Saturday July 1
DOCTOR WHO, BBC1, 6.30pm
IT’S the finale of Doctor Who and we need to start preparing ourselves for a world without Peter Capaldi in the starring role.
I’m no expert on Doctor Who, having always thought of it as being just for kids. When Capaldi was announced as the new Doctor, I found a reason to start tuning in, but I may lose interest when he’s gone. If the role demands a certain kind of sharp charm, intellect and eccentricity then how can anyone hope to fill his shoes?
Called The Doctor Falls, the last in the series shows the rise of the creepy Mondasian Cybermen. The Doctor and chums are still stuck on that spaceship and it’s up to him to stand up against the cyborg army and protect the little clutch of nervous humans who are clinging to him, but they’ll find no sympathy from the devilishly delighted Missy and the Master.
The finale readies us for the traditional Christmas Special where we’ll finally say goodbye to the current Doctor.
MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: EVERYONE WELCOME,
BBC2, 8pm
THIS festival has been running since 2007, but I think it will be attracting a bit more attention this year.
After the bombing at the Manchester Arena, and after the initial shock and horror had faded, the response from the city was one of unity and tolerance which manifested itself through creativity.There were poems and songs and, of course, the One Love concert. It reminded us all that Manchester is not only famous for its Victorian architecture and its role in the industrial revolution, but for its dazzling contribution to art and music.
This arts festival celebrates the city’s legacy and provides a space for upcoming artists to show their work.
The presenter, Lemn Sissay, gives us the rundown the new local and international artists who will be making an appearance.
Some rather more established names are also involved. The programme looks at fresh work by New Order, taking us into their rehearsal room 37 years after the band was formed.
Sunday July 2
THE HANDMAID’S TALE, C4, 9pm
BEING a cynical, miserable person, I keep waiting for this show to throw out a dud episode.
It can’t be great every single week, can it? But it seems it can. Every Monday, when I get my preview episode, I shut down the laptop, put the phone on mute, give my dog about 17 biscuits to keep him quiet, and I watch the episode in quiet horror and fascination.
It never fails.
For those struggling with a sense of claustrophobia at seeing Offred (Elizabeth Moss, above) confined to her room, this week delves into the back story of Serena, and next week’s does the same for Luke. These diversions are essential, both to flesh out the characters and to stop us feeling the same maddening desperation Offred feels as she sits on her little window seat.
We learn about Serena’s role in helping found the terrible state of Gilead. She was once a woman of sharp intelligence and conviction, but the project she worked for has reduced her to nothing.
The Commander welcomes an important Mexican trade delegation to the house. The ambassador, a friendly and kind woman, insists on meeting Offred and asks if she is happy.
DUNKIRK: THE NEW EVIDENCE,
C4, 8pm
LEARNING about Dunkirk in school, I was a bit confused. It was a retreat? An evacuation?
A defeat? So why is everyone so proud of it? I suppose I was too young to understand the celebration of the great rescue operation and a kind of indefatigable spirit. Yes, the Allies might have been “running away” from the enemy, but the evacuation was a practical, essential decision and one which allowed them to come back later and land knock-out blows.
In 1940, 340,000 Allied troops were scooped off the beaches while under severe attack by the Germans. The fact that it was managed at all was a spectacular feat, and everyone knows the role of the “little ships”.
This documentary uncovers new files from the Ministry of Defence which cast a fresh light on the role of the RAF. We used to think it was all about the sea and ships, but we now know the RAF was at work as well trying to keep the Germans back from the beaches, letting these “little ships” do their work.
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