October 2009 Archives

Corridor of Sound Radio 2, Saturday 10pm
We covered the celebrations of the Maida Vale studio’s 75th anniversary in last week’s radio choices. To conclude the This two-hour documentary, fronted by singer (and BBC 6Music presenter) Cerys Matthews, tours the building talking to engineers, producers and some of the big names who have used the studios over the years.

Archive on 4: Capering with Ken Campbell Radio 4, Saturday 8pm
Ian McMillen explores the world of the late actor and director Ken Campbell. With contributions from his daughter Daisay, manager Colin Watkeys, theatre director Richard Eyre and fellow actors Julia McKenzie and Jim Broadbent, this is a must-listen for anyone involved in theatre. A shortened repeat is on Monday afternoon.

Desert Island Discs Radio 4, Sunday 11.15am
This week’s castaway is chat show host, inspiration for a superb (if very rude) opera and recent star of Chicago, Jerry Springer.

John Barrowman Radio 2, Sunday 1pm
As EP continues her Australian tour, this week her seat is kept warm by her Anything Goes/Sunset Boulevard costar John Barrowman. He’s such a shy and retiring figure, I don’t know how they manage to coax him on to the airwaves.

Classic Serial: Bel Ami Radio 4, Sunday 3pm
A story of political corruption and spin set in 19th century France, as Frances Byrnes dramatises Guy de Maupassant’s novel. Ambitious journalist Georges Duroy (Jonathan Slinger), under the pen name of ‘Bel Ami’, is a key figure in French society - but his forthcoming marriage to a society heiress is threatened by the presence of his mistress, Mme de Marelle (Emma Fielding).

Drama on 3: The Lady from the Sea Radio 3, Sunday 8pm
Frank McGuinness adapts Ibsen’s play. Ellida (Lia Williams), now married to a much older man, is haunted by the memory of the sailor to whom she was once engaged, but who disappeared. When he resurfaces, she finds herself consumed by longing.

Woman’s Hour Drama: Singleparentpals.com Radio 4, Monday-Friday 10.45am, rpt 7.45pm
Tom (Kris Marshall) has signed up with an online dating service for lone parents. Through the website he makes new friends - including the spiky Rosie, played by Maxine Peake…

Afternoon Play: Ivan and the Dogs Radio 4, Wednesday 2.30pm
Based on a true story, Hattie Naylor’s play documents the story of Ivan, a four-year-old boy who spent two years living on the streets of Moscow, where he was adopted by a pack of feral dogs.

Afternoon Play: The Penny Dreadfuls Present: Guy Fawkes Radio 4, Thursday 2.15pm
If you haven’t caught the Penny Dreadfuls’ Faversham Brothers shows on Radio 7, you’ve missed a treat. Expect some dubious views of historical accuracy and some well-aimed potshots at literary cliché.

Ronnie Scott’s at 50 Radio 2, Friday from 7pm
Another week, another anniversary - this time the legendary Soho jazz venue. A new two-part documentary bookends a repeat Friday Night is Music Night

The Sarah Jane Adventures (Friday 4.35pm, BBC1/BBC HD)

The best children’s show on telly, this spin-off from Doctor Who starring the legendary Elisabeth Sladen is as enjoyable for grown-ups as well as the little ones. Last night’s opening episode of The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith saw our heroine smitten with Peter Dalton (Nigel Havers) and about to tie the knot. And then some fella called the Doctor (David somebodyorother) pitches up to stop the nuptials! Brilliant, brilliant stuff. And K9 is in it!

Coronation Street (Friday 7.30pm, ITV1)

It’s all a bit tense in Coronation Street tonight as local murderer Tony Gordon suffers a massive heart attack. Thinking he’s not long for this world, Mr G decides to confess all, and finds the nearest ear is Roy Cropper’s. Is this it for Tone? And what will Roy do with the burden of confession on his shoulders?

Merlin (Saturday 6.05pm, BBC1)

Great episode of the family adventure series, concluding last week’s opening of this two-parter. Sarah Parish is on fine form as the hideous troll Catrina, who has managed to snare Uther into marrying her. It’s a delicious performance, and the cast are clearly having great fun with this one. Can Merlin and Gaius stop Catrina from taking over Camelot for good?

The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson (Saturday 9.45pm, BBC1)

Does the world really need a new impressions show? Probably not, but this new vehicle for Jon Culshaw, along with Corrie refugee Debra Stephenson isn’t too bad on the whole. Katy Brand and Kevin Bishop could learn a thing or two from this.

The Thick of It (Saturday 10.10pm, BBC2/BBC HD)

Best comedy on the box. Fact.

Garrow’s Law: Tales from the Old Bailey (Sunday 9pm, BBC1/BBC HD)

Slick and enjoyable period drama starring Andrew Buchan as forward-thinking 18th century barrister William Garrow. It’s packed full of period detail and info about the legal system of the day. Buchan, maturing into full on leading man in this (helped along by his turn in The Fixer) is definitely one to watch for the future.

Spiral (Sunday 10pm, BBC4)

Final episode of the compelling French crime drama that twists and turns its way to a satisfying climax. Expect some chicanery into the final scenes as things come to a head. With news that a third series is on the way, anything can happen. And probably will.

We were very sad here at TV Today to hear of the death of Norman Painting, a world-record holding actor who had played Phil Archer since the trial episodes of the BBC’s long-running radio soap, The Archers.

Painting’s contribution to the legendary soap is huge. He had been been with the series since the five pilot episodes in 1950 (The Archers went national in 1951), the character of Phil maturing from young man to father and then grandfather. It’s a breath-taking achievement and his presence has enriched my enjoyment of The Archers over the years with those calming, avuncular tones.

But away from the recording booths in Birmingham, Painting wrote over 1000 scripts for The Archers between 1966 and 1982. He reportedly left scriptwriting behind due to artistic differences with the then editor of the show, but was happy to continue appearing as Phil for decades to come.

Painting’s passion for The Archers never diminished, penning a history of the show, Forever Ambridge, in the mid-1970s. It was a best seller and was reissued in 1980 to tie in with the 30th anniversary of the soap.

Over on this week’s The Stage Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ray Brooks, an actor I’ve admired for many years since he narrated the legendary Mr Benn in the early 1970s.

Brooks’s autobiography, Learning My Lines is out now. It’s a fascinating read, covering his time on EastEnders in frank detail, and a look back over his lengthy career in film, theatre and television, including Cathy Comes Home and The Knack.

For many, Brooks will be best remembered as gambling chancer Robbie Box in the successful drama Big Deal in the mid-1980s. Brooks describes Big Deal, in which he starred opposite Sharon Duce, as:

As you will know from our regular weekly previews, TV Today loves radio drama too. And so it is with much anticipation that we await one of Radio 4’s most ambitious series for many a long time — a full adaptation of Our Mutual Friend, Dickens’ final (and, some would say, greatest) novel.

Dramatised over twenty 15-minute episodes, the central characters of Mr and Mrs Boffin will be played by Jason Watkins and Pauline Quirke, who inherit a fortune when the original heir’s body is identified upon being pulled from the Thames.

In the preview clip below, Nicodemus “Noddy” Boffin (Watkins) is haunted by the ghost of Old Mr. Harmon, whose fortune is the central driver for the piece. I’m sure it’s intentional, but the spinning map of Victorian London does, of course, raise parallels with the EastEnders opening titles…

Over at the Radio 4 blog, they’ll be documenting some of the hard work behind the scenes that goes in to creating such an atmospheric piece. To begin with, executive producer Jeremy Mortimer talks to Mike Walker, whose job it was to turn Dickens’ work into a full dramatic production — a conversation you can hear below:

Our Mutual Friend starts on Monday, November 9 in the Woman’s Hour Drama slot — 10.45am and repeated at 7.45pm each weekday.

EastEnders BBC1, Monday 8pm
After Friday’s series of bluff and double-bluffs as baby George’s father turned up at the maternity ward, the revelation that it was Darren who nine months previously had bedded Heather produced a muted “Huh? Really?” response from our house. Mind you, kudos to the EastEnders team for keeping that result so closely guarded that it came as a genuine surprise - all the more impressive given that there is a whole magazine industry founded upon soap spoilers…

Murderland ITV1, Monday 9pm
Nowhere near as good as last year’s The Children, which pulled a similar trick of examining a crime from a different perspective each week, this week we see the 15-year-old crime from the point of view of DI Hain (Robbie Coltrane).

Dollhouse ITV4, Monday 9pm
Joss Whedon’s latest TV series makes its debut on Freeview. The Dollhouse is a secret organisation whose residents, or “dolls”, have had their memories wiped, and who get new memories and personalities to fulfil their rich clients’ needs. Eliza Dushku (Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is Echo, a doll who begins to show signs of self-awareness. While the series starts out as a “job of the week” drama, by the end of the first season it develops into an intriguing, highly dark series. Unfortunately, the second season (currently running on Sci-Fi) is in real trouble, so we’re unlikely to see a third…

Ghosts in the Machine BBC4, Tuesday 9pm
A look at the history of supernatural programmes on British television, from the superb-but-bonkers Ghostwatch to the frankly-just-bonkers Most Haunted.

Waterloo Road BBC1, Wednesday 8pm
A fifth series of the Grange Hill for grown ups starts with a merger with a neighbouring school — a technique for bringing in new characters and rivalries that the children’s programme also used, if memory serves. Tom Chambers waltzes in as new executive head Max Tyler.

The Sarah Jane Adventures BBC1, Thursday 4.35pm
Absolutely no apologies for highlighting this CBBC production for the third week in a row. And it’s a humdinger of a two-parter (with the second episode on Friday). After much subterfuge, Sarah Jane’s big secret is out - she’s been seeing a new man (Nigel Havers) and they are getting married! But hang on — who’s that robed figure with no eyes? If the Trickster’s back, things can’t be what they appear. With a guest appearance from David Tennant as the Doctor, this is an unmissable treat for Doctor Who fans of all ages. And I can’t help thinking that, as the 22-year-old Daniel Anthony becomes less able to pass himself off as a 15-year-old, that a graduation to full TARDIS travel in the parent series wouldn’t go amiss…

EastEnders (Friday 8pm, BBC1)

Tonight we get the answer to the question that has been troubling ‘Enders fans for most of this year: who’s the daddy? Yes, Heather Trott phones the fella who fathered little George Michael, and in a trick that harks back to the reveal of the father of Michelle Fowler’s baby, various Walford blokes are in the frame for the crime of the century. Just who will it be?

The Armstrong and Miller Show (Friday 9.30pm, BBC1)

More lovely gentle and very British comedy from Armstrong and Miller, building on the strong start last week. There are some great new characters here, with accident-prone historian Dennis Lincoln-Park being a real gem. Good show, good comedy.

Peep Show (Friday 10pm, C4)

Final episode of a majestic sixth series that sees Mark tumbling headlong towards fatherhood, which necessitates a brush with learning how to drive so he can deposit Sophie at the hospital when the time comes. And Jez… well, Jez is just Jez, isn’t he?

Merlin (Saturday 6.15pm, BBC1)

This second series is proving to be lots of fun, although I still feel the Arthur/Merlin relationship needs to be softened a touch. But there’s lots to enjoy here tonight as Sarah Parish has a great time playing a troll who transforms herself into a hot chick to enchant Uther. Not that Uther is likely to break a smile, despite some female attention. This is a two-part tale that concludes next week.

The Thick of It (Saturday 10.10pm, BBC2)

As Peep Show comes to an end, so the other gem of the British comedy landscape returnsfor a very welcome news series. Yes, The Thick of It is back, and so is the sublime and sweary Malcolm Tucker played with relish by Peter Capaldi. There’s a new minister for social affairs and citizenship (Rebecca Front) for Malcolm to deal with, and no doubt Olly, Glenn and Terri will conspire to make Malcolm’s life one giant migraine. It’s as creatively foul-mouthed as ever, and one can’t help feel you are watching true genius at work here.

Fringe (Sunday 10pm, Sky 1/Sky 1 HD)

The legendary Leonard Nimoy pops up again tonight as the mysterious William Bell, which adds an extra layer of frisson to an already cracking second series. I had some doubts about Fringe during the first season, but there’s a solid confidence to this new run that makes it a highly enjoyable watch.

The South Bank Show (Sunday 10.15pm, ITV1)

Nick Hornby talks to Melvyn Bragg about his new novel, Juliet Naked, and the upcoming movie An Education, for which he wrote the screenplay based on Lynn Barber’s autobiography. This should be an engaging and charming profile, as long as he doesn’t start banging on about how good The Wire is.

The Saturday Play: Bullitt Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm
Jason Isaacs plays New York cop Lieutenant Clancy, assigned to protect an importnat Mafia witness who then turns up dead. Despite its name, this is not a radio adaptation of the Steve McQueen film, but rather the novel that was adapted into the movie: Robert L Pike’s Mute Witness.

The Wire: Me and Cilla Radio 3, Saturday 9.15pm
A club singer with leukaemia is preparing for Christmas as her husband’s affair with the neighbour is rearing its ugly head, and their son is preparing to make his first appearance in public in women’s clothing. God bless Radio 3, it manages to air in three quarters of an hour plots that would keep Radio 4’s Afternoon Play going for an entire week.

Jodie Prenger Radio 2, Sunday 1pm
The Oliver! star sits in for Elaine Paige while she tours Australia.

Free Thinking 2009 Radio 3, Sunday from 8pm
Radio 3’s annual “festival of ideas” returns, running all weekend at the Sage Gateshead. This year’s key theme is the 21st century family — and, at 8.20pm, Drama on 3: Beware the Kids continues the theme. Written by Fiona Evans and Karen Laws, it will be recorded at this week’s festival.

Reece Shearsmith’s Haunted House Radio 4, Thursday 11.30am
Timed well to air as Halloween approaches, the League of Gentleman actor (and Stage Podcast interviewee) Shearsmith talks to horror enthusiast (and fellow League-member) Mark Gatiss, Vic Reeves and Yvette Fielding about what makes a story scary.

Bleak Expectations Radio 4, Thursday 6.30pm
A third series of the splendid Victorian send-up. Sir Philip continues to tell his life story, which this week includes a seance gone wrong, an inspector calling, and a possessed evil pigeon.

MAIDA VALE AT 75: Friday Night is Music Night Radio 2, Friday 7.30pm
MAIDA VALE AT 75: Brief Encounter Radio 2, Friday 9.15pm
The culmination of a week of celebrations of the BBC’s Maida Vale studios sees all of the Corporation’s national networks dedicate part of their schedules to honouring the studio complex. Radio 2’s principal contributions (among many) include a special Friday Night is Music Night starring Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, followed by a special live broadcast adaptation of Brief Encounter, David Lean’s 1945 film, itself based on Coward’s play Still Life. Meanwhile, on Radio 7…

MAIDA VALE AT 75: Blue Veils and Golden Sands Radio 7, Friday 11.15am
Sophie Thompson stars as Delia Derbyshire in this drama about the woman who, through her work with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop (itself based at Maida Vale) would inspire a generation of musicians. Oh, and who would turn Ron Grainer’s more conventional score into something haunting, mysterious and quite magical for a new 1963 science fantasy TV series going by the name of Doctor Who…

MAIDA VALE AT 75: Selected Radiophonic Works Radio 7, Friday 8pm
Richard Coles delves through the archives of the Radiophonic Workshop to explore some of the themes, incidental music and sound effects it created for BBC shows.

Sometimes on a dark and dreary day that makes you realise that autumn is really here and that Christmas is only nine weeks away, only a trawl through YouTube for a title sequence will lift your spirits.

And today I was in the mood for some childhood nostalgia that recalls dozing on a 1970s settee, fish fingers for lunch, and a colourful, bright, enchanting adventure for ten minutes.

And the one show that fits that bill nicely is the wonderful, ageless Mr Benn. The simplicity of author David McKee’s drawings, the wish-fulfilment of the stories, the jaunty theme tune that is endlessly hummable and the soothing tones of Ray Brooks’s narration.

In essence it’s the perfect children’s television programme. And as if by magic (ahem), here it is. Enjoy!

Two separate stories that we’ve published here today on The Stage show how small independents are harnessing the power of the internet to break what one company describes as a “closed shop” — BBC radio commissioning.

As Matt’s news story details, media company Made in Manchester is creating a number of online audio dramas, which will be distributed through a range of partner websites.

The production company said it had formed an alliance with the artists in an attempt to “re-excite people again about the power of speech” and to provide opportunities for writers and actors, whom it said were currently only served by a “limited number of slots on the BBC”.

Reading that reminded me of the story in July, in which independent drama producers who pitch for those limited number of slots complained that changes to a ‘batch’ commissioning structure were leaving some companies high and dry. After the collapse of One Word Radio, and Channel’s digital radio multiplex plans falling by the wayside, BBC Radio dominates the drama sector to the point of near exclusivity.

Today, the internet is providing new avenues to connect with audiences without requiring a predetermined schedule, with forty-five minutes of kitchen sink Afternoon Play slotted neatly in between The Archers and Gardeners’ Question Time. Whether provided free to listener via podcast or (in Made in Manchester’s case) through third party websites, there are ways in getting your content out to a wider audience.

It’s not just drama that has the problem of the BBC’s monopoly creating a bottleneck. Comedy is in much the same boat. By far the most popular podcasts in iTunes’ directory are comedy ones, even when you discount those that are BBC shows previously broadcast on radio. Comedian Richard Herring (pictured above) has created a new venture, As It Occurs To Me, a topical stand-up/sketch show hybrid recorded in front of a paying theatre audience every MOnday evening, and podcast for free the following day.

My full interview with Richard will be in our own podcast tomorrow, but earlier today we published a shorter, print version:

I think there’s now a way for people who are frustrated at the difficulty of getting things on, and the number of good things that are pulled off the TV after a series or two. I’ve been lucky to get things on the radio and onto TV, but you’re at the mercy of other people. As a creative person and as I get older, I just want to get my stuff heard and out there.

You can sit around and wait for five years for someone to like you and put your stuff on the telly, but actually it’s better to just get on with it.

Of course, for these routes to have any long-term viability, they’re going to have to pay for themselves at the very least, whether through advertising and sponsorship, ticket sales or arts subsidy. As Herring points out in the longer, audio form of his interview, the numbers of listeners and/or theatregoers needed for these smaller scale projects to be considered successful don’t need to be that large.

There are other ways of making audio projects financially successful, of course. Drama producer Big Finish*, for example, makes full-cast audio dramas and audiobooks predominantly for the science-fiction fan audience, with ranges including Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel and The Tomorrow People. While their releases have been available on physical CD since they started, recently they have moved to offering MP3 downloads as well, often pricing the first episode of any multiple episode story at just 99p to allow people to sample a drama without having to fork out for the cost of the whole thing on the strength of just a title or short sound clip.

In fact, all over the internet there are groups of people making high quality audio, and in some cases video, drama and comedy available. Here on TV Today and in the print pages of The Stage, we’ll be featuring more of these in future. If you know of any we should check out, why not leave a link in the comment box below?

• Full disclosure: I’ve had a prose short story published by Big Finish, and fellow TV Today blogger Mark Wright has written, directed and produced several audio dramas for the company

We spend an awful lot of time here at TV Today bemoaning the state of television, how messed up it always seems to be and how audience apathy is eroding away at the experience of watching the Idiot’s Lantern.

We don’t spend enough time talking about the shows we watch and enthusing and thrilling about something we’ve found genuinely exceptional nestling within the schedules.

So how lucky that I have found something fitting that very criteria over the last fortnight. In Treatment, a HBO show currently airing on Sky Arts that I’ve bigged up in Square Eyes, is one of the best dramas I’ve ever seen on television. Stripped across five nights a week, it stars a magnificent Gabriel Byrne as therapist Paul Weston. For four 30-minute episodes he has a regular session booked in with a different patient each night, and then on Friday he sees his own therapist, Gina (an equally stunning Dianne Wiest). And then the cycle begins all over again on each Monday.

Coronation Street ITV1, Monday 7.30pm & 8.30pm
The start of a major week on the cobbles, as Carla returns. All of this week’s episodes span a single day, and yet events progress far quicker than they usually do. Unfortunately, by the end of it Kevin and Molly will still have the most tedious affair of all soap history, but otherwise this is an uptick in Corrie’s rather fitful interest curve.

Murderland ITV1, Monday 9pm
Robbie Coltrane returns to the world of ITV crime drama with a three-part story told across two timelines. Coltrane plays Detective Inspector Hain, who fifteen years ago investigated a brutal murder. In the present day, the murder victim’s daughter Carol (Amanda Hale) is obsessed by both the killing and Hain’s part in the case. Told with frequent skipping between past and present, and with each episode showing events from the perspective of a different character, the structure is the most interesting part of this drama.

Spaced Dave, Monday 10pm
Ten years after it first surfaced on Channel 4, this sitcom written by & starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stephenson (now Hynes) remains one of my all-time favourites. Two single people who pose as a couple so that they can actually find accommodation, Tim and Daisy are in many ways the overgrown teenagers that we all secretly wish we could be.

The Real Cabaret BBC4, Tuesday 9pm
“Wilkommen, Bienvenue, welcome…” Christopher Isherwood’s time in 1930s Weimar Berlin caused him to write Goodbye to Berlin, the inspiration for the musical Cabaret (which follows at 10.30pm). But how close to real life is our vision of that time? Alan Cumming, who won a Tony for his portrayal as the Emcee on Broadway, heads off to Berlin to find out, stopping off for conversations with Liza Minnelli and Ute Lemper.

The Force Channel 4, Tuesday 9pm
The second of three documentaries following a police inspection into a single crime. This week, we follow the investigation by Hampshire Police’s Crystal unit, set up with sole purpose of investigating rape allegations. As well as following the case (a woman says she has been assaulted by a number of men in a hotel room, but can remember nothing), the unit itself is struggling for survival.

Defying Gravity BBC2, Wednesday 9pm
You know, for a Corporation that’s extremely picky about US imports, they do seem to be developing a track record in investing in poor co-productions (hello, Krud Mandoon, I’m talking to you). Defying Gravity is a coproduction with Fox, Omni Film, CTV, SPACE and Pro Sieben. And that list of investors is roudabout the most interesting part. Actually, not quite: it looks glorious, but Ron Livingston is a soporific leading man and the scripts aren’t much better.

The Sarah Jane Adventures BBC1, Thursday 4.35pm
A far, far better science fiction series that doesn’t let up after last week’s glorious opener. In this week’s two parter, in the year 2059, an older Rani (Souad Faress, aka Usha in The Archers) recounts events fifty years previously that changed her life for ever… Another guest star this week is Brian Miller, aka Mister Elisabeth Sladen.

Russell Howard’s Good News BBC3, Thursday 10.30pm
The regular panellist on Mock the Week gets his own weekly topical comedy show. I don’t know too much else about it, other than an extended version will show over the weekend. For me, Howard is the most likeable of MTW’s regular panellists, and his brand of comedy is one that will hopefully sustain a full nine-part series.

Have I Got News For You? (Friday 9pm, BBC1)

The return of the perennial panel game with Hislop and Merton in their usual seats, joined this week by Charlie Brooker and Arlene Phillips. Martin Clunes is this week’s wit on guest-host duties.

The Armstrong and Miller Show (Friday 9.30pm, BBC1)

The brilliantly cosy Armstrong and Miller return with their highly enjoyable brand of sketch show humour. Of course, the WW2 pilots who speak like modern street kids return, along with a raft of new characters to poke some gentle fun in a terribly English manner. Good stuff!

Peep Show (Friday 10pm, C4)

It’s Friday, it’s 10pm, it’s Peep Show. Another effortless visit to the blackly comic lives of Mark and Jez, who this week are planning a party - mainly so Mark can get it on with Dobby again. There are so many effortless one-liners in any episode of Peep Show, it’s practically obscene.

In Treatment (Friday 10pm, Sky Arts 1/Sky Arts 1 HD)

Simply the best drama on television at the current time.

Strictly Come Dancing/The X Factor (Saturday 7.15pm/8pm, BBC1 & BBC HD/ITV1)

Blah blah dancing, blah blah worst performance I’ve ever seen, blah blah Bellingham was robbed, blah blah what are you going to say this week, Danii?, blah blah Alesha’s getting better, blah blah does anybody really care?

Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Saturday 7.30pm, ITV1)

If you watch only one thing on television all weekend, make it TV Burp. You know the drill by now - it’s wacky, it’s fun, and it’s for all the family. What would we do without you, Mr Hill?

Born Survivors: Bear Grylls and Will Ferrell (Sunday 7.05pm, C4/C4 HD)

The title alone makes this worth watching!

Emma (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)

With one more episode to go, this third episode of Emma seems to be treading water somewhat, with lots of inconsequential mucking about at balls, fluttering fans. It’s all very pretty, but really, can we get to the point?

Doc Martin (Sunday 9pm, ITV1/ITV HD)

The dour doc is off to London this week for an interview at a posh hospital that might just prove to be his ticket out of Portwenn and back to civilisation. But what about that pesky blood phobia, and how will his charges back in the village cope without him?

Saturday Play: Emil and the Detectives Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm
I have to admit that the charms of Erich Kästner’s children’s book were completely lost on me as I was growing up, but I know many of my classmates loved it with a passion. Maybe I’ll finally grasp its appeal now that Katie Hims has adapted it for radio, capturing the journey of country boy Emil Tischbein to Berlin and his enlisting of the city’s street boys to help him capture a thief.

Classic Serial: Howards End Radio 4, Sunday 3pm
After Friday’s Afternoon Play featuring EM Forster on the brink of finishing his classic novel (see last week’s picks), here we have the work itself, adapated by Amanda Dalton. Helen Schlegel (Jill Cardo) goes to stay with the Wilcox family at their home, Howards End. It is a visit that will change her life for ever. The biggest draw of this production must surely be the narration by John Hurt.

Drama on 3: The Threepenny Opera Radio 3, Sunday 8pm
A new production, especially for radio, of the Bertolct Brecht/Kurt Weill play with music. Joseph Millson plays Macheath, aka Mack the Knife, who is London’s most notorious gangster and who has secretly married Polly Peachum, much to the anguish of her parents. Featuring the Manchester Chamber Choir and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by HK Gruber. Kurt Weill is Radio 3’s Composer of the Week, with programmes dedicated to him Monday-Friday at 12pm, repeated at 10pm.

The Color Purple Radio 7, Sunday 9am & 8pm
Originally broadcast as a Woman’s Hour Drama in 2008, Radio 7 has been repeating episodes of this, the first radio adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel, daily this week. Here, we get an omnibus presentation of the first five episodes - the story continues Monday-Friday at 11am and 9pm on Radio 7, with a final omnibus at the same time next Sunday.

Woman’s Hour Drama: The Dead Hour Radio 4, 10.45am & 7.45pm
Amy Manson stars as cub reporter “Paddy” Meehan who, upon reporting a domestic dispute, unwittingly stumbles into a murder investigation. Can she convince the police — and even her editor — that she has a better grip on the story than they do? Continnues next week.

Afternoon Play: Filthy Rich Radio 4, Monday 2.15pm
Max (William Beck) is set to inherit a small fortune — but between him and the money are his sister, Katrin (Emerald O’Hanrahan) and grandmother (Anna Massey). A black comedy by Michael Butt, the mere presence of Massey in the cast is enough to get me listening.

1929 - Crash, Bang, Wallop Radio 2, Tuesday 10.30pm
An opportune look back 80 years, when the world of capitalism was in crisis. The Great Depression triggered a wave of artistic and cultural development that helped shape the 20th century and beyond. Kirsty Wark explores the crash’s heritage with input from, among others, Richard Eyre, Jools Holland and Barry Norman.

Radio 2 Live: Michael Bublé Radio 2, Wednesday 10pm
Acting somewhat as a counterpoint to the Electric Proms (featuring all this week online, on Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, 6Music, and the red button) a smoother sound emanates from the Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House, as Canadian crooner Bublé plugs his new album - er, I mean, treats licence fee payers to a selection of songs, of course. In all seriousness, Bublé is far better live than he is on his superbly crafted albums, so this should be a treat.

Afternoon Play: The Decoy Radio 4, Thursday 2.15pm
Matthew Broughton, who created virtual reality thriller Planet B for Radio 7 as part of last year’s cross-network sci-fi season, here crafts a thriller about image and power, as a humble factory worker is picked out and groomed by the State to act as a body double. Planet B returns for a second series shortly, and the first is currently being repeated on Sundays on Radio 7.

The Archers Radio 4, Thursday 7.15pm
As Mark pointed out earlier this week, the Archers’ treatment of Jack Woolley’s progressive deterioration due to Alzheimer’s has been an incredible combination of writing and performance, resulting in a heart-breaking and at times difficult listen. Tonight, the billing says that “Jack and Peggy get a glimpse of the future”, so it could be another weepy episode…

Bassey!/BBC Electric Proms: Dame Shirley Bassey Radio 2, Friday from 7pm
The documentary series about the girl from Tiger Bay concludes with an hour-long episode tonight, followed by a live concert from Camden’s Roundhouse as part of the BBC Electric Proms.

The first episode of any new series must, of course, draw the viewer in enough to make them want to continue watching. That much is a given. For children’s programmes, there is a second requirement: it must reassure parents that the series is appropriate viewing for their young ones. As with its previous two series, the third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures (today and Friday, BBC1) it’s unlikely to fail on that score — it’s as delightful, thrilling and funny as ever. No, from the kids’ point of view the danger is much worse: that the parents will want to continue watching too.

At a preview screening in the presence of several of the cast and crew a couple of weeks ago Mark and I, each approximately three times the age of CBBC’s target audience, had the time of our lives watching this first two-episode story, Prisoner of the Judoon. It’s a thrilling reintroduction to the lives of the children who live in Bannerman Road and the ever-so-slightly-odd woman who helps them save the world every week.

Slightly oddly, the episode opens with two separate introductory segments, one provided by the character of Clyde Langer (Daniel Anthony), followed by a second delivered by Sarah Jane herself. Thankfully, both are short, and the action gets under way quite quickly.

As one may tell from the title, the story — as is now traditional in season openers — features an alien prosthetic previously constructed for the series’ parent show, Doctor Who. This time, we see the return of the officious intergalactic police, the Judoon: walking space rhinos with a penchant for jobsworthiness.

And that’s where the fun really sets in: writer Phil Ford takes that small character trait, first seen in the DW episode Smith and Jones, and builds upon it to provide plenty of lighter moments as the Judoon (Paul Kasey) gets increasingly testy at various infractions of even the most mindless rules. It’s not at the expense of the story, though: in Friday’s second episode, the same nature is played upon in a way that increases the suspense, as Clyde and Rani use that same obsession with being nit-picking about rules to get one over on the Judoon guard.

As the title suggests, though, the Judoon are not the only aliens to feature in this story: there is also an escaped prisoner, a Veil — a reptilian individual replete with CGI-created forked tongue, played with relish by Mark Goldthorp (who can currently be seen on stage playing a very different kind of monster, namely Trekkie, in Avenue Q at the Gielgud theatre).

Well, I say played by Goldthorp — it transpires that the Veil can hide inside other people. And here’s where the fun really begins, as he takes over the body of Sarah Jane herself, using her knowledge of extra-terrestrial activity on Earth to devise a plan to escape this world. Which requires Elisabeth Sladen to take the character in directions she would never normally be able to go. Part vamp, and a whole lot more camp, it’s a delightful, completely watchable turn that manages to stay just on the right side of silly.

Considering it’s aimed at early teens, there are some quite serious topics discussed - nanotechnology (and concerns about it all going horribly wrong, reducing the Earth to ‘grey goo’), corporate fraud, an improvised variation on Asimov’s laws, the nature of life and death and one’s place in the universe.

A subplot involving Rani’s parents doesn’t quite work on the same level, and shows how easy it is to slip into the panto-style comic delivery that passes for much of CBBC comedy, but otherwise it’s a great start to a series which will see Sladen’s real life husband, Brian Miller, guest in next week’s pair of episodes, and in future weeks will see another TV Today favourite, Suranne Jones, play a malevolent Mona Lisa (no, I can’t quite belive I typed that, either).

The Slitheen make a return appearance, along with their orange-hued cousins the Blathereen, while K9 has an increased role this series. And of course, as has been widely trumpeted, David Tennant will have a starring role as the Doctor in a story entitled The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith, which also sees the return of SJA’s greatest contribution to the Doctor Who universe in the shape of the universe-altering Trickster.

From what we were shown of the new series, it looks stunning. Which, considering that not only did the show make the transition to the more expensive HD format this year but also managed to do so while incurring a substantial budget cut, is nothing short of phenomenal. Now, here’s hoping that some of that extra investment in chidren’s television that The Stage reported on a couple of months ago can go to ensure a long and happy future for Bannerman Road…

• The Sarah Jane Adventures, Thursdays and Fridays, 4.35pm BBC1.

A quick sidestep into Turn off the TV territory, which is something I rarely do, but I’m enjoying Radio 4’s perennial everyday story of country folk so much at the moment, I had to say a few words.

The Archers is on tiptop form right now, which ain’t bad for a show knocking on the door of its 60th anniversary. Ed Grundy is taking over Grange Farm, there are brawls with football teams at Grey Gables, Fallon is bonding with her estranged dad, and um… David Archer is counting the worms in the soil at Brookfield. Racy stuff.

The beauty of The Archers, as once noted by Tamsin Greig in a documentary a few years back, is that it has the courage to be absolutely mundane. The characters populating Ambridge become like friends and acquaintances - a pleasant by product of the intimacy of radio drama. It’s certainly what continues my love affair with this most idiosyncratic of British dramas.

I have to admit that, apart from the occasional CBBC drama (yes, that Sarah Jane Adventures preview is on its way, I promise!) I watch hardly any children’s television. Apart from Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which hardly counts, of course.

Ahem.

Digital channel Cartoonito, which aims at a preschool audience, is about to embark on a wider advertising campaign, using Myleene Klass as a figurehead. Because, presumably, of the new law in which no commercial break is allowed in programmes without Myleene being present in some form, selling shampoo, clothing — or now, children’s telly.

The new ad takes its cue from The Sound of Music, with mums singing My Favourite Things to their toddlers. And while it’s all a little too cute for my liking, at least it’s indoctrinating the little rugrats with a love of musical theatre from an early age, so we can’t be too scornful, now, can we…

Cartoonito is available from 6am to 7pm every day, on Sky channel number 619.

Storyville: Roman Polanski - Wanted and Desired
BBC4, Monday 11.20pm
First broadcast in 2008, this award-winning documentary looks at the complexities of the legal issues surrounding the original trial of Roman Polanski, who last month was arrested in Switzerland and faces extradition to the United States after absconding prior to sentencing after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl. Marinz Zenovich revisits the key players in the trial, including a look at the unusual conduct of the judge in the case.

Around the World in 80 Days
BBC1, Tuesday 9pm
As the leaves start turning, so the Children in Need celebrity specials start to emerge. And thus we have a six-part series in which a different celeb pairing takes part in a relay leg of the classic journey undertaken by Phileas Fogg (or Michael Palin, depending on your frame of reference). The journey kicks off with comedians Frank Skinner and Lee Mack journeying eastwards from London towards Turkey.

The Force
Channel 4, Tuesday 9pm
A fascinating documentary on the modern police force follows a single murder investigation as it is conducted by the Hampshire Constabulary. The narrative feel imposed by having the investigation compressed into a single hour provides a compelling watch, without falling into the clichés that fictional crime dramas would have you believe exist in every murder investigation.

Joan Does Glamour
ITV1, Tuesday 9pm
Joan Collins. Hosts a makeover show. Using high street labels. In Plymouth. And ITV1 wonders why its audience is fleeing in droves, when it produces daytime drivel like this for an hour of primetime, justifying the scheduling by overpaying for a celebrity with little to no connection to real people’s lives.

Flight of the Conchords
BBC4, Wednesday 10pm
If you didn’t catch any of the first two series, here’s your chance to see what you missed, as a repeat run from the very first show begins. Centring around New Zealand music duo Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement as they try to break into the music industry, it’s a real delight.

The Sarah Jane Adventures
BBC1, Thursday 4.35pm
Expect a Square Eyes special on this in the next day or two, but the Doctor Who spin-off that most often threatens to eclipse the parent show is back, and now in HD. The first two-part story of the series sees a return by the universe’s most officious policemen, the Judoon — specifically, one Judoon who crash lands to Earth while escorting a particularly dangerous creature. It’s a light-hearted romp to open the series, with some laugh-out-loud comedy moments and a superbly wicked turn from Elisabeth Sladen, who demonstrates a mischievously evil side that we don’t usually get from Sarah Jane… Concluding on Friday, this is without doubt the drama of the week.

Saturday Play: Shadowlands Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm
Previously a BBC TV film starring Joss Ackland, then a feature film starring Joss Ackland. Now Martin Jarvis takes on the role of C.S. “Jack” Lewis, the Oxford academic who fell in love with an American divorcee, Joy Gresham (Joanne Whalley). When Joy is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Jack’s relationship with God is put to its severest test.

The Wire: The First Day of the Rest of My Life Radio 3, Saturday 9.45pm
Call centre worker Toby (Joanathan Keeble) tells an angry customer to have a heart attack and die. The next morning, he wakes up and is no longer Toby, but Dr Richard Jugg — and the following morning, he wakes up as the homeless Deke. An existential comedy nightmare by Martin Jameson.

Michael Ball Radio 2, Sunday 11am
With special guest Victoria Wood, whose play Talent is currently revived at the Menier Chocolate Factory and who will be making a return to sketch TV with a Christmas special this year.

Desert Island Discs Radio 4, Sunday 11.15am
This week’s castaway is comedian and actor Steve Coogan.

Elaine Paige on Sunday Radio 2, Sunday 1pm
With guests from the Lion King cast.

The Importance of Being Earnest Radio 7, Sunday 1pm
An all-star radio adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic comic play, originally broadcast in 1995 to celebrate the centenary of the original stage production. Michael Sheen is Jack Worthing, while Dame Judi Dench plays Lady Bracknell, a role she would reprise in the 2002 film adaptation. Also starring are Martin Clunes, Samantha Bond, Miriam Margolyes and Amanda Root.

Drama on 3: The Researches of Herodotus Radio 3, Sunday 8pm
History’s first foreign correspondent, Herodotus recounted the history of the ancient world through his first-hand accounts. Tom Holland’s play condenses his writings and stars Anton Lesser as Herodotus, with Richard Bremmer, Stephen Noonan, Owen Teale, Adam Levy and Pippa Heywood.

Monday-Friday previews after the jump.

EastEnders (Friday 8pm, BBC1)

‘Enders is on good form at the moment, and tonight should serve up a typically powerful episode focusing on Stacey Slater and her battle with bi-polar disorder. Last night we saw Jean claim her daughter required sectioning, so expect some harrowing scenes in tonight’s visit to Walford.

Peep Show (Friday 10pm, C4)

It’s series six, but Peep Show remains as fresh and wonderful as ever. It’s one of those rare shows where writing and casting work together in tuneful harmony and the results are never then less than superb. Tonight sees the return of Johnson (Paterson Joseph on rare form) to rope Mark into working for his new company - based in his bedroom. As for Jez… well, Jez is just Jez.

Life on Mars USA (Friday 10pm, FX)

It’s Life on Mars, but not as we know it, with Jason O’Mara sliding into John Simm’s battered leather jacket for the US remake of the acclaimed time-travel drama. And you know, it’s not half bad, but this first script rarely steps away from the beats of the UK original, so it’s a safe opener. Harvey Keitel is a bit hard to swallow as Gene Hunt (more a tribute to Philip Glenister’s definitive take on the character than Keitel’s failings as an actor), but as remakes go, this is a good attempt.

In Treatment (Friday 10pm, Sky Arts 1/Sky Arts 1 HD)

The end of the first week of this very special drama series. We’ve seen Gabriel Byrne’s Paul talk to four distinct patients throughout the week, but now it’s his turn to talk to his own therapist, played by the brilliant Diane Wiest. In Treatment is stunning stuff that in just five half hour episodes has been shocking and thought-provoking. I can’t wait for the rest.

Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Saturday 7.30pm, ITV1)

Saints be praised, Harry’s back! The best show ITV has in its arsenal returns to poke fun at this mad world we call telly, and is guaranteed to bring smiles, a giggle and belly laughs aplenty. Hill has a unique view of the world, and you never quite know where he’s going to go with things. Expect a few comedy grenades lobbed in the direction of Strictly and The X Factor along the way. Harry, we’ve missed you!

The X Factor (Saturday 8pm, ITV1)

After last week’s trial of the judges houses (just what was that all about, Cheryl?), we’re into the first of the live shows this week. Which means it isn’t long to go until Christmas. Eeek! It’s too early to call it, and after the misfire of the live auditions, I can’t say I’m all that fussed about the live shows. Hey ho, the ratings are still through the roof, so what do I know?

Emma (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)

This hugely enjoyable adaptation of Austen’s Emma continues as our winsome heroine continues to play matchmaker, but finds her do-gooding can backfire when one of her charges starts to pay her attention instead. Ooops! It’s all terribly, terribly breathless and lovely, and it’s hard not to be utterly charmed by Romola Garai’s turn as the titular Emma. Nice.

House/Fringe (Sunday 9pm/10pm, Sky 1/Sky 1 HD)

A back-to-back helping of top US drama. House starts his rehab after recent trials, and the Fringe team travels to Philadelphia where they discover human remains in an underground tunnel. Erm, lovely…

I had planned on doing a very detailed blog on the storm surrounding Strictly Come Dancing and Anton Du Beke’s ill-judged comment to his dance partner, Laila Rouass, as widely reported in the press. But it does seem that the moment has passed, with statements by the BBC doing their utmost to put the matter to rest.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think for a second that Anton Du Beke is a racist, but I do think that his comment, used as it was in the workplace - they were rehearsing for Strictly, whether in a BBC building or not - is a fairly dodgy and offensive term. Of course, we don’t know the boundaries of De Beke’s relationship with Rouass and whether those boundaries granted permission for the dancer to refer to his partner in such a way. As it is, the BBC’s statement indicates that apologies have been made and accepted, so further conjecture seems useless at this point.

It’s been a hectic week so far here at TV Today towers, but to give you something to enjoy until normal service is resumed tomorrow, I thought I’d share something that has to be seen to be believed…

This is the title sequence to the mythical, but very real, Mrs Columbo, a supposed spin-off from Columbo starring future starship captain Kate Mulgrew in the title role as the cigar-puffing detective’s oft-mentioned, but never seen better half.

There are few words that describe the elegant majesty of this concept, so just watch the title sequence and marvel at the audacity of the studio exec who thought this was a good idea…

Criminal Justice BBC1/HD, Monday-Friday 9pm
Screenwriter Peter Moffat returns with a new five-episode legal drama following a single criminal case from the committal of the crime to the final decisions of the courts. While that sentence may imply an extended version of Law & Order, anybody who saw the previous series starring Ben Whishaw and Pete Postlethwaite will know that the drama looks much further into the justice system, exposing many of its flaws. To avoid a simple retread of the previous series, this year’s drama centres around Juliet (Maxine Peake), a woman who lashes out and kills her abusive husband.

In Treatment Sky Arts 1/HD, Monday-Friday 10pm
Playing five nights a week for two months, Gabriel Byrne stars as a therapist who serves the same clients every week (on Mondays, Melissa George; Tuesdays, Blair Underwood; Wednesdays, Mia Wasikowska; Thursdays; Josh Charles and Embeth Davidtz) before visiting his own therapist, played by Dianne Wiest, in the Friday episode. Made by HBO, In Treatment has picked up a clutch of awards in the US, including a Golden Globe for Byrne, and makes a welcome appearance in the UK schedules.

30 Rock Comedy Central, Monday 10pm
The third series of the multi-award-winning series starts with Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) trying to convince her adoption agent (Will and Grace’s Megan Mullaly) that the TV environment she works on is appropriate for a single mother to bring up a child. The best US comedy by miles.

The Graham Norton Show BBC1, Monday 10.35pm
The quasi-anarchic chat show switches channels from BBC2 to BBC1. Which to me seems less of a jarring move than moving Norton’s antics to a Monday night, when they’d seem far more suitable nearer the end of the week - although I suppose that would then create a clash with Jonathan Ross.

Stargate Universe Sky1/HD, Tuesday 8pm & 9pm
The latest reboot of the Stargate franchise is set on an alien spaceship. Whether that’s enough to provide sufficient difference from the previous SG-1 and Atlantis variations, only time will tell, although rumblings from the US suggest it’s made a strong start — its premiere on cable shannel SyFy trounced Fox’s season opener of Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse. The ensemble cast include ER’s Ming-Na and Britain’s very own Robert Carlyle.

It’s Only a Theory BBC4, Tuesday 10pm
A new comedy panel show which sees regulars Andy Hamilton and Reginald D Hunter joined by a celebrity guest (this week, sports presenter Clare Balding) to examine scientific theories put forward by guest experts.

True Blood Channel 4/HD, Wednesday 10pm
Mere days after it finished its run on FX, Channel 4 starts with this new series based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charmaine Harris, and brought to TV by Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball. Set in a version of the Deep South where vampires are out in the open and other supernatural beings lurk beneath the radar, Anna Paquin plays Sookie, a waitress whose telepathic abilities attract her to the mysterious vampire Bill, the only man in town whose thoughts she can’t hear.

Generation Kill Channel 4/HD, Wednesday 11.20pm
The second of the night’s two US imports from HBO to have been first shown on FX, Generation Kill focusses on American troops during the Iraq War. Based on the book by Evan Wright, the TV series is adapted for television by David Simon and Ed Burns, the pair behind The Wire.

Bones Sky 1/HD, Thursday 9pm
Lie to Me Sky 1/HD, Thursday 10pm
This week, it seems, is the start of the US import season. Thursday night is no exception, as the David Boreanaz/Emily Deschanel crime procedural Bones returns for a fifth season, with the first episode including a guest role for Cyndi Lauper. This is followed by a second season of Lie to Me, starring Tim Roth as a detective who uses body language and facial reading as key elements in his detection techniques. With Shawn Ryan, the creative force behind the superb police drama The Shield taking over the reins of this show, expect a stronger emphasis on character than previously.

• This week’s print issue of The Stage will include an exclusive interview with Bones star David Boreanaz; an extended version of the interview will be available on The Stage Podcast from Wednesday.

Micro Men BBC4, Thursday 9pm
Hurrah! We can end this week’s US-dominated TV round-up with some original UK content. Martin Freeman and Alexander Armstrong star in this comedy drama that retells the 1980s battle to secure the largest slice of the burgeoning home computer market. Martin Freeman plays Chris Curry, co-founder of Cambridge-based Acorn Computers which would go on to build the famed BBC Micro range of computers, while Alexander Armstrong dons a bald skullcap and ginger beard to play his nemesis, Sir Clive Sinclair. It’s all very funny, but it does make those of us who lived through that era feel ever so slightly old…

Friday Night with Streisand and Ross (Friday 9pm, BBC1/BBC HD)

Hopefully JR won’t be making inappropriate comments about Barbra Streisand’s granddaughter as he chats to the music superstar in this most exclusive of exclusive interviews. Ross is a good enough pro to know when to turn on due reverence to an artist, so this should make for decent viewing, with some songs from the singing legend’s new album peppered around.

Benidorm (Friday 9pm, ITV1)

Benidorm returns for a third series of broad comedy shenanigans around the pool. It’s an acquired taste and lacks anything approaching subtlety, but there is enjoyment to be had here if you look hard enough.

Peep Show (Friday 10pm, C4, C4 HD)

Jeremy is in love, and Mark is looking for a job. In most sitcoms, this would lead to some fairy mundane situations with supposedly hilarious consequences. But under the Peep Show banner, they become sublime and wonderful. Genius.

True Blood (Friday 10pm, FX)

Series finale of the sexy, sultry vampire show from HBO. It starts on Channel 4 next week, so if you’ve missed out, catch up on what has proved to be one of the best dramas of the year.

Merlin (Saturday 6.15pm, BBC1)

Enjoyable fantasy fare. No guest stars of note this week, just a tale in which Morgana is plagued by nightmares, and she begins to suspect she might have magical powers. Gaius knows the truth, and fears what might happen if she knew what she were capable of . Ooer!

Monty Python - Almost the Truth: the BBC Lawyer’s Cut (Saturday 9.15pm, BBC2/BBC HD)

A paltry hour-long documentary hardly seems enough to cover the history of a television legend on its 40th anniversary, but it’s nice to have, nevertheless. The surviving members of Monty Python’s Flying Circus happily reminisce about their time in the comedy group in a series of brand new interviews. There’s nothing that’s completely different here, but sometimes it’s good to go over old ground.

Emma (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)

A nicely frothy adaptation from the Austen Stable that sees Romola Garai as the match-making Emma Woodhouse. For match-making, see meddling, as she isn’t as good at it as she thinks she is. It’s all very pretty and there’s a satisfyingly tasty cast that includes Michael Gambon, Tamsin Greig and Jonny Lee Miller. Lovely.

Doc Martin (Sunday 9pm, ITV1)

I wonder how much more fun Doc Martin would be if the curmudgeonly Cornish medic developed an addiction to Vicodin and walked with a stick?

House (Sunday 9pm, Sky One/Sky HD)

Sky wastes no time - last week saw the end of season five of the top US medical drama. Tonight sees the start of season six. Blimey.

Fringe (Sunday 10pm, Sky One/Sky HD)

Return of the JJ Abrams spawned paranormal series based around a specialist FBI unit that deals in cases at the fringe of science. This season opener picks up from the end of last season, but don’t expect any satisfying resolutions, this is an Abrams series!

Saturday Play: The Von Trapps and Me Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm
When a nun comes in to act as nanny for an Austrian widower, romance ensues and the head of the household jilts his beloved in order to wed the help. While we all know the story from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, but the true story it’s based upon differs quite a bit. Annie Caulfield’s witty comedy retells the story through the eyes of the jilted princess. James Fleet stars as Captain Von Trapp, Joanne Froggatt as Yvonne and Helen Baxendale as Helena.

• Read Matthew Hemley’s interview with author Annie Caulfield »

Barbra Streisand: The Way I Am Radio 2, Saturday 8pm
The publicity machine is going into overdrive for Barbra’s new album, Love is the Answer. After Friday night’s Jonathan Ross TV special, the job of fawning to the diva on radio is handed to Paul Gambaccini.

The Wire: The Lady of Kingsland Waste Radio 3, Saturday 9pm
Recorded on location in Hackney, east London, The Lady Of Kingsland Waste is a magical story of love, death and redemption written by J Parkes, an Islington traffic warden who is under commission to The Bush Theatre and has had short plays produced at Soho Theatre and workshopped at the National Theatre. Four inner-city children, their lives going nowhere, discover the beauty of life when they become strangely involved with a dying woman.

Elaine Paige on Sunday Radio 2, Sunday 1pm
This week’s studio guest is Maureen McGovern, whose song from The Poseidon Adventure, The Morning After, got to number one in the US but failed to chart here. It now has a brief spot in the musical of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Classic Serial: Beau Geste Radio 4, Sunday 3pm
PC Wren’s ripping yarn of life in the French Foreign Legion gets a new treatment, with Chris New (currently playing Joe Orton in the West End’s Prick Up Your Ears) starring as Beau.

Drama on 3: Becket Radio 3, Sunday 8pm
Jean Anouilh’s play about the relationship between Henry II and the man he appoints to Archbishop is one of the 20th century’s greatest works. With Toby Stephens as Henry and David Morrissey as Becket, this production promises much.

Woman’s Hour Drama: TwilightBaby.com Radio 4, Monday-Friday 10.45am & 7.45pm
Cass (Jenny Eclair) and Ken (Kevin Eldon) are at the empty nest stage of life, with their children grown up and having left home. Looking forward to being selfish again, they have made plans to rent their home and travel. But then Cass discovers that she is pregnant again. Eclair co-authors with her On Baby Street writing partner Julie Balloo.

Beauty of Britain Radio 4, Monday 11.30am
A light six-part comedy by Christopher Douglas and Nicola Sanderson (who each take multiple minor roles) starring Jocelyn Jee Esien as Beauty, an African girl who begins a journal in the hope of becoming an inspiration for other black women.

The Unbelievable Truth Radio 4, Monday 6.30pm
A new series of the panel game in which comedians read a speech on a given topic that is laden with inaccuracies, and have to smuggle three true facts past their fellow players. It always raises a smile, even if it’s nowhere near as reliably funny as chairman David Mitchell’s other truth-based panel game, BBC1’s Would I Lie to You?

The Mario Lanza Story Radio 2, Monday 11.30pm
One of the first genuine crossover stars, Mario Lanza brought opera to the popular masses, and became a Hollywood star to boot. Kiri Te Kanawa hosts the first of a two-part profile.

Benny Hill: The Untold Story Radio 2, Tuesday 10.30pm
While the elements of his humour that relied upon scantily clad women have consigned his show to history’s dustbin, when you look at his larger body of work, Benny Hill was one of British comedy’s pioneers. Ben Miller presents a colelction of interviews and archive sketches.

Too Much Information Radio 4, Tuesday 6.30pm
New sitcom revolving around a tourist information centre in a town that has no tourist attractions. Jeff Rawle stars.

Boyle’s Law Radio 4, Tuesday 11pm
A comedy pilot starring Saneej Bhaskar as police inspector Vincent Boyle, a tough talking cop who has been banned from active investigations and is stuck in data storage. Let’s hope it’s better than it sounds.

Chain Reaction Radio 4, Wednesday 6.30pm
The present series of the talk show concludes with last week’s interviewee, Alistair McGowan, posing the questions to thespian Simon Callow.

One Radio 4, Wednesday 11pm
David Quantick’s sketch show, in which no sketch features more than one voice, returns for a new series. The last series had some of the smartest comedy on radio in a long while.

Rik Mayall’s Bedside Tales Radio 4, Wednesday 11.15pm
A new series of comedic bedtime stories for adults, read by Rik Mayall and co-written by Mayall and John Nicholson.

Weston’s New Pier Radio 4, Friday 11am
The pavilion on Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier burnt down in 2008. As the rebuilding progresses, Chris Ledgard uses the opportunity not only to meet the people involced in the project, but also consider the future for Britain’s seaside resorts.