Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

Last year around this time, the BBC treated viewers to a science show with a difference in Wonders Of The Solar System. The difference was in the anti-stuffy presenter, Professor Brian Cox, whose simple, but sensible demonstrations elucidated more in one hour than a whole term of school for some. Ryan reviewed the show saying, “Cox’s enthusiasm for his subject is infectious, and while a physics professor talking about science in jeans and t-shirt may sound like a school teacher’s toe-curling attempt to get down with the kids, his casual approach to explaining science is refreshing, rather than condescending.”

You can read those reviews here and Professor Cox returns with a new series, Wonders Of The Universe, Sunday, March 6th at 9:00 on BBC2, which we’ll also be reviewing.

In the series premiere, Destiny, the first of four episodes, Professor Cox tackles that ethereal and elusive subject, the stuff of so many sci-fi stories and shows, and what we all crave more of. Time is given the Cox treatment by looking into the effects of its passing on our small marble and the universe, and considering how it will all, inevitably, end.

We go from brainy to deranged with the second season of the animated series, The Ricky Gervais Show, based on the comedic, Guinness World Record-winning podcasts. First aired in the US, the show has now come home for a thirteen episode run starting Tuesday, March 8th at 11:00pm on E4.

Although the show is hosted by Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, they’d probably not argue that the star is Karl Pilkington, whose (let’s hope!) unique ideas are as fascinating as they are confoundingly funny.

This season delves deeper into Karl’s diary, where some of his thoughts and observations have been recorded for posterity and hilarity. In the opening episode, Clive Warren, Karl describes his ‘you have to hear it to believe it’ film pitch, but his real-life notions are often even more marvelously bizarre.

Now, on to those films showing through the weekend and a bit beyond. This week there’s some family fare to share with the geeklings, and a bit of Bourne and Bond among other great films. 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 ‘5th’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

On: BBC 1    Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 11:35pm

A View To A KillOn: ITV4  Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm ITV4+1, 4/5:00pm 5th Mar)

BladeOn: TCM  Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 11:15pm

CrankOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 00:45am (and 1:45am ITV4+1)

Groundhog DayOn: Watch   Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 10:10pm (and 11:10pm Watch+1, 9/10:00pm 6th Mar)

HancockOn: FIVER   Date: Monday 7th MarchTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Fiver+1, 7:05/8:05pm 8th Mar)

HeathersOn: horror channel  Date: Tuesday 8th MarchTime: 9:00pmHow The West Was WonOn: TCMDate: Tuesday 8th MarchTime: 5:05pm (and 9:15am 9th Mar)

I Love You Phillip MorrisOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 4th MarchTime: 10:20pm (and 11:20pm Premiere+1, then daily through 7th Mar)

Ice AgeOn: FIVERDate: Monday 7th MarchTime: 7:30pm

JawsOn: ITV4    Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV4+1)

Jurassic ParkOn: ITV2   Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 5:35pm (and 6:35pm ITV2+1)

Kindergarten CopOn: ITV1  Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 1:50pm

La ZonaOn: BBC 4Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 10:00pmLeaving Las VegasOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 11:55pm (and 00:55am ITV2+1, 11:15pm 7th Mar/00:15am 8th Mar)

Lethal WeaponOn: TCM  Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 9:00pm (and 1:20am 5th Mar)

Little NikitaOn: Five USA  Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: noon (and 1:00pm Five USA+1)

MementoOn: Film4Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 10:40pm (and 11:40pm Film4+1)

Mr. & Mrs. SmithOn: Channel 4   Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm 4+1)

Pale RiderOn: TCMDate: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 9:00pm

ScarfaceOn: ITV4Date: Tuesday 8th MarchTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm ITV4+1)

Schindler’s ListOn: ITV3  Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 11:05pm (and 00:05am 5th Mar ITV3+1, 11:40pm 10th Mar)Shutter IslandOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 4th MarchTime: 10:00am (and 11:00am Premiere+1 & 8/9:00pm, then daily through 10th Mar)

SpartacusOn: ITV4  Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 3:15pm (and 4:15pm ITV4+1)

SpeedOn: Five USA  Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Five USA+1)Spy KidsOn: Channel 5    Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 3:40pm

Superman 2On: Channel 5  Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 4:25pm

TakenOn: Channel 4  Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 4+1)The Bourne IdentityOn: ITV2Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 10:30pm (and 11:30pm ITV2+1, 10:30/11:30pm 8th Mar)The DepartedOn: more4Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 9:00pm (and 11:20pm 8th Mar)

The Emperor’s New ClothesOn: Film4 (428)    Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 3:00pm (and 4:00pm Film4+1)

The Evil DeadOn: SyFy   Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Syfy+1)The Killing FieldsOn: BBC 1   Date: Wednesday 9th MarchTime: 11:25pm

The Pelican BriefOn: ITV2Date: Thursday 10th MarchTime: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm ITV2+1)The PropositionOn: Film4  Date: Monday 7th MarchTime: 11:35pm (and 00:35am 8th Mar Film4+1)The Railway ChildrenOn: ITV3  Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 06:00am (and 7:00am ITV3+1)The Silence Of The LambsOn: Universal   Date: Sunday 6th MarchTime: 11:00pm (and midnight Universal+1)

The Stepford Wives (1975)On: TCM  Date: Wednesday 9th MarchTime: 00:25am

The Thin Red LineOn: Film4   Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 00:50am (and 1:50am Film4+1)

The World Is Not EnoughOn: ITV1    Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 9:40pm

UnleashedOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 11:00pm (and midnight ITV4+1)

UnthinkableOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Saturday 5th MarchTime: 00:05am (and 1:05am Premiere+1, then daily through 8th Mar)

ZoolanderOn: Film4Date: Friday 4th MarchTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here.