15.12.1994

Bob on the box

Bob Paul reviews this year’s Christmas offerings on the TV

FOR THE next couple of weeks the absurdly dubbed ‘season of goodwill’ will be dominated by carol-singers and stories about that little baby Jesus. Keep an eye open for the rare worthwhile features. They go something like this:

Monday December 19

• BBC2 7pm The World at War. An episode in the series documenting World War II. Hardly a Marxist view of 1939-1945, but has some interesting historical footage - this time on the Reich.

Tuesday 20

• BBC2 7.30pm Open Space, Look back in anger. Profile of Sheila Mackenzie as she leaves the director’s post at the housing charity Shelter. The programme is an excellent exposé of Tory housing policy, or rather the lack of it.
• ITV 10.40pm Network First, Talking to the enemy. Straight from the horse’s mouth - IRA activists give personal accounts of the armed struggle and comment on the ceasefire.

Wednesday 21

• BBC1 9.30pm Between the lines. The second episode of a two part story. Intelligent drama about three ex-coppers from the Police Complaints Authority and their futile attempts to purge the boys in blue.
• C4 10.25pm NYPD Blue. This well-packaged drama is the USA’s attempt to prove that coppers do actually have the ability to talk, listen and sort out society’s problems.

Thursday 22

• BBC2 7.30pm First Sight, The booze runners. The British state in action again - this time in the form of HM Customs’ officers on the ‘booze run’ chasing all those naughty men and women illegally selling and drinking alcohol in Britain. However, Kenneth Clarke’s mini budget will put them in the same situation as their recent victims. They too will be looking for something to do with their redundancy money.

Saturday 24

• BBC1 10pm Dead again. Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson and Derek Jacobi star in this thriller. Lots of plot twists and turns but a slightly predictable ending.

Sunday 25

• BBC1 6.45pm Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Just when you thought you heard the last of that song ... Macho star Kevin Costner plays the gallant Robin Hood, who is more concerned with wooing his damsel in distress than robbing from the rich.

Monday 26

• ITV 10.30pm Dave Allen. Catholicism gets the sharp end of Allen’s tongue again. If you appreciate the occasional poke at religion, let this comedian lead the way.
• BBC1 12.30pm Spellbound. Classic Hitchcock thriller to end a generally boring day on the box. Bergman and Peck provide two hours of suspense.

Tuesday 27

• C4 9pm Baby fathers. Continuing C4’s short series of Black Christmas, this documentary provides an interesting insight into the lack of welfare support for the 86% of children born outside marriage in Jamaica.

Wednesday 28

• C4 8.30pm Equinox, Incredible evidence. Apparently, it is hard enough for the British bobby to get a conviction in their favour even after distorting the evidence. Miscarriages of justice occur, according to this documentary, “despite the best efforts of forensic scientists”.
• BBC2 9.25pm JFK. It’s that man again. Costner plays the attorney out to prove that ‘progressive’ Kennedy just went a bit too far for the CIA and the powers that be. Conspiracy theories are fun but should be taken with a pinch of salt. Personally I prefer to think that Castro did it.
• ITV 10.20pm The fly. This seems to be enjoying an annual Christmas showing. Sick, gory but entertaining horror about bits dropping off Jeff Goldblum’s body as he gradually changes from man to fly.

Thursday 29

• BBC1 11.30pm Review of the Year. All your favourite and least favourite bits of 1994. Try not to be too sick when D-Day commemorations are highlighted, but have a laugh at the Tories trying to escape sleaze allegations.

Friday 30

• BBC1 9.30pm French and Saunders Christmas Special. For those of us who are mad but not sad.