Pick of the Week:
Hunt vs Lauda
DR2, Sat 22:30
Originally released in the wake of Rush in 2013, Hunt vs Lauda was positively received by critics. With a relatively concise running time, it brilliantly condenses a drama-filled season of racing. It is a must watch for racing fans and thrill-seekers alike.
The epic battle between James Hunt and Niki Lauda for the 1976 Formula 1 Championship is primarily told through exclusive interviews and new footage, with racing luminaries such as John Watson, Jackie Stewart and Enzo Ferrari making appearances.
The family of the two racers also get a chance to tell their story, adding an extra dimension to the documentary.
This was not a normal season. Lauda was nearly killed and lost half his face in a mid-season crash. He returned to his car five weeks later, ensuring that his rivalry with Hunt would forever be known as one of the sport’s most iconic battles.
Also New:
So Chris Evans really is back. Over the last year the man credited with reinventing British television in the 1990s – with shows like The Big Breakfast and Don’t Forget your Toothbrush – has bounced back, firstly as the presenter of the Top Gear, and now with a revival of TFI Friday.
Screened late on Monday, the ‘weekend’ enthusiasm of the show won’t translate well, but otherwise it’s pure, albeit a little puerile, joy. Interviews and interludes combine brilliantly with live music and larks to really start your weekend off with a bang.
Evans, who has always been commercially astute, is also a compulsive spendthrift – he has more Ferraris than Enzo – so maybe he’d relate to the dilemmas explored in Who’d be a billionaire? (DR2, Mon 18:30).
Equally soul-searching is Survival of the Fabulous (DR3, Tue 20:00), which considers whether homosexuality is nature or nurture, and The Kill Team (SVT2, Tue 22:45), a Tribeca winner about war crimes in Afghanistan.
Elsewhere, we’ve got S2 of relationship comedy Catastrophe (SVT1, Wed 21:30) and S2 of US drama Enlightened (SVT1, Sun 22:40); HBO doc Banksy Does New York (DRK, Sat 23:30) follows the artist on a one-month visit; and War Art with Eddie Redmayne (DRK, Sat 20:00) is a “heartfelt and thoughtful film” according to the Radio Times. (BH)
Coming Soon:
Underground
With its historically accurate writing, this new drama series celebrates a small remarkable group of black and white heroes who risked everything to fight for freedom in 19th century America.
It is a rough watch and it has all the components of an intense thriller. With unpredictable twists and a talented cast, it is time well spent if you’re up to the challenge.
“This well-made show from the under-appreciated network WGN America is at its best when it’s hardest to watch,” said the New York Times.
Sport of the Week:
There are few sights more invigorating than the fairways of Augusta, although the atmosphere of El Clasico comes pretty close. Staying with football, the CL and EPL are heating up, with PSG vs Man City (3+, Wed 20:40) and Leicester vs Southampton (TV3 Sport 2, Sun 14:25). Elsewhere, we’ve got the Bahrain GP and continued live NBA action on TV2 Sport every night. (BH)
Film of the Week:
Well aren’t you The Lucky One, ladies? Zac Efron’s all grown up and now he’s getting the grown-up roles. It’s a moderate affair at best, though. Elsewhere, the bit-part actors must have been excited getting a part in Ridley Scott’s The Counselor. Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem … shame it’s utter rubbish. (BH)
