Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week
Peep Show, Robert's Web, the end of Merlin, a repeat for Sherlock, and the conclusion of The Trip. Meet our UK TV round-up of what's coming...
After a couple weeks’ break, we play catch-up this week with new programme starts, say goodbye with series finales, and hello once more to a very welcome return visit. All coming up in the next seven days on UK telly.
Last week, the excellent Peep Show, starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, aired the first episode of its seventh series. Mark is now a dad, although a reluctant one initially, and there’s evidence of plenty left in the tank for the show, even at this great running distance, as you can see in our review of the premiere here. The series continues on Channel 4 tonight, Friday, December 3rd at 10:00pm and if you want to catch up, you can watch episode 1 here.
Half of the flatmate pair then follows in a new show, Robert’s Web, at 10:40pm on Channel 4, which looks at some of the zaniest corners of the Internet. If you’re worried it’s another lame YouTube round-up, never fear, as it gets into the tackiest of web strings, with numbnuts forum posts and other such idiocy revealed without having to shove a mouse about. (Just hope you never spot one of your own less than poetic posts being pointed at.) The first episode is available to watch online, appropriately, here.
Merlin comes to the end of its third series on Saturday, December 4th on BBC1 at 7:40pm, with the second of the two-part finale, The Coming Of Arthur. The first half was heading in a very satisfying direction for our reviewer and many of the fans, and hopes are high it can finish that same way, with a flourish, and not peter out in a puff of smelly smoke.
A firm favourite returned to BBC3, in Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’, Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. The first exquisite episode, A Study In Pink, can be seen online here. And The Blind Banker airs Sunday, December 5th at 7:30pm on BB3, and it, too, is worth a rewatch before next week’s conclusion. (Well, we say conclusion. Actually, brace yourself for a cliffhanger of mountainously epic proportions. We have never wanted to will a series into returning sooner harder.) If any episode passed you by, you can catch up in the comment sections on our still glowing reviews here.
Monday, December 6th, The Trip concludes with The Angel At Hetton on BBC2 at 10:00pm. It’s been a grand tour, with Steven Coogan and Rob Brydon entertaining in every moment, mostly with genuine laughs, and at other times, quite touching scenes in a surprise new favourite. Catch up with our most recent review here, if you like, and if you’ve missed even a second of the show, it’s still available to watch here.
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 ‘4th’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!
2001: A Space OdysseyOn: TCMDate: Thursday 9th DecemberTime: 9:00pm
A History Of ViolenceOn: more4Date: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 1:00am 4th Dec)
Airplane!On: Sky Movies ComedyDate: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 11:00pm
Apollo 13On: ITV2Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 5:15pm (and 6:15pm ITV2+1)
AssassinsOn: Five USADate: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Five USA+1)
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged MeOn: TCMDate: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 1:00am 4th Dec)
Bad Day At Black RockOn: more4Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 11:35am
Black NarcissusOn: more4Date: Wednesday 8th DecemberTime: 11:15am
BladeOn: FiveDate: Monday 6th DecemberTime: 10:00pm
Blow OutOn: TCMDate: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 10:55pm
BraveheartOn: Film4Date: Monday 6th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
ColorsOn: TCMDate: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 1:05am 5th Dec)
Con AirOn: BBC 3Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 00:40am
Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 11:45pm
Day WatchOn: Film4Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 00:35am (and 1:35am Film4+1)
Enemy At The GatesOn: Channel 4Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 01:55am
FargoOn: TCMDate: Thursday 9th DecemberTime: 11:35pm
First BloodOn: ITV4Date: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: midnight (and 1:00am 4th Dec ITV4+1, 11/midnight 6th Dec)
Flash GordonOn: ITV4Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 5:45pm (and 6:45pm ITV4+1)
Frozen RiverOn: BBC 2Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 11:25pm
Ice AgeOn: FiveDate: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 5:15pm
IdentityOn: BravoDate: Thursday 9th DecemberTime: 10:00pm
In BrugesOn: Film4Date: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
Jackie Chan’s Police StoryOn: SyFyDate: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Syfy+1)
K-19: The WidowmakerOn: more4Date: Tuesday 7th DecemberTime: 10:45am
KesOn: TCMDate: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 5:10pm (and 9:05am 5th Dec)
Lethal Weapon 4On: Five USADate: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Five USA+1)
Life Is BeautifulOn: Sky Movies IndieDate: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 4:05pm (and 1:10pm 8th Dec, 1:45am 9th Dec)
Little OtikOn: Film4Date: Thursday 9th DecemberTime: 00:45am (and 1:45am Film4+1)
MagiciansOn: ITV1Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 10:45pm
Nil By MouthOn: Film4Date: Monday 6th DecemberTime: 00:40am (and 1:40am Film4+1)
OldboyOn: Channel 4Date: Thursday 9th DecemberTime: 01:20am
PandorumOn: SyFyDate: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 00:20am (and 1:20am Syfy+1)
Porco RossoOn: Channel 4Date: Tuesday 7th DecemberTime: 03:30am
Pushing TinOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 01:15am (and 2:05am 4+1)
RoboCopOn: TCMDate: Wednesday 8th DecemberTime: 11:10pm
Se7enOn: Five USADate: Monday 6th DecemberTime: 11:00pm
SleeperOn: TCMDate: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 7:20pm (and 11:15am 5th Dec)
Slumdog MillionaireOn: Channel 4Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 9:25pm
SpiderOn: BBC 2Date: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 11:50pm
Spider-ManOn: FIVERDate: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Fiver+1)
Star Trek III: The Search For SpockOn: Film4Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 1:00pm (and 2:00pm Film+1)
Tenacious D In The Pick Of DestinyOn: Film4Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm Film4+1)
Terminator 2: Judgment DayOn: Sky1Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 9:00pm 5th Dec Sky2, 10:00pm 8th Dec Sky1, 9:00pm 9th Dec Sky2)
The Basketball DiariesOn: TCMDate: Monday 6th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 1:10am 7th Dec)
The ChaserOn: BBC 4Date: Sunday 5th DecemberTime: 10:30pm
The Devil’s BackboneOn: Film4Date: Wednesday 8th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)
The InterpreterOn: ITV1Date: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 10:35pm
The JacketOn: ITV2Date: Friday 3rd DecemberTime: 11:00pm (and midnight ITV2+1)
The Life Of David GaleOn: ITV1Date: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 03:00am
The Odessa FileOn: Five USADate: Saturday 4th DecemberTime: 6:25pm (and 7:25pm Five USA+1, 2:20/3:20pm 5th Dec)
The Silence Of The LambsOn: UniversalDate: Tuesday 7th DecemberTime: 10:00pm )amd 11:00pm Universal+1)
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