Saturday's TV highlights

4.30PM, TV2
THE KILLIAN CURSE
Boy, the exams at Killian High are a killer - that's what the kids in Room 21 find when they learn of the terrible Killian curse.

In this locally made comedy-horror, the 21 students of Room 21 learn that the man who founded their school in the 60s, Charles Killian (Nick Blake), was teaching demonology until some concerned parents decided he best join his beloved ghouls.

In a bid to return from the dead and seek vengeance, Killian is trying to collect the students' souls.

All 21 students have a curse visited upon them and must fight a menace from the underworld. And with Weta Workshop's Academy Award-winner Richard Taylor designing the monsters, you can bet all manner of evil will be unleashed on the school.

Each of the curses is tailored to target a student's greatest weakness. If they fail to slay the demons, Killian gets their soul. And he needs only 11 more souls to return to the mortal world.

The show was written and produced by Wellingtonians Thomas Robins (who played commerce teacher Mr Morton on local comedy Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby), Gabe McDonnell (writer on The Strip) and Paul Yates (writer for Willy Nilly).

The young actors are all from Wellington and include Jacinta Waiwai (King Kong, The Tribe). The adult cast includes Nathaniel Lees (No. 2, The Matrix), Jed Brophy (Fracture, Perfect Strangers) and Grant Roa (Whale Rider).

7.30PM & 8PM, TV3
THAT 70S SHOW, WILL & GRACE
Both these sitcoms kicked the bucket stateside in May having chalked up eight seasons each. We're a bit behind with TV3 starting off their respective seasons somewhere in the seventh, which means stars Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher are yet to depart That 70s Show. On Will & Grace there is still a year of guest stars to work through - tonight it's Tracey Ullman as a chef, whose cooking class students include Will and Jack.

9.40PM, TV ONE
THE KAIPARA AFFAIR
Documentary maker Barry Barclay's examination of fishing issues on the Kaipara Harbour isn't as dry as that might suggest. It's a film about shots ringing out over the water, of fishing quotas and stand-offs between big-money commercial fishing companies and locals who say they are gutting the resource for everyone. Barclay lived on the Kaipara for three years. "This story seemed to me a parable of what happens to people at the fringe," he told the Herald last year before the doco screened at the Auckland Film Festival. "They're governed by the centre and often treated with contempt."


MOVIES
[rated out of 5]

8.30PM, TV2
LITTLE NICKY
Herald rating: ***
Adam Sandler plays a spawn of Satan sent to New York City to stop his evil brothers creating hell on earth and taking away the power of his father, Lucifer (Harvey Keitel). Less than fiery comedy but forks out plenty big dumb jokes. (2000)

8.30PM, TV3
THE STORY OF US
Herald rating: * *
Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer in a comedy clunker about splitting up. Director Rob Reiner fails in his attempt to turn it into When Harry Met Sally's Divorce Lawyer. (1999)

8.30PM, SKY MOVIES 1
OCEAN'S TWELVE
Herald rating: * * *
While the previous Las Vegas-based one about George Clooney and his merry men was a clever caper film, this Europe-spanning sequel soon gets really hard to follow and lacks vim. (2004)

10.15PM, TV2
AMERICAN BEAUTY
Herald rating: * * * *
The debut feature of then English theatre director Sam Mendes (who went on to Road To Perdition and Jarhead), this is a compelling story about suburban husband and father Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), who is in the middle of a mid-life crisis and about to sink into a well of despair.

Lester sees his salvation in the form of his teenage daughter's beautiful friend Angela (Mena Suvari).

He quits his career job to work at a fast food restaurant and kids himself that he can recapture his youth, but his behaviour has a huge impact on those around him and indirectly leads to tragedy. One of the darker comedy sub-plots involves an ex-Marine neighbour who is convinced that Lester is homosexual. It's an update of Lolita and also references Death of a Salesman, but it stands tall due to a well-crafted script, amazing cinematography and memorable music. (1999) Steven Shaw

11.10PM, TV ONE
REAR WINDOW
Herald rating: * * * * *
Hitchcock classic with a wheelchair-bound Jimmy Stewart discovering there's something fishy going on in one of the apartments across the way. (1954)


SPORT

9.50PM, SKY SPORT 1 LIVE
TRI-NATIONS RUGBY WALLABIES V SPRINGBOKS
The Wallabies will be physically and psychologically bruised after their pummelling from the All Blacks. But it's hard to know what shape the Springboks will be in for this match in Brisbane with players injured and coach Jake White wanting to quit.

7.30PM, SKY 1 LIVE; SUNDAY, 10.45PM, PRIME
LEAGUE: WARRIORS V EELS
The Bulldogs halted their winning run last week but the Warriors are playing with a passion that could sneak them into the top eight. They'll need it to overcome a resurgent Eels.