Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

Survivors returns, new runs of 24 and Mad Men start in the UK, and there's a whole lot of movies too...

We’ve got two surefire new series headed our way in the schedules this week as well as welcome repeats of some firm favourites.

Doctor Who fan favourite, the Hugo Award winning, Steven Moffat authored, The Girl In The Fireplace, will be shown again tonight, Friday 22nd January at 8:10pm on BBC3. If it’s not in your collection – and why not?! – enjoy it again this evening, if only as a familiar appetiser for what might be to come with the next Doctor Who head writer and executive producer.

We’ll give space for a mention of Spaced at each and every opportunity and Dave hands us that with a marathon run of the brilliant comedy directed by Edgar Wright and starring Jessica Hynes, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost starting at 9:00pm Saturday,  January 23rd. Beginnings introduces Daisy to Tim and both to us and starts what has to be the world’s best flat share. Enjoy it all over again from the start to the end of the first series in one big block of televisual magic, and an hour later on Dave Ja Vu. (We’re still mightily impressed with that alternative to the +1 channel name.)

This week is when those ‘plus’ boxes and broadband accounts will show they’re worth the added expense and earn their keep, as airing at the same time as Den Of Geek favourite, Being Human (on BB3), Sunday, 24th January at 9:00pm, over on Sky 1 Jack Bauer starts his eighth worst day ever.

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Season 8 of the drama series, 24, ramps up and takes off in a double episode run taking us through the hours of 4:00 to 6:00am, unveiling an assassination plot for the formerly retired Jack to once again get dragged back into the line of fire, explosions, torture and traitorous strangers and associates. Whichever show you watch, postpone, or record, when you’ve seen the episodes, stop back and debate the goings-on, and the series’ longevity with us here.

For those who need a sobering show come Monday, Current TV (Sky 183/ Virgin Media 155) offers the documentary One Night In Guantanamo, on the 25th of January at 10:00pm. Perhaps following, within 24 hours, a fictional terrorist drama where the ‘heroes’ use questionable means is a little too close for comfort for some, and a revelation to many. Interrogation techniques, and the accounts of former British inmates inside and out of the detention camp will be included in the coverage of the notorious location in Cuba, set to close within a year.

After a week away, post-apocalyptic drama Survivors returns on BBC1 at 9:00pm Tuesday 26th January. It’s a postponed airing of the second episode of the second series.

Another double premiere happens on Wednesday, 27th January starting at 10:00pm when Mad Men‘s third season begins on BBC4 with Out Of Town, followed immediately by Love Among The Ruins at 10:45pm.

Now, on to the films showing through the weekend and 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 ’23rd’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

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28 Days LaterOn: Film4Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 11:45pm (and 00:45am Film4+1)Almost FamousOn: Sky Movies Drama   Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 06:10am (and 12:30pm 28th Jan)American PieOn: Sky1Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 9:00pm 24th Jan & 10:00pm 26th Jan Sky2)

AssassinsOn: ITV1     Date: Monday 25th JanuaryTime: 10:35pmAtlantis: The Lost EmpireOn: FiveDate: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 4:45pm

Basic InstinctOn: ITV2Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 11:45pm (and 10:30pm 25th Jan)CloverfieldOn: Sky Screen 2   Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 7:20pm

CollateralOn: more4  Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 00:20am 23rd Jan)

Con AirOn: Sky Screen 2   Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 11:05pm (and 11:25pm 26th Jan)

Crimson RiversOn: Film4Date: Tuesday 26th JanuaryTime: 00:55am (and 1:55am Film4+1)

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Die Hard 4.0On: Film4Date: Tuesday 26th JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)I, RobotOn: E4Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm E4+1, 9:00/10:00pm 27th Jan E4/+1)

In BrugesOn: Sky Movies Indie    Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 10:00pm

Iron ManOn: Sky Screen 2Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 1:55pm (and 8:55pm)

James And The Giant PeachOn: Film4Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 1:00pm (and 2:00pm Film4+1, 7:25/8:25pm 27th Jan Film4/+1)

JawsOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Monday 25th JanuaryTime: 11:00am (and 8:00pm)

Jaws 2On: SCI FIDate: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 9:50pm (and 2:40pm 24th Jan)

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KaliforniaOn: Virgin 1   Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Virgin+1)

Little Shop Of HorrorsOn: LIVING     Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 6:00pm (and 7:00 & 8:00pm Living+1 & +2, 3/4/5:00pm 24th Jan Living/+1/+2)

MillionsOn: Film4Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 7:10pm (and 8:10pm Film4+1)

Mission Of The Shark: The Saga Of The USS IndianapolisOn: True Movies   Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 05:00am (and 11:00am)

National TreasureOn: BBC 3   Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 7:00pm

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 10:15pm (and 2:00pm 27th Jan)PaybackOn: FiveDate: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 9:00pm

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Perfume: The Story Of A MurdererOn: BBC 2   Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 10:30pmPredatorOn: FX     Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: midnightPulp FictionOn: BBC 3     Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 11:40pm

QuadropheniaOn: ITV1  Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 11:30pm

Rocky IIOn: BravoDate: Thursday 21st JanuaryTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Bravo+1, 9:00/10:00pm 22nd Jan Bravo/+1)

Secondhand LionsOn: Film4Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 4:50pm (and 5:50pm Film4+1, 1:00/2:00pm 24th Jan Film4/+1)

ShooterOn: Channel 4  Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm 4+1)

Short CutsOn: TCM    Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 11:20pm (and 11:45pm 25th Jan)

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SilveradoOn: Five USA   Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 3:35pm (and 1:45pm 24th Jan)

Slumdog MillionaireOn: Channel 4  Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 4+1)Small SoldiersOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 6:55pm

SunshineOn: Film4Date: Monday 25th JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)

TakenOn: Sky Screen 1Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 10:00pm (and 10:00pm 27th Jan)

The 40 Year Old VirginOn: ITV2Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 9:00pm 27th Jan)The Dark KnightOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 10:35am (and 5:20pm 11:50pm 26th Jan & 6:25pm 27th Jan, Sky Screen 2)

The Devil’s AdvocateOn: BBC 1   Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 11:45pm

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The GameOn: Sky Movies Action/Thriller  Date: Monday 25th JanuaryTime: 06:35am (and 12:50pm)

The HowlingOn: ITV4    Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 10:30pm

The Life Of David GaleOn: ITV1   Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 11:05pm

The Right StuffOn: ITV4   Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 10:50pm

The RockOn: Sky Screen 2   Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 12:50pm (and 9:00pm)

The Shawshank RedemptionOn: Film4Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1, 9:00/10:00pm 28th Jan Film4+1)

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Transporter 3On: Sky Movies Premiere  Date: Friday 22nd JanuaryTime: 9:30pm (and 10:30pm Premiere+1 then daily at similar times through 28th Jan)

UnbreakableOn: Sky Screen 2   Date: Sunday 24th JanuaryTime: 7:00pmZack And Miri Make A PornoOn: Sky Movies Comedy   Date: Saturday 23rd JanuaryTime: 10:00pm (and 3:30am 24th Jan)