Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

Hardly any of what follows this paragraph matters much to most of us, does it? Because tonight, Friday, May 21st at 9:00pm, the final, last ever episode of Ashes To Ashes will be shown on BBC1. We’ll have our cry – we mean review – as the credits roll, provided, of course, the Internet can stand the weight of the many Ashes fans clambering to commiserate over the end of a much loved and fascinating series as well as claim cred for theories proven right and share in a laugh at the farthest fetched.

While we’re still in mourning mode, Doctor Who will try to soothe us with the first of a two-part episode, The Hungry Earth, on BBC1 at 6:15, Saturday, May 22nd.

We normally reserve this space for new series launches and finales, but this week’s Live At The Apollo caught our attention as the show, airing Saturday, May 22nd at 11:25pm on BBC1, will feature two Den Of Geek favourites, Tim Vine and Chris Addison, hosted by Al Murray. It’s a repeat, but one we missed, so we won’t make that mistake again.

And now, admission time: we’re not personally familiar with Martin Amis’ 1984 novel, Money, but we understand it’s reached cult status and continually makes the top of lists of good books. The current trend in telly and film for all things ninteen-eighty-fied continues with an adaptation starring Nick Frost, which gets us interested no matter what the book buzz does. The two-parter starts on Sunday, May 23rd at 9:00pm on BBC2 and concludes on Wednesday, May 26th, same time.

We’ve saved our feature film picture spot for Arnie, but there’s more geek icon star gazing on the schedules in the next seven days.

Viggo Mortensen fans have a film twinpack in store with Channel 4’s showings of The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring and A History Of Violence. And our Kevin Costner admiration continues in the highly watchable The Untouchables.

Sky movies premieres Mickey Rourke as The Wrestler this week while Predators and Splice star Adrien Brody appears in an earlier sci-fi thriller, The Jacket.

Here are the details for those and more 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 ’22nd’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

300On: Bravo  Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Bravo+1, 10/11:00pm 24th May Bravo/+1)

A History Of ViolenceOn: Channel 4  Date: Monday 24th MayTime: 11:40pm (and 00:40am 25th May 4+1)

Air Force OneOn: Sky Movies Action and AdventureDate: Friday 21st May 2010Time: 6:50pm

Back To SchoolOn: TCMDate: Friday 21st MayTime: 9:00pm

BackdraftOn: Sky1  Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 11:00pm (and midnight Sky 2)Bad LieutenantOn: Film4Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 11:30pm (and 00:30am Film4+1)

Benny And JoonOn: TCMDate: Friday 21st MayTime: 1:00pm (and 5:00am 22nd May)

Bill And Ted’s Excellent AdventureOn: ITV2   Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 12:40pm (and 1:40pm ITV2+1)

BrazilOn: BBC 2    Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 01:35am

CloverfieldOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/HorrorDate: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 11:15am (and 7:25pm)Coming HomeOn: TCMDate: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 9:00pmCon AirOn: Sky Movies Showcase  Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 02:15am (and 10:05pm 22nd May, 1:45am 25th May)

End Of DaysOn: ITV4Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 11:10pm (and 00:10am 22nd May ITV4+1)

FargoOn: Sky Movies Crime and Thriller  Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 01:25am

Friday the 13th (1980)On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror   Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 01:45am

Galaxy QuestOn: Sky Movies Family     Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 2:15pm (and 8:00pm)

High Plains DrifterOn: Five Date: Thursday 27th MayTime: 9:00pm

How The West Was WonOn: FiveDate: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 4:00pmK-19: The WidowmakerOn: Film4Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 6:25pm (and 7:25pm Film4+1)

Let The Right One InOn: FXDate: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 11:30pm (and 2:10am 25th May)

Man On FireOn: BBC 1   Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 11:45pm

Mr Saturday NightOn: ITV3Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 00:15am

NetworkOn: TCMDate: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 11:30pmOverboardOn: ITV1Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 4:00pmProject XOn: Film4   Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 1:00pm (ans 2:00pm Film4+1, 6:55/7:55pm 24th May Film4/+1)

RockyOn: Virgin 1  Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Virgin+1, 3/4:00pm 23rd May Virgin/+1)Saving Private RyanOn: Film4Date: Monday 24th MayTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

ShooterOn: Film4Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

SilveradoOn: WatchDate: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 4:30pm (and 5:30pm Watch+1)

Star Trek: NemesisOn: E4Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 2:40pm (and 3:40pm E4+1)

Stir Of EchoesOn: SyFyDate: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 11:00pm (and midinght Syfy+1)Synecdoche, New YorkOn: Film4Date: Wednesday 26th MayTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

SwordfishOn: Five USADate: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 10:00pmThe African QueenOn: more4Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 2:45pmThe Day Of The LocustOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 00:50am

The EnforcerOn: ITV1   Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 10:35pm (and 22:10pm 24th May)

The ExorcistOn: ITV4Date: Monday 24th MayTime: 00:35am

The JacketOn: ITV1  Date: Tuesday 25th MayTime: 10:35pm

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The RingOn: Channel 4  Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 7:00pm (and 8:00pm 4+1)

The Man Who Wasn’t ThereOn: Channel 4  Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 00:50am (and 1:50am 4+1)

The Monster SquadOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/HorrorDate: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 09:40am (and 3:55am 23rd May)

The MummyOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 7:00pm (and 8:00pm ITV2+1)

The PropositionOn: Film4Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 10:50pm (and 11:50pm Film4+1)

The TerminatorOn: BBC 2  Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 10:30pm

The UntouchablesOn: Channel 4  Date: Sunday 23rd MayTime: 10:35pm (and 11:35pm 4+1)

The Wind That Shakes The BarleyOn: more4Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 9:00pm (and 1:00am 22nd May)

The WrestlerOn: Sky Movies Premiere    Date: Friday 21st MayTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Premeiere+1 and daily at similar times through 24th May)Underworld: Rise Of The LycansOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror    Date: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 00:05am (and 9:00pm 25th May)

WatchmenOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/HorrorDate: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 9:00pmZoolanderOn: WatchDate: Saturday 22nd MayTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Watch+1, 9/10:00pm 23rd May Watch/+1)