Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

Top telly shows for this week include standup performances by two of the UK's best. Lee Evans: Big: Live At The O2 will no doubt leave a puddle on Channel 4 on Saturday 18 July at 10:00pm. And on Sunday 19 July, also at 10:00pm, on BBC 2 catch Dara 'The Brain' O'Briain Talks Funny: Live In London.

Decidedly deviant Dexter finishes its third season this past week only to do a super-quick turn-around repeat showing re-starting Sunday 19 July at 11:10pm on FX. So, if you missed any eps you now have a second chance to carve them into your schedule.

But we're guessing the most eagerly awaited new show on these shores has to be True Blood, which takes its virginal bite here tonight, Friday 17 July at 10:00pm with opener, Strange Love.

The series stars Anna Paquin (X-Men's Rogue) as Sookie Stackhouse, a gifted waitress in a Louisiana town at a time when vampires have come out of their dark hidey-holes to live among us sun worshippers. A co-existence is made possible by a synthetic blood drink, so vamps don't need to drain dry the populace, but that doesn't guarantee inter-species nighttime picnics and fireside sing-a-longs and trouble kicks up from the off.

Be aware: this ain't no Buffy. It's an HBO production that includes numerous sex scenes. And we're not talking soft focus, silk sheet draping either. Amid that prurient ploy to widen its audience beyond the expected female readership of The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels on which the show is based, there's some biting dialogue (yep, we went with that!), spot-on humour and lots of gore in storylines that build real anticipation.

You might well need to hit the subtitles button as there are muddy-thick Southern US accents (and we'd surmise some are over-simulated) to wade through. But with a second season airing in the States right now, tonight is just the first of 22 episodes of blood-soaked vampire goodness.

Immediately following True Blood on FX is the pilot episode of season one of Burn Notice (now in its third season in the US), co-starring Den of Geek favourite, Mr Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe. (How's that for a ficticious moniker? Fitting, we think.) The show takes place on, in and around the steamy beaches and streets of Miami where former uber-spy, Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan), has been burned and dumped, resourceless. A repeat of True Blood sandwiches this highly enjoyable show - a cocktail of one part MacGyver to two parts The Equalizer with a side order of yoghurt.

And now to a week's worth of films, with something for everyone. Please check your local schedule to avoid disappointment. We can't be held accountable if Shaun Of The Dead gets pre-empted by Daddy Day Camp. Enjoy!

2001: A Space Odyssey
On: five
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 12:15pm

28 Weeks Later
On: Sky Screen 2  
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 02:25am

300
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 9:00pm

American Beauty
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats 
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 10:00pm

Arlington Road
On: Sky Movies Drama
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 00:15am

Batman Returns
On: TCM
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 9:00pm

Beetlejuice
On: Bravo 
Date: Thursday 23rd July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Bravo+1)

Being John Malkovich
On: Film4
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 11:15pm (and 00:15am 22 July Film4+1)

Beverly Hills Cop
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 07:35am (and 6:00pm, 8:00pm 23 July)

Big Top Pee-Wee
On: Film4
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 5:00pm (and 6:00pm Film4+1, 5:00/6:00pm 23 July Film4/+1)

Big Trouble In Little China
On: E4
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm E4+1)

Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure
On: ITV2
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 7:30pm (and 2:30pm 19 July)

Blade Runner
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 6:00pm

Broken Arrow
On: Film4
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

Caddyshack
On: Comedy Central 
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 00:10am (and 1:10am CC+1)

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 1:40pm (and 9:00pm, 6:40pm 23 July Sky Screen 2)

Compulsion
On: Sky Movies Classics
Date: Friday 24th July
Time: 00:20am

Croupier
On: Film4
Date: Thursday 23rd July
Time: 01:30am (and 2:30am Film4+1)

Dante's Inferno
On: Sky Movies Classics
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 12:20pm (and 4:55am 22 July)

Darkman
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 00:20am

Day Of The Dead
On: ITV4  
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 10:00pm

Death Becomes Her
On: ITV3
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 9:00pm

Deep Blue Sea
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror   
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 7:05pm

Die Hard
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 1:15pm (and 9:40pm, 9:00pm 21 July Sky Screen 2)

Dolores Claiborne
On: TCM
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 1:05am 21 July)

Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who
On: Sky Movies Family
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 1:00pm (and 8:00pm)

Eastern Promises
On: Sky Screen 2  
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 00:50am

Enemy Mine
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Thursday 23rd July
Time: 1:35pm (and 9:00pm)

Factotum
On: BBC 2  
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 11:30pm

Fargo
On: Sky Movies Indie
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 11:55pm

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
On: Sky Screen 1   
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 02:15am

Ferris Bueller's Day Off
On: Sky Screen 1  
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 6:05pm

Footloose
On: Sky Movies Drama  
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 12:45pm

Gone In 60 Seconds
On: ITV2 
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 9:00pm

Groundhog Day
On: five USA   
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 3:00pm 19 July)

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
On: Sky Screen 1  
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 8:00pm (and 8:00pm 23 July)

Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone
On: Sky Screen 1 
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 8:00pm (and 5:15pm 19 July)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
On: Sky Movies Premiere
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Premiere+1)

Hero
On: more4
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 9:00pm (and midnight)

Hot Shots!
On: Sky Screen 1  
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 10:20pm

I, Robot
On: Film4
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

K-19: The Widowmaker
On: Watch   
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 11:00pm (and midnight Watch+1, 9:20/10:20pm 23 July Watch/+1)

Lethal Weapon 2
On: E4
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm E4+1, 23:05pm/00:05am 20/21 July E4/+1)

Liar Liar
On: Sky1   
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 20 July Sky2)

Lifeboat
On: Sky Movies Classics
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 1:30pm (and 00:35am 23 July)

Marnie
On: Sky Movies Classics
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 01:25am

Metropolis (2001)
On: Film4  
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 2:50pm (and 3:50pm Fil4+1, 11:00am/noon 23 July Film4/+1)

Midnight Cowboy
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 11:55pm (and 11:45pm 21 July Sky Screen 1)

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil
On: TCM
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 2:30am 19 July)

Mr. Brooks
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 01:05am

No Country For Old Men
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 1:00pm (and 6:55pm)

No Way Out
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 12:40pm (and 10:00pm)

Oldboy
On: Film4
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm Film4+1, 11:10pm/00:10am 22/23 July Film4/+1)

Pleasantville
On: FIVER 
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 8:30pm

Predator
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 10:50pm

Psycho (1960)
On: Sky Movies Classics  
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 06:30am (and 10:50pm)

Rear Window
On: Sky Screen 1  
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 12:25pm (and 3:25pm 23 July)

Salem's Lot (part 1 of 2)
On: Zone Horror
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 9:00pm

Salem's Lot (part 2 of 2)
On: Zone Horror
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 10:55pm

Shoot 'Em Up
On: Sky Screen 2  
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 00:55am

Scream 2
On: five
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 10:05pm

Scream 3
On: five  
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 10:00pm

Seance On A Wet Afternoon
On: more4
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 10:45am

Shaun Of The Dead
On: ITV2
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 10:00pm (and 9:00pm 19 July)

Shrek
On: Sky Movies Family 
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 1:15pm (and 6:15pm)

Sleepers
On: Sky Movies Drama
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 10:00pm

Star Trek: The Motion Picture
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror 
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 08:00am (and 4:35pm)

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 08:00am (and 4:20pm)

Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror  
Date: Thursday 23rd July
Time: 08:00am (and 5:40pm)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
On: Sky Screen 2   
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 2:20pm

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 2:05pm

Star Trek: First Contact
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 2:40pm

Star Trek: Insurrection
On: Sky Screen 2  
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 3:00pm

Star Trek: Nemesis
On: Film4
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 6:50pm (and 7:50pm Film4+1)

Stephen King's It (part 1 of 2)
On: Zone Horror    
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 9:00pm

Stephen King's It (part 2 of 2)
On: Zone Horror    
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 10:55pm

Teen Wolf
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 11:20am (and 6:20pm)

The Addams Family Values
On: Sky Screen 1   
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 11:30am

The Bank Job
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 3:05pm (and 9:00pm)

The Beach
On: Sky Movies Drama
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 8:00pm

The Big Lebowski
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 11:45pm

The Boston Strangler
On: Sky Movies Classics
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 01:30am

The Breakfast Club
On: Sky Movies Comedy 
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 06:15am (and 9:40am, 6:00am & 4:15pm 20 July Sky Modern Greats)

The Fly (1958)
On: Film4 
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 01:15am (and 2:15am Film4+1)

The Frighteners
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 12:40pm (and 10:40pm)

The Happening
On: Sky Movies Premiere   
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 9:35pm (and 1035pm Premiere+1 and similar times daily through 25 July)

The Incredible Hulk
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 11:45am (and 7:05pm)

The Iron Giant
On: Sky Movies Family 
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 12:15pm (and 6:30pm)

The Krays
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 00:35am (and 10:30pm 22 July Sky Screen 1)

The Last Of The Mohicans
On: Sky Movies Drama
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 10:45am

The Lost Boys
On: Bravo
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Bravo+1)

The Man With Two Brains
On: Comedy Central
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 9:00pm

The Monster Squad
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 08:00am (and 4:00pm)

The Ninth Gate
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 2:35pm

The Omega Man
On: TCM
Date: Tuesday 21st July
Time: 3:00pm (and 7:15am 22 July)

The Prophecy
On: SCI FI   
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 9:00pm (and 00:40am 20 July)

The Sender
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Thursday 23rd July
Time: 02:15am

The Serpent And The Rainbow
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 02:00am

The Silence Of The Lambs
On: ITV2
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 11:50pm (and 11:05pm 23 July)

The Terminator
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 11:00am (and 5:05pm)

The Truman Show
On: Sky Movies Drama 
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 6:15pm

The Usual Suspects
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller 
Date: Thursday 23rd July
Time: 00:40am

The Wicker Man (1973)
On: ITV4
Date: Wednesday 22nd July
Time: 11:00pm (and 10:05pm 223 July)

There Will Be Blood
On: Sky Movies Indie  
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 7:20pm

Titan A.E.
On: Sky Screen 2 
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 08:45am (and 11:20am & 6:15 pm 21 July Sky Family)

Titus
On: Sky Movies Drama    
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 01:45am

Tombstone
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Saturday 18th July
Time: 11:15am (and 10:05pm, 5:45pm 22 July, 00:50am 23 July)

Twelve Monkeys
On: Watch
Date: Friday 17th July
Time: 10:35pm (and 11:35pm Watch+1)

Twilight Zone: The Movie
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror 
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 2:25pm

Videodrome
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Friday 24th July
Time: 00:25am

What Lies Beneath
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Sunday 19th July
Time: 09:30am

Whatever Happened To Harold Smith?
On: Sky Movies Comedy  
Date: Thursday 23rd July
Time: 03:30am

X-Men
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Monday 20th July
Time: 11:05pm