Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

The third season of vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters in the Deep South comes to a finish with Evil Is Going On, the finale of this season of True Blood, tonight, Friday, April 1st at 10:00pm on FX. Friends and foes part company, some solemnly, some violently and some are left standing in the dust as the pickup drives away. But it does leave a lot to wonder about until season 4 arrives, as fairies join the citizens and denizens of Bon Temp. You can leave your thoughts on the season’s close here, see a few season 4 trailers here , and we’ll bring you news of the show’s return to the UK when we learn of it.

On Saturday, April 2nd at 9:00pm, the French police series, Spiral, begins a third series, with a twelve episode stay on BBC4. We’ve only seen a few of the first series so far, and can say that it’s a very visceral show and doesn’t hold back on the shocking and gruesome aspects of cases covered. Also, quite unlike shows in its genre, what we’ve watched is cumulative crime-solving. Unlike The Killing, which focused on one murder over its twenty episodes, and traditional ‘murder of the week’ programmes, Spiral adds more crimes to the central mystery to be solved across its eight episodes. With a well-cast group of characters and tight writing, it’s one to mark in your schedule, provided you have the stomach to handle it.

To lighten the mood a bit and turn to a more comedic debut, you’ll need to wait until Tuesday, April 5th at 10:00pm when Channel 4 opens the doors to Campus. We don’t catch a lot of the late night Comedy Showcases on the channel, but this university-rooted show was granted its own six episode series based on its performance in that spot. Unlike the other (somewhat) higher education comedy of the moment, Community, Campus focuses on the staff, rather than the students within its fictional classes and hallways. It may be worth a look into its premiere episode, Publication, Publication, Publication.

If you’re a fan who’s missed Peter Krause since his performances in Sports Night and Six Feet Under, and also like the familial humour of the Steve Martin-starring feature film, you’ll be happy to find him as Adam Braverman in the small screen treatment of Parenthood. Having enjoyed two seasons in the States, a thirteen episode first, and expanded second, we’ve read the show actually manages to transfer what we liked about the film to the smaller screen. And an extended family cast that also includes Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia and Dax Shepard is enough to invest in a peek at the pilot on Thursday, April 7th at 10:00pm on 5*. (We figure that’s ‘5 star’, and not ‘5 asterisk’.)

Now, on to those films showing through the weekend and a bit beyond. This week there are two great films that feature submarines, with 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and The Hunt For Red October.

There’s also a less than faint trail of travelling themes throughout our picks, in  2001: A Space Odyssey, 3,000 Miles To Graceland, Galaxy Quest, London To Brighton, Lost Highway, The Accidental Tourist and Transporter 2.

So, there’s plenty to stay in for this week, remaining cosy and rested while the others tire themselves out and eat through their petrol budgets.

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 ‘2nd’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

2001: A Space OdysseyOn: TCM    Date: Monday 4th AprilTime: 09:05am

20,000 Leagues Under The SeaOn: more4  Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 10:55am3,000 Miles To GracelandOn: TCM  Date: Wednesday 6th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 1:35am 7th Apr)

A History Of ViolenceOn: Film4  Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 11:25pm (and 00:25am 3rd Apr Film4+1)

An American Werewolf In LondonOn: horror channel  Date: Tuesday 5th AprilTime: 00:50amBack To The FutureOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 6:45pm (and 7:45pm ITV2+1)

Back To The Future Part IIOn: ITV2Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 5:50pm (and 6:50pm ITV2+1)

Bad Lieutenant (1992)On: Film4  Date: Tuesday 5th AprilTime: 11:30pm and 00:30am 6th Apr Film4+1)

Batman (1966)On: Film4   Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 4:50pm (and 5:50pm Film4+1)Batman (1989)On: ITV2Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 10:45pm (and 11:45pm ITV2+1)Batman BeginsOn: ITV2Date: Thursday 7th AprilTime: 10:45pm (and 11:45pm ITV2+1)Beverly Hills CopOn: Sky1    Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Sky2 3rd Apr, 9:00pm Sky1 5th Apr, 10:00pm Sky2 7th Apr)

BladeOn: TCMDate: Friday 1st AprilTime: 11:05pmColorsOn: TCM   Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 11:50pm

ExcaliburOn: ITV3Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 11:05pm (and 00:05am 2nd Apr ITV3+1)

First BloodOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 10:30pm (and 11:30pm ITV4+1)

Galaxy QuestOn: BBC 1    Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 2:55pm

Halloween H2O: 20 Years LaterOn: BBC 1Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 11:50pm

Hot FuzzOn: ITV2  Date: Tuesday 5th AprilTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm ITV2+1)Hot Tub Time MachineOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 1st AprilTime: 10:00am (and 11:00am Premiere+1 &  8/9:00pm then daily through 7th Apr)

I Heart HuckabeesOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 01:10am (and 2:10am 4+1)

Innocent BloodOn: horror channel   Date: Wednesday 6th AprilTime: 00:50am

Kiki’s Delivery ServiceOn: Channel 4  Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 03:40am (and 4:40am 4+1)

Let Him Have ItOn: True Movies   Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 11:00pm (and 1:00pm 5th Apr)Lethal WeaponOn: ITV4Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV4+1, 11:00pm/midnight 6th Apr)

London To BrightonOn: BBC 2     Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 11:50pm

Lost HighwayOn: horror channelDate: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 10:55pm

Lost In TranslationOn: Channel 4   Date: Monday 4th AprilTime: 00:15am (and 1:15am 4+1)

Mean GirlsOn: Film4    Date: Wednesday 6th AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)NighthawksOn: ITV4Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV4+1, midnight/1:00am 5th/6th Apr)Perfume: The Story Of A MurdererOn: BBC 2   Date: Tuesday 5th AprilTime: 11:20pm

Predator 2On: E4Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm E4+1)

Rambo: First Blood Part IIOn: ITV4Date: Tuesday 5th AprilTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm ITV4+1)School Of RockOn: Film4Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 1:00pm (and 2:00pm Film4+1)The Accidental TouristOn: TCMDate: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 5:10pm

The Big EasyOn: BBC 1    Date: Monday 4th AprilTime: 22:35pmThe ClientOn: more4Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 10:00pmThe Evil DeadOn: horror channel    Date: Thursday 7th AprilTime: 00:55amThe GameOn: ITV4    Date: Thursday 7th AprilTime: 10:35pm (and 11:35pm ITV4+1)

The HoleOn: E4  Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm E4+1)

The Hunt For Red OctoberOn: more4   Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 2:05pm

The InvasionOn: 5*   Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 5*+1)The Last SamuraiOn: TCMDate: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 9:00pmThe MatrixOn: ITV1    Date: Tuesday 5th AprilTime: 10:35pm

The Railway ChildrenOn: ITV3Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 1:35pm (and 2:35pm ITV3+1)

The Sum Of All FearsOn: Film4  Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

Transporter 2On: Channel 4Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 4+1)Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with MeOn: horror channel   Date: Sunday 3rd AprilTime: 10:55pmUnforgivenOn: TCMDate: Thursday 7th AprilTime: 9:00pm

VacancyOn: 5*   Date: Monday 4th April 2Time: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 5*+1)

Wall StreetOn: Film4Date: Friday 1st AprilTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1, 9/10:00pm 7th Apr)

WantedOn: ITV1   Date: Saturday 2nd AprilTime: 9:40pm

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