TV: Critic's picks for Nov. 22
A select guide to the best shows on Monday
HISTORY<br> Dogfights History, 7 p.m.<br> Oh, for the days of the dashing flyboy. The romanticized era is recalled vividly in this series that employs cutting-edge computer graphics to recreate history's most celebrated aerial battles. Tonight's chapter recounts how the dogfight game changed completely during the Korean War with the advent of jet fighters. Besides flying at speeds nearly twice that of the aircraft of the Second World War, the new planes were more efficient at tracking down any hapless pilots who veered into the wrong air space. The program re-enacts a typical showdown between the two most famous jet fighters of the day: the U.S. F-86 Sabre and the Soviet-built MiG-15.
DRAMA<br> House Fox, Global, 8 p.m.<br> At what point do science and religious faith cross paths in the real world? The thorny issue is posed to cantankerous Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) and his team when a man is admitted to the hospital following his re-enactment of the Crucifixion. In his usual prodding manner, House discovers that the man pledged an oath of self-sacrifice to God after his daughter was miraculously saved from cancer. The new problem is that the patient is rapidly failing and refusing any medical treatment, which is forcing House to rethink his entire diagnostic process.
FOOD<br> Fabulous Cakes TLC, 10 p.m.<br> Back for a second season, this series visits America's top bakeries in search of fantastically elaborate cake creations. The first season taught viewers that superstar bakers will do almost anything to outdo each other in a TV competition. The second season begins in Las Vegas, which means the cake bar is raised even higher. The first episode goes behind the scenes at three of Sin City's most popular bakeries, and the creations include a 500-pound layer cake honouring Buzz Aldrin's moon landing and a frosting-laden replica of the famed Vegas Strip. Let them eat massive cake.
HISTORY<br> Moguls and Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood TCM, 8 and 11 p.m.<br> As anyone might have guessed, the real history of Hollywood is better than anything you'll see at the movies. Narrated by Christopher Plummer, this informative seven-part series began with the invention of the first moving pictures at the turn of the century and steadily moves up to the famous counterculture films of the sixties. Tonight's episode covers the period from 1929 to 1941, which brought the arrival of talkies and fresh new talent – hello, Walt Disney (pictured here) – but also saw the fledgling movie industry struggle during the darkest days of the Depression.
MOVIE<br> A Hard Day's Night Bravo!, 9 p.m.<br> Return to the brilliant madness that was Beatlemania. Directed by Richard Lester, this 1964 mock documentary shrewdly cast the Fab Four as themselves. To wit, the Beatles are mobbed upon arrival in London and taken to a hotel in advance of a concert performance. Ringo wanders off and the other three lads head out to find him, which of course results in pursuit from manic fans. The film's big draw is the steady succession of Beatles hits – "She Loves You," "I Should Have Known Better," et al. – with each made richer through Lester's use of pop-art cinematography and brisk editing. Watch and witness the precursor of the modern music video.