TV Party for Thursday, August 4th

At 8 it’s time for another episode of “Battlefield Britain” on KCTS, an innovative series spanning nearly 2,000 bloody and turbulent years of battles fought on British soil. Each of the eight episodes tells the story of a different conflict profiling those who fought and revealing the weapons, the tactics and the effect on British history. Tonight’s episode, Naseby - 1645 tells of this decisive battle of the English Civil War where Charles I's hopes were destroyed by Cromwell's New Model Army. Never again was Britain ruled solely by a Monarch.

Also at 8 on our “other” PBS station KBTC is "Nova: Science Now!" Tonight Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the hosts of NPR's “Car Talk,” help Robert Krulwich explore the pros and cons of hydrogen as an automotive fuel, neurobiologist Erich Jarvis reveals the similarities between humans and birds, and explore melting glaciers in Greenland.

At 9 move up to the Food Network for a mouth-wattering competition, at least if you like chicken. Yes, it’s the "$100,000 Chicken Challenge!" The winning dish is worth 100 grand at the National Chicken Cook-off, where 51 amateur chefs battle it out for the biggest prize in contest history. One competitor from each state and the District of Columbia won a recipe contest and a place at the cook-off in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they have three hours to make their prized poultry. While I’m pulling for Washington, I wouldn’t be surprised if the home team wins.

If neither of those shows sounds good, how about two hours of dragons? The History Channel has just that tonight, on "Quest for Dragons," starting at 8. A spirited exploration of the history, science, and legend of the world's most notorious beast--the dragon, the best-known creature that never was. Throughout history, dragons influenced wars, science, art, and religion. They appear in almost every culture and many still believe in dragons. How could different cultures, isolated by geology and millennia, all invent the same creature? If the dragon is simply the product of our imagination, how could distant peoples, with no knowledge of each other, all invent the same beast? One of the reasons dragons are a perennial favorite is that even though they are the ultimate predator and antagonist, it's also fun to identify with them. In the end, we want to be the dragon as much as we may want to slay the dragon.

Finally, at 10 it’s time for “Starved”, a new adult comedy on FX. This series provides an often poignant take on food addiction, which is the backdrop to the funny, romantic and personal lives of four New Yorkers - Sam, Billie, Adam and Dan - struggle with various eating disorders and lean on each other for support. The friends attend Belttighteners, a radical support group that takes an unconventional, harsh approach to recovery. To Billie's horror, Sam secretly tries to mold his date into a woman from a sultry TV commercial. Adam continues to shake down deliverymen for their food and Dan struggles with his decision for gastric bypass surgery. Remember, in this world of Reality Television this is NOT reality – these people are paid professional actors, so please do not try this at home.

That’s your TV Party for Thursday, August 4th, for Northwest Indy Radio I’m Scott Chicken