The Sunday Times - UK (2021-11-28)

THE BEST OF THE WEEK AHEAD SEVEN-DAY LISTINGS FOR NOV 28-DEC 4

There are 14 mountains whose

summits are more than

8,000m above sea level — the

height ominously known to

climbers as “the death zone”.

In 1986, Reinhold Messner

became the first to scale them

all, a feat that took 16 years. In

2019, however, the Nepalese

climber Nirmal Purja decided

to emulate Messner in seven

months, a scheme to inspire

humanity and highlight his

country’s climbing culture.

This documentary follows

“the Usain Bolt of 8,000m” on

a mission he named Project

Possible. Big on stunning

scenery, it is equally

breathtaking on Purja’s drive

to succeed, whether fighting

altitude sickness or striving to

find sponsorship. There are

personal setbacks, accidents

and rescues, but Purja —

the first Gurkha selected for

Britain’s special forces — never

wavers in his commitment

to hitting peak peak.

Victoria Segal

THE WEEK AHEAD

Super Sunday (Today, SSME,

4pm) Chelsea v Man United

This Cultural Life

(Today, BBC4, 7.30pm)

Bernardine Evaristo

Panorama (Wednesday,

BBC1, 7.30pm; Scotland,

1.05am) Delivering Christmas

The Conversation

Thursday, BBC4, 9pm

After the success of The

Godfather, Francis Ford

Coppola allowed himself a bit

of artiness in his next film, this

1974 story of a surveillance

expert (Gene Hackman)

racked by doubt and guilt.

In its essentials, though, the

movie is still a robust, dynamic

thriller — a tale of overheard

words and unseen dangers.

Its crafty use of audio design

serves a devilish plot.

FILM OF

THE WEEK

Music’s Inner Vision

Today, Radio 3, 11pm

Blind singer Victoria Oruwari

discovers how the condition

affects learning, composing

and performing, with her own

experiences as a musician

giving a real understanding^

of what it’s like to create and

perform music. This episode

includes music by Rodrigo,

Delius and Stevie Wonder.

Keeping Up Appearances

BBC iPlayer

Although chiefly remembered

for Patricia Routledge’s

peerless performance as the

middle-class snob Hyacinth

Bucket (“Bouquet” in case

you’d forgotten), this mid-^

1990s sitcom remains a site

of riches thanks to a brilliant

ensemble cast and Roy Clarke’s

mordant, witty dialogue. Plus,

in the age of social media,

Hyacinth’s lust for status

is still horribly relevant.

RADIO PICK

OF THE WEEK

DEMAND PICK

OF THE WEEK

1 Everest 29029ft

2 K2 28251ft

3 Kanchenjunga 28169ft

4 Lhotse 27940ft

5 Makalu 27838ft

6 Cho Oyu 26864ft

7 Dhaulagiri 26795ft

8 Manaslu 26781ft

9 Nanga Parbat 26660ft

10 Annapurna I 26545ft

11 Gasherbrum I 26510ft

12 Broad Peak 26401ft

13 Gasherbrum II 26362ft

14 Shishapangma 26335ft

200 miles

New

Delhi

INDIA

(^92) CHINA
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NEPAL
PICK OF
THE WEEK
14 PEAKS —
NOTHING IS
IMPOSSIBLE
Netflix, from Monday
28 November 2021 45