| Tonight's TV highlights: Midsomer Murders | Wonderland: Boy Cheerleaders | Michael Wood's Story Of England | The Boys Of H Company | Mad Men | Film 2010 With Claudia Winkleman Midsomer Murders | Wonderland: Boy Cheerleaders | Michael Wood's Story Of England | The Boys Of H Company | Mad Men | Film 2010 With Claudia WinklemanMidsomer Murders8pm, ITV1A guilty Wednesday evening diversion or subtle deconstruction of a rural bourgeois idyll? Either way, John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby is remarkable in that he doesn't seem to do anything 窶 it's perhaps the easiest job in TV, or maybe he's the Charles Bronson of prime time, where a fixed expression and narrow eyes act as a cover for manifold emotions. This week the bodies start dropping round a boxing champ, his dodgy manager, a justice of the peace with familial complications, the village solicitor and an artist who shares a workshop with a moody blacksmith. MSWonderland: Boy Cheerleaders 9pm, BBC2This latest dispatch from the enlightening documentary series follows a group of boys from south Leeds as they compete in their first cheerleading competition. What is really striking about this film is not the fact that they are breaking gender stereotypes in suburban Yorkshire, but the strain that the commitment of practice and performance puts on the boys and their families. As their charismatic trainer so aptly puts it, "you can't have an unhappy cheerleader 窶 it just doesn't work". WCMichael Wood's Story Of England 9pm, BBC4England's history, Michael Wood's latest visit to Kibworth reminds us, is not a smooth progression towards democracy and freedom in which the great and good graciously give ground when confronted with reasonable arguments. Rather, it's a tale punctuated with moments of dissent and violence, a compelling narrative that runs alongside the efforts of ordinary people to gain access to education. Accordingly, tonight's episode encompasses Wat Tyler, the ascent of Kibworth residents to a new mercantile class, and the free-thinking Lollards. JWThe Boys Of H Company9pm, More4Britain has more than enough second world war mythology of its own to consider, but this two-hour documentary persuasively urges the sparing of a thought for the US marines who stormed the Japanese island fortress of Iwo Jima in February 1945. The 33-day battle killed 7,000 American soldiers 窶 and won the marines more than a quarter of the medals of honour awarded in the entire war. The film focuses on H Company of the marines' 5th Division, a unit comprised largely of teenagers who had never seen combat. AMMad Men10pm, BBC4More signs of cracks in the Don Draper persona, a image that may not be as tightly and perfectly constructed as once believed, especially when a mixture of booze and arrogance take Don's eye off the ball. It's the day of the Clio awards, an increasingly big deal in the ad world, not so much for the kudos and recognition but for the satisfaction of beating your competition. It's still a working day, even with the drinking at "celebration" levels, which results in the sozzled Draper making a couple of mistakes at work and, later, several more at his grim little apartment. PO'NFilm 2010 With Claudia Winkleman10.45pm, BBC1Claudia Winkleman and Danny Leigh mark the transition from the Woss era with a new, extended live format and greater elbow room for discussion and debate. Whatever else one might think of him, Jonathan Ross was a decently serious and erudite film buff and will be a hard act to follow, so the eyes of scrutiny will be on the pair and what further changes the Film 2010 producers have in store for the character and content of the long-running flagship cinema show. DSTelevisionDramaDocumentarySecond world warMartin SkeggJonathan WrightAndrew MuellerPhelim O'NeillDavid Stubbsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
'The Social Network' an excellent, intriguing film The interesting thing to emerge from this quite excellent and very American drama is that the creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg, bringing us an outstanding, dare one say Oscar-winning, performance), was almost completely lacking in social grace himself. feeds.breakingnews.ie |
Cole: Keep waxwork away from Cowell 'X Factor' star Cheryl Cole came face to face with her waxwork at Madame Tussauds today and joked that she wanted it kept 窶彗way from Simon窶. feeds.breakingnews.ie |
Taylor and Newton to face off in court ACTRESS set to see former fiancé Matthew Newton in court for the first time since alleged assault. news.com.au |
In Remembrance of Erratic Film Producer Dino De Laurentiis A dreamer and a salesman, producer De Laurentiis gave the world masterpieces and flops, kitsch and Kong feedproxy.google.com |