“The Protectors” at low level

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33095, 9 December 1972, Page 5

“The Protectors” at low level

No matter what arrangements are made for Thursday evening television programmes, they are likely to be spoiled as long as the run of “The Protectors” continues. It is difficult to remember any series which suffered quite so much from being pretentious, forced and often downright stupid. Robert

Vaughn has a nice manner, but he is utterly wasted in this rubbish. So is Nyree Dawn Porter, who surely must shudder if she happens to see this stuff on screen. “The Quick Brown Fox” was the title of the Thursday programme, and it was another tale about a former Nazi war criminal, this one engaged in feeding funds to

, other Nazis in hiding. One of the producers was Gerry Anderson, and it is not really a back-handed compliment to suggest that the creatures of the supermarionation series often seemed more real than the people of “The Protectors.” * #

The current affairs programme, “Gallery” spent a lot of its time on the Palestinians and their problems, and again it seemed more likely material for a separate documentary than for a programme one expects to deal principally, and with discussion, with local issues. But there was a bowing-out of Mr Marshall interview, in which he spoke with dignity, eloquence, and candour. “Gallery” also interested viewers with its collection based on the effects of having no effective Government in power for a fortnight — with changes of policy about to be made, the work of some departments has been in limbo. “All In the Family” remains one of the best of recent comedy series. It is of course somewhat repetitious, for its format is very solidly set But this viewer, at any rate, has not yet tired of the superb stupidity of Edith (Jean Stapleton) who has a quite wonderful way of chancing upon a triviality and worrying it until it is in tatters. And Carroll O’Connors as Archie Bunker has superb timing in his vigorous • attacks on almost anything. Moreover, for all its dependence on the generation gap and Archie’s denunciation of anything he

does not understand or of which he does not approve, there are occasional but telling words of wisdom in “All In the Family” which are all the more effective because of their colourful wrappings. — PANDORA.

CHTV3

Today 2.00 p.m<: News. 2.03: The Queen and I. Comedy. 2.30: Grandstand—athletics, golf, marching. 5.38: News, weather. 5.45: Why It Is So. Science. 6.00: Ulis Week in Britain. 6.05: Journey to the High Arctic. Documentary. 7.00: Network news. 7.22: Weather. The South on Saturday. 7.50: You Must Be Joking. Panel game. 8.20: Z Cars. Drama. 9.15: Newsbrief. 9.17: Saturday. Current affairs. 9.45: Film (1962) —“The Miracle Worker” (Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke). Drama. 11.39: Late news, weather. 11.44: New Zealand Big Time Wrestling. Tomorrow 2.00 pan.: News. 2.03: Film (1965)—“The Truth About Spring” (Hayley Mills, John Mills). Comedy. 3.38: Sportscene. Golf, billiards. 5.04: News, weather. 5.22: Safety Riding. Documentary. 5.46: The Jan and Dean Show. Music. 6.13: Alexander Turnbull’s Library. Documentary. 6.40: Scrutiny. 7.00: Network news. 7.23: Country Calendar. 738: The Black and White Minstrel Show. 8.23: Dr Finlay’s Casebook. 9.13: News. 9.15: Monty Python’s Flying Circus. 9.45: Cuba—art and the revolution. 10.27: Vaclav Smetacek conducts the N.Z.B.C. Orchestra. 10.41: Australian report. 10.51: Late news, weather.

SATURDAY NATIONAL LINK [lncluding 3YA Christchurch (690 kilohertz): 2YA Wellington (570 kilohertz): 4YA Dunedin (750 kilohertz): and SYZ Greymouth (950 kilohertz).] 7 p.m.: Sports Review. 7.30: Music of the People— Music for the People. 8.0: The Twelve Maidens. 8.30: Weather and News. 8.40: Looking at Ourselves. 9.0: Those Were the Days. 9.30: I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again. 10.0: Sounds Great. 10.30: N.Z.B.C. News, Weather. 10.45: Interlude for Music. 11.0: 8.8. C. News and Commentary. 11.15: Billiards. 11.18: Continuous. 2.25 a.m.: Rugby. 4.9: Music of the Maori. 3YC, CHRISTCHURCH (960 kilohertz) 7 p.m.: The Dorian Singers, Brian McKay (baritone), Symphonia of Auckland, conducted by Peter Godfrey. Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols. 7.15: Ernesto Bitetti (guitar). 7.36: Prokofiev: Sinfonietta in A, Op. 5/48. 8.0: Lauris Elms (contralto), Richard Greager (tenor), Maurice Taylor (bass), Royal Christchurch Musical Society, Christchurch Civic Orchestra conducted by Robert FieldDodgson. Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius. 10.15: The Stately Homes Business. 10.23: Dvorak: Sonatina in G, Op. 100 — Wolfgang Schneiderhan (violin), Walter Klien (piano). 10.41: Les

Preludes — London Philharmonic Orchestra under Bernard Haitink. 3ZB, CHRISTCHURCH (1100 kilohertz) 7.4 p.m.: Golden Platter Party. 3ZM, CHRISTCHURCH (1400 kilohertz) 7 p.m.: Music. SUNDAY NATIONAL LINK 11 a.m.: Morning Services. 7 p.m. Evening Services. 8.30: Weather and News. 8.40: The Film World of Stanley Black. 9.0: Books of the Week. 9.30: Carol Channing Showcase. 10.30: N.Z.B.C. News, Weather. 10.49: The Epilogue. 11.0: 8.8. C. News and Commentary. 11.15: Billiards. 11.18: Continuous. 3YC, CHRISTCHURCH (960 kilohertz) 7.5 p,m.: Marion Keall-

Hunt (piano)—-John Field: Nocturne in B flat; Chopin: Nocture No. 11 in B flat; Faure: Nocturne No. 4 in B flat. 7.45: Music Ho! 8.30: The King’s Singers. 8.50: Cesar Franck. 9.16: Vaughan Williams: In the Fen Coun-try-New Philharmonia Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult. 9.30: Vanity Fair. 9.57: Purcell: Amor Artis Chorale and Instrumental Ensemble under Johannes Somary. 10.10: Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op. 83. 3ZB. CHRISTCHURCH (1100 kilohertz) 7.2 p.m.: Country R.F.D. 7.30: The Dark Island. 8.2: Jazz in Concert. 8.30: The Navy Lark. 9.2: The Kingdom of the Blind. 10.2: Late Night Listening. 11.45: The Epilogue. 3ZM, CHRISTCHURCH (1400 kilohertz) 5 p.m.: Top of the Pops from London.