Sunday 19 October 2008

TV Picks: 20-26 October 2008

Sunday 19 October 2008
My picks of the week's best, new television shows airing in the UK:

MONDAY 20th
Legends: The Chieftains (BBC2, 7pm) Profile of the band who helped save traditional Irish music from disappearing. Features interviews with the current members and tributes from fans like Keith Richards, Sir James Galway, Sting, Elvis Costello and Andrea Corr.
Only Connect (BBC4, 8.30pm) Victoria Coren presents a new panel show where people find links between disparate people and objects.
Extraordinary Animals In The Womb (Channel 4, 9pm) A combination of CGI, models and 4-D ultrasounds show us the development of four animals from conception to birth (a kangaroo, a shark, a penguin and a wasp).

TUESDAY 21st
Holby City (BBC1, 8pm) Return of the popular hospital drama series.
1914-1918 (BBC4, 8pm) Documentary series examining World War I.

WEDNESDAY 22nd
The Electric Proms (BBC2, 11.20pm) American songwriter Burt Bacharach opens the show at the Roundhouse in London's Camden Town; joined on stage by some of Britain's finest home-grown talent: Adele, Beth Rowley and Jamie Cullum.

THURSDAY 23rd
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Virgin1, 9pm) Season 2 premiere of the sci-fi Terminator spin-off; starring Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green, Richard T. Jones & Shirley Manson. US-paced reviews here.

FRIDAY 24th
Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live (Channel 4, 9pm) Following its success as a special, the volatile chef presents a seven-part series offering the nation home tuition with weekly themes.

SATURDAY 25th
Most Haunted Live: Village Of The Damned (LivingTV, 8pm) The paranormal investigators arrive in Denbigh, a Welsh village supposedly cursed by witches. First of a seven-night investigation for Halloween.

SUNDAY 26th
Britannia High (ITV1, 6.15pm) Take That's Gary Barlow, Strictly Come Dancing's Arlene Phillips and Grease Is The Word's David Ian help select performers from a fictional arts school, in this brand new series.
Futurama (Sky1, 7.30pm) Fifth season of the sci-fi animated comedy, created by cutting up the recent straight-to-DVD specials.
Little Dorritt (BBC1, 8pm) Adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel by Andrew Davies, about the Dorrit family's journey from rags to riches. Stars Claire Foy, Tom Courtenay, Emma Pierson, Amanda Redman, Andy Serkis, Ruth Jones, Robert Hardy, Mackenzie Crook, Eddie Marsan, Annette Crosbie, Georgia King, Alun Armstrong, Judi Parfitt, Arthur Darvill and Russell Tovey. 15 episodes.
Dragons' Den: Outside The Den (BBC2, 8pm) The real lives of the reality show's multi-millionaires is revealed, starting with Theo Paphitis.
Celebrity Scissorhands (BBC3, 9pm) Third series of the hairdressing reality show, where Lee Stafford trains a group of celebrities to become top stylists.