Alfred Molina and Dawn French team up for a new sitcom set when Roger And Val Have Just Got In
TV Choice: New comedies and Arnie classic Total Recall
By Hugh FortAugust 05, 2010
Every week our square-eyed reporters take a look at what’s on TV – the highlights and the lowlights – and pick what they think you should watch or avoid.
Roger and Val Have Just Got In, BBC Two, Friday, 10pm
It's a potentially laugh-tastic telly week as no fewer than four brand spanking new comedy shows are kicking off on the BBC and Channel 4.
However, don’t hold your breath on this first one as it’s from the same channel whose producers came up with the godawful Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
This is the first one, a series about the ups and downs of life for a middle-aged married couple.
Roger (Alfred Molina
The highlight of this particular episode is a hunt for the guarantee for their new vacuum cleaner.
Doesn’t sound great, but the talents of the two leads could make it fun.
Pete Versus Life, Channel 4, Friday, 10pm
If that turns out to be rubbish, flick over to Channel 4 for this.
Pete is a sports journalist who, to be honest, struggles with the complex process of being alive.
His sympathetic mates, instead of standing by his side, turn his dilemmas into a long-running documentary in the style of sports commentators.
In this first episode, Pete meets a woman who he manages to inadvertently impress with his commitment to green issues.
The thing is, he doesn’t really have any and has to learn how to be an eco-warrior to keep her interested.
Total Recall, ITV1, Monday, 10.35pm
Of course, what the muscle-bound Governor of California is saying is “these people must have air”, which does sound slightly like an early election promise.
This is one of his best films, not as good as the Terminator series, but a million billion times better than Junior.
It’s very complicated and on quite late so have a coffee before watching.
Arnie is a construction worker on Earth in the future. He’s drawn into a sinister plot on Mars, now a top-notch holiday destination, when a virtual reality holiday awakens memories of bad things which happened in his past.
So he then goes to Mars for real to see what is happening and ends up fighting for the future of the planet with evil Government types and weird aliens.
It’s all very confusing and difficult to explain, but it’s a great film, so watch it.
Grandma’s House, BBC Two, Monday, 10pm
Former Never Mind The Buzzcocks host Simon Amstell writes and stars in this new comedy show about a TV presenter looking for bigger things in life.
He still lives with his mum, who is less than pleased about his decision to quit hosting his showbiz panel show, meanwhile he is trying to persuade her that her new boyfriend is no good for her. We also see other family trials and tribulations from his Aunt Liz and her teenage son.
Amstell was good on Buzzcocks and brilliant on the Channel 4 show Popworld, so this should be funny.
School of Comedy, Channel 4, Wednesday, 11.10pm
It’s a bit late for a school night this one, but it should be quite good.
Funny kids including Son of Ranbow star Will Poulter present their take on the adult world.
Things like how adults can talk for so long at Sunday lunch should feature as well as sketches about an un-PC teacher and a group of security guards who hate each other.
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