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TV creatures... both aliens and politicians
by Conrad Astley28/ 4/2005
I MAY be stating the obvious here, but the General Election
hasn't exactly been high on entertainment value so far.
This may be a little premature - there's still a full week for
Prescott to lamp a farmer - but it's not shaping up to be one of
the most memorable events in the history of British politics.
That in mind, whether you choose next Thursday's election coverage
over the pub is up to you.
However, there will be plenty of comic asides on offer if the
thought of another night in with the swingometer leaves you
cold.
The following are all on your telly Thursday;
Dead
Ringers
(BBC2)
Bremner Bird And Fortune:
A Bunch Of Counts
(Channel 4) and
The
Secret Election
(Channel 4) and all claim to
offer a wry look at the democratic process, although the programme
makers will doubtless have their work cut out to find anything
amusing to say at all.
Holidays In The Danger Zone - Places That Don't
Exist
(Wednesday, BBC2) however, is the sort of
programme that should prove the ultimate antidote to all this
apathy.
Simon Reeve visits Somaliland, the East African state trying to
rebuild itself after a devastating civil war.
As it is not officially recognised as a country, aid agencies are
not able to operate in the former British protectorate, so the
government struggles to get by.
At one point, Reeve wanders into a cabinet meeting and chats to the
president. He asks how much the national budget is, before getting
the alarmingly blunt response, "Whatever we get."
If that is all a bit much, this week also sees the return of two
long-missed science fiction classics to our screens.
Take a look at the original
Hitchhiker's Guide To The
Galaxy
(Tuesday, BBC2) in all its fuzzy 1981
glory and see whether the big budget version is really any
better.
I never hid behind the sofa when the daleks came on telly, and
don't know anyone that did, but it's still good to see them back in
Doctor Who
(Saturday, BBC1) albeit with
the obligatory modern twist.
While
Riddle Of The Human Hobbits
(Monday,
Channel 4) is worth watching for the title alone.
This Equinox special gives the background to last year's staggering
discovery that tiny humans once walked the Earth.
The archaeological discovery rocked the scientific community.
Some said it meant the human family tree must be completely
redrawn.
This documentary will no doubt shed some light on the question,
with a few decent animated sequences thrown into the bargain.
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