seagrove and Fulton Mackay.
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/vhsk/local-hero-(1983)]
Escape from Alcatraz (Film4 at 9pm)
Prison drama based on a true story, starring Clint Eastwood and Patrick McGoohan. Alcatraz – “the Rock” – is America’s highest security prison where only the toughest convicts are sent, and from where no one can escape. But Frank Morris, habitual escapee, is determined that Alcatraz is just another set of bars and walls that will never hold him.
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/ws7t/escape-from-alcatraz-(1979)]
Rocky (ITV4 at 9pm)
Philadelphia brawler Rocky Balboa gets a shot at the world heavyweight title when current champion Apollo Creed decides to give an unknown boxer a chance in celebration of America’s bicentennial. Oscar-winning drama, starring Sylvester Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Talia Shire, Burt Young and Carl Weathers.
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/zs4v/rocky-(1976)]
Rocky II (ITV4 at 11.25pm)
Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa quits the ring to marry his sweetheart and become a father. However, times prove hard and money is tight, so when Balboa is offered another shot at Apollo Creed’s heavyweight title, the fighter is tempted out of retirement. Drama sequel, starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burt Young and Burgess Meredith.
[Source: http://www.radiotimes.com/film/kqbch/rocky-ii-(1979)]
Matt's Must See UK TV 