Entertainment picks: Beam him up Scotty, to Boston

TV

A TV addict friend of mine is convinced Boston Legal will be the best TV show since - well, because he's a Simpsons fan - The Simpsons.

Boston Legal, which starts on TV3 tomorrow at 9.30pm, stars William "Captain Kirk" Shatner as Denny Crane and James Spader as Allan Shore, two very different operators who are the big wigs at a top civil law firm in Boston.

It will be "geniusly funny", says this friend. He also claims the Spader and Shatner characters are "possibly the greatest characters written for a drama", ever.

It cleaned up at the Emmy Awards, with both actors winning awards.

And Boston Legal has a good pedigree since it was created by David E. Kelly, the man behind LA Law, Ally McBeal and The Practice.

However whether it's just another Practice, which started off well but faded, or a return to the heyday of court room dramas, like LA Law, you be the judge.

A must-see this week is the feature-length documentary Spellbound (TV One, 8.30pm, Thursday) which follows eight American children who are competing in the National Spelling Bee final in Washington DC. Hilarious and educational fun.

For something a little more brainless get your boardies on, or your bikini, and join our Rach, that's former supermodel Rachel Hunter, on The Real Gilligan's Island (TV2, 7.30pm, Tuesday). The 35-year-old plays Ginger in this new reality show that's a competition between two teams of castaways, who play the characters (including Gilligan, Mary Ann, and Skipper) from the 1960s series, Gilligan's Island.

While competing against each other, the two teams will also have to contend with scorching hot temperatures, large iguanas, poisonous tarantulas, snakes and having showers with Rach.

This week's best show title award goes to Maori Television's Meet The Prick (tonight, 9.30pm), which features a profile of activist Tame Iti. Kai Time On the Road is a pretty cool name, but Meet The Prick, that's something else.

It's also finals time in the NPC this weekend. And while Taranaki are not there - don't worry lads, there's always next year - it's a good time to start watching the NPC if you haven't been inspired by round robin play. Go North Harbour.

Music

If there was a soundtrack to go with getting beer split on you, then the Sorecocks and Oz scuzz rockers, Wolfmother, would be ideal to play it. They play Shadows Bar on Thursday as part of the bFM private function.

The Sorecocks' new self-titled album is a nasty little scorcher of reckless rock'n'roll. Check it out, and check them out live too.

And good on Pluto. On Friday they play two gigs with the Sneaks starting with an all ages show at 6pm at the Studio, then an R18 show later in the evening at 9pm.

On Saturday at the Studio, clothing label Insidious Fix celebrates its 10th birthday with a catchy wee gig starting with dDub at 10pm, then Kora, then Open Souls, and to take you through the night is the Recloose live band.

And if you're looking for something a little more down and dirty, head to the Kings Arms where, Unmind: Rogue Gems, features the Rock and Roll Machine, the Slips, Motocade, and up-and-comers, the Tutts.

Movies

The World's Fastest Indian is the motorbike movie you have to see this year. Anthony Hopkins stars as speed demon and mechanical mastermind Burt Munro from Southland who has spent a lifetime perfecting his classic Indian motorcycle.

He sets off for the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to test it and, in 1967, sets a new speed record which still stands today. What a legend.

Also starting this week is Dark Water (starring Jennifer Connelly) about a mother and daughter who flee to an old apartment building during a custody battle. But they find the place is haunted by the ghost of a child who used to live there.

On a more arty tip, A Common Thread uses hand-woven designs and embroidery as the visual backdrop to this French story about an unlikely friendship between two women of different ages, classes and cultures.

So, I think I'll be sticking with The World's Fastest Indian, thank you very much.

Exhibitions

In December last year DJ Greg Churchill asked artist, Wilson O'Halloran, to design his new album cover. His only brief was the name of the artist and the album had to be on it.

The Off the Record exhibition, at PPG Gallery (Level one, 194 Great North Rd, Ponsonby), which opens tomorrow, is about the process that led to that final image.

Using materials, including ink, tape, PVA glue, old books, wallpaper, pencil and small toys, O'Halloran went about creating prototypes of an album cover. He ended up making more than 60 and that is what makes up this exhibition. Churchill says the project is an opportunity to get New Zealand art on to the world stage along with his music.

The exhibition opens tomorrow from 6pm with Churchill playing a DJ set.