TV highlights 13/04/2012

Unreported World: Terror In Sudan | BBC Young Musician 2012: Keyboard Category Final | Sweet Home Alabama: The Southern Rock Saga | Not Going Out | 30 Rock | The Graham Norton Show

Unreported World: Terror In Sudan
7.30pm, Channel 4

What the world's media saw: photos of George Clooney in handcuffs outside the Sudan embassy. What Unreported World saw: caves in the Nuba Mountains teeming with thousands of black African Christians, made homeless by constant aerial bombardments from Omar al-Bashir's forces, during a civil war stretching back to the 1980s. In the first of a new series, reporter Aidan Hartley and director Daniel Bogado place themselves squarely in the war zone, among doctors working without anaesthetic, and civilians facing yet another man-made famine. Ali Catterall

BBC Young Musician 2012: Keyboard Category Final
7.30pm, BBC4

The posh Britain's Got Talent reaches the category finals. Of the 404 precocious piano-ticklers, violin-scrapers, oboe-blowers and timpani-thwackers who auditioned, only 25 remain, each hoping to represent their category in the semi-finals. Tonight, it's the pianists, all aged between 15 and 17, to impress judges Gareth Jones, Richard McMahon and Ronan O'Hora. They're all astonishing and, indeed, rather a rebuke to anyone sitting around watching television instead of learning how to do something half so well. Clemency Burton-Hill presents. Andrew Mueller

Sweet Home Alabama: The Southern Rock Saga
9pm, BBC4

To believe the cliche, southern rock was played by men from the southern United States in their few spare moments between bar fights. The noted insularity of the region contributed to the genre's individual flavour but also to its redneck pungency. Here big players such as Gregg Allman from the Allman Brothers, and fans including REM's Mike Mills explain some of the genre's appeal, and recount some of its many tragedies. Julia Raeside

Not Going Out
9.30pm, BBC1

Originally cancelled in 2009, this Lee Mack sitcom was given a reprieve and has now been commissioned for a further two series. The TV-watching public have grown to like its laconic show titles, amiably shambling plotlines and gentle spray of gags. It also helps that Mack has found fame on panel shows such as Would I Lie To You?, while co-star Tim Vine has also come into his own as a gagmeister. In tonight's opener, Tim joins a band and Lucy falls for the guitarist. David Stubbs

30 Rock
10.30pm, Comedy Central

The conclusion of this two-parter, inspired by the controversy whipped up by Tracy Morgan's real-life homophobic comments in his stand-up act, loses its nerve and makes you wonder why it was even adressed in the first place. The other, funnier plotlines act as reminders that 30 Rock should stick to comedy and leave commentary well alone. Goofiest is the appearance of Kelsey Grammer who nails every line as he helps Jenna hide Pete's body. His use of "acting" as a distraction is funny enough to make you wish he was on every week. Phelim O'Neill

The Graham Norton Show
10.35pm, BBC1

Your affable host hooks in the names, oils them with a smooth line of questioning and surprises them with all kinds of weirdness. It's a formula that's clearly working as he opens his 11th series with Cate Blanchett and Ewan McGregor, among others. The series kicks off the same night as Piers Morgan's Life Stories, but Norton won't be daunted by his rival's lineup. Piers, having banned Madonna from his show, will be chatting to William Roache. Hannah Verdier

Contributors

Ali Catterall, Andrew Mueller, Julia Raeside, David Stubbs, Phelim O'Neill and Hannah Verdier

The GuardianTramp

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