Monday’s TV tips
As we all know, Christmas is a time for giving, which is one of the reasons the month beforehand turns into an appeal-ing time.
In the spirit of giving until it hurts, quick-witted silver fox Pip Schofield will be drawing on decades of TV experience (as well as a few cups of coffee) to keep us entertained for the duration of this latest telethon.
Kicking off on This Morning, Philip will be going the extra mile to see ITV’s latest fundraiser generate more cash than ever.
Given the fact Children in Need recently raised more than £32m, the gauntlet has been thrown down for ITV to do even better.
At this stage in the marathon he’s joined by Dancing on Ice legend Todd Carty and helium-voiced I’m A Celebrity veteran Joe Pasquale.
They will be performing a potted version of Spamalot, while the ever-stunning Myleene Klass will plugging a bidding war for celeb outfits.
Thanks to Mike Leigh and Tim Spall’s JMW Turner biopic, the grunting painter has never been more popular, while the award inspired by the acclaimed artist also has a reason to celebrate.
This is the 30th year of the annual event, and the UK’s most publicised art award always manages to generate plenty of chat.
Past winners include Damien Hirst, and in 1999, both Tracy Emin’s My Bed, and Steve McQueen’s video work both won over critics and the public alike. The latter went on to make Shame and the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor.
This year, London’s Tate Britain hosts the 30th Turner Prize and the winner is announced live, by Ejiofor, as part of this programme hosted by Lauren Laverne.
Aside from announcing the winner live from Tate Britain, the programme profiles the shortlisted artists: Duncan Campbell, Ciara Phillips, James Richards and Tris Vonna-Michell.
“Ireland, What’s Next” is a brand new TV3 series that will look at some of the major issues facing Irish society today and attempt to kick start a debate about what type of Ireland we want to rebuild as we emerge from the economic crisis.
99% of students from Ranelagh in Dublin 6 go to college, that number drops to just 15% in Darndale in Dublin 10. It seems your postcode and your parents' profession still determine whether or not you will get a degree.
In the second of TV3's 'Ireland What's Next' series, Colette Fitzpatrick examines the deep social divide in our education system. The programme gets the perspective of students from designated disadvantaged areas in Cork, Limerick and Dublin.
Some left school early, others are about to sit the Leaving Cert; and some are the first in their family to go to university.
Colette also speaks to teachers working on the front line about the different cultural and financial factors that contribute to educational disadvantage.
Officers Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Pena) patrol the mean streets, trading macho banter in between shoot-outs with bad guys.
An opening car chase, shot through a police windscreen, ends in bloodshed and the duo are re-assigned to another part of the city and told mock-seriously “not to kill anybody by the end of the week”.
Like Sarge (Frank Grillo) and fellow cops Van Hauser (David Harbour), Orozco (America Ferrera) and Davis (Cody Horn), the buddies accept that their beat is riddled with drugs and the killing will never cease.
When Brian and Mike uncover a trafficking operation run by a local cartel, they are marked for death.
This is a fantastic police drama, with a fast-paced script and a top-drawer cast to boot. There’s not a great deal you’ll be able to find fault with here – a fantastic way to while away a couple of hours on a Monday evening.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Natalue Martinez, Anna Kendrick.
85%
Jon Richardson is on stage one November Saturday night in Halifax when dust particles fall from the rafters and steal his moment in the spotlight.
For a man obsessed with cleanliness, you can understand why this is such an issue. That and the fact that his polished material is getting bigger laughs than fame-hungry dirt.
Of course there are no such problems with the spotless 8 Out of 10 Cats set.
In case you didn’t know it, this is the show which helped make his name and has played a part in stratospheric sales of Jon’s ’Nidiot“ tour. Now in its ninth year, ’Cats” has proved to be a firm favourite with the masses.
For the last in the current series, Richardson, fellow team captain Sean Locke and host Jimmy Carr will be poking more fun at topical poll-based stories with help from guests Kelly Hoppen, Louis Smith, Henning Wehn and David O’Doherty.
Los Angeles cop Webster Smith reluctantly teams up with mysterious detective Captain John Connor (who’s an expert in Japanese culture) when he’s assigned to investigate the murder of a prostitute in the offices of an American-based Japanese company.
Smith believes it’s an open-and-shut-case and he’s got the perpetrator, but Connor convinces him it is anything but and the pair uncover more than they had bargained for.
Sean Connery brings his inimitable presence to this exciting crime thriller that is based on Michael Crichton’s novel of the same name.
Snipes’ moody portrayal of a detective desperate to catch the bad guy proves that the Blade star is more than just a tough-talking action hero.
Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes, Harvey Keitel, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
35%
This touching romantic drama follows one couple’s battle against prejudice. The eponymous Laurence reveals to his girlfriend that he is a transsexual, and wishes to become a woman.
Throughout the following 10 years, she supports Laurence through the challenges of his transition, despite coming up against plenty of family disapproval.
This is a long film, and it’s full of so many ups and downs of emotions, but stick with it, and you won’t regret it.
Xavier Dolan’s offering will stay with you long after the end credits have rolled, and no doubt provide plenty of scope for debate. Pushing those boundaries has really paid off here.
Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clement, Nathalie Baye.
83%
