The Independent from London, Greater London, England · 50

28 television THE DEPENDENT SECTION TWO-TUESWr 28 MMT1996 a? The death last week of the delightful Jon Fertwee has a ring of irony in the light of the concurrent res-lirrcction of Dector Mm (BBCl), a character with a tendency to survive death itself. A publicity person would rave been hard pushed to dream up a better stunt Pertwee's tenancy of the Tardis from 1970 to 1974 is widely regarded as the golden era of the series. Tom Baker had a heroic stab at the role, but no one could quite match the Edwardian self-expression, the stick-insect stalk. Of course, Doctor Who was a series with two very distinct characteristics. Firstly, it was very BBC It fitted the Blue Beter era: the special effects con-. sisting of loo rolls, washing-up bottles and sticky-backed plastic. It had none of the production values of US series "file Star Thek. This was partly because the Ttekkieshad the Mqjave desert for' backdrops whQe our teams had to Serena Mackesy make do with a rainswept quarry, but mere was something very British about the refusal to espouse anything flashy. Most Brits who left infancy between 1963 and 1980 got their first experience of pleasurable terror from the Daleks. It never occurred to us that their quest tor universal domination could be thwarted by building stairs. The other characteristic is that every new Doctor was thought to be Not as Good as the Old One. It was inevitable that Paul McGann would face the same tirade. The good news is that he was every tit as good. He has the perfect touch: the part requires a . My theatrically, an ability to ham it up, that has become rare in mis era of naturalism andniethodmchenibk curls and a fetching black frock coat, he chucked Jiimself about and burbled about loggp sciewdiiveis with the verve of tha greats. Very impressive. Sadly, the same could not be said for the film. A co-ptoductkn with UnwersallUevisioji, it quiddy became' clear that the Americans had lost the plot Even the credits were dfcap-pomting: the theme tune, orchestrated instead of whooshed out on a synthesiser, wasbareh recognisable. And no one had told mem that we Bleed spotting the strings holding up the Tardis. The main word that sprang to mind was "derivative". The opening sequence, with its portentous voice-over, was Superman TV. The San Francisco of 1999 was a spit for the Los Angeles at Blade Runner. The girlie sidekick, a surgeon called Grace Holloway (Daphne Ashbrook) first resembled Cher at the opera in Moonstruck and Susan. And as for the dastardly Master (Eric Roberts): he combined the performances of Amie in The Terminator and Ibmmy Lee Jones in Under Siege with little of the Sand either. Add a dash of Indiana Jones, a hint of ER, a smidge of Candytnan, a pinchof Axptf Abuc and verbal mflex-tonsfrom Bill and led and you've got an idea. All that, and a snog as well What is the world coming to? A question abo raised by the aptly named Sandy Gall as he crossed it Bssslr(artsr(BBC2X a desert which takes up half a million square miles of the Arabian peninsula. Gall was to fol-tow the footsteps of Wilfred Thesiger, who went across it by camel in 1947, a time when the Bedouin were still lurking among the sand dunes and robbing each other. Frying out over the tower blocks of the UAF, he noted, mournfully, that "the old Bedu way of life, which survived virtually unchanged for centuries, has now vanished forever." Nonetheless, there were delights, the greatest of which were Gall himself, and his co-traveller, Robin Hitchcock. The veteran reporter, who resembles Arthur Mullard in all but speech, showed a very attractive streak of old-style eccentricity. He chatted with his camel ("the prophet says love your camel and I think I'm beginning to fall in love just a little with Farna"), and he and Hitchcock swapped phrases like "sparrowfart" and "the morning George" with gusto. Gall was full of anecdotes: how the Sultan of Oman shot himself in the foot during the 1970 revolution, how an oil firm lost an 85-ton bulldozer in quicksand. This was the best of tolerant culture clash, right down to the sneaked scotch behind a backup jeep. BBC1 lLSt UjOO 1245 12J5 UN L30 L40 roe us 7.00 TilWirWis 7 JO rsslffMsw. 1245 155 08880740 BBC Breakfast News (69157). M0 Breakfast News Extra (7199848). 5l25 Cant Cook, Wont Cook (7101683). fill; Tfct Clism P Bh (Robert Siodmak 1952 US). WcnderftiHy witty and exhilarating swashbuckler, with Burt LanrastfT and his old circus chum, Nick Cravat, fighting their way across the seas (412&1799). Ukm (4050461). Won, Ural Hjm, MImHw (1412022). Csl Ife Bhsff (5) (5654954). 9mhrM(S) (4144374). nmn,Vkkn (39916). Lscal Nam, WMfcar (62331848). NlfcSfclH (5; (69852461). llJI:llH1lwHSw1ltah(Laglo Bcsedc 1966 US). True story about a marine biologist who captures and tamcsakffler whale (16225). CaSJmrs BSC: Playdays. 350 The Silver Brumby. 4.10 Dennis the Menace. 435 Out of Tunc 5JNewsround. 5.10Acuv-& MakJAsmKari and Brett swap heated words about Africa ft) (S) (972312). (867). (119). (R)(S) (89351 Pauline has something to announce down the pub (S) (913). VIMhMOaa. David Attenborough ' admits to a fear of rats, those much-maligned rcxieats who are in fact devoted family animals. But yes, they can abo swim up your U-bend into your boaestaai(S)(7683). nsasslteM. Old comedy (S) (6190). Nswi, Lscal Msw, WwBisr (7428). IMksj SsMsn. Our trainee military helicopter pilots undergo a decompression chamber and learn to escape from a sea crash- they have to be awe to survive adrift in the middle of the English Channel (S) (37461). CsnthcSmst Dr Mortimer, the seated-wiekkrwith Aids, is accused of sexualry aauufungapatientfS; (20683). FSJfc FMat (Clint Eastwood 1982 US). One of those boys' movies in which the chicks are replaced by gleaming black avionic hardware. Our man Clint is dropped behind Soviet lines to steal the luwsW latest thcught-contiolled fighter plane, and then chased all the way back. Brainless and surprisingly f "p Snr tinnlm ft; n iiiTfy rromFreddieJones; (48539770). FU: UN Bk Steal (Don Siegel 1949 US). Thriller starringRobert Mitchum. See fibn of the day (2551436). (3601455). JbZOOam 930 Week in Week Out 10.00 Frying Soldiers. 1030 Cardiac Arrest 11.00 FntaFirefbx 1.15 Firm: The Big SteaLffelOilOpmRoomfor Iuipruvement 1030 CardSac Arrest llIFlmrFirefas. 1.15 Weather. BBC2 7.15 2.10 US 7.10 730 8J0 fM5 1030 1145 12J0 St Sm SlllWill Niii I (4184480). 730 Oakk Doke (9350916). 740 Peter Pan and the Pirates (4328461). &05 Smurrs' Adventures (7841157).SJO White Fang (16480). 100 Mighty Max (4097393). SJ0 Activ-8 (7100954). 145 SuperTcd (3196751). fUW Spot (2757138). UuOO Playdays(276751SlWStarlrek (6370664). 10L50 Hie Tick (1034916). 11.10 Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (4671409). lTOO See Hear! (27596). 12 Working Lunch (55867); L00 OakkIke(40Q52683). LlOThe Season (31828683). 1 Fire from Heaven (39100596). 11AsSwNsiShswf5; (7696732). Ml III, I lis! HlWl.WJStfcll (756ftj. llNNsssswaillTheraveolifeof Snowdonia (R) (S) (9038157). Nil, Li Ml Msbsj, Ifcsfaw (6590022). (S)(732). (S)(916L Tat Opak WWisj Shew (S) (4099515). IfcaLataafttoSssMGkJafkson, MP, profiled (401409). (S) (500732). (S) (849022). paSssjasslWawilliiiiffl (904954). PsHs PrapsriSa First m a new series kmkrng at whether the top guns of . building design can transform neglected parts of Britain Tonight, Piers Gough tackles a caff and pufkic lavatories m Birmmgham'scitycentre (S) (645). nawkmRusnan-bamarcnkect BcrflioldUrbetkm created some of Britain's most enduring modernist architecture in the 1930abefore giving it all up to farm. His daughter, Louise, goes in search of his life bene he came to with the Holocaust (S) (5225). HaislaaJwrie&KeithTustiesupabush hreakfast of rxxridge with whisky and flavoured honey (4732). Oa. Cross's health comes under (S) (7632251 PI Jsst Sat I nVs k. Tne series about the relationship between bosses and fTWTrttiriCstCr'fflltilH- ft?fasif,hg invention of the typewriter, secretarial wiiaywiijUPrgrewBT 901 JoobnVwc (627111). CMclaHighrightsofoneoftoaVs Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final matches (S) (152645). OtlZlSam. IteUsfwvZssKPrinrxsandPeories: HoamattbcGnadeca (948291 WO : VaauUmdkd (62349). 130 PopulaDMTramiricomltah;(20 . 2iNiglruKIlOoJSpleedKSex V&xxfaKadliinfrimU(96078). AM BBCFbcuc leachmg aadlUamingwim IT (SM20). 430 NCETSpceiat Networking TeacteEducatkn (7 5iUiiaaitanaDyskaua(2WJ7). . 530 FBm Btoatiaa.(46726X 3b 6JXkun. ITVLDndon ajo SJS 7jB0 7J0 ISJO 1L40 4J5 5J0 9KN (6163634). 1JS Supermarket Sweep (7187003). JSLcddonlbday (2744664). 1M0 The ImK- the Place (6089041). 10J5 This Morning (50411935). 1Z?0T Winn Today (1418206). 12J0 News, Weather (4170799). 1235 Home and Away (4148190). L25 Cross Wits (31811393). . L55 Sbortland Street (69866664). 2J0 Liz Earle's Lifestyle (19333683). 2J0 Onein5 Minion (2957683). UONews (7463138). USLaalNan(7462409), fUsYsgs IWfcThe Magic House. 3.40 . , Tots TV. 330 Twinkle the Dream Being. 3S5 Sooty and On 420 Anunaniac. 4.4Q ChrisCross Bflag(9i2i777jL (7724091 (251954). I Aana, Jack receives an i(R)(S)(935). - . . (515).m m's being pressed to make her mind up (5) (3005). 4 EssnSswUMTlieworktwkle search for bone marrow donors, and the roleof campaign groups such as the Anthony ,, . NdlaalrustwhUtrytodrumupnew ". recruits for the register of daoors.Nine-ywHildDankdDeCisstfflwairing for his chance ciatransplant (S) (79 1lBBlFamih grief (2751). Urn Ossk Ssfsit How people are dying in hospitals because medical staff are forced to use faulty eourpmeot, or machinery for which mey have no speciarist training (S) (1886). hmm(S) (42251-- mmam(1575m I si sf Nswi, Vmto nSjMi). mtmAnASeeiiSkday(S) (246954). m- RUfc Prlaca af Biiisiilljpoml . Carpenter 1987 USX Carpenter turkey about apriest who finds Satan sealed in a canister in an LA church. Starring Donald Pkasence (746935). Ukkimi(S) (1599368). nsssj Saihilli (R)(S) (3740368). TlwOsSsKfMiB m (478J287). TlmWgWdk-mjmt(R) (5516455). SmmdUm(S) (46371813). TlMtlssflKiPlaesrK) (S) (9584829). (33252).1b600am. rnrfDrtwKLoiibs Channel 4 7jS0 54S 7JS0 (R) (245961 Hm Bk Brsafcfsst (528671 SJ0 Ssvaa'SySwBsSiTWCSsgilijsnf (7115886). SL2S Tfct Us Fsnlasi Horn (S) (7194393). SL50 CaSMa Drassas (R) (6724683). 1120 OssMSSsnslsr (R) (S) (6366461). IMMVHksmiWmlMR) (851436). 1US OagCSjr) (S) (3346409). 1LS5 WIlHl (R) (S) (4760157). 12JB Tlw Minli is afTtana (R) (7610119). 12J0 Ssaasw Stosst (R) (54577). M (39116157). L55 sji (R) (39191848). 245 Tlw 0fcftiBSjw(Heiiry Levin - 1955 UK). FjrdFlynn's career was i?..'. grinding to a hah by me time he made . VBriBsh swashbuckler-his last Ifs 4 ' c : Use Hundred ears war and Frynn is risasting an uprising by nobleman Peter Fhxii (444428). 4J0 SscfscsefBai Isa Csvas.'Ihe sea caves and coves of Cornwall, taking in mermaid and King Arthur (428). UOm(S)(312). M (1410312). (762022). (R) (58954). (2542251 n Ut (309645). BkssssiJassjNew,aiUiiropokgk3uly .mcfaned series on how humans have adapted to modern urban life Tonight, -TLifc at Speed", and the mad demands of stress and pressure in todays mean tity(S)(5503). Sraalss Good news from ThaOand, whQe Jimmy has a surprise in store for Ben (S) (9428). VsaastlssflB: Meesaa Ctssafc Cosmo Landesman attacks the comedy boom as pcJitkalry reactionary. "Satire has encouraged people to see politks as entertaining spectacle always a farce, never a tragedy." Labour MPs Tbiry Banks and Austin Mitchell hack him up; Rory Bremner disagrees (S) (8698). Vtomttnttt Rslslsd lMm. "Luxury andFrivoa."V1vieiineWestwood concludes her series about fashion with the influence of France and the olhaute couture (60799). slBm (Sandra Ixxe 1993 US). Clint's ex directs this -' fidrTVM about a gardener (Richard Thomas) accused oflacmg Ins wife's - vitamins with arsenic (5) (907799). 11M thmtmkn T iiilctheFrank.SktnnfT . : sitcom W (S) (102480). 1245 ITMilisglinsHiBlffl (9618639). 1255 Omm WM David Attenborough and a v: . oouriechunuvbacked whales journey to me Arctic (S) (3759900). flfli Tlssfsas tstlia tgjfrl fTTiii in FJorde 1944 US). MystayOnlaram tbemDixserHWarrierBaxter - Sthe Doctmr, hrhsng ayonnggiri iFbch) mvobed m murder 349). lb 115am. OJ0 2M pick of the day 10.40pm IW Meet the seventh Earl of Carnarvon, a likeable enough chap with a gnawing money problem. He needs to earn lm a year to keep his stately turretedpilein Hmrrfjjfeayifl fiinrl-raising atmvemes so far havehicluded medieval banquets and opening to the public. So far, though, onby the studiarm has made hmi airy cash. filni of the day TKKSTFJL 12.45am B8C1 This early Don Siegel heist thriller is a highly enjoyable maze of twists and turns, as. army officer Robert Mitchum is framed for a payroll robbery, and rips across Mexico in pursuit of the real culprit, . accompanied by his quarry's ex-fiancee, Jane Greer. Exciting, witty and short i mm mm Aimimimu