As it Happened — Sweet Home Chicago — In Chicago, the delta blues evolved into a city style of hard-driving, electric urban folk blues. By the 1950s, Chess Records succeeded in bringing this music, now called rhythm and blues, to an international audience. In Europe, the blues performers were treated with reverence by their audiences. In England, young musicians like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page soaked up the music of Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson, forming the foundation for British rock and roll groups such as the Yardbirds, Led Zepplin, the Rolling Stones and the Who. Features an interview with Mick Jagger and lots of great footage of the performers. SBS, 8.30pm, Thursday, September 29.
People — Thank God I'm a Lesbian — This documentary is a positive and sensitive portrayal of a diversity of lesbian women, who speak frankly and articulately about issues ranging from coming out, racism, bisexuality, to the evolution of the feminist and lesbian movements, outing, compulsory heterosexuality and lesbian literature. SBS, 8.30pm, Friday, September 30.
True Stories — 50 Years of Silence — Between 1939 and 1945 the Japanese government forcibly removed thousands of young women and girls from their homes to provide sexual services to the Japanese army. This is the story of Jan Ruff-O'Herne. Born in Java, she was interned after Japan occupied Indonesia; later, she was forcibly taken to a brothel for Japanese officers in Semarang, where she was subjected to countless rapes and beatings. ABC, 8.30pm, Sunday, October 2.
The Cutting Edge — What Magdalena Said — A team from the BBC travelled to the Czech Republic to investigate the rising intolerance of the local population towards Roms (Gypsies). The film interweaves the lives of Magdalena, a 17-year-old contestant in a beauty pageant, who proclaimed her wish to "cleanse my town of all its brown skinned inhabitants", and a poor Rom family. SBS, 8.30pm, Tuesday, October 4.
The Life of Python — This program looks at the history of the Pythons as told by its members, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Graham Chapman. The one-hour documentary also features Dudley Moore, Dan Ackroyd, Chevy Chase and Steve Martin with their say. Life of Python contains scenes from the earliest Python shows as well as their feature films, rare BBC archives and private film collections. ABC, 8.30pm, Wednesday, October 5.
John Hinde Presents — News Hounds — A controversial look at the sleazy British tabloid press in a sharp-edged black comedy. Featuring Adrian Edmondson (Vivian from The Young Ones), the show presents one day in the life of the Brit as it rakes the muck. ABC, 8.30pm, Friday, October 7.
More Than a Game — Television calls time out in US football and forces cricketers to discard traditional whites for blues and reds. In the West Indies, cricket itself is threatened by basketball coming from US satellite. Television offers sport exposure and cash, but is it asking too much in return? SBS, 4.30pm, Saturday, October 8.
Drop the Dead Donkey — The Globelink News team has returned to "kick ass" in a new 12-part series of the hit comedy. Australian viewers will see episodes eight days after they screen in Britain, where the program is recorded the night before transmission and edited hours before going to air to allow inclusion of late-breaking news stories. All of the regular staff return for this hilarious new series. SBS, 8.30pm, Saturday, October 8.
True Stories — Getting Even: Women in Australian Politics — In 1902, the first parliament of Australia granted white women the right to vote and to stand for election. Despite this, only 61 women have been elected to federal parliament. This program looks at why women's efforts for greater representation have been continually frustrated and asks what it is that motivated the women who have made it to parliament. ABC, 8.30pm, Sunday, October 9.