TV Week
Including Gossip Girl and Supernatural
by Fiona Rae
SATURDAY MARCH 13
Cricket (Sky Sport 2, 1.30pm). Whether torture or triumph, it’s nearly over: the Black Caps play their fifth and final one-day international against Australia today. Two tests follow, starting March 19 and 27.
SUNDAY MARCH 14
Attitude (TV1, 8.30am). The upbeat show about the disabled community returns with a report on Kiwi paralympic skiers Adam Hall and Peter Williams. For the past four years they have both been working towards their goal of returning from the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver with gold.
Gossip Girl (TV2, 3.00pm). The return of the trashy teen show that seems to exist just to antagonise the Parents Television Council. What are those naughty Upper East Siders up to this season? More of the same, it seems, despite the fact that they’re not in high school any more. You’d think that Gossip Girl thing would be so, like, last year. But no, Blair is determined to be Queen B in college, while Serena is on some daft quest to get her father’s attention. Guest stars this season include Hilary Duff, playing a movie star who wants a normal college experience; Michelle Trachtenberg, who returns as Georgina; Sonic Youth, who play at a wedding; and Lady Gaga, who cameos as herself. Oh, and there’s a threesome, which really got the PTC going.
Rugby League (Sky Sport 2, 4.00pm). New captain Simon Mannering, just 23, leads the Warriors out for their first game of the long, long NRL season. They play the Gold Coast Titans in Oz; their first home game is next week, against the Sharks.
Get Growing with New Zealand Gardener (Prime, 7.00pm). Whoa, Get Growing harshes our summer buzz by preparing for winter.
Modern Family (TV3, 8.00pm). When Modern Family has a guest star, it really aims high: Edward Norton, who is usually known for serious movies such as American History X, Fight Club and, er, Hulk. It seems he doesn’t mind having a laugh, however: in tonight’s episode, complete with full 80s mullet, he plays “Spandau Ballet bassist Izzy LaFontaine”, apparently an idol of doofus dad Phil’s.
MONDAY MARCH 15
James May’s Toy Stories (TV3, 7.30pm). James May’s final challenge attracted around 2700 volunteers – 1500 too many, as it turned out, to build a full-size house made of Lego. The remaining 1200 volunteers made bricks out of 272 eight-stud Lego bricks, which were then used to construct the house at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, Surrey.
Who Do You Think You Are? (Prime, 7.30pm). Oops, the late amendment strikes again. We said last week that Susan Sarandon was on the trail of her ancestors; in fact, that episode screens this week.
Heroes (C4, 8.30pm). Where did it all go wrong? Heroes has gone from chosen one to viewer kryptonite over the course of just three “volumes”. It used to be so cool, with its comic-book titles and “Save the cheerleader, save the world” mystery epithet. As we head into “volume four”, which is entitled Fugitives, does anybody care any more? Do we give a toss that after Primatech and Pinehurst were destroyed, Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) is now evil and persuades the US president to round up all the heroes? This better be good, or we’re outta here faster than the Flash.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 17
MasterChef New Zealand (TV1, 7.30pm). The task tonight: canapés at the Langham hotel, Auckland, for 120 culinary and entertainment VIPs. But no pressure.
Desperate Romantics (UKTV, 8.30pm). Completely bonkers BBC drama series about the pre-Raphaelites that throws in Desperate Housewives, a bit of Sex Pistols attitude and some Guy Ritchie for good measure. Inspired by Franny Moyle’s book, which focuses on the messy personal lives of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, the series is not supposed to be historically accurate – it even comes with a disclaimer that it follows the “inventive spirit” of the gang. The series is shamelessly OTT and had many UK critics enjoying the rollicking ride despite themselves. “They’re young, dumb and full of laudanum,” said the Times’ Stephen Armstrong. “It’s the kind of glorious retelling of artistic history that Ken Russell used to do so well – playful, flamboyant and fun.” Rafe Spall, Samuel Barnett and the lovely Aidan Turner play the core pre-Raphs William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
Supernatural (TV2, 10.30pm). So cruelly taken from us last year just as season four had got under way. What were they thinking? Quite the best show on TV featuring two brothers who hunt demons and fight evil – and the writers like to play around with the genre, such as tonight’s monster mash episode filmed in glorious black-and-white (do not adjust your set) about a town besieged by the classics: Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, etc. Fun!
THURSDAY MARCH 18
Any Dream Will Do (UKTV, 7.30pm). The UK success of the reality search for a new Maria was too good to waste, so Andrew Lloyd Webber now turns his attention to Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Actress Denise Van Outen and theatre producer Bill Kenwright have been added to the judging panel, and Graham Norton, John Barrowman and voice coach Zoe Tyler return.
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