Saturday, 22nd March 2008 - 00:00CET

Best on Television

QUO VADIS?
Today, Rete 4, 9.20 p.m.

Returning to Rome after three years in the field, General Marcus Vinicius meets Lygia and falls in love with her. She is a Christian and doesn't want to have anything to do with a warrior. Though she grew up Roman, the adopted daughter of a retired general, Lygia is technically a hostage of Rome. Marcus gets Emperor Nero to give her to him for services rendered. Lygia resents this, but somehow falls in love with Marcus anyway. Meanwhile Nero's atrocities get more outrageous. When he burns Rome and blames the Christians, Marcus goes off to save Lygia and her family. Nero captures them and all the Christians, and throws them to the Lions, but Marcus, Lygia, and Christianity prevail in the end.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

Tomorrow, RaiUno, 9.30 p.m.

The film follows the last 12 hours of Jesus's life. The film opens in the Garden of Olives where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Jesus resists Satan's temptations. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is arrested and taken back to within the city walls of Jerusalem where the leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation to death.

RING OF NIBELUNGS
Monday, Italia 1, 1.40 p.m.

Based on the Germanic myth Das Nibelungenlied and the Nordic Volsunga Saga, which also inspired the four-opera cycle by Richard Wagner and J.R.R. Tolkien's epic The Lord of the Rings, this is the story of the young blacksmith Siegfried, who, not knowing that he is heir to a conquered kingdom, becomes popular with the Burgunds by slaying their bane, the dragon Fafnir. When the reward seems to be a huge treasure, Siegfried ignores the curse that lies on the hoard ‒ which now seems to endanger his love to beautiful Norse warrior queen Brunhild.

THE SIEGE

Wednesday, Rete 4, 9.10 p.m.

After the abduction by the US military of an Islamic religious leader, New York City becomes the target of escalating terrorist attacks. Anthony Hubbard, the head of the FBI's Counter-Intelligence Task Force in New York, teams up with CIA operative Elise Kraft to hunt down the terrorist cells responsible for the attacks. As the bombings continue, the US government responds by declaring martial law, sending US troops, led by Gen. Devereaux, into the streets of New York City.