SCI FI PI

With Valentine's Day coming up this Thursday the 14th, SCI FI has an especially romantic line-up this week for lovers - of quality Science Fiction.

When we said changes are afoot at SCI FI, we weren't kidding, and this week sees an entirely new line-up for Wednesday nights.

At 7.30pm it's the Halliwell sisters up to their necks in trouble again in Charmed, as Prue has to take on the identity of an assassin who is out to kill her and her sisters.

8.30pm is the all-new time slot for the sea-monster madness that is Surface, with an all new running beginning - well, at the beginning. Tonight, Episode One is loud and proud. If you haven't seen the show, it builds very nicely into a blend of jaw-dropping visuals, government conspiracies and, eventually, major disasters. Cool sea-monsters (and how they grow (and grow and grow)) are only part of the fun. Get in at the start and make Surface your Wednesday night special.

9.30pm and it's the action of Stargate SG-1 Season Seven. This week's episode, 'Avenger 2.0' is unique: the action centres around a non SG-1 character, scientist (and general doofus) Jay Felger. Eagle-eyed (and enhanced-memory equipped) fans will remember him from Season Six's 'The Other Guys'. This time he's getting the team (and the galaxy) in trouble by unleashing a virus through the Gate system, with unforeseen and perhaps catastrophic results. Recommended viewing, and not just for Gaters.

10.30pm is Battlestar Galactica time, a sacred moment in the SCI FI week. Season two has started to fire off the afterburners after last week's stunning 'Valley of Darkness' and this week sees episode three, 'Fragged', with Colonel Tigh still in command of Galactica and struggling with the demands of leadership (and his sniping wife Ellen - she has to be a Cylon, come on!), Baltar decides to take drastic measures to ensure his safety on Kobol and the still-imprisoned President Roslin - well, she's starting to go a bit crazy and talking about a 'chosen one'. Tense, dramatic stuff. It's compulsory viewing and certainly the best thing airing on TV at 10.30 on Wednesday night (and frankly, any other time slot).

SCI FI's weekend movie is the network premiere of Batman, Tim Burton's unique 1989 vision of The Dark Knight, and the first in our series of classic Batman films. Relive the genius of Michael Keaton's casting, stagger at Jack Nicholson's performance and savour the great lines like "I'm Batman" (when Keaton says it to rooftop scumbag number 1 - it's cool and scary, but when he says it to himself in Vicky (Kim Basinger) Vale's apartment, it's hilarious. Oh, and make sure you check out "those wonderful toys". If you've never seen it, find out why this is called a classic, and considered Burton's best film.

Batman screens on Saturday the 16th at 1.30pm and 11pm.