My Week in Television: 05/04/09 – 12/04/09

Posted by Steven Cookson Apr 12, 2009

This week got off to a very good start with Channel 4’s brilliant new documentary series Henry VII: Mind of a Tyrant, fronted by David Starkey. I don’t really watch too many historical programmes but this was genuinely interesting, well presented and a joy to watch. Basically everything that Piers Morgan’s rich man travel series wasn’t (Moron is back with the horrid Britain’s Got Talent).

For lack of anything else to do I watched the third episode of the new Apprentice series. Usually at this point I’ve chosen the person who I want to follow until the end - I have to admit I did want that tool Simon to win a few years ago - but here it’s hard to come to that conclusion. On the basis of entertainment value I have to say Phil, as he really grew on me this week by showing that he’s more than just a moaner.

Then there was Red Dwarf: Back To Earth on Dave. To be honest I did expect it to be a little disappointing as the last few series have been terrible. There were far too few laughs for what is one of the most popular comedy shows of the last 20 years and the plot was ripped straight from The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse. Come on Doug I know it’s hard to write something new and original but taking an idea from a poor film isn’t going to get you anywhere.

There’s also been an announcement for a new series of bizarre 90s panel show Shooting Stars. Still not sure how to take that one yet as it could go either way given that the last special wasn’t exactly groundbreaking. The rest of my TV week was spent with Greatest TV Show Ever(TM) The Wire again, Stewart Lee’s brilliant show, Would You Save a Stranger? on Channel 4, the BBC giving the youth of today a chance to have their voice heard on The Speaker (but given some of the misguided views it’s best if some of them didn’t bother), a poor Doctor Who special and a rather fantastic episode of Lost (more Ben and Locke, no Jack and Kate).

On the point of music, not really relevant to TV but what the hell it’s my blog, I have to make a point about my favourite album of the year so far which is Carboniferous by Italian trio Zu. I just can’t praise it enough, I’ve been listening to it constantly for the last few weeks and I’m still blown away by how good it is and how impressed I continue to be by its mix of crazy jazz and metal. I recommend it as the perfect antidote to the radio friendly Nickelback crap that’s around or if you’re fed up of Kings of Leon torching their career.