TV Picks of the week

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  • TV PICKS OF THE WEEK


    It used to be easy to choose the programmes you wanted to see from the very limited range of channels available on TV. We could all cope with having up to four or five channels to choose from. But now, the picture has completely changed, with countless channels available as well as new video on demand services cropping up everywhere.

    The trouble is, all this choice is bewildering many, and because the schedules across a multitude of channels are padded out with a huge amount of fluff – reality shows, home improvement programmes, live ghost encounter stories and the like, it is easy to miss some of the real gems that are out there.


    Many now rely on the habit of channel hopping, which is a very unsatisfactory and dissatisfying means of finding something half decent to watch. Scrolling through the EPG gives better results, but this is boring and tiring.


    So what is the answer? How do we start to improve our TV viewing? For me, the answer is to plan ahead and to record every programme that I would like to watch – even the 10 o’ clock news! In that way, you can be totally in control and your viewing experience improves substantially. Friends of mine cannot believe that I have over 700 hours of recordings on my three boxes, the content of which is of a high standard. That’s because the recordings mount up over time until you end up having to cull some of them that you have never got around to watching to make room for stuff that’s even better – continual quality improvement!


    I am not a telly addict at all – I tend to watch only about two hours on most nights when I am in (but more on my late Friday and Saturday nights, when I stay up until about 3am!).


    So, I had an idea. I compile a list of programmes for my daughters every week that may be of interest to them. From that, they select the programmes that they like the look of and record them. Guess what? They now have a much better choice than they had before. The key is not to watch them live, but to record or bookmark them. This avoids programme clashes and permits you to watch them in your own time, allowing you to follow your favourite series without missing an episode while carrying on with your social life, not worrying about getting home early for that serial you have been following and don’t want to miss.

    So, I thought it might be an idea to share the love. From today, I will provide some listings of new* programmes and good films being shown for the first time on TV each week that I have picked out as being of popular interest to a discerning audience and which are of reasonably good quality (excluding sport). Simply pick the programmes you like the sound of from the list and set them to record, bookmark them or add them to your watch list.


    This is the last week of the silly summer season, so this is the worst time in the year for TV - a good time to start! Hopefully, next week will see some better programming coming to our screens.


    I have tried to cater for most tastes while maintaining a reasonable quality standard. It is basically a mix of dramas, films, nature programmes, documentaries and music. I am sure you will let me know if I haven’t included any relevant stuff!
    I hope that some of you will find this useful, but any feedback would be useful in compiling future lists!


    PS – The list will be geared primarily towards Virgin Media viewers, but I will also include Sky Atlantic programming to make it relevant to those with Sky, as well as those VM subscribers who have the Now TV entertainment pack.


    PPS – There may be a reduced quality of programmes this autumn at least, due to the coronavirus emergency, which has caused a TV production hiatus.


    • I may add programmes shown before in a limited number of cases (eg where a film previously shown on Sky Cinema is later shown on a non-premium channel or where it is otherwise of particular interest). For the benefit of those who have not watched much in UHD yet, and now want to, I have also listed 4K programmes that are being repeated at the start of a series and selected one-off programmes.

  • TV PICKS
    Week commencing 29/08/2020

    For Virgin Media subscribers who can also access Sky Atlantic through Now TV.

    CODE

    SD: Presented in standard definition on VM.
    UHD: Presented in 4K on VM

    ? - Sounds good
    ? - Might be worth a look
    ? - New to TV
    ↔️ - Series
    ? - Film

    All programmes are presented in HD on Virgin Media unless otherwise indicated.

    ?SATURDAY
    29 August 2020

    ?TOY STORY 4 (2019)?
    The latest from the Toy Story stable for the kids and the young at heart!
    ?Sky Cinema Disney, 12.05pm

    ?AFTER TRUTH: DISINFORMATION AND THE COST OF FAKE NEWS (2020)?
    ?Sky Documentaries, 12.30pm

    ?CINDERELLA (2014)?
    Suitable for all children, this live-action adaptation of the fairy tale stars Lily James, Richard Madden and Cate Blanchett.
    ?BBC1, 4.30pm

    ?A STAR IS BORN (2018)?
    Lady Gaga plays an up-and-coming pop star while Bradley Cooper performs his role as a hard-drinking, fading country rock star in this musical.

    ?Sky Hits, 6.40pm

    ?↔️JIMMY’S BIG BEE RESCUE
    The bee population has dropped by a third since 1980. Jimmy Doherty attempts to get people to help him save bees from extinction.
    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    ?SULLY ON THE HUDSON (2016)?
    The true story of airline pilot Sully Sullenberger, who landed his Airbus A320 on the Hudson River, NY in January 2009.
    ?BBC1, 8.30pm

    ?↔️THE FAST SHOW: JUST A LOAD OF BLOOMING CATCHPHRASES
    The cult comedy returns this weekend. This is the first of two special shows.
    ?Gold, 9pm

    ?THE SWAMP?
    Documentary following three Republican senators through a tumultuous year in US politics.
    ?Sky Documentaries, 9pm

    ?EDWARD AND SOPHIE: THE RELUCTANT ROYALS?
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    WHEN BOB MARLEY CAME TO BRITAIN
    Documentary about the reggae superstar. If you’re a fan, this is followed by a special ‘Sounds of the 70s’ featuring Bob Marley and Ken Boothe.
    ?BBC2, 9.45pm

    ?HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS?
    Documentary exploring NASA’s plans to have manned missions to Mars by 2035.
    ?Discovery, 10pm

    ??READY OR NOT (2019) ?
    On the night of her wedding, a young bride finds herself in a fight for survival when her husband’s eccentric family expect them to enter into a time-honoured tradition in which each new member of the family has to play a randomly allotted game on their wedding night. Usually, the game is innocuous, but on this occasion the new bride draws a deadly version of hide and seek.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 10pm

    NASA’s UNEXPLAINED FILES?
    Experts investigate the Roswell UFO incident.
    ?Discovery, 11pm

    ?LOOPER (2012)?
    Thriller in which a young hitman attempts to prevent his older future self from carrying out a mission of revenge.
    ?BBC2, 12.15am

    ?SUNDAY
    30 August

    ?ICE ON FIRE (2019) ?
    Documentary
    ?Sky Documentaries, 1.15pm

    ??BLUE STORY (2020)?
    Childhood friends find themselves on different sides in a murderous turf war between gangs.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?↔️I HATE SUZIE?
    Starring Billie Piper, Suzie is a former child star-turned-actor whose whole world is turned upside down when her phone is hacked and some embarrassing content put online.
    ?Sky Atlantic, 9pm

    ?↔️STRIKE - LETHAL WHITE ?
    Following the dedicated detective Cormoran Strike in the fourth series of the drama. The first three series can be found on demand.
    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?↔️I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK
    Documentary about the Golden State Killer case.
    ?Sky Crime, 9pm

    ↔️DIANA: -TRAGEDY OR TREASON? (SD)?
    The life of Princess Diana.
    ?Discovery History, 9pm

    ?ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD (2019) ?
    Set in the 1960s, this is Quentin Tarantino’s look at Hollywood at the time of Charles Manson and his ‘family’.
    ?Sky Cinema Drama, 10.10pm

    ?THE FAST SHOW: MORE BLOOMING CATCHPHRASES
    This is the second of two shows, and I have listed these separately in case a series link does not recognise this as a series, with the slight change of title!
    ?Gold, 10.40pm

    ?BANK HOLIDAY (except Scotland) MONDAY
    31 August

    ?PADDINGTON 2 ?
    The second of two Paddington films written for children (certificated PG) but with plenty in there for adults, too! If you’ve not seen the first film, it is currently available on Amazon.
    ?BBC1, 4.25pm

    ↔️AFRICA’S CLAWS AND JAWS (UHD)?
    Another chance to see this wildlife series from the start.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.30pm

    ?YESTERDAY (2019)?
    OK, I’m biased as The Beatles were ‘my group’ when I grew up in the sixties! This fantasy is about a failed singer-songwriter who, after an accident that lands him in hospital, wakes up to find that he is the only person who remembers The Beatles. So, he manages to launch his career by passing these songs off as his own.
    ?Sky Hits, 7pm

    ↔️MYSTERIES OF THE MEKONG (UHD)?
    First of a series of nature programmes first screened in 2018. We start at Yunnan Province in China, just below the source of the Mekong River way up in the Tibetan plateau.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 7.20 pm


    ?PLANET EARTH: A CELEBRATION?
    David Attenborough narrates some of the most extraordinary scenes from his previous series. So not really new as it is described!
    ?BBC1, 8pm

    ↔️ZAMBIA UNTAMED (UHD)?
    Another opportunity to see this nature programme from the start of series one. A group of baboons live in a grove of Ebony trees in the Luangwa Valley.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.10pm

    ?↔️THE DIAGNOSIS DETECTIVES
    Twelve of the UK’s leading medical experts try to offer a diagnosis to patients with life-changing symptoms that have baffled other doctors.
    ?BBC2, 9pm

    ?↔️AMBULANCE: CODE RED
    Following the West Midlands emergency response teams as they go about their work.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ↔️DARKLANDS (UHD) ?
    Damien Dunne, an up and coming MMA fighter, has an ambition to fight in the cage rather than on the streets. But his brother is involved with a local drugs gang, which threatens the life Damien has planned for himself.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 9.45pm

    ?MOLLY’S GAME (2017)?
    Biopic of Molly Bloom, who ran high-stakes underground poker games for the rich until she fell foul of the FBI. Stars Kevin Costner and Idris Elba.
    ?BBC2, 10pm

    ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 2018 (UHD)?
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.30pm

    ?TUESDAY
    1 September

    ↔️AFRICA’S HIDDEN KINGDOMS (UHD)?
    Animals that are able to survive from the highest peaks to the grasslands below.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.30 pm

    ↔️WILD TALES FROM THE FARM (UHD)?
    Life on the farm, beginning with spring and newly born lambs.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.10pm

    ?WAR ON PLASTIC: THE FIGHT GOES ON
    Documentary providing an update on the campaign against single-use plastic and a challenge to a family to go plastic-free on a budget.
    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?↔️ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL?
    Updated version of the famous James Herriot tales of life as a Yorkshire vet.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?SHERIDAN SMITH: BECOMING MUM
    Following the award-winning actor during her recent pregnancy.
    ?ITV, 9pm

    ?↔️CALL THE COPS
    Another police documentary, this time following the Devon and Cornwall Police.
    ?Channel 4, 9pm

    ?A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW
    Comedy sketch show.
    ?Sky Comedy, 9pm

    ?↔️UNIDENTIFIED?
    This documentary looks at connections between UFOs and the military.
    ?Sky History, 9pm

  • ?WEDNESDAY
    2 September

    ↔️GUARDIANS OF THE WILD (UHD)?
    Three elephants are rescued after they are orphaned in Zambia.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.30pm

    ?AMERICA’S DEADLIEST VOLCANO DISASTER
    Documentary about the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, which caused a 12-mile-high ash plume and devastating mudslides.
    ?National Geographic, 8pm

    ?↔️GETTING HITCHED ASIAN STYLE
    ?BBC Scotland, 8pm

    ?↔️HARLOTS?
    The second series of the drama about sex workers. If you missed the first series, it is available to bookmark on the BBC I-Player.
    ?BBC2, 9pm

    ?↔️24 HOURS IN A&E
    ?Channel 4, 9pm

    JACK JOHNSON: LIVE IN NEW YORK (UHD)
    A performance given at New York City earlier this year.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 9pm

    ?↔️DEADLY DECEPTION
    Bett Struck is baking cookies for his new love when his ex shows up. Quick, get the popcorn! Oh... this really happened!
    ?Crime and Investigation (CI), 9pm

    ?↔️THE TRADE
    The start of the second series about Central American migrants going into and being deported from the US. The first series was about America’s heroin crisis and is available for bookmarking on demand.
    ?Sky Documentaries, 9pm

    ?↔️TWO WEEKS TO LIVE ?
    This is a comedy series about a woman (Maisie Williams of ‘Game of Thrones’ fame) who ends up on the run from gangsters after a prank goes wrong.
    ?Sky One, 10pm

    ?INTO THE WILD TIBET ?
    Nature programme in which we see that the Tibetan Plateau is a pretty tough place in which to exist, due to the weather and the terrain, but it is inhabited by wolves, blue sheep and snow leopards. I must see those blue sheep...
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 11pm

    JAMES ARTHUR: LIVE IN NEW YORK (UHD)
    A New York City performance by the pop singer.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.50pm

    ?THURSDAY
    3 September

    ↔️INTO THE WILD COLOMBIA (UHD)?
    A young capuchin monkey must learn the skills of climbing in the rainforests of Colombia.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.30pm

    ?↔️COUNCIL HOUSE BRITAIN
    This documentary series follows London council workers who look after residents in social housing and maintain the properties that are rented out to them.
    Channel 4, 9pm

    ?↔️ELEPHANT HOSPITAL
    Documentary about an elephant hospital in Thailand.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?↔️ADOLF HITLER’S WAR (SD) ?
    Hitler’s plan to make Germany a great empire by moving eastwards.
    ?Yesterday, 8pm

    ?RED LIGHTS (SD)(2012)
    Cillian Murphy stars in this thriller in which an investigator attempts to prove that a well-known blind psychic is not who he claims to be.
    ?Horror, 9pm

    ??VILLAIN (2019)?
    Just out of jail, Eddie is determined to go straight, but finds his brother has just three weeks to pay off a debt to a formidable criminal.
    Sky Cinema Premiere, 10pm

    ?RACISM: MY STORY
    Black Britons share their experiences since the death of George Floyd.
    ?Channel 5, 10pm

    FRANKIE BOYLE’S NEW WORLD ORDER
    Frankie delivers his comedic commentary on the week’s news.
    ?BBC2, 10pm

    ?FRIDAY
    4 September

    ↔️AFRICA’S HUNTERS (UHD) ?
    As an ageing leopard finds her hunting skills in decline, she has to cope also with a pride of lions who are tormenting her.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.30pm

    ??THE GOOD LIAR (2019)?
    Sir Ian McKellen stars as a con man who sets out to swindle a widow (played by Dame Helen Mirren). But it’s not going to be as easy as he thought.
    Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?JAMES NESBITT: A GAME OF TWO HALVES
    James sets off across the world to see how the £38 million raised by Soccer Aid is helping the vulnerable children who need it most.
    ITV, 8pm

    ?↔️PETER KAY’S STAND-UP COMEDY SHUFFLE
    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?WHEN LUXURY HOLIDAYS GO HORRIBLY WRONG
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?↔️SOUL AMERICA
    Tracing the history of soul music.
    ?BBC4, 9.30pm

  • Blimey, OB, what a mega list! I thought you might do a top ten shows of the entire week or something, but didn't expect anything so comprehsive as this.:)

    Thank you very much, lots of different tastes catered for there as you say.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

    Unidentified caught my eye.... in fact I might already have it on my hard drive.;):whistling:

  • Blimey, OB, what a mega list! I thought you might do a top ten shows of the entire week or something, but didn't expect anything so comprehsive as this.:)

    Thank you very much, lots of different tastes catered for there as you say.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

    Unidentified caught my eye.... in fact I might already have it on my hard drive.;):whistling:

    Yes, hopefully, it's not too much, but if it's too narrow in scope, it would only benefit people with similar tastes to mine. I have tried to embrace quite a few tastes, but with an eye to the better quality stuff.

  • Disappointingly, the autumn season does not seem to have kicked off yet on our TV channels. Is this because of climate change or is it the beginning of the end for our traditional broadcasters? Maybe it's the result of the Covid-19 emergency measures - I hope that's all it is.

    Anyway, the next Pick list isn't what I was hoping for, but with luck, you will be able to choose a few things that are worth recording/bookmarking!

  • TV PICKS
    Week commencing 05/09/2020

    For Virgin Media subscribers who can also access Sky Atlantic through Now TV.

    CODE

    SD: Presented in standard definition on VM.
    UHD: Presented in 4K on VM

    ? - Sounds good
    ? - Might be worth a look
    ? - New to TV
    ↔️ - Series
    ? - Film

    All programmes are presented in HD on Virgin Media unless otherwise indicated.

    ?SATURDAY
    5 September 2020

    ?ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (2016)
    Fantasy adventure for children (classified PG). Alice returns to Underland to rescue her friends.
    ?BBC1, 4.30pm

    ↔️HENRY VIII AND THE KING’S MEN?
    Tracy Borman looks at Henry VIII’s life through the eyes of the men who stoked his ruthlessness and fears and exploited his vulnerabilities.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 7pm

    ↔️ZAMBIA UNTAMED (UHD)
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.30pm

    ?FAIRFIELD ROAD (2010)(SD)?
    A successful political strategist loses his job and his girl friend and so decides to make a new life for himself.
    ?Movies 24, 7pm

    ?SECRET SCOTLAND WITH SUSAN CALMAN
    ?Channel 5, 7.30pm

    ↔️PRIVATE LIVES OF THE WINDSORS
    A series that looks in depth at various members of the Royal Family.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 8pm

    ??BLACK AND BLUE (2019)?
    A New Orleans cop finds herself in a difficult position when she witnesses the murder of a drug dealer by two corrupt officers. Well-meaning deniers of the American BLM movement might find this difficult to take in.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?INVICTUS (2009)?
    Fact-based sports drama. The new South African President, Nelson Mandela, tries to gain acceptance for his country’s team in competing for the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
    ?BBC1, 8.05pm

    ↔️EPIC YELLOWSTONE (UHD)?
    Starting with the harsh winter endured by the animals of Yellowstone in the US.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.10pm

    ↔️THE BIG DRY ?
    I loved this series, which follows animals in the Luangua Valley in Zambia through the seasons. It starts with one of the toughest dry seasons imaginable and we see how things change when the rains come.
    ?Love Nature, 8.10pm

    ?THE PALACE vs THE PRESS: ROYALS UNDER FIRE
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ??APOLLO 11 ?
    Documentary of the mission to perform a crewed lunar landing and return to Earth.
    ?Sky Documentaries, 9pm

    ?CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (2013)?
    Fact-based thriller about a US ship that gets hijacked by Somali pirates. Having watched this, I found it surprisingly good.
    ?Sky Cinema Thriller, 9pm

    ?CHANGELING (2008)(SD)?
    Based on a true story, a woman realises that the kidnapped son who was returned to her is not hers, and falls foul of the city’s police force as a result of seeking help.
    ?Sony Movies, 9pm

    ?THE MARTIAN (2015)?
    An astronaut becomes stranded on planet Mars and is faced with having to find ways of staying alive for years on very little.
    ?Film4, 9pm

    SHERYL CROW: LIVE AT CAPITOL THEATRE (2018)(UHD)
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 10.45pm

    ?SOLACE (2015)?
    An FBI agent enlists the help of a retired physician with psychic powers to solve a series of murders.
    ?Film4, 11.50pm

    ?SUNDAY
    6 September

    ?DESPICABLE ME 3 Animated comedy for the kids!
    ?ITV2, 4.50pm

    ?SOCCER AID FOR UNICEF
    Live coverage of the charity event at Old Trafford.
    ?ITV, 6.30pm

    FAI BABA?
    This intriguing programme looks at the stupefying originality of Fai Baba, who apparently has ‘psychedelic ambitions’. Might be worth a watch!
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 7.20pm

    ?↔️?BORDER PATROL (SD)
    ?Pick, 8pm

    ?↔️LOUIS THEROUX: LIFE ON THE EDGE
    A review of past documentaries by the film-maker.
    ?BBC2, 9pm


    ?↔️THE NEW MEGA COUNCIL ESTATE NEXT DOOR
    Documentary about the very different lives of rich and poor in Islington.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ??ACTS OF VIOLENCE (2018)?
    Three brothers, a criminal and a cop are set on a deadly collision course.
    ?Syfy, 9pm

    ?THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX
    If you ever wondered what TOWIE was all about, here’s your chance to find out. This show is in celebration of 10 years of TV. My advice: don’t go there...
    ?ITV Be, 9pm

    ?↔️BETTER THINGS
    Fourth season of this US comedy drama begins.
    ?BBC2, 10pm

    RUSSELL HOWARD: WONDERBOX
    Russell relates is observations on social and everyday matters.
    ?Sky One, 10pm

    ?MONDAY
    7 September

    ?↔️OUTBACK TRUCKERS
    ?Discovery, 7pm

    ↔️COMBAT SHIPS
    An excellent series for those who are interested in ships and weaponry.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 7pm

    ?FIGHTING FOR AN EDUCATION
    A Panorama documentary about youngsters with special educational needs.
    ?BBC1, 7.35pm

    ?↔️INSIDE ANIMAL A&E
    ?ITV, 8pm

    ?↔️INSIDE THE ZOO
    Documentary featuring Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park.
    ?BBC Scotland, 8pm

    ?↔️SUE PERKINS: ALONG THE US-MEXICO BORDER
    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?↔️WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
    Jeremy Clarkson hosts.

    ?ITV, 9pm

    ?↔️LOVE ISLAND USA
    ?ITV2, 9pm

    ?↔️BANGED UP ABROAD
    ?National Geographic, 9pm

    ?↔️RAY WINSTONE’S SICILY (SD)
    Blaze, 9pm

    ↔️THE GET DOWN (UHD)?
    Zeke’s plans to woo a girl lead him into a dangerous, dizzying club scene, where he encounters a nimble local legend.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 9.45pm

    ?INSIDE CHELSEA: BRITAIN’S WEALTHIEST BOROUGH
    ?BBC2, 10pm

    ?↔️FORENSICS (SD)
    Documentary focussing on the death of a taxi driver in Auckland.
    CBS Reality, 10pm

    ?SUFFOLK STRANGLER: 30 DAYS OF TERROR
    Documentary about Steven Wright, who killed five sex workers.
    ?Channel 5, 10pm

    ?↔️BANGED UP ABROAD: CRIME & PUNISHMENT
    ?National Geographic, 10pm

    ??BEHOLD MY HEART (2018)
    A mother and her son cope with a family tragedy in this domestic drama.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 10pm

    ?TUESDAY
    8 September

    ?↔️EAT WELL FOR LESS?
    ?BBC1, 8pm

    ?↔️NAZI MEGASTRUCTURES: BATTLE READY
    Nazi reliance on trains and slave labour.
    ?National Geographic, 8pm

    ?↔️THE CURIOUS LIFE AND DEATH OF....?
    Lizzie Borden, the world’s most famous axe murderess.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 8pm

    ?FOOD UNWRAPPED:COMFORT FOOD SPECIAL
    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    ?↔️MURDERED BY MORNING?
    After a night of fun, one of a group of friends is found dead in the trunk of a burned out car and everyone is a suspect.
    CI, 9pm

    ?STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (2013)?
    Starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto with Benedict Cumberbatch. An act of terrorism within the organisation grounds the crew, having destroyed most of Starfleet.
    E4, 9pm

    LEE EVANS - MONSTERS?
    The magnificently frenetic comedian in a performance recorded at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham in 2014.
    ?Comedy Central, 9pm

    ?↔️MURDER BY THE SEA (SD)
    ?CBS Reality, 10pm

  • ?WEDNESDAY

    9 September

    ?↔️MARY BERRY’S SIMPLE COMFORTS

    ?BBC2, 8pm

    ?↔️NADIYA BAKES

    ?BBC2, 8.30pm

    ?BRIDGE OF SPIES (2015)?

    Fact-based drama. A lawyer is commissioned to represent a Soviet spy during the Cold War.

    ?More4, 9pm

    ??MEGHAN & HARRY: ROYALS AT WAR

    ?5STAR, 9pm

    ?↔️LOUDERMILK (UHD)

    Comedy series. A surly substance abuse counsellor tries to make a connection with a young addict in order to keep his weekly meeting space.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 9pm

    ?CAN WE CURE KIDS’ CANCER?

    ?Channel 4, 10pm

    ↔️BIG CAT COUNTRY?

    Nathan and Sam have spent years filming lions in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. This is their story, and an intimate portrait of three dynasties of lions.

    ?Smithsonian Channel, 11pm

    JAGUARLAND?

    Pantanal contains numerous jaguars who hunt caiman and capybara and are up to twice the size of jaguars elsewhere.

    ?Smithsonian Channel, 12 m’t

    ?THURSDAY

    10 September

    ?WEIGHT LOSS: THE WAR ON FAT?

    A Tonight documentary.

    ?ITV, 7.30pm

    ↔️WALLANDER (SD)?

    I haven’t seen many of these stories, but the one series I did see was good. This is another chance to see the very first series from the start. The inspector investigates three murders, all of which appear to have been committed without any motive.

    ?Drama, 8pm

    ?↔️THE MARTIN LEWIS MONEY SHOW: LIVE

    ?ITV, 8pm

    ?↔️LA’S FINEST?

    The first of a second series in which Syd and Nancy tackle a crime wave in Koreatown.

    ?Fox, 9pm

    ?SHOOTER (2007)?

    A former marine sniper is framed for a crime he didn’t commit and goes on the run.

    ?Film4, 9pm

    ?AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007)(SD)?

    An ambitious drug dealer rises to the top of his game in the Harlem of the 1970s, but a detective is determined to take him down. Starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.

    ?Sony Movies, 9pm

    ?THE BLACK FULL MONTY

    Documentary about a black strip dancing group. I think the schedulers are getting desperate now...

    ?Channel 4, 10pm

    ?WHITE HOUSE DOWN (2013)(SD)?

    While on a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a police officer springs into action to save his child and the president from paramilitary invaders.

    ?5STAR, 10pm

    ?↔️EXTREME NIGHTMARE TENANTS

    ?Channel 5, 10pm

    ?GOLDSTONE (2016)?

    A detective’s search for a missing person is complicated when he uncovers a web of crime and corruption.

    ?BBC4, 10pm

    ?↔️MEDICAL DETECTIVES (SD)

    In this documentary, investigators search for clues to find the person behind a gruesome murder after a body is found in a watery grave.

    CBS Reality, 10pm

    ?↔️THE RUSSELL HOWARD HOUR

    Topical comedy show.

    ?Sky One, 10pm

    ??PRIMAL (2019)?

    Not sure what to make of this, but it appears to be a bit of fun - certainly nothing to be taken seriously! It features Nicholas Cage as a big-game hunter, a jaguar and a terrorist assassin on a cargo ship. What can possibly go right?

    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 10pm

    I AM NOT A RAPIST

    Three men who were falsely accused of rape tell their stories.

    ?BBC1, 10.45pm

    ?DRIVE (2011)(SD)?

    A young mechanic allows his involvement with an attractive neighbour to lead him into conflict.

    ?Sony Movies, 12.10am

    ?FRIDAY

    11 September

    ??LE MANS ‘66 (2019)?

    Fact-based drama.A designer and driver team work together to build a revolutionary racing car for Ford.

    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?SECRETS OF CENTRE PARCS

    ?Channel 5, 8pm

    ?BIN LADEN’S HARD DRIVE?

    A detailed look at Osama Bin Laden’s declassified personal files.

    ?National Geographic, 8pm

    ?OPIOIDS, INC (SD)?

    Documentary investigating the rise of a pharmaceutical company and the prosecution that was based on bribery of doctors into prescribing a highly addictive painkiller.

    ?PBS America, 8.40pm

    ?↔️THE ROMANTICS AND US

    Historian Simon Schama tells the story of how the Romantic artists created the icons of the modern age.

    ?BBC2, 9pm

    ??HITMAN: REDEMPTION (2019)?

    A woman inspires a former Mossad agent to change his life, but he has one last job to take care of first.

    ?Sony Movies Action, 9pm

    ?PORTRAITS OF GROUND ZERO

    Personal stories from those involved in the impact of the Twin Towers attack.

    ?Sky History, 9pm

    ?↔️GOGGLEBOX

    ?Channel 4, 9pm

    ?↔️ATLANTIC: A YEAR IN THE WILD

    The Atlantic Ocean’s creatures endure winter in the fist of four programmes.

    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?LUCY (2014)?

    Gangsters who previously kidnapped a woman have cause to regret it when a drug she takes gives her superhuman abilities.

    ?E4, 9pm

    ?↔️WHY WOMEN KILL?

    Three women who live in the same house at different times all have to deal with their unfaithful husbands, and each leads to murder. Not to be taken too seriously, this darkly comic series could turn out to be quite enjoyable.

    ?Alibi, 9pm

    ?IT’LL BE ALRIGHT ON THE NIGHT

    David Walliams presents.

    ?ITV, 9.30pm

    ?MR & MRS SMITH (2004)?

    A married couple are completely unaware of each other’s true profession as assassins. Then they receive orders to assassinate each other.

    ?W, 9.40pm

    SARAH MILLICAN: CONTROL ENTHUSIAST

    The comedian talks about IBS, road rage and how she let’s her husband know it’s his lucky night.

    ?Channel 4, 10pm

    ?WHEN CELEBS GO HORRIBLY WRONG 2

    ?Channel 5, 10pm

    ?ZODIAC (2006)?

    Crime drama . This is a true story about a serial killer who menaced the population of San Francisco Bay in the 1960s and 70s.

    ?BBC1, 10.45pm

    LIAM GALLAGHER: LIVE IN NEW YORK (UHD)

    A 2017 performance.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.50pm

    ↔️BATTLESTAR GALACTICA?

    The Sky One series now transfers to the Beeb. The strain on the fleet caused by the relentless fight with the Cylons takes its toll.

    ?BBC2, 12.20am

  • Disappointingly, the autumn season does not seem to have kicked off yet on our TV channels. Is this because of climate change or is it the beginning of the end for our traditional broadcasters? Maybe it's the result of the Covid-19 emergency measures - I hope that's all it is.

    Anyway, the next Pick list isn't what I was hoping for, but with luck, you will be able to choose a few things that are worth recording/bookmarking!

    I think on this occasion, we can't blame the streamers. It's the same in the States, all their Autumn schedules are disrupted and most of their main shows will be back next year.

  • TV PICKS
    Week commencing 12/09/2020

    For Virgin Media subscribers who can also access Sky Atlantic through Now TV.


    CODE

    SD: Presented in standard definition on VM.
    UHD: Presented in 4K on VM

    ? - Sounds good
    ? - Might be worth a look
    ? - New to TV
    ↔️ - Series
    ? - Film

    All programmes are presented in HD on Virgin Media unless otherwise indicated.


    ?SATURDAY
    12 September 2020

    ?↔️CATCHPHRASE CELEBRITY SPECIAL
    ?ITV, 6pm

    ↔️CHINA’S FORBIDDEN CITY?
    Documentary. Looking at Emporer Yongle in the 15th century. Having usurped the throne, Yongle had to rely on his court eunuchs to administer the Empire.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 6pm

    ??DON’T LET GO (2019)?
    Not sure what to make of this, but it involves a time warp which enables a detective to speak to his niece a few days before she and her parents died. Can he figure out a way to prevent their deaths?
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS
    ?BBC1, 8pm

    ?FERGIE vs DIANA: ROYAL WIVES AT WAR
    Documentary exploring how the break up of both marriages strained their relationships.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?HENDRIX AND THE SPOOK
    Documentary about Jimi Hendrix and the circumstances surrounding his death.
    ?Sky Arts, 9pm

    ?MEMENTO (2000)?
    An amnesiac man attempts to find out why his wife died.
    ?BBC2, 9.45pm


    ?↔️JONATHAN ROSS’ COMEDY CLUB?
    Oh, dear! Let’s hope he doesn’t go too far this time!
    ?ITV, 10pm

    ?HACKSAW RIDGE (2016)?
    A US Army medic endures bullets, grenades and snipers while evacuating the wounded during the Battle of Okinawa during World War II.
    ?ITV, 10.45pm

    CULTURE CLUB: LIVE AT WEMBLEY (2019)(UHD)
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 10.55pm

    THE HITTITES?
    3.500 years ago, the Hittitees were the most powerful people in the Near East. This documentary explores how the civilisation that influenced our language, legal system and the Bible could have been forgotten.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 11pm

    ?SUNDAY

    13 September

    ?↔️PUMAS AT THE END OF THE WORLD

    ?National Geographic Wild, 7pm

    CON BRIO AT TRANSMUSICALES 2016 (UHD)
    This San Francisco soul group gives a stunning presentation of the band’s infectious melodies.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 7.20pm

    ?EXTINCTION: THE FACTS
    David Attenborough explains.
    ?BBC1, 8pm

    ↔️THE WILD ANDES (UHD)?
    The Patagonia region is filled with vast glaciers, towering peaks, volcanoes and prehistoric forests that are home to condors, foxes and pumas.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.15pm

    ?↔️EXTREME ANIMALS:,ONE WILD DAY?
    How animals are able to survive in the desert.
    ?Sky Nature, 8pm

    ?↔️THE SINGAPORE GRIP?
    Drama based on the novel by JG Farrell, this story is set in the Singapore of 1942, a year before it fell to the Japanese army.
    ?ITV, 9pm

    ?THE FINAL MINUTES OF FLIGHT 93?
    Documentary about the United States Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania.
    ?Sky History, 9pm

    ?↔️EMERGENCY RESCUE: AIR, LAND & SEA
    Following the work of search and rescue volunteers.
    ?More4, 9pm

    ?BACKTRACE (2018)?
    A thief is given a drug to assist him to remember events which will help to resolve a case.
    ?Syfy, 9pm

    ?THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT (2012)?
    A couple experience a number of delays to their wedding date in this comedy.
    ?Comedy Central, 9pm

    AUSTIN CITY LIMITS: FOO FIGHTERS
    ?Sky Arts, 9pm

    V-DAY: VOLCANIC PLANET?
    Exploring what would happen if all the world’s volcanoes erupted on a single day.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 9pm

    ?PLAGUE FICTION
    Documentary taking a look back at the literature on the Plague, commencing with the 14th century and the Black Death.
    ?BBC4, 10pm

    ?OBLIVION (2013)?
    A drone repairman rescues a woman from a downed spaceship before being scheduled to depart from a devastated planet Earth.
    ?ITV4, 10.40pm

    ?SERAPHIM FALLS (2006)(SD)?
    The Civil War is over but Confederate Colonel Morsman Carver will stop at nothing to take revenge on an enemy cowboy for what happened at Seraphim Falls.
    ?Sony Movies, 11.15pm

    ROGER SANCHEZ (UHD)
    House music performed bu Roger Sanchez at the Pacha Festival.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.40pm

    ?A SINGLE MAN (2009) (SD)
    A professor whose partner died eight months previously decides he cannot face life any longer.
    ?Sony Movies, 1.30am

    ?MONDAY
    14 September

    ?↔️STEPH’S PACKED LUNCH
    Magazine show with Steph McGovern.
    ?Channel 4, 12.30pm

    ?↔️INSIDE THE BOMB SQUAD
    Documentary.
    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    ?SPACE DISASTERS
    This documentary is followed by more programmes about space.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 8pm

    ↔️THE LIVING BEACH
    Florida is famous for its sandy shores, and Florida has the most tidal shoreline of any state in continental USA.
    ?Love Nature, 8.10pm

    ↔️NOMADS OF THE SERENGETI ?
    A trip through the Serengeti with migrating wildebeest.
    ?Love Nature, 9pm

    ?↔️DES?
    Fact-based drama about serial killer Dennis Neilson, starring David Tennant. There is also a repeated documentary on this at 10pm on Channel 5 and a new one on ITV on Thursday at 9pm.
    ?ITV, 9pm

    ?PRETENDING I’M A SUPERMAN: THE TONY HAWK VIDEO GAME STORY
    ?Sky Documentaries, 9pm


    ?BATTLE OF BRITAIN: ALLIES AT WAR
    ?Sky History, 9pm

    ?MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (2016)?
    A peculiar film too, but quite entertaining. A boy stumbles across a home for children with special powers when trying to unravel a mystery left by his grandfather.
    ?Film4, 9pm

    ?GREEN ZONE (2010)(SD)?
    Drama. The US Army hunts for Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.
    ?Sony Movies, 9pm

    ?↔️YOUNGER
    Series 4 of this sitcom returns.
    ?Comedy Central, 11pm

    FRONT AND CENTER (UHD)
    Includes songs performed from his album Wasteland, Baby.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.35pm

    11

    ?↔️THE THIRD DAY?
    Psychological thriller. When Sam arrives on a strange island, he finds that the local community will go to great lengths to protect their lifestyles. If you like creepy stories, this one’s for you.
    ?Sky Atlantic, 2am

  • ?TUESDAY
    15 September

    ?THE POLAR EXPRESS (2004)?
    I had to include this film, which is a good bit of animation to add to your recordings for the kids at Christmas. It’s quite long for the little ones, so they might want to see this in more than one sitting. They will really love the part where Father Christmas makes his appearance at the North Pole!
    ?Sky Cinema Animation, 6.50pm

    ?↔️HARBOUR COPS
    The work of the Dyfed-Powys police officers.
    ?ITV, 7.30pm

    ?FLYING FOR BRITAIN
    David Jason meets the RAF’s Battle of Britain team and joins a special tribute fly-past.
    ?ITV, 8pm

    ?FOOD UNWRAPPED: STORE CUPBOARD STAPLES
    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    ?↔️BRITAIN’S BIGGEST DIG
    Documentary looking at an archeological dig near Euston Station.
    ?BBC2, 9pm

    ?↔️ROOM 104?
    Second series set in a room where strange events happen when people enter it.
    ?Sky Comedy, 9.35pm

    ?↔️WHAT HAPPENED TO ASHLEY & LAURA?
    ?CI, 10pm

    ?BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE (2002)
    Documentary examining the US love affair with guns.
    ?Sky Documentaries, 10.05pm

    ?WEDNESDAY
    16 September

    ?↔️HIGHWAY THRU HELL
    An early snowfall in Colombia catches the truckers unawares.
    ?Sky History, 8pm

    ?↔️AMBULANCE
    Documentary following ambulance crews filmed in 2019.
    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?NON-STOP (2014)?
    A terrorist on a plane threatens to kill passengers one-by-one.
    ?More4, 9pm

    ?NELSON: BRITAIN’S GREAT SEA LORD
    Documentary.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?↔️GORDON RAMSEY: UNCHARTERED
    ?National Geographic, 9pm

    ?GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF
    ?Sky Documentaries, 10pm

    ?THURSDAY
    17 September

    ?↔️SAVING LIVES AT SEA
    Return of the documentary about RNLI lifeboat station volunteers.
    ?BBC2, 8pm

    ?THE REAL ‘DES’: THE DENIS NILSEN STORY
    ?ITV, 9pm

    ?BRIAN JOHNSON MEETS DAVID GROHL
    ?Sky Arts, 9pm

    ↔️AFRICA’S HUNTERS?
    At 13-years-old, Kamuti is one of the oldest leopards in the African Bush, and her hunting skills are not as good as they used to be.
    ?Love Nature, 9pm

    ?↔️FBI: MOST WANTED?
    An FBI Task Force searches for a doctor who is involved in organised crime.
    ?Sky Witness, 10pm

    ?↔️QUESTION TIME?
    ?BBC1, 10.45pm

    DIVINE COMEDY (UHD)
    The Divine Comedy returns to Folies Berger in Paris to present its 11th album, Foreverland.
    ?Virgin HD, 10.50pm

    ??BAIT (2019)
    Made in grainy black and white, this film is certainly not for everyone, including me! It’s about the differences between the poverty-stricken native population of Cornwall and the more well-to-do newcomers and the resultant tensions between the two.
    ?Film4, 11.20pm

    ?FRIDAY
    18 September

    ?I AM NUMBER FOUR (2011)(SD)?
    An alien teenager tries to evade his extraterrestrial enemies.
    ?Sony Movies, 6.50pm

    ?↔️SECRET SCOTLAND
    With Susan Calman.
    ?Channel 5, 8pm

    CONCORDE
    The story of how the Anglo-French project successfully launched the first supersonic passenger airliner.
    ?Sky History 2, 8pm

    ??TERMINATOR: DARK FATE (2019)?
    An advanced Terminator appears to hunt down the girl whose destiny it is to change the future. Arnie will be back.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?↔️HIGH MAINTENANCE
    Series 4 of this sitcom begins.
    ?Sky Comedy, 9pm

    ?↔️GUY GARVEY: FROM THE VAULTS
    ?Sky Arts, 9pm

    ?RED 2 (2013)?
    A team of retired spies attempt to locate a missing nuclear bomb. You’d think the elite squad would be on to that!

    ?Film4, 9pm

    ?WHEN TV GUESTS GO HORRIBLY WRONG
    ?Channel 5, 10pm

    ?PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2008)?
    Hapless stoner Dale Denton witnesses a murder and goes on the run with his dealer, convinced that the police are chasing him because they are in possession of a rare and illegal drug.
    ?Comedy Central, 12 m’t

  • TV PICKS
    Week commencing 19/09/2020

    For Virgin Media subscribers who can also access Sky Atlantic through Now TV.

    CODE

    SD: Presented in standard definition on VM.
    UHD: Presented in 4K on VM

    ? - Sounds good
    ? - Might be worth a look
    ? - New to TV
    ↔️ - Series
    ? - Film

    All programmes are presented in HD on Virgin Media unless otherwise indicated.

    ?SATURDAY
    19 September 2020

    ?↔️STRICTLY: THE BEST OF MOVIES
    A selection of the best moments from ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. I’m not really comfortable with clips of previous programmes being described as ‘new series’, but I guess this is a sign of desperate times for TV.
    ?BBC1, 7.30pm

    ?↔️JANE McDONALD’S WEEKENDS AWAY
    Mildly amusing travel show which will appeal to her fans.
    ?Channel 5, 8pm

    ??PLAYING WITH FIRE (2019)?
    An elite smoke jumper rescues three children from a cabin being threatened by fire and ends up having to look after them, which is easier said than done.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ↔️AERIAL BRITAIN (UHD)
    An aerial view of southern England, passing over London, Framingham Castle (Ed Sheeran’s ‘Castle on the Hill’), the Eden Project and a ‘Star Wars’ film location.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.10pm

    ?THE QUEEN Vs No 10: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
    How the Queen has got along with the 14 Prime Ministers elected during the course of her reign.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?↔️MYSTERY ROAD?
    This is the start of the second series of this Australian drama. A decapitated body is discovered outside the town of Gideon.
    ?BBC4, 9pm

    ?MADNESS: BEFORE AND AFTER

    ?Sky Arts, 9pm

    ?EMMYS: INSIDE GUIDE
    ?E!, 9pm

    ?TIME TRIAL
    A look at David Miller’s last cycling races.
    ?BBC Scotland, 9pm

    ??I, TONYA (2017)?
    A talented figure skater, Tonya Harding, becomes the first American woman to complete a triple axel during a 1991 competition. But in 1994, her world comes crashing down when her ex-husband conspires to injure fellow Olympic hopeful Nancy Kerrigan.
    ?BBC2, 9.30pm

    ?ONE MAN’S MADNESS
    ?Sky Arts, 10.30pm

    ?↔️THE BEACH: ISOLATION IN PARADISE
    International success has come at a personal cost to film makerWarwick Thornton. In this documentary, he has chosen to give up life in the fast lane for a while to go it alone on an isolated beach in Western Australia.
    ?BBC4, 10.55pm

    FEDDE LE GRANDE LIVE (UHD)
    House music performed live at the Pacha Festival. For fans of house music, this is followed at 11.40pm by Roger Sanchez.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 10.55pm

    ?PRINCESS DIANA: THE PRICE OF FAME
    ?Channel 5, 11.55pm

    ?JIMI: ALL IS BY MY SIDE Biopic of Jimi Hendrix, including his life in 1966, when he rose to great fame.
    ?BBC2, 12.25pm

    ?SUNDAY
    20 September

    ??ART OF FALLING IN LOVE (2020) (SD)
    An artist painting a mural on a new hospital wing falls for the project’s architect but worries he may not want to be with her if she reveals the unfortunate story behind her secret bucket list.
    ?Movies 24, 3pm

    ↔️KANGAROO DUNDEE & OTHER ANIMALS
    Documentary about a man who looks after animals in the Australian Outback.
    ?BBC4, 7pm

    ?↔️FAMILY FORTUNES
    ?ITV, 8pm

    ?↔️SCOTLAND’S SCENIC RAILWAYS
    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    POCAHONTAS: THE TRUE STORY (UHD)
    History documentary telling the real story about the relationship between the native American princess Pocahontas and the English adventurer John Smith.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.15pm

    ?↔️US ?
    Comedy drama. A couple plan to go their separate ways after a tour of Europe, but husband Douglas hopes he can re-kindle the spark that was long lost.
    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD (2017)?
    A billionaire is not willing to part with any of his money to pay a ransom for the release of his kidnapped grandson.
    ?Film4, 9pm

    ?GYPSY EVICTION: THE BATTLE FOR DALE FARM
    Documentary about the 2011 case of travellers being evicted from illegally occupied land.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?AT FIRST LIGHT (2017)?
    A young woman discovers she possesses supernatural powers after visiting a lake.
    ?Syfy, 9pm

    ?↔️THE FORGOTTEN WEST MEMPHIS THREE
    In 1993, three eight-year-old boys were murdered.
    ?Sky Crime, 9pm

    ?↔️MUMMIES: TALES FROM THE EGYPTIAN CRYPTS
    ?Sky History 2, 9pm

    ?9/11 PENTAGON SPECIAL
    ?Sky History, 9pm

    THE FORCE: THE STORY OF SCOTLAND’S POLICE
    Including mob rule in the 18th century and the miners’ strike in the 1970s.
    ?BBC Scotland, 10pm

    ??BODY CAM (2020)
    A police officer investigating the bizarre murder of a fellow officer discovers something supernatural is targeting the cops in her unit.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 10.15pm

    ?THE GAMBLER (2014) ?
    A literature professor falls foul of gangsters due to his failure to pay a gambling debt.
    ?Channel 4, 10.55pm

    ?TRIAL & RETRIBUTION (SD)?
    A body of a missing child is discovered.
    ?Drama, 10.55pm

    ?LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET
    The stars arrive for the Emmy Awards which will be screened on Sky One on Monday at 11pm.
    ?E!, 11pm

    CHICAGO: GREATEST HITS (UHD)
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.40pm

    EMMYS: E!’s INSIDE GUIDE
    ?E!, 1am

    ?MONDAY
    21 September

    ?↔️ONLY CONNECT
    Quiz show.
    ?BBC2, 8pm

    ?↔️YELLOWSTONE LIVE
    Footage of Yellowstone Park by helicopter.
    ?National Geographic Wild, 8pm

    ?↔️GHOSTS
    Return of the comedy series which finds Button House’s owner sharing her home with many ghosts of people who have died there over the years.
    ?BBC1, 8.30pm

    ↔️THE 7.39?
    Quite a watchable little drama about two people (played by David Morrissey and Sheridan Smith) who meet on a train on the way to work.
    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?ROSE WEST AND MYRA HINDLEY: THEIR UNTOLD STORY
    Trevor MacDonald on two of the most hated women in British crime whose weird behaviour behind bars gives a terrifying new insight into crimes that shocked the nation.
    ?ITV, 9pm

    ?↔️BRAIN SURGEONS: BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH
    ?Channel 4, 9pm

    ?↔️THE RESIDENT ?
    Second series begins. The doctors face new rules as Red Rock Mountain Medical takes over the hospital.
    ?Sky Witness, 9pm

    ?↔️EVIL ?
    A clinical psychologist is brought in to help the Catholic Church to determine which of their cases is demonic possession and which are simply insane. Prepare for a few shocks!
    ?Alibi, 9pm

    ?↔️THE SECRET HISTORY OF WRITING
    ?BBC4, 9pm

    ?ROD STEWART: IT HAD TO BE YOU
    ?Sky Arts, 10pm

    ?THE 72nd ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS
    ?Sky One, 11pm

    LEGENDS: NILE ROGERS (UHD)
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.30pm

    ?TUESDAY
    22 September

    ?SECRETS OF THE ZOO: RHINOS
    ?National Geographic Wild, 8pm

    ??THE PUBLIC (2018)?
    When freezing temperatures in Cincinnati lead to all the shelters being full, a group of homeless people occupy a local library to seek refuge.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?↔️THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF
    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    ↔️AUSTRALIA WITH SIMON REEVE
    ?BBC4, 9pm

    ?↔️9-1-1: LONE STAR
    Spin-off drama from the 9-1-1 series, following emergency services in Austin, Texas.
    ?Sky Witness, 9pm

    ?BAD SAMARITAN (2018)(SD)?
    Starring David Tennant, Robert Sheehan and Kerry Condon. Two burglars are surprised to find a woman being held captive in a house they were intending to burgle.
    ?Horror, 9pm

    ?VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS (2017)?
    In the 28th century, two special operatives race against time to save the diverse city of Alpha from a dark force that also jeopardises the future of the universe.
    ?Film4, 9pm

    ?↔️INSIDE THE FORCE: IRELAND (SD on Sky)
    ?Paramount Network, 9pm

    ?↔️THE WRITE OFFS
    Sandi Toksvig assists people who are unable to read or write.
    ?Channel 4, 9.30pm

    SCOTLAND’S SUPERHOSPITAL
    A documentary on a revolutionary trial for treating kidney dialysis.
    ?BBC Scotland, 10pm

    ?ALONG CAME A SPIDER (2001)?
    A detective and a Secret Service agent investigate the abduction of a senator’s daughter from a school.
    ?Film4, 11.45pm

  • ?WEDNESDAY
    23 September

    ↔️THE WILD ANDES?
    The Patagonian region is filled with vast glaciers, towering peaks, volcanoes and prehistoric forests, with condors, foxes and pumas.
    ?Smithsonian Channel, 6pm

    ?THE ART OF ARCHITECTURE
    ?Sky Arts, 7pm

    TALES FROM ZAMBIA (UHD)
    Second series begins with two young monkeys who are facing the toughest time of their lives.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 7.20pm

    ?↔️AMERICA’s NATIONAL PARKS
    Looking at wildlife in the park as it struggles to survive.
    ?National Geographic Wild, 8pm

    ?ENO’s LA BOHEME LIVE AT THE DRIVE-IN
    ?Sky Arts, 8pm

    ?BRUNEL: BUILDING A GREAT BRITAIN
    The work of Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS (2014)?
    The Biblical story of the adoptive brother of the Egyptian pharaoh, who plans to release the slaves after plagues hit the country.
    ?More4, 9pm

    ?↔️WHEN NATURE CALLS People who work to keep animals safe.
    ?National Geographic Wild, 9pm

    ?↔️GRAYSON PERRY’S BIG AMERICAN ROADTRIP
    Grayson explores race, class and identity across America.
    ?Channel 4, 10pm

    ?HYUNDAI MERCURY PRIZE: 2020: ALBUM OF THE YEAR
    ?BBC4, 10pm

    ?↔️SWAMP PEOPLE
    The swamp people attempt new, more dangerous ruses to cull the exploding alligator population. Animal lovers look away now.
    ?Sky History, 10pm

    ?HER SMELL (2018)?
    Elisabeth Moss stars as a punk rock star who tries to make a comeback.
    ?Sky Cinema Drama, 10pm

    ?↔️CELEBRITY KARAOKE CLUB
    ?ITV2, 10pm

    ??SHEPHERD: THE HERO DOG (2018)
    In Nazi Germany, a dog is separated from his owners because new laws prevent Jews from owning pets.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 10.15pm

    ?OUTLANDER (2008)(SD on Sky)
    Intergalactic warrior Kainan crashes in Viking-era Norway, allowing the fearsome alien creature he was transporting to escape.
    ?Paramount Channel, 10.50pm

    ?ROBIN HOOD (2010)?
    Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett star in this epic version of the well known story.
    ?Channel 5, 10.55pm

    ?KILL BILL: VOL 1 (2003)(SD)?
    Starring Zumba Thurman. Well worth watching if you have not already seen this.
    ?5STAR, 11.05pm

    ?BURIED (2010)?
    A man awakes to find he has been buried alive in a coffin.
    ?Film4, 11.15pm

    OnSTAGE (UHD)
    Regina Spector live on Soundstage.
    ?Ultra HD, 11.35pm

    ?WILD (2014)
    Driven to the edge by the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her mother, a woman undertakes a solo hike of more than 1,000 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail.
    ?Film4, 1.05am

    ?THURSDAY
    24 September

    ?↔️DISCOVERING FILM
    Commencing with a profile of Harrison Ford.
    ?Sky Arts, 7pm

    ?↔️INSIDE CULTURE WITH MARY BEARD
    ?BBC2, 7.30pm

    ?↔️THE GRAND PARTY HOTEL
    Where guests celebrate the important moments in their lives. Before lockdown, presumably...
    ?BBC1, 8pm

    ?↔️WORLD WAR II & CINEMA
    ?Sky Arts, 8pm

    ??A BEAUTY & THE BEAST CHRISTMAS (2019) (SD)
    (Groan...). A social influencer fakes a romance with a well known bad boy to win back her lost followers but she finds herself falling for him.
    ?Sony Christmas, 8pm

    ?THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)?
    The battles that ensued with the founding of Facebook were a challenge for Mark Zuckerberg.
    ?Sky Cinema Greats, 8pm

    ↔️THE ROOK (UHD) ?
    Another chance to watch this series from the start. After waking up surrounded by dead bodies and no memory, Myfanwy Thomas is thrown into the world of the Checquy, a paranormal secret service.
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 9pm

    SHE THE PEOPLE
    They wore skirts and hats, made signs and sewed sashes, but it wasn’t a pretty scene. Women in the US won the vote 100 years ago after enduring torture and imprisonment.
    ?Smithsonian Channel

    ?↔️LONDON ZOO: AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR
    ?ITV, 9pm

    ?↔️999:CRITICAL CONDITION
    Documentary following activities at Royal
    Stoke Hospital.
    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?TRUMP: AMERICA INTERRUPTED
    Sky News’ Amanda Walker talks to American voters, examining Donald Trump’s impact and his chances of being re-elected.
    ?Sky Documentaries, 9pm

    ?↔️ED STAFFORD: FIRST MAN OUT
    Ed meets his old bushcraft teacher in Central China.
    ?Discovery, 9pm

    ?↔️RICH KIDS, SKINT HOLIDAY (SD)
    ?5STAR, 9pm

    ?BELLY OF THE BEAST (2003) (SD)
    A CIA agent is faced with having to try rescuing his daughter from kidnappers in Thailand.
    ?Sony Movies Action, 9pm

    ??SWEETHEART (2019)?
    A shipwreck survivor realises that she is sharing the desert island she has reached with a predator.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 10.15pm

    ??FUNNY COW (2017)?
    Starring Maxine Peake. Set in the 1970s, an abused wife sets out to be a stand-up comedian and astonishes audiences at working men’s clubs.
    ?Film4, 11.15pm

    ?FRIDAY
    25 September

    ?↔️THE GADGET SHOW
    ?Channel 5, 7pm

    ??JUDY (2019)?
    Biopic of Judy Garland. In 1968, Judy Garland is wrestling her demons as she is determined to perform a series of concerts. The film takes us back to key parts of her life which have brought her to breaking point. Sounds like a good watch.
    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?↔️THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF: AN EXTRA SLICE
    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    ↔️AFRICA’S UNDERWATER WONDERS (UHD)
    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.10pm

    ?YELLOWSTONE: LIFE IN EXTREMES?
    This is a programme highlighting the best parts of the series.
    ?National Geographic Wild, 8pm

    ?UNITED STATES OF CONSPIRACY (SD)?
    The constant battle of truth over fiction in the US.
    ?PBS America, 8.35pm

    ?AUSTRALIAN HITS AT THE BBC
    A selection of the top Aussie music acts that saw them get a grip on the U.K. charts.
    ?BBC4, 9pm

    ??VISIONS (2015)(SD)?
    After leaving her city life behind and moving to a vineyard with her husband, pregnant Eveleigh begins experiencing terrifying visions.
    ?Horror, 9pm

    ?TREAD
    A Colorado man uses a bulldozer to systematically destroy a small town.
    ?Sky Documentaries, 9pm

    ?BLOOD ON THE WALL
    Documentary about corruption in Mexico and Central America that forces people to seek new lives in the US.
    ?National Geographic, 9pm

    ?TRACKERS:,SNIFF & RESCUE
    ?National Geographic Wild, 9pm

    ?MYSTIFY (2019)?
    Profile of the INXS lead singer.
    ?BBC4, 10pm

    ?↔️LATER...WITH JOOLS HOLLAND: MERCURY PRIZE 2020
    ?BBC2, 10pm

    ?I WANT MY MTV
    A nostalgic look back at the birth of MTV, which began broadcasting in 1981.
    ?Sky Arts, 10pm

    ?JOHN WICK (2014)?
    A former assassin who decided to turn against violence is provoked into a murderous rage.
    ?Channel 5, 10pm

    ?BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (2018)?
    Biopic of the Queen front man Freddie Mercury.
    ?Sky Cinema Drama, 10pm

  • TV PICKS

    Week commencing 26/09/2020

    For Virgin Media subscribers who can also access Sky Atlantic through Now TV.

    CODE

    SD: Presented in standard definition on VM.

    UHD: Presented in 4K on VM

    It should be noted that an agreement was reached between Sky and Virgin Media to bring Sky’s UHD programming to Virgin Media in 2020, but no firm date was given. It is possible that this may happen on 1 October, although there have been no reports of any commencement date at the time of posting.


    ? - Sounds good

    ? - Might be worth a look

    ? - New to TV

    ↔️ - Series

    ? - Film

    All programmes are presented in HD on Virgin Media unless otherwise indicated.

    ***OLD BOY’S TOP PICKS ARE IN BOLD!

    ?SATURDAY

    26 September 2020

    ?LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

    Sir Simon Rattle conducts Stravinsky ballets.

    ?Sky Arts, 11am

    ?↔️THE HIT LIST

    Music quiz.

    ?BBC1, 6.15pm

    ?↔️THE SEARCH

    Little Mix start a search for the next boy band to make it.

    ?BBC1, 7pm

    ?BERNARD HAITINK, THE ENIGMATIC MAESTRO

    Documentary about the Dutch conductor’s last year of work before retiring at 90.

    ?BBC2, 7.30pm

    TOP PICK!

    ??MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN (2019)?

    A private eye with Tourette’s syndrome and a brilliant memory becomes determined to track down the killer of his mentor.

    ?Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm

    ?↔️BONE DETECTIVES

    Back in the 19th century, 13 bodies were found with their skulls cut open. This documentary investigates what happened.

    ?Channel 4, 8pm

    ?ELIZABETH & MARGARET: LOVE & LOYALTY

    Documentary about the relationship between the Queen and her sister.

    ?Channel 5, 8pm

    ?ROGER WATERS: US + THEM

    Live performance in Amsterdam.

    ?Sky Arts, 9pm

    ?TERMINATOR SALVATION (2009)?

    John Connor has the fight Skynet’s plan to exterminate the human race.

    ?Dave, 9pm

    ??McQUEEN?

    Not the actor, but fashion designer Alexander, his life and his untimely death.

    ?BBC2, 9.45pm

    FOREIGNER: DOUBLE VISION 40th ANNIVERSARY (UHD)?

    The original members of the band reunite.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 10.55pm

    ?THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS (2008) ?

    The son of a commandant of a concentration camp becomes friendly with a boy on the other side of the barbed wire fence.

    ?BBC2, 11.30pm

    ?NEXT GOAL WINS (2014)

    Dutch coach Thomas Rongen attempts the near impossible by turning the American Samoa soccer team from losers into winners.

    ?Sky Documentaries, 11.55pm

    ?SUNDAY

    27 September

    ?↔️EUROPE’S NEW WILD

    Looking at the conservation measures being taken to protect the Danube.

    ?National Geographic Wild, 6pm

    MONTY ALEXANDER AND THE HARLEM KINGSTON EXPRESS (UHD)

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.40pm

    VOLCANOES: DUAL DESTRUCTION (UHD)

    Two powerful volcanoes erupted in 2018 - one in Hawaii and the other in Guatemala.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8pm

    ?DESERT ONE

    Documentary about the Iran hostage crisis which started in 1979 and lasted 444 days.

    ?Sky History, 9pm

    ?BLACK SWAN (2010)?

    Thriller in which a young ballerina descends into madness after she is chosen to be the lead in Swan Lake.

    ?Sky Cinema Drama, 9pm

    ?BLACK CLASSICAL MUSIC: THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY

    With Lenny Henry and Suzi Klein.

    ?BBC4, 9pm

    ?↔️OUR VALLEY FAMILY

    Documentary about a family living in the Welsh Valleys.

    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?NEED FOR SPEED (2014)?

    An ex-prisoner returns to the illegal street racing circuit.

    ?Syfy, 9pm

    ?HANNIBAL RISING (2007)(SD)

    Hannibal Lecter decides to get revenge on the war criminals that killed his sister.

    ?Horror, 9pm

    ?I AM ELIZABETH SMART (2017)(SD on Sky)?

    In 2002, Brian David Mitchell abducted 14- year-old Elizabeth Smart from her Salt Lake City home. Held captive by Mitchell and his accomplice, Smart must endure months of brutality while trying to figure out a way to escape.

    ?Lifetime, 10pm

    ?IN COLD BLOOD

    This documentary investigates the scandal of thousands of patients whose treatment for haemophilia resulted in infection with Hepatitis C. Not one of the NHS’s better moments.

    ?ITV, 10.20pm

    ?LINCOLN (2012)?

    President Lincoln battles to ensure the abolition of slavery.

    ?Film4, 11.35pm

    ?ROBIN WILLIAMS: THE PRICE OF FAME

    Those who knew him talk about his life.

    ?Channel 5, 11.55pm

    ?THE WATER DIVINER (2014)?

    Russell Crowe stars in this period drama. An Australian farmer travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli in an effort to locate his three missing sons.

    ?BBC1, 12.10am

    ?MONDAY

    28 September

    LIFE’S JOURNEY (UHD) ?

    The first few days of life are frightening.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 6.30pm

    ?TEST & TRACE EXPOSED

    A Panorama documentary which looks at the new tracking system.

    ?BBC1, 7.30pm

    ?↔️INSIDE ART

    ?Sky Arts, 7.30pm

    ?KING KONG (2005)?

    A film crew encounter the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ to whom natives of an unexplored island offer human sacrifices.

    ?Sky Cinema Action, 8pm

    ?↔️POLICE INTERCEPTORS

    ?Channel 5, 8pm

    ANIMAL EMPIRES

    Making babies and raising them is crucial for every species to survive. In some social circles, it takes a village to raise a family.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 8.10pm

    TOP PICK!

    ?↔️HONOUR ?

    Fact-based drama in which the police investigate a missing woman, The investigating detective discovers she had reported threats to her life on several occasions and her parents seem unconcerned by her disappearance.

    ?ITV, 9pm

    TOP PICK!

    ↔️UNDERGROUND (UHD)?

    Historical drama first shown on Sky 1 in 2017 (although for some inexplicable reason I missed this!). As a group of slaves plan to escape from his plantation, Tom Macon looks to enlist his abolitionist lawyer brother to manage his campaign to be Georgia’s next Senator.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 9pm

    ?FREDDIE FLINTOFF: LIVING WITH BULIMIA

    ?BBC1, 9pm

    ?↔️THE SHIPMAN FILES

    Documentary exploring the life of the doctor turned serial killer who started killing off his elderly patients. 

    ?BBC2, 9pm

    ?↔️POLICE SUSPECT No 1

    Documentary. The police investigate crimes, starting with an armed robbery.

    ?Channel 5, 9pm

    ?↔️INSIDE THE SPITFIRE FACTORY

    ?More4, 9pm

    ?THE EQUALISER (2014)?

    Denzel Washington stars in this action thriller in which a former secret agent becomes determined to close down a crime syndicate after rescuing an abused prostitute.

    ?ITV4, 9pm

    ?↔️FILTHY HOUSE SOS (SD)

    ?5STAR, 9pm

    ?DEJA VU (2006)(SD)

    Starring Denzel Washington. A window into the past is discovered by a federal agent which promises to help him avert a tragedy.

    ?5STAR, 9pm

    ?↔️MADE IN CHELSEA

    ?E4, 9pm

    ?EXTREME FARE DODGERS

    Enforcement Officers and undercover investigators employed by Transport for London go after passengers who try to get away without paying.

    ?Channel 5, 10pm

    ?SEX ON THE BEACH

    Investigating a sex tourist destination in Gambia.

    ?Channel 4, 10pm

    ?LISA MINNELLI

    Live from Radio City Music Hall.

    ?Sky Arts, 10pm

    TOP PICK!

    ↔️THE FEED (UHD)?

    In the near future, people’s brains are connected to The Feed. Well worth a watch!

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 9.45pm

    ?DARK RIVER (2017)?

    Period drama. After the death of her father, a woman returns to claim her inheritance.

    ?Film4, 11.15pm

    AUDIENCE MUSIC (UHD)

    Singer, songwriter, record producer and model Skylar Grey performs her hits and there is also an interview with host Ted Stryker.

    ?Virgin Ultra HD, 11.45pm

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