John Byrne’s TV choices for the week ahead (Fri Oct 26 - Thu Nov 2).
Pick of the Week
50 Years of Bond Cars (Monday, BBC TWO)
For many obvious reasons, James Bond would be the ultimate Top Gear presenter. For one, Ian Fleming’s fictitious British spy is an icon to Jeremy, James and Richard. On Monday they go one step further in their Bond appreciation with their latest Top Gear special as Richard Hammond pays tribute to the Bond movie automobiles.
Typically the show is anything but straightforward. After the ultimate Bond car that is the Goldfinger Aston Martin DB5, the most iconic automobile in the movie franchise’s history has to be the white underwater Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me. So, after a few drinks, the crew decide that the best birthday present Top Gear could possibly give would be a working amphibious Lotus, designed using Top Gear engineering . . .
Elsewhere Richard takes a back seat, and gives the floor to some of the amazing characters who have brought Bond’s car moments to life over the past half-century. There are appearances from Guy Hamilton (director of Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die and The Man With the Golden Gun), while Roger Moore joins in to tell tales of the fish inside the Lotus Esprit. Daniel Craig – in breaks from filming Skyfall – also talks about driving with The Stig and reveals his favourite Bond car.
Now here’s a show that’s licensed to thrill.
Star of the week
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher with Tom Hanks at the recent Emmy awards
Last Resort (Tuesday, Sky One)
Some of you may ask: who the hell is Andre Braugher? Chances are you could have missed this superb character actor in action given that the two great US series that he featured in – Homicide: Life on the Street and Men of a Certain Age – were barely given a chance when they aired on this side of the Atlantic.
Stateside, though, he's considered a class act for stellar performances in 1990s’ long-running procedural (and precursor of The Wire) Homicide: Life on the Street as Detective Frank Pembleton, a fiery, self-righteous, chain-smoking cop. Braugher received a Television Critics Association awards for individual achievement in drama in 1997 and 1998, was nominated for an Emmy Award for best actor in a drama series in 1996 and 1998, winning in the latter year. He had admirers in other respects as well. In 1997 he was selected by People as one of the ‘50 Most Beautiful People in the World’.
In more recent times he appeared in Ray Romano's highly-regarded TNT 2010/11 dramedy series Men of a Certain Age (shown late-night here on 3e). Playing the diabetic, stressed-out, car dealership-owner's son Owen Thoreau Jr, he was nominated twice in the Primetime Emmy Award category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
In short, he was brilliant in very different roles in two of the best TV shows of the last 20 years. Now he’s back, and on Sky One at prime time. No excuse, folks. In Last Resort he stars as the skipper of a renegade US nuclear submarine that inadvertently refuses to fire at Pakistan and itself becomes an enemy target. The show’s been described as a cross between Lost and 24. Gotta be worth a look... Oh and do yourself a favour (if you haven't seen them before) by checking out Homicide: Life on the Street and Men of a Certain Age.
Starting this week
Bullyproof (Tuesday, RTÉ One)
Bullying is endemic in Irish society. It affects people of all ages in all walks of life and the explosion of new technology and social media has given those that engage in bullying behaviour the chance to target others in a whole new way. In this new three-part series, Clinical Psychologist David Coleman offers his expertise and therapeutic support to a number of young people who have been affected by bullying.
Katherine Lynch’s Big Fat Breakfast (Tuesday, RTÉ Two)
Bernie and Brian bring late-night brekkie to the box
Comedy queen Katherine Lynch is back with this new series - a daytime show at night. Anchored by Lynch’s Country ‘n Irish character Singing Bernie Walsh, ably assisted by former Big Brother winner Brian Dowling schmaltzing it up in sidekick mode, KLBFB aims to utilise breakfast show cliches. It also features guests, such as Kerry Katona, David Gest, Denise Welch and Neville Knott.
The Movie Show (Thursday, RTÉ Two)
Eoghan McDermott and Mairead Farrell present this new show that looks at the latest cinema releases. To kick things off they review the latest James Bond movie Skyfall and reporter Eoghan Doherty heads to London to talk to Daniel Craig about playing Special Agent 007. Also reviewed this week is teen flick Fun Size and comedian Ross Noble talks about his latest release Stiches.
The Golden Rules of TV (Saturday, UTV)
A brand new six-part series that examines all the dos and don’ts of TV in a fun-filled, celebratory romp through the archives. Voiced by comedian Robert Webb, this tea-time crowd-pleaser promises to harness the combined knowledge of some of TV’s biggest names and best loved faces to offer viewers the inside track on how to make great television - and avoid the pitfalls that haunt every production. Contributors include Piers Morgan, Al Murray, Trevor MacDonald and Noel Edmonds.
Misfits (Sunday, E 4)
Back for a fourth season and new gang members Finn and Jess are zipping up those iconic orange jumpsuits for their first day of community service and meeting their probation worker - or is it their new probation worker? Things become stranger still when a man stumbles into the community centre with a briefcase and a power that infects them all and it's soon clear to Finn and Jess that there's more to community service than scrubbing off graffiti and picking up litter.
Don’t Sit in the Front Row (Monday, Sky Atlantic)
Jack Dee hosts this new panel show, giving Britain’s top funny people a chance to get back at the hecklers. In what’s being called a ‘raucous’ series opener, Dee is joined by three top comedians who go head-to-head lampooning the lives of four audience members. After each round, the star panel will boot off the contestant they decide gave them the least laughs, until one remaining Front Rower claims the Golden Chair Award.
Ending this week
Celebrity Bainisteoir – the Rivals (Sunday, RTÉ One)
Parnell Park is the venue as Tipperary battles Mayo with Roz Purcell’s Newtown Cashel team coming up against Calum Best’s Moy Davitt’s. After months of preparation, only one team can bring home the cup. Will Roz be the first female winner of Celebrity Bainsteoir or can Calum's charm earn him the silverware?
The Thick of It (Saturday, BBC TWO)
Peter Capaldi plays foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker
Armando Iannucci's award-winning, seven-part political comedy starring Peter Capaldi concludes with the final reckoning. As the fallout from the inquiry starts to take its toll, the everyday problems of government continue - despite the fact that no-one is actually talking to each other anymore.
Supernatural (Wednesday, Sky Living)
The seventh season of this fantasy series comes to a cataclysmic finale. Dick Roman makes Kevin - the prophet chosen to read the Word of God - an offer he can’t refuse. To stop the leading Leviathan’s cruel plan to poison humankind, Sam and Dean go in for the kill, but they can only finish him off if their weapon of choice is coated in the blood of two particularly powerful demons. Blimey.
Documentary of the week
Family Guys: What Sitcoms Say About America (Saturday, BBC TWO)
British historian and journalist Tim Stanley shows why the best guide to America is the US sitcom – and with the help of top sitcom writers and some of the best examples of their work, he uncovers a fast-changing country. The current hit Modern Family, for example, has got teen sex, a mixed race marriage and a gay couple bringing up an adopted baby. It’s hilarious but it also reflects real life, and the attitudes of modern Americans. Stanley also finds that on other issues - abortion for example - the sitcoms show a hardening of opinions.
Horror Europa (Tuesday, BBC FOUR)
Mark Gatiss follows up his acclaimed 2010 BBC Four series A History of Horror with a feature-length exploration of European horror cinema. The documentary journeys through the story of European horror cinema: from the nightmare visions of German Expressionism to the black-gloved killers of Italian Giallo movies from lesbian vampires in Belgium to the ghosts of the Spanish Civil War. Visiting key filming locations and meeting some of the genre's finest talents, Gatiss shows how the continent's turbulent history helped to forge an extraordinary and diverse horror tradition.
Repeat of the week
Friday Night Lights (Tuesday, Sky Atlantic)
Opportunities are seized in the second season finale of this superb drama about smalltown America. Smash is determined to secure a football scholarship despite recent events, and is shocked when he receives an offer from the unlikeliest of places. Meanwhile, Street receives some big news that could change his life and the Taylors are stirred by the arrival of Tami’s ex from high school - now a real estate mogul.
John Byrne
