Thursday’s TV tips
When the first episode of dog enthusiast Paul O’Grady’s canine-themed show aired back in 2012, it was far from a guaranteed hit – often, when celebs get free rein to talk about their personal passions, the end result can come across as somewhat self-indulgent.
Fortunately for all concerned, this proved to strike a chord with the public, and not just among the dog lovers.
As well as showing another, more sensitive side to the comedian (who try as we might we still can’t help thinking of as Lily Savage), it also provides an excellent showcase of the work of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London.
The new series kicks off with a touch of puppy love, as Paul gets to name four newborn Labrador crosses – one of whom he leads astray with a trip to the pub.
Meanwhile, an overweight Jack Russell’s love of cheese is leading him down a decidedly unhealthy path, and an anxious couple finally think they’ve tracked down their missing companion.
Presented by Angeline Ball, this mouth-watering TV3 series brings those nostalgic days and dishes crashing back into modern day.
Home Cook’s Academy is bringing the non-cooks back into the kitchen and teach them the tastiest dishes from the best homely cooks around the country so they too can wow their family and friends with the dishes they remember so well from growing up.
This dramatised account of the development of Britain’s radar system during the 1930s covers one of the lesser-understood aspects of the Battle of Britain.
Little was known about it at the time, as the work was kept top secret, which makes this programme all the more compelling.
It charts how Robert Watson-Watt and a team of relatively unproven and unknown scientists managed to put together a system of aircraft detection which was so cunning it was actually dismissed by many in the Oxbridge-dominated establishment who failed to grasp its importance. Among them was none other than Winston Churchill.
With Watson-Watt and his team labelled as a bunch of ’weathermen’ from provincial universities, they had their work cut out getting heard. Eventually, though, they began to get their work recognised – although not before striving against such odds as to permanently damage their personal lives and even marriages.
Eddie Izzard, Laura Fraser, Tim McInnerny and Julian Rhind-Tutt are among the strong cast of top telly talent.
The first day at a new school can be stressful for kids; we’ve been looking forward to our first glimpse of Frederick Bremer School in Walthamstow, east London, for ages now though.
That’s the setting for the new series from the makers of Educating Essex and Educating Yorkshire, but it’s not just us who’re new here – the comprehensive school has a new teacher, in the form of Mr Bispham.
He’s keen and eager to make a positive impact on his charges’ lives, but he soon learns that the job isn’t always plain sailing – especially when it comes to Year 9 girls.
One of the pupils, Tawny, has her heart set on a place in the prestigious Brit School for Performing Arts & Technology – however, so does her best friend, Alice.
With only a very few coveted spots up for grabs, the pair are competing directly against one another.
As eye-catching titles go, this sporting documentary is one of the best. It’s likely even viewers with no interest in the world of cycling whatsoever will be drawn in while channel-surfing by this feature-length offering and its unrealised promises of mustelid-based violence.
However, it’s unlikely they’ll end up disappointed – this is actually a hugely entertaining and very compelling film, which is set in one of the sport’s most exciting periods and charts the battle between La Vie Claire team-mates Greg LeMond and Bernard ’the Badger’ Hinault, with American LeMond a relative newcomer to the sport and Frenchman Hinault a notoriously competitive veteran and reigning champ.
You don’t have to be a fan of Le Tour to get caught up in the excitement that ensues, thanks largely to the expert work of director John Dower and Richard Moore, author of the book on which this is based.
Set in Oregon in 1845, it follows three pioneer families as they travel through the mountains with their guide, Stephen Meek.
He claims he knows the way, but one of the women, Emily Tetherow, becomes increasingly convinced he’s lying about his local knowledge and fears they are just getting lost.
So, when the party captures a Native American, who Meek wants to kill, Emily takes a stand, believing their prisoner is the only person who can lead them to safety.
This is the sort of film that really divides critics and audiences - some people have hailed it as a masterpiece, others found themselves checking their watches and wondering when something was going to happen.
It’s certainly short on action, but provided you have a long attention-span, the movie makes up for it with beautiful shots, plenty of atmosphere, and a terrific performance from Michelle Williams as Emily.
As an added bonus, the film also feels far more historically accurate than your average Western.
Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton, Zoe Kazan, Paul Dano, Shirley Henderson, Neal Huff
A posse of courageous gunslingers and hotheads are hired by the state governor to prevent Texas from falling into ruin in the aftermath of the American Civil War.
However, its unity is threatened when two of the men fall for the same woman.
B-movie horror king Steve Miner attempted to work his magic on the Western genre, but this offering was one of the costliest flops of 2001.
However, despite being savaged by the critics, it’s worth a look for the all-star cast.
James Van Der Beek, Dylan McDermott, Usher Raymond, Ashton Kutcher, Rachel Leigh Cook.
