Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

You knew this was coming - a week packed so tightly with good - nay, vital! - TV that you'd better start practising those phoney coughs now. Finales to the left of us, series premieres to the right and one-off specials thrown into the heady mix. Best surrender yourself and enjoy...

Two fantastic shows reach their bloody peaks on FX this week. Tonight at 10:00 and 12:15 the revelation of the killer's identity for our favourite mind reading waitress will be shocking and violent in True Blood, You'll Be The Death Of Me. Will Sookie escape the vamp-lover hater without permanent damage? And what clues will we have for the future of Bon Temps and its human, vamp and shapeshifting citizens?

On Sunday, 4th October at 11:10pm, the nuptials of the most loveable vigilante serial killer ever are fast approaching for Dexter in Do You Take Dexter Morgan?, the third series finale. Will it be a fairy tale affair or will The Skinner ruin the reception? Or the brother of Dexter's latest victim might make a scene during the first dance. We'll soon see on FX.

Also on Sunday, on Sky1, the second series of Fringe begins with A New Day In The Old Town at 10:00pm. This is a show you really need to watch from the first moments, as each week's setup is usually rapidly revealed. Will this opener add fuel to the promise of the series' potential? Or hit an immovable object at breakneck speed? Tune in and see and let us know what you think.

By Monday you may need a brief breather from sci-fi and paranormality and we'd recommend heavy doses of laughter as a good refresher. We can think of few shows that could fill that prescription as well as any episode of 30 Rock - the Tina Fey headed sitcom that unveiled Alec Baldwin's comedic genius. Who knew? If you've never seen the show, we've got a character rundown and catch-up here before the third season starts on Comedy Central with Do-Over at 10:00pm. You'll want to go to there too.

You may be ready for a do-over of your own by Wednesday, 7th October and can revisit the vampfest in Bon Temps as True Blood series one bows again, this go round on Channel 4 at 10:00pm.

Another exciting launch occurs on Tuesday the 6th October with the new Stargate Universe. We're hoping it fits snugly into that big expanse of sci-fi space left vacant and voided and we're really anxious to see what Robert Carlyle can do with a weekly series of this ilk. We've had the smallest peek with a trailer here and spoke with co-creator Brad Wright too, but it finally all kicks off with a hefty two hour chunk of telly on Sky1 Tuesday at 8:00pm with Air Part One and Part Two at 9:00pm.

And now for something completely different...again... Python fans can top up their admiration on Saturday 3rd October at 9:15pm on BBC2 with Monty Python: Almost The Truth - The BBC Lawyers' Cut. If that title isn't enough to get you tuning in then the prospect of new interviews with the cast, the first time they've assembled together since Meaning Of Life, may be a tempter to join the 40th (can you believe that!? 40 years!) anniversary celebration. It airs again on Sunday the 4th on BBC2 at 11:40pm.

BBC Micros and ZX Spectrums, anyone? Computer enthusiasts (and we'd guess there's one or two who read these pages) make a date with fellow followers for Micro Men on BBC4 October 8 at 9:00 and 11:50pm. The comic drama stars Martin Freeman and Alexander Armstrong as 80s Acorn and Sinclair bosses in a battle for home computer dominance. It's got to be good, right?

Now to the week's films and, as always, if there's a show or movie we missed this week you feel deserves a nod, shout it out in the comments, please.

Please also note: the ordinal numbers for dates will help you scan through this simple list with your browser's search function. Enter '3rd' in your browser's Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

Airplane!
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 10:15am (and 8:00pm)

Alien 3
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 01:20am (and 10:30pm 8th Oct)

Arlington Road
On: Sky Movies Drama
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: midnight

Bad Boys
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 1:55pm (and 8:00pm)

Badlands
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 1:10pm (and 1:30am 7th Oct)

Batman
On: Bravo
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: 9:00pm (and 9:00pm Bravo+1)

Batman Returns
On: Bravo
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Bravo+1, 9:00/10:00pm 4th Oct Bravo/+1)

Beverly Hills Cop
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 11:10am (and 8:00pm, 11:15am 4th Oct, 1:20am 5th Oct)

Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure
On: ITV2
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 6:15pm (and 10:45am 4th Oct)

Boogie Nights
On: TCM
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: 9:00pm

Catch-22
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: 03:25am

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 2:45pm (and 10:05am & 4:45pm 8th Oct)

Cloverfield
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: 1:15pm (and 9:00pm)

Coming To America
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 2:25pm (and 9:35pm)

Death Becomes Her
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 08:40am (and 6:05pm)

Death Race
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 11:05pm (and 1:25pm & 9:00pm 7th Oct Sky Action)

Deep Blue Sea
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 9:00pm

Desperado
On: Sky Movies Indie
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 10:00pm (and 3:40am)

Die Hard
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 07:10am (and 1:10am 6th Oct)

Die Hard 2
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 1:45pm (and 10:10pm, 00:55am 7th Oct Sky Screen 2)

Eastern Promises
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 01:50am

Edward Scissorhands
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 2:35pm (and 10:00pm, 6:00pm 8th Oct)

Enemy Mine
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 08:05am

Equilibrium
On: Film4
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1, 9:00/10:00pm 8th Oct Film4/+1)

Escape From New York
On: ITV4
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 9:00pm (and 11:10pm 6th Oct)

Event Horizon
On: ITV4
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: 00:05am

Fargo
On: Sky Movies Indie
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 10:00pm (and 3:40am 3rd Oct)

Fatal Attraction
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 00:40am

Ferris Bueller's Day Off
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 4:00pm

Footloose
On: Sky Movies Drama
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 6:05pm

Full Metal Jacket
On: ITV4
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 11:00pm

F/X
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 08:10am (and 3:30pm)

Galaxy Quest
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 09:50am (and 7:15pm)

Good Morning, Vietnam
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 01:50am (and 7:20am 8th Oct Sky Modern Greats)

Hannibal
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 02:45am (and 2:30am 7th Oct)

Harry And The Hendersons
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 06:40am (and 4:10am 4th Oct)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 1:55pm (and 9:00pm, 12:30pm & 9:00pm 8th Oct Sky Horror)

High Fidelity
On: Sky Movies Indie
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 09:00am (and 4:45pm)

Ils (Them)
On: Film4
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 01:00am and 2:00am Fim4+1)

In Bruges
On: Sky Movies Indie
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 11:40pm (and 3:35am 5th Oct, 11:50pm 7th Oct)

Indiana Jones And The Temple of Doom
On: Sky Movies Family
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 12:35pm (and 8:00pm)

Iron Man
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 11:40am (and 8:00pm)

Juno
On: Sky Movies Indie
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 3:05pm (and 10:00pm)

Jurassic Park III
On: Sky Movies Family
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 10:45am (and 11:25pm)

Layer Cake
On: Watch
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 11:00pm (and midnight, 9:00/10:00pm 8th Oct Watch/+1)

Mary Reilly
On: Five USA
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 9:00pm

Men In Black
On: Watch
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 9:00pm (and 10pm Watch+1, 4:10/5:10pm 4th Oct Watch/+1)

Midnight Run
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 02:55am

Mission: Impossible II
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 3:10pm (and 9:00pm, 2:20pm & 10:30pm 7th Oct Sky Screen 1)

Monsters, Inc.
On: Five
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 6:15pm

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 02:55am

Mr. Brooks
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 9:00pm

Mystery Men
On: ITV4
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 7:40pm

National Lampoon's Vacation
On: FIVER
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 2:30pm

National Lampoon's European Vacation
On: FIVER
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 9:00pm

Night Watch
On: Film4
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm Film4+1, 11:00pm and midnight 8th Oct)

No Country For Old Men
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 4:30pm (and 11:00pm)

Parenthood
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 1:45pm

Passenger 57
On: ITV2
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 10:00pm

Pink Floyd: The Wall
On: TCM
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: midnight

Predator
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 10:25pm

Predator 2
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 07:45am

Raiders Of The Lost Ark
On: Sky Movies Family
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: noon (and 8:00pm)

Raising Arizona
On: Film4
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 10:55pm (and 11:55pm Film4+1)

Rec
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 02:55am

Renaissance
On: Film4
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 11:00pm (and midnight Film4+1)

RocknRolla
On: Sky Movies Premiere
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 10:00pm (an 11:00pm Premiere+1 and similar times daily through 9th Oct)

Rumble Fish
On: Sky Movies Drama
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 02:20am

Saving Private Ryan
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 8:00pm

Seconds
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 08:00am (and 2:45am 3rd Oct)

Shoot 'Em Up
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: 11:05pm

Short Cuts
On: TCM
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 9:00pm

Shrek
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 11:15am (and 6:25pm, 11:00am & 6:20pm 7th Oct Sky Family)

Son Of Rambow
On: Sky Movies Family
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 9:30pm (and 2:30am 3rd Oct)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 08:30am (and 6:45pm 5th Oct Sky Screen 2)

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 08:20am (and 4:35pm 6th Oct)

Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 2:35pm

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
On: Sky Screen 2
Date: Thursday 8th October
Time: 2:50pm

Strange Days
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 02:00am

Taxi Driver
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 02:45am

The 51st State
On: Channel 4
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm 4+1)

The Bank Job
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 1:40pm (and 10:00pm)

The Blair Witch Project
On: Film4
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 11:50pm (and 00:50am 7th Oct Film4+1)

The Breakfast Club
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 4:25pm (and 3:20am 4th Oct)

The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
On: Sky Movies Classics
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 11:05am (and 11:30pm)

The Departed
On: Film4
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

The Fast And The Furious
On: Watch
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm Watch+1, 9:00/10:00pm 4th Oct Watch/+1)

The Firm
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 12:35pm (and 8:00pm)

The Fisher King
On: more4
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 9:00pm (and 00:45am 3rd Oct)

The Godfather
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 11:20am (and 00:40am 8th Oct)

The Hole
On: E4
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm E4+1)

The Hunger
On: TCM
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 01:15am

The Iron Giant
On: Sky Movies Family
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 10:15am (and 6:25pm, 10:15am & 5:00pm 8th Oct)

The Jerk
On: ITV1
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 11:50pm

The Keep
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 10:45pm

The Krays
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 02:20am

The Last Of The Mohicans
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 3:55pm (and 00:40am 6th Oct)

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
On: Channel 4
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Time: 7:05pm (and 8:05pm 4+1)

The Mask
On: FIVER
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 9:00pm (and 7:30pm 3rd Oct)

The Matrix
On: ITV2
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 7th Oct)

The Mothman Prophecies
On: BBC 1)
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 10:45pm

The Nines
On: SCI FI
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: midnight

The Omen
On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 09:45am (and 2:50am 8th Oct)

The Pawnbroker
On: Sky Movies Classics
Date: Tuesday 6th October
Time: 03:10am

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
On: Sky Movies Indie
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 2:15pm (and 8:15pm)

The Usual Suspects
On: Sky Screen 1
Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 10:50pm

Three Kings
On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 6:50pm

Trading Places
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 7:40am (and 8:00pm)

Tropic Thunder
On: Sky Movies Premiere
Date: Thursday 1st October
Time: 8:00pm (and 9:00pm Premiere+1, 8:00/9:00pm 2nd Oct Premiere/+1)

Wall Street
On: Sky Movies Premiere
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 5:15pm (and 6:15pm Premiere+1)

Wayne's World
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 2:30pm (and 10:00pm)

Wayne's World 2
On: Sky Movies Comedy
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 4:15pm (and 11:40pm)

X-Men
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 11:55am (and 9:40pm)

You Only Live Twice
On: ITV1
Date: Sunday 4th October
Time: 4:00pm

Young Frankenstein
On: Sky Movies Modern Greats
Date: Wednesday 7th October
Time: 3:45pm (and 10:40pm)