TV: Five shows worth watching tonight: July 20
Your select viewing guide for Friday, July 20
SCIENCE: Mighty Planes (Discovery, 7 p.m.) Not just for aviation buffs, this compelling series deconstructs the technology and inspiration behind some of the world's most astounding customized aircraft. Tonight’s new episode checks in with the Airbus 380, the world’s first full double-deck passenger plane. The program interviews aviation experts about the inspiration behind the aircraft’s groundbreaking design and takes viewers on the 380’s first commercial flight, non-stop from Frankfurt to San Francisco.
HISTORY: Canadian Made (History, 8 p.m.) Besides hockey and butter tarts, Canadians have given the world some truly amazing inventions. Narrated by Canadian comedian and playwright Rick Miller, this new series employs animation, archive footage and dramatic reenactments to honour three homegrown inventions in each episode. Tonight’s first show celebrates three clothing items and accessories that first saw the light of day in the Great White North. To wit: The lumberjack shirt, the gas mask and, perhaps most importantly, the Wonderbra. Oh, Canada.
COMEDY: Up All Night (CTV, 8:30 p.m.) Fast and funny in the vein of Modern Family, this rookie sitcom has a solid fan following and has been renewed for a second season. The no-frills premise focuses on the life adjustments of first-time parents Reagan (Christina Applegate) and Chris (Will Arnett) after she returns to her job as a TV producer and he becomes a house-husband. In most episodes the setup feels achingly real (possibly because both Applegate and Arnett are parents of young children in real life), which more than offsets the retread plotlines. As in tonight’s show, in which Chris becomes wildly jealous of Reagan’s handsome new co-worker.
REALITY: Say Yes to the Dress (TLC, 9 p.m.) Every storybook wedding deserves the perfect dress. Now in its eighth season, this popular series takes cameras behind the scenes at New York’s Kleinfeld Bridal salon, where the frocks are fabulous and run upwards of $40,000. Since this is a reality series, most episodes naturally lean toward profiling the store's more problematic clientele. Watch tonight as a customer named Lindsey tries to find a traditional wedding dress, while Kristin demands an edgier look. And then there’s Amber, who wants a dress that shows off her tattoos. You go, girl!
MOVIE: Niagara (Vision, midnight) Next month marks the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s untimely passing, and she’s still the original blonde bombshell. In this 1953 noir thriller, she’s perfectly cast as the restless Rose, a young beauty married to the older, embittered war veteran George (Joseph Cotton). While vacationing at the Falls, the improbable couple make the acquaintance of perky honeymooners Ray and Polly (Max Showalter, Jean Peters), which complicates Rose's plans to kill her cranky husband and run off with the handsome young stud Patrick (Richard Allan). The film's plot is no great shakes but, even against the majestic backdrop of the Falls, Marilyn steals every scene.