Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

We're almost completely dependent on the BBC for new programming heading our way this week. But Channel 4 brings us a return of a series midstream, with episode 13 of season 4 of The Big Bang Theory. Although the nasal whining can get a bit much at times, there's lots of geeky goodness to be found in the show, with guaranteed references to games, shows and films we know well and love. We have a Lazy Geek's Guide here that may help you decide if it's worth the couch commitment, and The Love Car Displacement episode airs tonight, Friday July 8th, at 11:05pm.

It looks like the popularity of X-Men: First Class and Mad Men, among others, has firmly established our recent enjoyment of period drama, when well written and executed, of course. A new six part series, The Hour, takes us back at bit further, to the mid-50s and into the BBC's own newsroom, where an investigative programme of the same name is produced. Billed as a spy thriller, the show stars Dominic West (The Wire, Centurion), Romola Garai and Ben Whishaw, and launches on Tuesday, July 19th, at 9:00pm on BBC2. Here's a trailer for a flavour of the show...

The week's highlight for many happens on Thursday, July 14th at 9:00pm on BBC1. That's when the first of ten episodes of Torchwood: Miracle Day is broadcast in the UK. It's entitled The New World, and you'll need to tread carefully among sites until then, as the show starts in the US tonight. But with a bit of caution you can catch this eagerly awaited debut without tainting or taming the thrills.

We've had some tempting coverage in the wait for the show, including an especially fun interview with Eve Myles, which you can find here, and we'll be anxious to hear your thoughts on this newest adventure for Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper, and their American counterparts and combatants.

Here are a few more short videos of what to expect on Thursday, if you simply can't wait...

Esther Meets Captain Jack

Captain Jack explains Torchwood

What future for Oswald Danes?

Now, on to those films showing through the weekend and a bit beyond.

This week there's a double dose director showing, with two from the mind of Mel Brooks, High Anxiety and Spaceballs. And a triumvirate from Joel Schumacher with Tigerland, The Client, and The Lost Boys.

For kids, James And The Giant Peach repeats, and another Roald Dahl favourite, Matilda, airs as well.

DiCaprio fans get a triple treat with Gangs Of New York, The Beach and The Departed.

As always, if we missed anything interesting, have a shout in the comments, with our thanks.

Please also note: the ordinal numbers for dates will help you scan through this simple list with your browser's search function. Enter '9th' in your browser's Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

After.Life
On: Sky Movies Premiere    
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Premiere+1, then daily through 14th July)

Armageddon
On: Sky1    
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 10th July Sky2, 9:00pm 12th July Sky1, 10:10pm 14th July Sky2)

Back To The Future
On: ITV2
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 6:45pm (and 7:45pm ITV2+1)

Backdraft
On: ITV1     
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 10:35pm

Bad Santa
On: 5*   
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 5*+1)

Barbarella
On: ITV4
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 10:55pm (and 11:55pm ITV4+1, 11:55pm/00:55am 13th/14th July)

Batman Begins
On: TCM
Date: Tuesday 12th July
Time: 9:00pm

Beetlejuice
On: 5*
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 5*+1)

Blade
On: TCM  
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 10:55pm

Chain Reaction
On: E4
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm E4+1)

Crank
On: ITV1     
Date: Tuesday 12th July
Time: 10:35pm

Dark Water
On: BBC 1     
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 11:35pm

Darkman
On: SyFy   
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm Syfy+1, 10/11:00pm 9th July)

Detroit Rock City
On: TCM
Date: Tuesday 12th July
Time: 11:45pm

Doom
On: ITV1
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 03:05am

Dumb And Dumber
On: Watch
Date: Thursday 14th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Watch+1)

Fanboys
On: Sky Movies Premiere   
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 6:15pm (and 7:15pm Premiere+1, then daily at similar times through 21st July)

Fatal Attraction
On: Film4
Date: Wednesday 13th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

Frantic
On: ITV3
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV3+1)

Futurama: Bender's Big Score
On: Sky1   
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 11:00am (and 12:15pm 10th July)

Gangs Of New York
Date: Saturday 9th July
On: Channel 4    
Date: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm 4+1)

Gomorra
On: BBC 4
Date: Wednesday 13th July
Time: 11:25pm

Grown Ups
On: Sky Movies Premiere
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 10:00am (and 11:00am Premiere+1 & 8/9:00pm, then daily through 14th July)

Happy Feet
On: Comedy Central  
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 3:00pm (and 4:00pm CC+1, 4:50/5:50pm 10th July)

High Anxiety
On: Film4
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 11:00am (and noon Film4+1)

High Crimes
On: Film4
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

In The Loop
On: BBC 2  
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 10:30pm

Infernal Affairs II
On: Channel 4   
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 01:10am (and 2:10am 4+1)

James And The Giant Peach
On: Film4
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 3:10pm (and 4:10pm Film4+1)

Jurassic Park III
On: ITV2   
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 7:15pm (and 8:15pm ITV2+1)

Kidulthood
On: BBC 3
Date: Wednesday 13th July
Time: 10:00pm

Knocked Up
On: ITV2
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV2+1)

Licence To Kill
On: ITV1  
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 3:55pm

Lord Of War
On: BBC 1
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 11:30pm

Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World
On: Channel 5   
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 9:00pm

Matilda
On: Channel 5   
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 4:35pm

Mystic River
On: TCM
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 9:00pm

Ocean's Twelve
On: ITV1    
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 10:15pm

Only Yesterday
On: Film4    
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 4:00pm (and 5:00pm Film4+1)

Philadelphia
On: Channel 5    
Date: Monday 11th July
Time: 10:00pm

Shadow Of A Doubt (1943)
On: Film4     
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 2:55pm (ans 3:55pm Film4+1)

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
On: TCM  
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 5:25pm (and 9:35am 11th July)

Sleepers
On: ITV3
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm ITV3+1, 11:30pm/00:30am 10th/11th July)

Spaceballs
On: SyFy
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 3:10pm (and 4:10pm Syfy+1)

Spawn
On: TCM
Date: Wednesday 13th July
Time: 11:00pm

Star Trek: Generations
On: E4
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 11:45pm (and 00:45am 11th July E4+1)

Stardust
On: Film4
Date: Wednesday 13th July
Time: 6:35pm (and 7:35pm Film4+1)

Stephen King's It (Part I)
On: horror channel
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 00:50am

Stephen King's It (Part II)
On: horror channel
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 00:50am

Tango And Cash
On: ITV4
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV4+1, 9:00pm 11th July, 1:10am 12th July TCM)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day
On: ITV2  
Date: Monday 11th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV2+1)

The Beach
On: Film4
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 11:10pm (and 00:10am 9th July Film4+1, 11:50pm/00:50am 12th/13th July)

The Client
On: Film4
Date: Monday 11th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

The Departed
On: Film4
Date: Tuesday 12th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

The Jerk
On: ITV4
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV4+1, midnight/1:00am 11th/12th July)

The Legend Of Zorro
On: Channel 5   
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 6:30pm

The Long Kiss Goodnight
On: 5*
Date: Monday 11th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 5*+1)

The Lost Boys
On: TCM   
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 1:15am 9th July)

The Railway Children
On: ITV3   
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 1:45pm (and 2:45pm ITV3+1)

The Simpsons Movie
On: Channel 4
Date: Saturday 9th July
Time: 7:15pm (and 8:15pm 4+1)

Tigerland
On: more4  
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:40pm 13th July)

The Accidental Tourist
On: TCM
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 3:00pm (and 7:15am 9th July)

The Ladykillers (1955)
On: Dave  
Date: Friday 8th July
Time: 4:00pm (and 5:00pm Dave Ja Vue, 10/11:am 9th July)

Twister
On: ITV2    
Date: Sunday 10th July
Time: 4:30pm (and 5:30pm ITV2+1)