Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

Comedy – and lots of it – is still the recommended remedy when days are shorter and wallets are lighter and the big prescription pad in the sky, thankfully, sends us succour.

It’s almost comical to think that coming up geeks may know of Eddie Izzard more for his film career (Mystery Men, Valkyrie) and TV appearances (The Riches and upcoming The Day Of The Triffids) than his standup routines of the late nineties and early naughties. Tonight at 11:15pm on More4 we get more original Eddie Izzard, this time in Eddie Izzard: Dress To Kill. And yes, he does. Any admirers of Mr Izzard’s thespian-only endeavours are in for an eye-opening and jaw ache. The recorded live show from 1999 is repeated on Saturday, the 12th, at 2:50am.

On Saturday night at 10:10pm on BBC2 the last episode of the current season of The Thick Of It airs. Can Malcolm work his foul-mouthed magic and make a miraculous return? Or is the potty spouter gone for good? There’ll, no doubt, be Galting gun expletives and laughs flying, no matter what the outcome. The finale is repeated on BBC HD and BBC4 a little later in the week should you miss the F bombs and other capital initial missiles launch.

There’s still more comedy on offer among the weekend’s films and a bit beyond. And for those UK TV viewers reading about Mr John Lithgow’s current idolisation in this season’s Dexter Stateside, you can at least console yourself with his portrayal of Don Quixote, until season four makes our shores.

Please also note: the ordinal numbers for dates will help you scan through this simple list with your browser’s search function. Enter ’12th’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

AliensOn: Film4    Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)Almost FamousOn: Sky Movies Indie  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 09:00am (and 10:00pm)

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged MeOn: FIVERDate: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 9:00pmBeing John MalkovichOn: Film4     Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 11:35pm (and 00:35am Film4+1, 1:20/2:20am 15th Dec Film4/+1)

Catch-22On: Sky Movies Classics     Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 9:00pm

CellularOn: Channel 4  Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 11:10pm (and 00:10am 4+1)

Charlie And The Chocolate FactoryOn: ITV2Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 11:15pm

ConstantineOn: FiveDate: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 9:30pmDarkmanOn: Sky Movies Action/Thriller   Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 01:10amDefianceOn: Sky Movies Premiere   Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Premiere+1, then daily at similar times through 18th Dec)Demolition ManOn: Sky Movies Christmas    Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 11:25pm

Die HardOn: Sky Movies Christmas   Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 8:00pmDie Hard 2On: Sky Movies Action/Thriller  Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 1:50pm (and 10:00pm)

Don QuixoteOn: Five    Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 1:00pm (and noon 17th Dec)

Eddie Murphy: RawOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 02:00amElfOn: Channel 4  Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 5:45pm (and 6:45pm 4+1)

Ferris Bueller’s Day OffOn: Sky Movies Christmas    Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 6:15pmHard TargetOn: ITV4Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 16th Dec)

High FidelityOn: Sky Movies Indie   Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 2:20pm (and 00:50am 13th Dec, 11:20am 15th Dec)How The Grinch Stole ChristmasOn: Sky Screen 1   Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 07:30am (and 3:35pm, 6:30 am & 1:10pm 13th Dec Sky Family)Lethal Weapon 3On: ITV4   Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 9:00pm

Mars Attacks!On: ITV4   Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 8:00pmNational Lampoon’s VacationOn: Sky Movies Comedy  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 06:10am (and 6:15pm)

National Lampoon’s European VacationOn: Sky Movies Comedy   Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 06:35am (and 6:20pm)

Passenger 57On: ITV2     Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: midnight (and 10:00pm 15th Dec)

Role ModelsOn: Sky Movies Premiere    Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 10:00am (and 11:00am Premiere+1, 00:05/1:05am 12th Dec Premiere/+1)SawOn: Film4   Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: midnight (and 1:00am 13th Dec Film4+1)

ShrekOn: Sky Screen 1  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 09:25am (and 4:45pm)

Sixteen CandlesOn: Sky Movies Christmas    Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 1:10pmTeen WolfOn: Sky Movies Christmas   Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 8:00pm

The AbyssOn: Film4Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)The Addams FamilyOn: Sky Movies Family   Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 6:15pm (and 1:30am 14th Dec)

The Addams Family ValuesOn: Sky Movies Family  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 2:35pm

The Breakfast ClubOn: Sky Movies Christmas  Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 2:45pm

The Dark KnightOn: Sky Movies Action/Thriller   Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 10:25am (and 9:00pm)

The GodfatherOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats   Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 10:40am

The Godfather Part IIOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats   Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 1:40pm

The Golden ChildOn: Sky Movies ChristmasDate: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 11:30am (and 9:40pm)

The Great EscapeOn: Sky Movies Classics    Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 12:05pm (and 9:00pm)

The Green MileOn: Five USA   Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 9:00pm 15th Dec)The IslandOn: ITV1  Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 10:35pm

The Italian JobOn: Sky Movies Action/Thriller  Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 07:50am (and 6:05pm)

The Last Of The MohicansOn: Sky Movies Drama  Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 11:20am

The Last SamuraiOn: ITV2  Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm 16th Dec)

The MistOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror   Date: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 08:00am (and 3:25pm)

The Monster SquadOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 5:25pm

The Omega ManOn: Five  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 5:05pm

The Shawshank RedemptionOn: Channel 4   Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 9:30pm (and 10:30pm 4+1)

The Way Of The GunOn: FX    Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: midnight (and 2:00am 17th Dec)

Trading PlacesOn: Sky Movies ChristmasDate: Sunday 13th DecemberTime: 00:15am (and 6:00pm 16th Dec)

Training DayOn: Sky Movies Premiere   Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Premiere+1)

Tropic ThunderOn: Sky Screen 1  Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 11:20am (and 10:00pm)

VideodromeOn: Sky Movies Indie   Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 11:55pm

X-MenOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats  Date: Saturday 12th DecemberTime: 11:10am (and 8:00pm)

Young FrankensteinOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats  Date: Friday 11th DecemberTime: 08:30am (and 4:20pm)