Wednesday’s TV tips
Home from Home is a two part documentary based in two nursing homes in Ireland. Taking an observational approach to life in a nursing home, TV3 will highlight the words and actions of charismatic residents, hardworking staff and supportive family members.
In the second episode of the series, TV3 meets charismatic residents of Glenaulin Nursing Home. One of the 84 residents, Frank Coleman was first introduced to the Chapelizod based home when his wife, Mary, of 68 years, moved there after developing dementia.
It proved a tough time for Frank as he was lonely living alone, but, aided his heartache by visiting Mary every day,“Hail, rain or snow”.
Along with residents, staff also express their views on their experience of working in a modern nursing care facility. Former car mechanic, Christopher Cruise discovered his interests in this profession through helping his late grandmother in her later years.
You would be forgiven for thinking you’d tuned in to yet another Beeb culinary offering tonight, after all there are plenty of them about at the moment, but this is indeed The Apprentice.
Lord Sugar has decided to live up to his name, and has challenged his candidates to design and create a new range of premium puddings. The latest task sees them baking up a storm in the kitchen, before having to head out and pitch their product to the supermarkets in the hope that it will make it on to shelves of the biggest retailers up and down the country.
As one team puts their all into a cheesecake with a difference, the other gives the humble trifle a makeover. However, once the puddings are made, the teams struggle at the pitching stage, with one of the project manager’s instructions falling on deaf ears.
Will their hard work pay off when it comes to the boardroom meeting?
No, you’re not seeing things – adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls and actor Ben Stiller are together at last!
While Stiller might be used to filming on location and being put through his paces on the likes of films Zoolander and Tropic Thunder, he’s never been challenged Bear Grylls-style. Until now. The pair are heading out on a gruelling 48-hour challenge into the wilds of Scotland _ and it’s wet and cold and at times even terrifying.
Their expedition begins in Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye, where they have to rope themselves together to scramble over rock cliffs, search for food and shelter at an ocean inlet, and descend into the darkness of a vast cave.
But if Ben’s worried at that point, he ain’t seen nothing yet, as soon enough they’re leaping of a 40ft cliff in to the North Atlantic and swimming out to a seaplane...
Comedian Spike Milligan may have passed away 12 years ago (yes, it’s really been that long), but he’s as much loved now as he was when he was around as he inspired generations of comedians that followed him.
Milligan captured people’s imagination, not only with his comedy which always had people rolling around with laughter, but also with his writing of 80 books - from fiction to poetry to children’s stories. In fact, with television, theatre and writing commitments, he had one of the most impressive CVs in the celebrity sphere.
And so the Beeb sees it fitting to offer this touching personal portrait of the unique performer, which is told in his own words and even features exclusive home video footage.
There are also contributions from those who worked with him, lived with him and were inspired by him – and if that has only just whet your appetite, don’t flip the channel because some of Milligan’s most famous sketches follow in the next programme.
In order to get out of hock with local gangster Billy Walker, bounty hunter Beck travels to the Amazon Basin to retrieve the archaeologist son of the mobster.
When he arrives, he realises the ne’er-do-well Travis is not the hardened criminal he’d heard of, but an obnoxious smart alec.
He’s searching for an ancient gold idol called the Gato del Diablo – something not only prized by the local population, but also by Cornelius Hatcher, the slave-driving operator of the Helldorado mining town.
Hatcher just won’t let Beck leave with Travis, and that’s when the fun really begins.
Dwayne Johnson stars in this action comedy, which in America was released as The Rundown. Although it isn’t exactly going to stretch you intellectually, it’s still darn good entertainment.
Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Christopher Walken, Rosario Dawson, Ewen Bremner
It’s safe to say the Gray family are unlike any you’ve ever met before.
They had a run-in with the law on Christmas Eve of 1999, after which John Joe Gray skipped bail and took his family on the run, before settling into life on a remote Texan compound. He made it clear to police they if they planned to come and get him, they should bring body bags too.
Now, the family remains heavily armed, and ready for a shoot-out, and so fearing a bloody confrontation, the police have chosen not to enter.
This one-off documentary explains how the Grays live with no mains electricity, plumbing or telephone and water is sourced from a natural spring, while they hunt and farm to survive.
The programme hears from local residents, law enforcement agencies and the family’s supporters, as it considers what the future may hold for the family, and whether the situation can ever be brought to a peaceful conclusion.
Elizabeth Olsen (the lesser-known younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley) stars in this thriller about a woman subjected to abuse while involved in a cult.
She manages to escape and seeks refuge with her sister, but finds the resulting paranoia prevents her from moving on with her life.
As traumatic memories flood back and become more frequent, she is unable to decipher what is real and what are her nightmares.
Despite the difficult subject matter, Elizabeth Olsen is a joy to watch on screen – a fantastic actress for her young years (she was 22 when this was filmed).
It’s not the easiest of viewing, and given its many layers, could probably do with being watched a couple of times, but the cast work well together under the impressive direction of Sean Durkin.
Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes, Hugh Dancy.
Lieutenant Frank Drebin discovers that his ex-girlfriend’s new beau is involved in a plot to kidnap a scientist who advocates solar energy.
To save their industries, the suppliers of traditional fuels kidnap the boffin and replace him with a decoy with a more favourable report. Can Drebin save the day?
The original movie was one of the funniest comedy films of the Eighties and still stands up to repeated viewings thanks to the glut of sight gags going on behind the principal players.
Leslie Nielsen has rarely been better as the incompetent detective Drebin while Priscilla Presley delivered a surprisingly good performance as his love interest.
Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Richard Griffiths, OJ Simpson.
