Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week
Frank Skinner's Opinionated, 30 Rock, Charlie Brooker and the UK bow for The Prisoner lead this week's TV highlights. Plus lots of movies too...
Frequenters of the site will be aware that we’re friends of the comedians and often voice our appreciation of anything that can give us a giggle. News and current events usually don’t. So, we welcome the arrival of Frank Skinner’s Opinionated tonight, Friday, April 16th at 10:00pm on BBC2, a show that brings guest comedians to studio audiences around the country to talk about topical stuff. We’re of the mind that if you can’t laugh, you’d often cry at today’s goings on, so any help in that area is promptly ticked on our telly timetables.
On Saturday, April 17th, a show that is perhaps unwise to be shown in pubs will air at 9:30pm on ITV. We say that as it’s the reimagining of The Prisoner, a 60s show with a devoted following. Bring those who consider an update sacrilegious, in terms of classic TV telly, into close proximity to the curious, who don’t mind a fresh shiny wash and relocation of characters, add alcohol, and barroom brawls may be imminent. You’ve been warned. Watch anonymously and safely from your settee.
Back to comedy on Monday April 19th, where the fourth season premiere of a personal favourite funny bone tickler, 30 Rock, airs at 10:00pm on (where else?) Comedy Central. Liz and Jack (Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin) are frequent visitors in these parts and the prospect of a whole new season has our typing fingers twitching as we write this.
Now, having professed our love of stand-ups and comedy performers in the opening, we now hang our heads in shame as we admit we missed the first episode last Thursday of You Have Been Watching, a panel game show of a promising sort that combines Charlie Brooker’s unique perspective on all things televised, but adds guest comedians who’ll be quizzed on TV scenes as well as discussing the merits or disgraces of the programmes that fill the UK TV viewing schedules. We did pick a good week to spot it, though, as the guests this Thursday, April 22nd are Robert Webb, Jason Manford and Sharon Horgan, who’ll settle in their seats with Charlie at 10:00pm on Channel 4.
Now, on to the films showing through the weekend and a bit beyond. 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 ’17th’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!
Back To The FutureOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 3:15pm
BeetlejuiceOn: Comedy CentralDate: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 5:15pm (and 6:15pm CC+1, 3:15/4:15pm 18th Apr CC/+1)
Body Of LiesOn: Sky Movies Crime and ThrillerDate: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 2:40pm (and 11:20pm)
Brassed OffOn: more4Date: Friday 16th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 00:10am 17th Apr)
Chain ReactionOn: E4Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 11:40pm (and 00:40am 18th Apr E4+1)
CollateralOn: Film4Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
Coming HomeOn: TCMDate: Friday 16th AprilTime: 11:40pm
CypherOn: Film4Date: Tuesday 20th AprilTime: 10:45pm (and 11:45pm Film4+1)
Die Another DayOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 17th April 2Time: 10:30pm
Full Metal JacketOn: ITV1Date: Friday 16th AprilTime: 10:35pm
Ginger Snaps: UnleashedOn: BBC 2Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 00:50am
GladiatorOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 12:20pm (and 8:00pm)
Groundhog DayOn: BravoDate: Friday 16th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Bravo+1)
I Love You, ManOn: Sky Movies ComedyDate: Friday 16th AprilTime: 09:35am (and 8:30pm)
In the Shadow Of The MoonOn: more4Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 9:30pm (and 1:25am 18th Apr)
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of LifeOn: FiveDate: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 9:00pm
Last Action HeroOn: Five USADate: Friday 16th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 7:30pm 17th Apr)
Quantum Of SolaceOn: Sky Movies Action and AdventureDate: Friday 16th AprilTime: 12:55pm (and 9:00pm, 7:35am & 8:00pm 18th Apr Sky Showcase)
Runaway TrainOn: BBC 1Date: Friday 16th AprilTime: 11:55pm
Short CircuitOn: FiveDate: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 4:35pm
Shrek 2On: BBC 3Date: Tuesday 20th AprilTime: 7:35pm
SpaceballsOn: Comedy CentralDate: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 11:30pm (and 00:30am 19th Apr CC+1)
The AbyssOn: Film4Date: Wednesday 21st AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
The Bourne SupremacyOn: ITV2Date: Friday 16th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV2+1, 10:45/11:45pm 19th Apr ITV2/+1)
The Cable GuyOn: FiveDate: Monday 19th AprilTime: 11:00pm
The CoolerOn: Channel 4Date: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 00:50am (and 1:50am 4+1)
The GorgonOn: BBC 2Date: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 02:55am
The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959)On: more4Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 2:15pm
The Hunt For Red OctoberOn: Sky Movies Crime and ThrillerDate: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 07:05am (and 5:40pm)
The Life Of David GaleOn: ITV3Date: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 9:00pm (ans 10:00pm ITV3+1)
The Man In The White SuitOn: G.O.L.D.Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 10:15pm (and 11:15pm, 1:15/2:15pm 18th Apr Gold/+1)
The Matrix ReloadedOn: WatchDate: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Watch+1, 9/10:00pm 18th Apr Watch/+1)
The Sea WolvesOn: Channel 4Date: Friday 16th AprilTime: 1:10pm (and 2:10pm 4+1)
The TerminatorOn: SyFyDate: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 9:00pm (10:00pm Syfy+1)
Thx 1138On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/HorrorDate: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 08:00am (and 3:50am 18th Apr)
Uncle BuckOn: ITV3Date: Sunday 18th AprilTime: 12:40pm (and 1:40pm ITV3+1)
WarGamesOn: Virgin 1Date: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Virgin+1, 3/4:00pm 18th Apr Virgin/+1)
X2On: SyFyDate: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm SyFy+1)
Zathura: A Space AdventureOn: FIVERDate: Saturday 17th AprilTime: 7:00pm (and 3:00pm 18th Apr)
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