Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week

Welcome, paraskevidekatriaphobiacs. And triskaidekaphobiacs, as well. We show no favouritism here at the Den, and no matter what form your number-based fears take, good things await you beyond Friday, the thirteenth…

There isn’t a single new program launch on this week’s horizon that we’re even mildly interested in, but do we care? Do we, heck! Because Sunday. This Sunday. The one that follows Saturday. Doctor Who: The Waters Of Mars, the special, airs and we only have eyes for David.

Simon has seen it in an especially special, invitation-only screening and he’s Twitted about it in excruciatingly tantalising bitty bits like: “lots of little winks to some classic horror movies”, “Tennant and Duncan share a brilliant scene together”, “It’s very, very dark” and other teasing tidbits that hint at a quite memorable experience come Sunday 15 November at 7:00pm on BBC1.

We’re sure of only one thing even in advance of watching: it’s bound to make us miss The Tenth Doctor that much more and give this Christmas coming a certain pang – a chest tightening wrench beyond the reach of the credit crunch’s fist.

Elsewhere in the universe… we’ve seen the first episode of E4’s Misfits (which Madeleine’s reviewed here – mortgaging her REM cycles in the process this week. We thank you, Madeleine!) Based on the opening episode, we’ve now dedicated PVR disc space to the entire run. Take that as a rather substantial commitment on our part. Few shows make the record mode cut.

Now on to the films showing through the weekend and a bit beyond. There are some high calibre Asian films to check out as well as some not unbearable kiddie fare to share with the geeklets too young to wrestle away the remote.

As always, if we’ve missed anything, share your personal picks in the comments section 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 ’14th’ in your browser’s Find box or window to highlight and/or tab through all movies shown on Saturday. Enjoy!

A Simple PlanOn: BBC 1   Date: Wednesday 18th NovemberTime: 11:25pmA Soldier’s StoryOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 08:45am

American BeautyOn: Sky Movies Indie  Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 11:55pm

Angel HeartOn: ITV4   Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 10:00pm

Arlington RoadOn: Sky Screen 2 Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 3:00pmAshes Of Time ReduxOn: Film4Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 01:05am (and 2:05am Film4+1)

Bad BoysOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 3:25pm (and 11:50pm)

Batman ReturnsOn: Sky Movies Premiere  Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 8:00pm (and 9:00pm Premiere+1)

Batteries Not IncludedOn: Sky Movies Family Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 4:30pm (and midnight)

Battlestar Galactica (part 1)On: SCI FIDate: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 1:20pm (and 3:10pm part 2)BigOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 4:35pm (and 4:40am 15th Nov)

Bill And Ted’s Excellent AdventureOn: ITV1   Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 1:10pm

Blazing SaddlesOn: Sky Movies Classics  Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 9:00pm (and 2:25am 14th Nov)

Blown AwayOn: Virgin 1  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Virgin1+1)

Buffalo ’66On: Sky Movies Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 4:30pm (and 10:00pm)ContactOn: Five Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 5:00pm

Dark CityOn: TCM Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 9:00pm (and 00:55am 15th Nov)Desu nôto (Death Note)On: Film4  Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 10:40pm (and 11:40pm Film4+1)

Desu nôto: The Last NameOn: Film4  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 01:05am (and 2:05am Film4+1)

Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsOn: Sky Screen 1Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 3:00pm

Do The Right ThingOn: Sky Movies Drama Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: midnight

Dragon: Bruce Lee StoryOn: Sky Movies Action/Thriller Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 12:45pm (and 9:00pm)

Eastern PromisesOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 10:00pm

F/XOn: Sky Movies Action/ThrilleDate: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 06:40am (and 12:40pm)

Friday The 13th (1980)On: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 10:30pm

Hana-BiOn: Sky Movies Indie  Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 01:40am (and 1:15am 19th Nov)

HancockOn: Sky Screen 1  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 11:15am (and 9:40pm)

HannibalOn: Sky Screen 2Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 02:45am (and 1:50am 15th Nov, Sky Horror, 00:45am 17th Nov Sky Screen2, 10:30pm 18th Nov Sky Horror)Hard CandyOn: BBC 2    Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 11:00pm

Hellboy II: The Golden ArmyOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 7:00pm (and 00:20am 14th Nov)

High FidelityOn: Sky Movies Indie  Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 10:35am (and 8:05pm)

I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OKOn: Film4  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 11:00pm (and midnight Film4+1)

In BrugesOn: Sky Movies Indie  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 11:50pm (and 3:30am 15th Nov)

Iron ManOn: Sky Screen 2 Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 12:50pm (and 9:00pm, 1:35pm & 9:00pm 15th Nov Sky Action)

Jurassic Park IIIOn: Sky Movies Family Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 1:10pm (and 8:00pm)

Lost In SpaceOn: Five   Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 2:00pm

Mission: Impossible II (and 9:00pm 15th Nov)On: Sky1Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 9:00pm

Mortal ThoughtsOn: Sky Movies Action/ThrillerDate: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 02:25am

No Country For Old MenOn: Sky Movies Action/Thriller  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 10:30am (and 6:55pm)

Pineapple ExpressOn: Sky Movies Comedy  Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 10:00pm (and 1:30am 14th Nov)

RecOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 04:05am

RocknRollaOn: Sky Screen 2 Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 12:40pm (and 9:00pm)

Shoot ‘Em UpOn: Sky Screen 2 Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 03:05am

Soylent GreenOn: TCMDate: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 11:00pm

SpawnOn: TCM Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 9:00pm (and 00:50am 14th Nov)

Spider-Man 2On: Five   Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 4:20pm

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet StreetOn: Sky Movies Drama  Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 10:00pm

The Borrowers (1997)On: Sky Movies Family Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 08:30am (and 4:45pm)

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince CaspianOn: Sky Movies Family Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 5:25pmThe Day After TomorrowOn: Film4Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 6:40pm (amd 7:40pm Film4+1, 6:40/7:40pm Fim4/+1 19th Nov)

The Fast And The FuriousOn: WatchDate: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 10:00pm (and 11:00pm Watch+1, 9:00/10:00pm Watch/+1 15th Nov)The GodfatherOn: Sky Movies Modern Greats  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 10:30pmThe Italian Job (1969)On: Sky Screen 1 Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 4:05pmThe MistOn: Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 10:00am (and 5:10pm)

The Omega ManOn: TCMDate: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 11:00pm

The Silence Of The LambsOn: Sky Screen 2Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 10:35pm (and 11:00pm 19th Nov)The Thirteenth FloorOn: Five USA    Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 1:25pm

The Time Machine (1960)On: TCMDate: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 1:00pm (and 5:00am 14th Nov)

The Usual SuspectsOn: Sky Movies Indie Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 02:00am

The WitchesOn: LIVING  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 6:00pm (amd 7:00/8:00pm Living+1/+2, 2:00/3:00/4:00pm Living/+1/+2 15th Nov)

Three Days Of The CondorOn: Sky Movies Action/Thriller   Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 5:20pm

Three KingsOn: Sky Movies Modern GreatsDate: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 6:55pm

Tropic ThunderOn: Sky Movies Comedy Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 07:05am (and 8:00pm)Watership DownOn: Film4   Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 4:40pm (and 5:40pm Film4+1, 4:55/5:55pm 19th Nov Film4/+1)

WestworldOn: TCM   Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 9:00pm

Zack And Miri Make A PornoOn: Sky Movies Premiere  Date: Saturday 14th NovemberTime: 10:10pm (and 11:10pm Premiere+1, then daily at similar times through 19th Nov)

Zatôichi On: Film4Date: Sunday 15th NovemberTime: 11:20pm (and 00:20ampm Film4+1)

ZoolanderOn: Film4Date: Friday 13th NovemberTime: 9:00pm (and 10:00pm Film4+1)