Tonight in HD: February 18

February 16, 2012 0 Comments

SoHo Highlight: The Shadow Line (Sky 10, 9.30, 5.1) Gabriel and Joseph find themselves in a three-horse race as they desperately work to get to the driver of Wratten’s car first. The Guardian thought this “a pacy episode that focuses on the plot rather than stilted detail … It’s fair to say that last week’s opener was divisive. Some of you liked its ambition and the stagey, artificial world Hugo Blick has created; others thought it pretentious, overly long and poorly acted … Last week, I would have wavered over its chances of success. After tonight’s episode, I’m more certain of its success.” Despite reservations about aspects “that threaten to drag it across the line from ‘superb’ to ‘ridiculous’,” The Daily Telegraph agreed: “It was clever, compelling, properly exciting.” ✭✭✭✭

Homeland (TV3, 9.45, 5.1, R) Repeat of Monday's premiere: A US Marine (Damian Lewis) rescued after years in Afghanistan returns home a hero. But a CIA operative (Claire Danes) suspects he may be an enemy agent. Don't believe just the rave reviews of US critics. Said The Dominion Post's Jane Clifton: "Though there is a bit of whizzing about with guns and ticking-time-bomb action commensurate with a show about terrorism, this is a programme that relies mostly on old-fashioned suspense, in the John le Carre tradition. It's about nuance and careful reading of people, rather than what you can actually see them doing." ✭✭✭✭✭

The Secret Lives of Dancers (TV3, 4.30, R) With a new boss, paranoia sets in and the dancers fear for their jobs. And from Black Swan to the RNZB – a hot new male dancer has heads turning and hearts fluttering. ✭✭✭✭

The Middle (TV2, 5.00, R) Repeat of Tuesday’s premiere: Frankie insists the family take a few days of vacation before school starts. ✭✭✭✭

TradeZone Gone Fishin’ (TV3, 5.00, R) ✭✭✭

Suburgatory (TV2, 5.30, R) Repeat of Tuesday’s premiere: For one teenager from New York City, the suburbs represent her unique version of hell. ✭✭✭

Rheem Outdoors With Geoff (TV3, 5.30) Geoff Thomas showcases the spectacular New Zealand outdoors and abroad. ✭✭✭

Keeping Up With the Joneses (TV One, 7.00) Because the Outback is a long way from medical help, Cristina’s pregnancy, the family must make a special trip for their newest member. ✭✭✭

Revenge (TV2, 9.30, R) Another chance to see Revenge from the beginning. Emily Thorne returns to the extremely privileged community in the Hamptons to right the wrongs done to her family 17 years ago. ✭✭✭

Winners & Losers (TV One, 10.30, R) Jenny chases popularity; Frances plays house with Zach; Bec tries to keep a burgeoning relationship under wraps. ✭✭

Movie: The Fountain (TV3, 12.45, R) Two immortally linked souls transcend the boundaries of time and space, one desperately searching for the answers that will save the other, and deliver the promise of eternal life. Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) directs Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. As the Chicago Sun-Times observed: “When a film telling three stories and spanning thousands of years has a running time of 96 minutes, scenes must have been cut out. There will someday be a Director’s Cut of this movie, and that’s the cut I want to see.” (2006) ✭✭✭