TV & Radio Tuesday December 13

Property managers discover the worst that renters have to offer, and a man who can't stop hiccupping.

TV

Renters

Wonders of the Solar System (TVNZ 7, 7.05pm). The charmingly nerdy Brian Cox continues his series about the solar system, tonight: the sun.

Coastwatch (TV1, 7.30pm). Tonight: Maf makes New Zealand’s biggest-ever paua bust, and all paua to them.

Air Medics (TV1, 8.00pm). Cameras follow the British air ambulance crew who are known as the “Angels of the North”, presumably after the spectacular sculpture by Antony Gormley that welcomes visitors to the northeast of England. Apart from the drama of rescuing the sick and injured and carting them off to hospital in a helicopter, there’s the lovely Pennines and Lake District scenery to take in as well.

Renters (TV2, 8.00pm). The local show that gives most tenants a bad name. Cameras follow property managers as they inspect rental properties and deal with disgusting renters. They’ve seen it all, from bathrooms used as bike sheds to unregistered pets and drug paraphernalia.

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The Real Susan Boyle (Prime, 8.35pm). Should you wish to know.

The Man Who Can’t Stop Hiccupping (TV3, 9.30pm). Experts agree that six out of 10 people prefer documentaries to be about unusual medical phenomena than any other subject, and this week TV3 has two documentaries of this sort. Okay, that’s not a serious assertion, but good old investigative current affairs documentaries seem to be thinner on the ground these days, replaced by The Man Who Can’t Stop Hiccupping, a BBC doco from last year about Christopher Sands from Lincoln who, at the time, had been hiccupping for more than two years. Cameras follow his search for a cure, although a quick google can shorten the suspense if you’re interested.

The Kennedys (Prime, 9.40pm). In the final episode, JFK is buried, but as we know, there is more tragedy to come.

Greenpeace: Making a Stand (TVNZ 7, 10.05pm). A doco about the 35-year history of Greenpeace up to a modern campaign to try to stop the destruction of the Chaco forest in Argentina, home of the Wichi people.

FILM

Daddy Day Care (TV3, 7.30pm). Two out-of-work dads open a childcare centre. This is the kinder, gentler Eddie Murphy for the noughties. Having discovered how much dough he could make voicing Donkey in Shrek movies and spin-offs, he was obviously happy just to show up for this sort of soft family-friendly entertainment. And, predictably, this will make a perfectly adequate babysitter for your small people while you go off and do something worthwhile. (2003) 5 – Diana Balham

Head over Heels (Four, 8.30pm). The predictable romcom cavalcade grinds on, but this one tries to broaden its audience by being a murder mystery as well. Either way, it’s a career low for stars Monica Potter and Freddie Prinze Jr – a sort of Rear Window for morons, except in this movie “rear window” would be the punchline to a filthy joke. (2001) 4 – Diana Balham

RADIO

The Sampler (Radio New Zealand National, 7.30pm). Nick Bollinger takes a wander through his favourite local albums of the year, including Fabulous/Arabia, Pajama Club, The Bats, The Vietnam War and Dudley Benson. Info and audio here.