Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

British television is showing Gremlins, The Goonies, Blue Thunder, Red Heat, Tango & Cash and Innerspace this week. How can you argue with that?

Unless you’re a fan of Warehouse 13, which starts its third season on Syfy this coming Thursday, August 4th with The New Guy, the summer lull continues through the next seven days, with an absence of brand new shows on the schedules.

That leaves only series that are midstream, such as Torchwood: Miracle Day, which nears its halfway mark between ten episodes on Thursday August 4th as well, with episode 4, Escape To LA on BBC1 at 9:00pm. You can follow our coverage of the show here.

Also on BBC1, the repeat of the final episode of Sherlock‘s first series, The Great Game airs on Wednesday, August 3rd at 8:30, if you want a refresher before the second series launches this autumn. We have a few details of what stories to expect next here.

Now, on to those films showing through the weekend and a bit beyond. There’s quite a mini festival of 80 films this week, all geek approved, and we’ll highlight our top ten picks for weekend viewing:

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Gremlins starts the parade tonight, Friday July 29th.

Then tomorrow, Saturday, July 30th, The Goonies, Blue Thunder for flight fans, Innerspace, Red Heat (which made our best post-pub film list) and Tango & Cash are our mid-weekend treats.

On Sunday, July 31st, Big, The Last Starfighter, The Lost Boys and First Blood finish off the weekend on an 80s high.

We’ve linked to more information and celebrations of some of these favourites, and you’ll find dates and times for each below, along with some more recent films, if you must emerge from the 80s at some point before the work week resumes.

Be sure to check your local schedules, in case some TV exec’s pulled a switcheroo, and enjoy!

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

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Please also note: the ordinal numbers for dates will help you scan through this simple list with your browser’s search function. Enter ’30th’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!


A Scanner Darkly

On: Film4Date: Tuesday 2nd AugustTime: 01:20am (and 2:20am Film4+1)

AkiraOn: SyfyDate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Syfy+1)

AssassinsOn: ITV1Date: Friday 29th JulyTime: 10:35pm

BigOn: Film4Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 1:00pm (and 2:00pm Film4+1)

BladeOn: Channel 5Date: Wednesday 3rd AugustTime: 10:00pm (and 11:20pm TCM)

Blue ThunderOn: Channel 5Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 5:00pm

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Boogie NightsOn: ITV4Date: Monday 1st AugustTime: 11:15pm (and 00:15am 2nd Aug ITV4+1)

CarrieOn: Film4Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 11:10pm (and 10:00am 31st July Film4+1)

CloverfieldOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm 4+1)

DarkmanOn: SyfyDate: Wednesday 4th AugustTime: midnight (and 1:00am 4th Aug Syfy+1 & 10/11:00pm)

Deep Blue SeaOn: ITV2Date: Monday 1st AugustTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm ITV2+1)

Demolition ManOn: TCMDate: Monday 1st AugustTime: 9:00pm (nd 00:10am/1:10am ITV4/+1)

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FirewallOn: BBC 3Date: Wednesday 3rd AugustTime: 9:00pm

First BloodOn: ITV4Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 11:00pm (and midnight 1st Aug ITV4+1)

GladiatorOn: ITV2Date: Tuesday 2nd AugustTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV2+1)

GoodfellasOn: TCMDate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 9:00pm

GremlinsOn: TCMDate: Friday 29th JulyTime: 11:00pm

HannibalOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 11:25pm (and 00:25am 31st July ITV2+1, 00:05/1:05am 3rd Aug)

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Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of AzkabanOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 5:40pm

I Sell The DeadOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Saturday 30th July)Time: 00:15am (and 1:15am Premiere+1, then daily at similar times through 5th Aug)

Infernal Affairs IIIOn: Channel 4Date: Tuesday 2nd AugustTime: 01:15am (and 2:15am 4+1)

InnerspaceOn: TCMDate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 6:40pm (and 10:35am 31st July)

JunoOn: Channel 4Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 4+1)

Kiki’s Delivery ServiceOn: Film4Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 5:05pm (and 6:05pm Film4+1)

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King ArthurOn: BBC 1Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 10:00pm

Lost In TranslationOn: Film4Date: Friday 29th JulyTime: 10:45pm (and 11:45pm Film4+1)

Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The WorldOn: 5USADate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 3:55pm (and 4:55pm 5USA+1)

Metropolis (2001)On: Film4Date: Thursday 4th AugustTime: 11:00am (and noon Film4+1)

Mission: Impossible IIIOn: Film4Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

Murder In The FirstOn: ITV3Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV3+1)

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PandorumOn: SyFyDate: Tuesday 2nd AugustTime: 8:00pm (and 9:00pm Syfy+1)

PiranhaOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 29th JulyTime: 10:30pm (and 11:30pm, then daily through 4th Aug)

Red HeatOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 11:00pm (and midnight UTV4+1, 10/11:00pm 3rd Aug)

Romancing The StoneOn: E4Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 3:55pm (and 4:55pm E4+1)

Rope!On: more4Date: Friday 29th JulyTime: 10:35am

SerenityOn: ITV4Date: Thursday 4th AugustTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV4+1)

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Stargate: The Ark Of TruthOn: Sky1Date: Friday 29th JulyTime: 12:10pm (and 00:45am 30th July)

Stephen King’s It part 1On: horror channelDate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 9:00pm

Stephen King’s It part 2On: horror channelDate: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 9:00pm

Tango And CashOn: TCMDate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 11:50pm

TapeheadsOn: BBC 2Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 00:50am

The Bank JobOn: Film4Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1, 9/10:00pm 4th Aug)

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The GooniesOn: TCMDate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 3:00pm (and 7:00am 31st July)

The HappeningOn: Film4Date: Friday 29th JulyTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

The Island (2005)On: ITV2Date: Thursday 4th AugustTime: 10:45pm (and 11:45pm ITV2+1)

The Karate Kid, Part IIOn: Channel 5Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 4:40pm

The KingdomOn: ITV1Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 10:15pm

The Last StarfighterOn: Channel 5Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 2:45pm

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The Lost BoysOn: TCMDate: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00/11:00pm 2nd Aug Comedy Central/+1)

The MummyOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV2+1)

The Mummy ReturnsOn: ITV2Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 6:30pm (and 7:30pm ITV2+1)

The Ninth GateOn: Channel 5Date: Monday 1st AugustTime: 9:00pm

The PawnbrokerOn: Channel 4Date: Monday 1st AugustTime: 01:40am (and 2:40am 4+1)

The Ring 2On: BBC 1Date: Friday 29th JulyTime: 11:45pm

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The Scarlet ClawOn: TCMDate: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 5:10pm (and 9:10am 31st July)

The War Of The Worlds (1953)On: Film4Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 3:20pm (and 4:20 Film4+1, 5:10/6:10pm 4th Aug)

There’s Something About MaryOn: E4Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm E4+1)

This Boy’s LifeOn: Film4Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 11:20pm (and 00:20am 1st Aug Film4+1)

Tin CupOn: ITV3Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 00:35am (and 1:35am ITV3+1)

Trees LoungeOn: BBC 2Date: Monday 1st AugustTime: 00:35am

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TriangleOn: SyFyDate: Friday 29th JulyTime: 11:00pm (and midnight Syfy+1, 1/2:00am 1st Aug)

Tristan And IsoldeOn: Film4Date: Monday 1st AugustTime: 4:35pm (and 5:35pm Film4+1)

Underworld: EvolutionOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 11:40pm (and 00:40am 4+1)

UnleashedOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 30th JulyTime: 03:00am

xXxOn: Channel 5Date: Sunday 31st JulyTime: 9:00pm