Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week
Primeval ends, Outcasts starts, Bedlam kicks off, Bob's Burgers arrives, Arrested Development goes back to the start, there's Mad Dogs. And lots and lots of movies...
In a busier seven days than we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, the schedules wave both hello and goodbye to a number of shows. Some return to proven praise. Others have the hard task of earning it over the next six or so weeks.
Saturday, February 5th brings the end of the fourth series of Primeval at 7:30pm on ITV1. The series has seen the return of a familiar face just recently. Is there room for one more? If you’re a fan of the show, tune in and have a squawk about it when the finale review goes live early Monday morning.
New sci-fi show, Outcasts, breaks onto screens in two consecutive episodes over two nights, starting Monday, February 7th at 9:00pm on BBC1. We had a sneak peek followed by a spoiler-free review of the show about settlers on a home-away-from-home Earth-like sandy domain. We’d love to hear your verdicts, and hopes for future episodes, in the comments section.
You’d think it was October with the ghostly goings on in the telly schedules. ITV’s Marchlands started last night and we have a review of that first episode here. But if you prefer your haunted houses (or block of flats converted from an insane asylum) with a talent search show pop star tenant, and (we’d guess) up-to-the-second fashions and hair styles, Bedlam may be for you. Its first of six episodes airs on Sky Living at 10:00pm on Monday, February 7th. If it’s short on shivers, it may provide a giggle or two.
If you need a refresher course in chicken impressions, want to watch a real failed magician instead of the current influx of egotistical overdressed exhibitionists, or feel the need to see a true blue never-nude man, then it’s been too long since you’ve watched Arrested Development and FX is coming to your aid. The show is being broadcast from the very start, with the pilot episode airing on FX Tuesday, February 8th at 9:00pm, followed by Top Banana at 9:30. All we can say is hooray! Now our family will seem almost normal.
Also on Tuesday, February 8th is the premiere here of the new animated show, Bob’s Burgers. This US import about a burger flipping family business ain’t The Simpsons, as evidenced by its 11:35pm slot on E4 and its first episode title, Human Flesh. We’ll happily fork out a half an hour for a taster.
I Was There… When The Beatles Played The Cavern airs on Wednesday, February 9th, fifty years, to the day, from that first performance at that now famous location. This documentary tells the story of that night in 1961, and the history of The Cavern since, with interviews, including a chat with drummer, Pete Best, who was replaced by Ringo Starr in 1962. A must-watch for Beatles fans, it’s showing on ITV1 at 10:35pm.
You may not recognise the name of the new 4-part series, Mad Dogs, airing on Sky 1 at 9:00pm on Thursday, but you’ll surely remember the faces adorning it. Life On Mars and Ashes To Ashes compadres, Philip Glenister and John Simm join Max Beesley and Hustle‘s Marc Warren in a psychological thriller centred around a holiday in Majorca, where, we think it’s safe to say, things aren’t all sun, sand and sipping mojitos. We’ll tune in solely on the strength of the casting and the mysterious, and (admittedly) alluring ads for the show.
A well worn, yet still fresh comedy is also on the tables this week, with the start of the fifth series of 30 Rock on Comedy Central. We’ll make room for Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon any day, and if she brings boyfriend, Matt Damon, along with her, as in the season opener, The Fabian Strategy, well, the door is that bit wider on Thursday, February 10th at 10:30pm.
Now, on to the films showing through the weekend and a bit beyond. We’ve thrown a few classics into the mix, along with a couple kids flicks, and some tasty cheesy action and OTT acting, among the other fine fare on offer. 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!
Apollo 13On: ITV2Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 12:50pm (and 1:50pm ITV2+1)
BatmanOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm ITV2+1, 9:00pm 7th Feb & 1:40am 8th Feb TCM)
Batman BeginsOn: TCMDate: Thursday 10th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm
Broken ArrowOn: Channel 4Date: Thursday 10th FebruaryTime: 12:20pm (and 1:20pm 4+1)
Chain ReactionOn: Film4Date: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 11:15pm (and 00:15am 7th Feb)
Corpse BrideOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 2:20pm
DaybreakersOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Premiere+1, then daily through 10th Feb)
DiaboliqueOn: BBC 1Date: Wednesday 9th FebruaryTime: 11:25pm
Die Hard 4.0On: Film4Date: Tuesday 8th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
EquilibriumOn: Film4Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
EraserOn: TCMDate: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 11:10pm
Falling DownOn: TCMDate: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm (and 1:40am 6th Feb)
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver SurferOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 7:00pm (and 8:00pm 4+1)
FargoOn: TCMDate: Thursday 10th FebruaryTime: 11:45pm
FrailtyOn: Channel 4Date: Monday 7th FebruaryTime: 01:55am (and 2:55am 4+1)
Get ShortyOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 11:05pm (and 00:05am 6th Feb ITV4+1)
Hot FuzzOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 10:55pm
Infernal AffairsOn: Channel 4Date: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 00:20am (and 1:20am 4+1)
InnerspaceOn: TCMDate: Thursday 10th FebruaryTime: 3:00pm
JunoOn: Film4Date: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
Kelly’s HeroesOn: Five USADate: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 2:45pm (and 3:45pm Five USA+1)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1On: BBC 2Date: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 11:00pm
Kind Hearts And CoronetsOn: GOLDDate: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 2:15pm (nd 3:15pm Gold+1, 1/2:00pm 6th Feb)
Kiss Of The DragonOn: Five USADate: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Five USA+1)
Lake TahoeOn: Film4Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 02:25am (and 3:25am Film4+1)
Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate EventsOn: BBC 3Date: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 7:25pm (and 7:25pm 9th Feb)
Let Him Have ItOn: True MoviesDate: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm
Licence To KillOn: ITV4Date: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm ITV4+1, 3:20/4:20pm 5th Feb)
MulanOn: FiveDate: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 3:50pm
North By NorthwestOn: TCMDate: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 3:00pm (and 6:30am 6th Feb)
Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning ThiefOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 10:00am (and 11:00am Premiere+1 & 8/:00pm, then daily at similar times through 10th Feb)
Perfect CreatureOn: BBC 1Date: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 11:30pm
Rollerball (1975)On: TCMDate: Thursday 10th FebruaryTime: 01:05am
Se7enOn: TCMDate: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 11:10pm
Sky Captain And The World Of TomorrowOn: Film4Date: Monday 7th FebruaryTime: 6:55pm (and 7:55pm Film4+1)
SpaceballsOn: SyFyDate: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 02:00am (and 3:00am Syfy+1)
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 3:50pm
The AbyssOn: Film4Date: Monday 7th FebruaryTime: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm Film4+1)
The ClientOn: Channel 4Date: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 11:50pm (and 00:50am 7th Feb 4+1)
The Emerald ForestOn: BBC 2Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 11:50pm
The ExorcistOn: TCMDate: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 9:00pm (and 1:40am 7th Feb)
The GooniesOn: TCMDate: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 6:50pm (and 11:10am 5th Feb)
The LimeyOn: Film4Date: Wednesday 9th FebruaryTime: 01:40am (and 2:40am Film4+1)
The MachinistOn: Film4Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 11:05pm (and 00:05am 6th Feb Film4+1)
The Matrix RevolutionsOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 11:35pm (and 00:35am 6th Feb ITV2+1)
The Scarlet ClawOn: TCMDate: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 7:35pm (and 11:45am 6th Feb)
The Stepford Wives (1975)On: TCMDate: Sunday 6th FebruaryTime: 11:20pm
The StingOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 5:25pm (and 6:25pm ITV4+1)
The ThingOn: ITV1Date: Thursday 10th FebruaryTime: 02:35am
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?On: BBC 2Date: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 11:50pm
Wall StreetOn: Sky1Date: Saturday 5th FebruaryTime: 10:00pm
Youth In RevoltOn: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 4th FebruaryTime: 11:55pm (and 00:55am 5th Feb, then daily through 11th Feb)
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