Saturday’s TV tips
Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman host another star-studded round of the unorthodox general knowledge quiz, this time with a ’British Film’ theme.
The celebrities aiming to come up with obscure answers are Quadrophenia stars Phil Daniels and Leslie Ash, Trainspotting and Shallow Grave actor Keith Allen, Gregory’s Girl actress Clare Grogan, Mean Machine’s Vas Blackwood, This is England’s Thomas Turgoose, comedian, impressionist and screenwriter Phil Cornwell and Sally Thomsett, who played the youngest Waterbury sibling, Phyllis, in the 1970 adaptation of The Railway Children.
Well, Atlantis fans, the moment you’ve been dreading is here – the last-ever episode of the fantasy adventure series.
Actually, it’s a double-bill being shown as one glorious, feature-length production, clearly so the Beeb can get it over and done with and use its slot to broadcast next week’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The plot begins as Jason tries to rescue his fellow prisoners from the amphitheatre, and makes a daring return to Atlantis, which is becoming an ever more dangerous realm under Pasiphae’s villainous rule.
The hero and his friends face treachery at every turn, and come to realise that the only hope for the future is to kill the queen.
Judges Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon preside over proceedings as the hunt for the next big thing in British entertainment reaches the sixth round of auditions.
As usual, Ant and Dec are on hand to introduce the acts, and to congratulate or commiserate with them once the quartet have passed their verdict.
Here’s hoping we see some potential winners from tonight’s selection of wannabe superstars – or at least somebody so unique they stand out from the crowd.
This new drama is set in Denmark in 1851 and follows the fortunes of brothers Laust and Peter after their father returns home to South Funen after the country’s three-year war with Prussia.
The boys have become enamoured with the headstrong daughter of a local estate manager, while in Copenhagen, the martial victory encourages the nation’s political elite to consider expanding the borders of the Danish kingdom – contrary to the terms of the recently signed peace treaty Pilou Asbaek, Nicolas Bro and Sidse Babett Knudsen head the cast of what should turn out to be must-see Saturday night viewing.
It isn’t often that the Holby staff get to leave the confines of the hospital and spread their wings a little. However, that’s just what Charlie and Connie are up to this week, although their trip to Bucharest is far from being a pleasant sightseeing jaunt.
Charlie’s son Louis is missing, and so he journeys to the city to find him, with help from Connie. They find him sure enough, but Louis has become addicted to heroin and is in serious debt to some shady characters who want their money fast.
Louis is considering selling a kidney on the black market to pay them off, and it’s up to Charlie to talk him out of that drastic move. Meanwhile, Connie becomes friendly with a local doctor who may not be quite all he seems.
(2012) In a post-apocalyptic future, North America lies in ruins. In its place stands the autocratic nation of Panem, comprising the wealthy Capitol and 12 surrounding, poorer districts controlled by President Snow (Donald Sutherland).
Every year, one boy and one girl are selected by lottery from each district to take part in The Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) replaces her younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) as the female representative from District 12, competing alongside baker’s son Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).
Their alcohol-sodden mentor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) prepares the youngsters for competition against the other teenagers in a brutal and bloody test of strength and endurance.
(2013) Much excitement surrounded the announcement of Steve Coogan’s return as the hapless Norwich-based DJ, and for once, the resulting movie lived up to the hype.
It makes its terrestrial TV debut here, at the start of a season of BBC-backed productions being shown to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the broadcaster’s film-making division. Here, Alan is called in to act as a negotiator when a radio colleague, after being fired, holds several people hostage at the studio.
This is Alan’s big chance to get himself back in the public eye by being a hero – but will everything go as he hopes? Colm Meaney, Simon Greenall and Sean Pertwee also star.
(2009) A (sort of) spin-off from the sitcom The Thick of It, this satire sees communications chief Malcolm Tucker hurriedly called into action to minimise the damage created by Simon Foster, the British Secretary of State for International Development.
It seems that Simon has inadvertently set the country and its US allies on course for war, something a few people want, and others are determined to stop. Don’t worry if you’ve never seen the original programme because this sharp and very, very funny indictment of political blather and bluster stands on its own two feet.
Peter Capaldi is reliably brilliant as Malcolm Tucker, but the American contingent do well too, especially James Gandolfini, whose performance will make you wish he got a chance to do more comedy.
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