Best on TV
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
BBC One, 6.30pm
Even by the standards of summer viewing, Saturday seems to have a particularly poor selection of worthwhile shows, but this 1984 adventure extravaganza is one of several decent films on tonight. The second of Steven Spielberg’s outings in the franchise, it stars Harrison Ford as the eponymous hero who discovers some very dark deeds in India.
Raising Hope
Sky 1, 6.30pm
Episode one of series two of the hit US comedy about Princess Beyonce and her unconventional upbringing. The show mines the rarely-seen white working class that series creator Greg Garcia also explored on My Name is Earl and usually produces a few laughs. And while the Chance clan are billed as crazy and zany, in reality they are probably closer to a ‘normal’ family than most other TV shows get.
The Dark Secrets of the Lusitania
National Geographic, 7pm
Big budget documentary on the ill-fated ship whose sinking in May 1915 off the coast of Cork took the lives of 1,198 people and hastened America’s entry into the First World War. A 10-day shoot off the Old Head of Kinsale last year used up a hefty slice of the programme’s €1.5m budget on cutting-edge diving equipment that allowed unprecedented access to the wreck 300 feet below the surface. The big debate for the programme is whether a second explosion on the ship was caused by another torpedo or, as the Germans alleged, munitions that were aboard a ship masquerading as purely civilian. Incidentally, photographs of the survivors and funerals for the deceased taken by Tom Barker of this newspaper reputedly helped swing public opinion in the US in favour of joining Britain in the war.
Knuckle
BBC Four, 10pm
More Traveller action as Ian Palmer’s documentary on organised fights among different clans gets another airing as part of the Storyville series. It follows the fighting career of James Quinn McDonagh and his younger brother Michael over a number of years.
The Science Squad
RTÉ One, 8.30pm
Final episode in the series talks to Irish researchers who are working on the frontline of cutting edge developments for healthcare devices and imaging technology.
Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model
Sky Living, 9pm
After the fun in the sun of the opening episode, it all gets a bit more serious for the contestants tonight as they get whittled down to a final 14 who’ll enter the Top Model house. Cork hopefuls Kellie Forde and Lisa Madden, pictured, along with Derry lass Diona Doherty, are put through their paces for a photoshoot directed by Elle MacPherson before facing a nerve-wracking elimination scene in which they find out if they’re among the three girls going home.
Terry Gilliam: In Confidence
Sky Arts, 8pm
Best known as a film director Terry Gilliam, 70, says he may never make another movie. Instead he’s turned to opera and made his debut helming Hector Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust for English National Opera (ENO). In this interview with Laurie Taylor, he talks about his career change, and also why old age hasn’t dimmed the creative fire in his belly.
Faster, Higher, Stronger
RTÉ One, 9.35pm
No matter how much of the hype about London 2012 you get caught up in, there will always be a nagging doubt about some of the performances. Too many of past Olympics’ stars — Ben Johnson, Michelle Smith, Marion Jones, etc — have ended their careers in disgrace not to be circumspect. This documentary by journalist Ian O’Riordan explores the area of sports science, and how both legal and illegal aspects of its development have affected sport. The legal side of sports science is explored with highly-regarded walker Robert Heffernan, right, who has a tent over his bed to mimic the effects of training at high altitude. Among the other interviewees are Martin Fagan and Geraldine Hendricken, two Irish athletes who received bans for failed drugs tests. O’Riordan then explores widely available sports supplements, asking if these are really just legal performance enhancers. We also hear about genetic doping, widely regarded as the next big threat to fair competition.
The Riots: In Their Own Words
BBC Two, 9pm
Last year, the world watched aghast as riots spread across Britain, causing five deaths and tens of millions worth of damage. This two-part documentary uses actors to portray the words of those who were involved, from those on the rampage to members of the emergency services. In Monday’s show we heard primarily from the rioters themselves, some of whom testified for the Reading Riots project, which aimed to find out what happened from those who took part. Some were proud of what they did; others expressed remorse. Tonight, it’s the turn of the police to describe their experiences, including one young officer who was sent to the front line in Hackney on his first day on the job.
Memento
Film4, 9pm
Christopher Nolan’s engaging tale manages to pull off the difficult task of building a thriller around a man suffering from a rare form of amnesia. Guy Pearce’s character has no short-term memory so relies on written notes and photographs as he seeks to avenge the killing of his wife. It’s a film that takes some concentration, but your efforts will be rewarded.
Great Britain v Brazil
BBC One, kick-off 7.45pm
This pre-Olympics friendly will provide some much-needed relief for action-starved soccer fans. For Stuart Pierce’s side, captained by Ryan Giggs, it also provides the only game they’ll get to play together before the tournament. Brazil, on the other hand, are a much more settled side and contain some of the hotly-tipped emerging stars from that country’s conveyor belt of talent.
Avatar
Film4, 9pm
David Cameron’s innovative epic really is made for the big screen, but there is still enough of an interesting storyline for it to also succeed on your humble television.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
