Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

This week, our TV highlights and recommendations take you only through the middle of the week and no further. But, please don’t feel shortchanged, as we’ll have a special Christmas holiday edition of Geek UK TV on Wednesday, to bring you through the holiday in telly style.

So, don’t fret at the brevity of shows and films that follow, because a lorryload of great programming is winging it’s way to us as we write this, and it’s a heavy, heavy consignment, indeed, with more treats than coal, we hope, in store for us to enjoy.

So, here’s the abbreviated version of new shows and specials arriving before the holiday dash…

Finding shared interests with children gets harder as we, and they, get older. So, now’s the time for any Who devotees to instil the passion in the little ones’ hearts early on, with the Channel 5 series premiere of K-9. The first of twenty-six episodes airs Saturday, December 18th at 10:00am and is entitled Regeneration, in which children discover the Time Lord’s trusty-never-rusty companion and start on adventures just right for the newest Who inductees. If you hope to watch old or new Who with the tiny ones when they’re teens, this may be the way.

A Christmas series starts on Sunday, December 19th on Sky1. These brief 15 minute vignettes are written, directed and star some of the best UK comedic talent, portraying Christmases past from their own unique and comical perspectives. The first two short Little Crackers films start at 9:00pm Sunday, and your enjoyment is likely to vary depending on your particular fondness for each comedian and artist in front of and behind the cameras. Participants include Julia Davis, Chris Dowd, Catherine Tate, Julian Barratt, Stephen Fry, and Dawn French, so the odds are in your favour across the twelve yuletide treats.

This may be the most unlikely show to have a Christmas special, especially following the series finale by just one week, but any excuse to extend Misfits’ too short six-episode run is okay in our book. The Misfits Christmas Special airs on Sunday, December 19th at 10:00pm (and repeats on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24th) on E4. The ASBO Five follow signs of offers of money for powers, leading them to what may be one of the most interesting powers yet. But safety’s never guaranteed, and with that lot, you just know, if anyone can find the most f-ed up activity for the festive season, it’s the Five. Befitting the season, it’s sure to be a cracker.

Check back on Wednesday, December 22nd, for an updated TV week, with all the specials and films you can cram into a Christmas telly marathon, and then some!

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 ’18th’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

A Christmas Carol (1999)On: FiveDate: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 7:05pm

ArmageddonOn: BBC 3Date: Wednesday 22nd DecemberTime: 8:00pm

Batman BeginsOn: ITV1Date: Wednesday 22nd DecemberTime: 10:35pm

Big FishOn: FIVERDate: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 4:20pm (and 5:20pm Fiver+1, 2/3:00pm 19th Dec)

Black BookOn: Film4Date: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 11:10pm (and 00:10am 18th Dec Film4+1)

Blade: TrinityOn: Film4Date: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance KidOn: Film4Date: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 6:50pm (and 7:50pm Film4+1)

Canadian BaconOn: TCMDate: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 1:05pm (and 5:00am 19th Dec)

Catch Me If You CanOn: BBC 3Date: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 7:50pm

CrankOn: ITV4Date: Thursday 16th DecemberTime: 11:35pm (and 00:35am 17th Dec ITV4+1, 00:55/1:55am 19th Dec)

Die HardOn: Film4Date: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A WhoOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 4:30pm (and 5:30pm 4+1)

Fist Of FuryOn: SyFyDate: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 11:50pm (and 00:50am 20th Dec Syfy+1)

From HellOn: Five USADate: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 10:20pm (and 11:20pm Five USA+1)

George Of The JungleOn: BBC 1Date: Tuesday 21st DecemberTime: 3:45pm

Ghostbusters IIOn: FIVERDate: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:pm Fiver+1, 7:50/8:50pm 18th Dec)

Green StreetOn: ITV4Date: Tuesday 21st DecemberTime: 11:45pm (and 00:45am 22nd Dec ITV4+1)

GremlinsOn: ITV2Date: Monday 20th DecemberTime: 8:30pm (and 9:30pm ITV2+1)

Hairspray (1988)On: TCMDate: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 5:15pm

Harry And The HendersonsOn: Channel 4Date: Monday 20th DecemberTime: 2:05pm (and 3:05pm 4+1)

Harry Potter And The Order Of The PhoenixOn: ITV1Date: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 6:30pm

Honey, I Shrunk The KidsOn: Channel 4Date: Wednesday 22nd DecemberTime: 2:25pm (and 3:25pm 4+1)

Jackie Chan’s Police StoryOn: SyFyDate: Monday 20th DecemberTime: 11:00pm (and midnight Syfy+1)

Jackie Chan’s Police Story 2On: SyFyDate: Tuesday 21st DecemberTime: 01:00am (and 2:00am Syfy+1, 9:50/10:50pm 22nd Dec)

Kindergarten CopOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 1:25pm (and 2:35pm ITV2+1, 9:25/10:25am 19th Dec)

Mad MaxOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 11:00pm (and midnight ITV4+1)

Mad Max 3: Beyond ThunderdomeOn: ITV1Date: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 11:05pm

Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The WorldOn: Film4Date: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 6:25pm (and 7:25pm Film4+1)

Memoirs Of An Invisible ManOn: Film4Date: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 1:00pm (and 2:00pm Film4+1, 5:10/6:10pm 22nd Dec)

National Lampoon’s Christmas VacationOn: ITV1Date: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 2:00pm

North By NorthwestOn: TCMDate: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 9:00pm

Nosferatu The Vampyre (1979)On: BBC 2Date: Monday 20th DecemberTime: 01:50am

Project AOn: SyFyDate: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Syfy+1, 1:50/2:50am 20th Dec)

Rambo IIIOn: ITV4Date: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 11:00pm (and midnight ITV4+1, 11:00pm/midnight 20th Dec)

Spirited AwayOn: BBC 2Date: Tuesday 21st DecemberTime: 10:40am

The Adventures Of Baron MunchausenOn: FIVERDate: Wednesday 22nd DecemberTime: 3:00pm (and 4:00pm Fiver+1)

The Descent: Part 2On: Sky Movies PremiereDate: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Premiere+1, then daily at similar times through 23rd Dec)

The GameOn: Universal ChannelDate: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Univeral+1)

The GigolosOn: BBC 2Date: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 00:05am

The IllusionistOn: ITV2Date: Friday 17th DecemberTime: 10:05pm (and 11:05pm ITV2+1, 9/10:00pm 22nd Dec)

The FugitiveOn: ITV2Date: Wednesday 22nd DecemberTime: 11:15pm (and 00:15am 23rd Dec ITV2+1)

The Little Girl Who Lives Down The LaneOn: TCMDate: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 01:00am

The MummyOn: ITV1Date: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 3:50pm

The Nightmare Before ChristmasOn: BBC 2Date: Tuesday 21st DecemberTime: 12:40pm

The OthersOn: Film4Date: Wednesday 22nd DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

The Truman ShowOn: more4Date: Monday 20th DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 1:05am 21st Dec)

Trading PlacesOn: Sky Movies ChristmasDate: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 11:45pm

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With MeOn: horror channelDate: Saturday 18th DecemberTime: 00:50am

Way Of The DragonOn: SyFyDate: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 01:40am (and 2:40am Syfy+1)

X-MenOn: E4Date: Sunday 19th DecemberTime: 8:00pm (and 9:00pm E4+1, 9/10:00pm 21st Dec)

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