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Fri / Sat / Sun Apr / 6 / 7 / 8

FRIDAY 6
[SBS/7:30pm] Black Coffee – The Irresistible Bean – This fascinating three-part documentary series traces the unique and volatile history of coffee. The first episode explores the origins of coffee in Ethiopia and its triumphant spread over five continents, sparking revolution, controversy, creativity, business and slavery along the way.
[SBS/10:00pm] Gay Hollywood – The Last Taboo – This documentary looks at the challenges facing gay artists in Hollywood past and present. Hollywood in the 1920s was the most homosexual friendly place to be; most of the behind-the-camera staff were homosexuals. However, for those in front of the camera there was no tolerance from the movie-going public. Any homosexual who wanted to maintain a career had to remain in a well-locked closet. (From Canada in English) (Documentary) M (S,L,N) CC

[Showtime/3:45pm] Star Wars Marathon: Episode 1 Phantom Menace – Return of the Jedi

[Seven/9:30am] 2007 Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal

[ABC/8:30pm] Murphy’s Law. When seven-year-old Adrian Kelly drowns in a river, his mother Alice (Claire Skinner) claims he was poisoned by a chemical leak from a nearby biotech laboratory. There appears to be no evidence to support her story, no one believes her, but she claims there has been a massive cover-up. Is this the ramblings of a grief stricken mother or is there something sinister going on in the lab? Murphy (James Nesbitt) goes undercover as a cleaner in the lab but comes up against the powerful force of an unseen adversary who seems to be able to predict his next move.
[ABC/9:30pm] Spooks. MI5 is on high alert that a high profile terrorist belonging to a new Islamic splinter group, plans to enter the UK in a truck full of illegal immigrants. Adam and Zaf are sent to Istanbul to infiltrate the group on the truck and attempt to turn the terrorist away from his deadly ideals. They initially succeed, but Adam and Zaf are not wholly convinced by the transformation. Back in the UK, the team must decide whether to trust the terrorist and risk serious consequences. They realise too late the terrorist’s true game and face disastrous consequences.
[ABC/10:15pm] The Chaser’s War On Everything. George W. Bush waged a war on terror, but only The Chaser has the courage to wage a War On Everything. Rpt.
[ABC/10:45 pm] Little Britain. Daffyd has to decide whether to remain the only gay in the village, Florence has to decide if the life of a lady is for her and Carol’s computer has to decide whether or not to say no to a customer. Rpt.
[ABC/11:15 pm] jtv
[ABC/11:45 pm] rage

[Nine/10:35pm] Movie: Beetlejuice. A young married couple, turned ghosts, want only peace in their home but unable to scare away the new owners, they seek assistance from afterlife’s “free-lance bio-exorcist”!! Stars Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara. Horror [H] Some Coarse Language [L] Rpt.

[Ten/8:30pm] Movie: All The Pretty Horses. John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins are two young Texas cowboys heading to Mexico and looking for adventure, but end up working as horse wranglers on a tycoon’s ranch. John mistakenly falls for Don Hector’s daughter, Alejandra, and when word breaks out these tragic lovers are driven apart by prejudice and cultural taboos. Starring: Matt Damon, Henry Thomas, Penelope Cruz, J.D. Young
[Ten/10:40pm] Veronica Mars. “My Big Fat Greek Rush Week”
[Ten/4:00am Sat] The 4400. The Ballad Of Kevin And Tess”

[Ovation/7:30pm] Inside the Actor’s Studio. Kevin Kline.
[E!/8:30pm] True Hollywood Story: Colin Farrell.

SATURDAY 7
[TV1/6:00am] Brady Bunch Marathon.

[Nine/9:30pm] 2007 Tropfest Finals. Join Richard Wilkins to the view the finalists of Australia’s biggest short film festival. Some Violence [V] Sexual References [S] Some Coarse Language [L]

[ABC/9:30pm] The West Wing. As the polls close, and results are tallied, emotions run high as the campaign teams make last minute calls to secure undecided votes. The heart-breaking news of Leo’s death sends shockwaves through the Santos camp and the Bartlet administration. Meanwhile, Vinick disagrees with his campaign team on a number of issues, including their reaction to Leo’s death. The long, razor-thin election campaign is finally over and the new President of the United States of America is declared. It’s a sad day for all as Bartlet and his current staff, as well as some friends from the past, come together for Leo’s funeral. And now President-Elect Matthew Santos must choose a new Vice President. C.J. and Danny enjoy a touching moment, and Charlie offers Donna career advice. Stars Martin Sheen, Stockard Channing, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, Alan Alda, Jimmy Smits, Kristin Chenoweth, Joshua Malina, Janeane Garofalo, Mary McCormack, Marlee Matlin, Lily Tomlin, Teri Polo, Mary-Louise Parker, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Timothy Busfield, Emily Proctor, Elisabeth Moss, Nina Siemaszko, Annabeth Gish, Kathleen York and Anna Deavere Smith.
[ABC/11:50pm] Rage. 20 Years of Rage. rage celebrates 20 years with a series of special programs looking back at some of the best Guest Programmer moments, bloopers, classic rage videos, behind-the-scenes footage, rage facts and more. rage first went to air on Friday 17th April 1987 at 11.55pm, and over the past 20 years has broadcast over 15,600 hours of music television. The current rage library has in excess of 24,000 videos, and the rage archive has many, many thousands more. rage was the brainchild of ABC producer Mark Fitzgerald. His working title for the program was ‘rage ’til you puke’. The rage logo was designed in messy multi-colours in keeping with the ‘puke’ concept, and the faces in the opening titles are of various ABC staff. The r-r-r-r-rage scream used for the opening titles has been called one of Australia’s greatest moments in voiceover. In the early days of rage, everything was done manually. Transmission people would put up the artist/song super as the videos went to air. To amuse themselves, and to keep awake, they changed the colour of the on-screen super to whatever suited the artist (Prince was always supered in purple). In the first few weeks of rage going to air, the ABC TV transmission people wondered if anyone was watching in the middle of the night. They ran a bottom-of-the-screen text telling viewers to call them. They regretted it. The phones didn’t stop ringing!
Over the years, hundreds of Guest Programmers have graced the rage couch. Some of the first Australian Guest Programmers included Amanda Brown from The Go-Betweens, Rob Hirst from Midnight Oil, Alannah Russack from The Hummingbirds, Kate Ceberano and Andrew Denton. International Guest Programmers include Mike Patton from Faith No More, Courtney Love, Marilyn Manson, The Living End and Primal Scream. rage’s Most Frequent Guest Programmer is Tex Perkins with five appearances on the rage couch.

[SBS/9:20pm] Rockwiz – Anne McCue and Paul Kelly – Australian television’s original rock trivia quiz show, hosted by Julia Zemiro, now in its fourth electrifying season. Tonight’s episode features Anne McCue and Paul Kelly. (Commissioned by SBS Independent, in English) (Entertainment) M CC
[SBS/10:10pm] VIP Pass: Big Brother And The Holding Company – Big Brother & the Holding Company was one of the first major bands to emerge from the nascent psychedelic music scene in San Francisco, California, in the mid ’60s. Conjuring up a high-powered blend of blues and folk, the band had already begun to gain a significant local following when the group’s manager, Chet Helms, introduced them to a young woman from Texas who was looking for a gig – Janis Joplin. After Joplin joined the band, Big Brother and the Holding Company became major stars, and their album Cheap Thrills became one of the touchstones of the early San Francisco sound, but Joplin’s presence proved to be both a blessing and a curse. This documentary examines the group’s rise and fall, featuring interviews with the surviving members of the band and rare footage of the group on-stage, including performances of ‘Piece of my Heart’, ‘Combination of the Two’, ‘Ball and Chain’, ‘Down on Me’, ‘Light Is Faster Than Sound’, and more. (From the US, in English) (Documentary) M (D,L) CC
[SBS/11:20pm] SOS: Shorts On Screen – Banquise – Marine, an obese young girl, suffers from the way other people look at her and from the heat of summer. She dreams of a better life among the penguins on an ice floe…(From Switzerland, in French); Be Quiet – The story of a Palestinian boy and his father on their journey home to the city of Nazareth. (From Palestine, in Arabic); Shit Skin – A moving tale of reconciliation between a young man and his grandmother as they travel to Central Australia to find long lost family and the truth about their history. (From Australia, in English and Arrente) (Rpt) PG; Sweet – A colourful animation about a young feline, who leaves her Eden and finds herself in love with a horse who wins her heart with sweets and cakes. (From France) (Rpt) PG; Lamb – A father and his blind son struggle to survive on a drought stricken land. (From Australia, in English) (Rpt) PG

[Arena/11:30pm] Erotic Star
[Bio/7:30pm] Inside the Actors’ Studio
[Bio/8:30pm] Prince’s Trust 30th Anniversary Concert.

SUNDAY 8
[TV1/6:00am] Brady Bunch Marathon.

[Showtime/2:30pm] Movies: Can’t Stop the Music plus The Wiz, Grease, Xanadu, Staying Alive.

[Seven/10:00am] Movie: From Justin To Kelly (US 2003) America’s favourite idols KELLY CLARKSON and JUSTIN GUARINI star in this musical romantic comedy set on the hottest beach in Miami. It’s where the surf-drenched guys cruise girls in bikinis and raucous parties rule day and night. It’s the perfect time and place for three young girls from Texas and a trio of college guys from Pennsylvania to find adventure and maybe even fall in love. Also starring KATHERINE BAILESS, ANIKA NONI ROSE, GREG SIFF, BRIAN DIETZEN, JASON YRIBAR, THERESA SAN-NICHOLAS, JUSTIN GORENCE and CHRISTOPHER BRYAN.
[Seven/6:30pm] Australia’s Got Talent. Semi Final #3. Tonight, we bring back the acts that made it past our judges in our third SEMI-FINAL and narrow down our search for the hottest undiscovered talent in the country who will be taking home $250,000. Hosted by GRANT DENYER.
[Seven/7:30pm] Merlin. SAM NEILL stars in this spellbinding tale of the life, myth, magic and great lost love of the masterful wizard, Merlin, and his relationship with his regal young protégé, Arthur. The story begins with young Merlin being schooled in magic by the evil sorceress, Mab, and her apprentice, Frik. Merlin ultimately rejects her, setting up a war between them which leads to her attack on Arthur. With Merlin by his side, the two must fight the evil forces to keep Arthur from the destructive path set by fate in the most magical adventure of all time. Also starring HELENA BONHAM CARTER, MIRANDA RICHARDSON, SIR JOHN GIELGUD, MARTIN SHORT, PAUL CURRAN, JASON DONE, RUTGER HAUER, ISABELLA ROSSELLINI, JAMES EARL JONES, JEREMY SHEFFIELD, MARK JAX, LENA HEADEY and DANIEL BROCKLEBANK.
[Seven/11:10pm] Cheaters. The reality television show that confronts infidelity and the breach of trust in an effort to expose relationship problems and help empower the injured party.

[ABC/2:00pm] The Murder Of Emmett Till. In August 1955, a 14-year-old black boy whistled at a white woman in a grocery store in Mississippi. Three days later he was dead. His murder and trial horrified the nation and lit a spark that helped mobilise the civil rights movement. Rpt.
[ABC/4:20pm] Lustful. A day in the life of a municipal pool as seen through various sets of young eyes, revealing the sexual tension and electric energy of youth. Rpt.
[ABC/7:30pm] Herod: Behind the Myth. His name is forever linked to the most notorious atrocity ever detailed in the Bible – the slaughter of newborns at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. But is it true? Herod: Behind the Myth is the untold story of one of the greatest figures in ancient history, and screens Sunday April 8 at 7.30pm on ABC TV. A commoner driven by soaring ambition, Herod rose to become King of the Jews and is remembered as one of history’s most famous tyrants. He executed thousands to win control of the holy city of Jerusalem and even killed his own wife, before preserving her in honey. Yet he was also a visionary who created a man-made mountain to house his palace, the world’s largest artificial harbour and one of the largest wonders of the world, the Temple of Jerusalem. Filmed on location and shot in HD, this dramatised documentary brings together research in archaeology, medical science and religious history to unmask the man behind the legend. International experts are brought together to create a psychological and historical profile of Herod and pose the ultimate question – evil dictator, madman or visionary genius?
[ABC/8:30pm] My Family And Other Animals. A move to sunny Corfu in the 1930s by the eccentric Durrell family begins a lifetime’s fascination with the animal kingdom for young Gerald. CAST: Eugene Simon, Omid Djalili
[ABC/10:00 pm] Compass : The Story Of God: Pt 1: Life The Universe And Everything Robert Winston examines how, from earliest times, human cultures have tried to fill the ‘god-shaped hole at the centre of our universe’.
[ABC/12:00am Mon] Movie: The Chant Of Jimmie Blacksmith (CC, Rpt, M* Occasional coarse language, some violence and sex scenes, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following program may contain images and voices of deceased persons.1978) Adaptation of Thomas Keneally’s poignant novel about a mixed-race Aborigine who becomes a victim of racial bigotry in Australia at the turn of the 19th century. CAST: Tommy Lewis, Freddy Reynolds, Ruth Cracknell. Rpt.

[Ten/7:30pm] The Biggest Loser.
[Ten/8:40pm] Rove. Beyonce.
[Ten/9:40pm] Pussycat Dolls: Search for the Next Doll.

[Nine/6:30pm] Entertaining Friends with the AWW. Hosted by Deborah Hutton. With Livnia Nixon, Karl Stefanovic, Catriona Rowntree.
[Nine/7:00pm] Gardening Gurus. Saving Your Backyard.
[Nine/7:30pm] 60 Minutes.
[Nine/8:30pm] CSI. Rpt.
[Nine/9:30pm] CSI: Miami. Rpt.

[SBS/10:35pm] Movie: Pope John Paul II – This fascinating two-part drama plots the life of Pope John Paul II, from his youth in Poland through to his late days on the Chair of St. Peter. It explores his life behind the scenes: how he touched millions of people and changed the face of the Church and the world. Part two looks at Karol Wojtyla’s election to Pope on October 16, 1978, and his extraordinary 26 year reign that ended with his death on April 2, 2005. Directed by John Kent Harrison and stars Jon Voigt and James Cromwell. (From the US, in English) (Drama) (Part 2) (2005) PG CC WS

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