Byte sized: a taste of what's next

THERE are plenty of exciting new shows and gizmos to look forward to.

UVeBand

THERE are plenty of exciting new shows and gizmos to look forward to.

BAND TOGETHER
Proving once again that Kickstarter is a goldmine of clever ideas is the UVeBand, a new wearable device that lets you know when it’s time to reapply the sunscreen. Sure, you could just set a timer on your phone, but the UVeBand goes one better and keeps track of the intensity of the UVA and UVB rays - so it knows when you’re baking on the beach, and when you’re cooling off in the shade. It’s water resistant and turns itself on and off when it comes into contact with your wrist. Its makers suggest it’s even vaguely fashionable, though we’ll leave that for you to judge.

DEADLY BLADE
Everyone seems to have an opinion on what really happened the night Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend. Was it a tragic accident or murder? Tune into ABC2 on Wednesday at 9.30pm for the BBC’s Oscar Pistorius: What Really Happened? Screening here just two days after its UK television premiere, the documentary, presented by Rick Edwards, features sworn testimony and exclusive interviews and examines the dark side of the Blade Runner.

AUSSIE ROLES
Australia’s brightest acting talents continue to shine on the world stage, with a couple of major roles announced during the past week. Melissa George (Hunted) has landed a lead role in US horror drama pilot Gothica, a clever mash-up of Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray. The ABC pilot, set in the present day, also features Aussie actors Emma Booth and Chris Egan. And Abbie Cornish (Seven Psychopaths) has been cast in the Discovery Channel’s mini-series Klondike, set during the 1897 gold rush. Booth plays the owner of a mill, and a loan shop, who doesn’t think much of those seeking their fortunes in gold. Tim Roth is expected to join the series.

THE OFFICE AGAIN
The impact of the original UK version of The Office has been nothing short of phenomenal given there are only 14 episodes, so it’s great to hear we’ll find out what David Brent has been up to for the past decade in The Office Revisited, which premieres on Friday in Britain. Ricky Gervais’ new comedy, Derek, about a simple minded carer in a retirement home, has also just finished its UK run on a high note, with a second series already commissioned. “Derek is probably my favourite thing of everything I've done, so I can't wait to start thinking up some new adventures,” Gervais says.

NATIONAL RATINGS
March 3 to 9
MY KITCHEN RULES – TUE [7] 1,903,000
MY KITCHEN RULES – MON [7] 1,801,000
MY KITCHEN RULES – WED [7] 1,756,000
MY KITCHEN RULES – THU [7] 1,739,000
THE BLOCK – ALL STARS – MON [9] 1,533,000
THE BLOCK – ALL STARS – SUN [9] 1,444,000
PACKED TO THE RAFTERS [7] 1,392,000
THE BLOCK – ALL STARS – TUE [9] 1,369,000
DOWNTON ABBEY [7] 1,346,000
THE BLOCK – ALL STARS – WED [9] 1,297,000