Higher channels

John Davies picks programmes of interest to THES readers. (All times pm unless stated.) Pick of the week Good science documentaries do not just tell you what is known; they tell you how it is known. That is what The Planets, BBC2's ambitious eight-parter about the solar system (Thursday 9.00), does. Starting with Clyde Tombaugh's discovery of Pluto in 1929 and the invention of the rockets that made space exploration possible, the first episode boasts an impressive roster of US and Russian scientists.

friday April 23

The Animated Epics and Shakespeare (11.30 am and 12 noon BBC2). Reshowing of intelligently animated versions of Beowulf and Julius Caesar. Taming of the Shrew on Wednesday (12 noon BBC2).

SATURDAY April 24

To Be or Not To Be (2.30 R4). David Berman of Trinity College Dublin on the history and influence of Berkeley's philosophy.

Biography: Oliver Cromwell (7.00 History Channel). Mostly sympathetic biodoc features Christopher Hill, Tom Webster and Les Prince among other academics. TV's nod towards Cromwell's 400th birthday.

The White House Tapes (8.00 C4). FBI surveillance of Martin Luther King is the focus of this last selection of raw material from Johnson's presidency.

Jazz on Three (11.30 R3). First of a number of R3 slots celebrating Duke Ellington (born April 29 1899). He is also the subject of Jazz Notes (Mon-Thurs 11.30) and is Composer of the Week (Mon-Fri 12 noon). Meanwhile, R2 features part two of its Duke Ellington: Such Sweet Thunder (Tuesday 9.00), narrated by Russell Davies.

SUNDAY April 25

Brussels: Behind Closed Doors (1.45 C4). MEPs and Brussels officials debate limits on benzene in petrol. Last in an absorbing series that deserved better placing.

Sunday Feature - "Mr Nabokov's Blues" (5.45 R3). Vladimir Nabokov's verbal spell, and how it links with his butterfly-collecting interests. Valentine Cunningham presents.

Cold War (8.00 BBC2). "Star Wars" (1980-88). Reagan, Gorbachev, a renewed arms race and Soviet liberalisation.

2000 Years (10.45 ITV). David Jenkins, George Steiner and Ian Sweeney join Melvyn Bragg for part two of his history of Christianity.

MONDAY April 26

Mystery of the Mummies (8.00 C4). From southern Mexico, the lost Zoque civilisation.

Equinox (9.00 C4). The eugenic theories that led to the forced sterilisation of more than 60,000 Swedes during 1935-75.

TUESDAY April

University Challenge (8.0 BBC2). The final.

Case Notes (9.00 R4). Anaemia, blood cancers and other sanguineous matters.

WEDNESDAY April 28

Thinking Allowed (4.00 R4). Steve Reicher of St Andrews talks to Laurie Taylor about his crowd behaviour research.

Leviathan (7.30 BBC2). England's relations with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Linda Colley is among those looking back.

Reith Lectures (8.00 R4). Lecture 4: Anthony Giddens on family life.

THURSDAY April 29

In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg (9.00am R4). Computer consciousness discussed by Igor Aleksander and John Searle.

The Planets (9.00 BBC2). See pick of the week.

Night Waves (11.00 R3). Anthropologist Katherine Verdery on the significance of exhuming and re-interring dead heroes.

e-mail: Davieses@aol.com