SBS's weekly programmer picks - 24/9

Brad Pitt has apparently bought the rights to make a film about Rory Stewart, presenter of Afghanistan: The Great Game. This is not surprising once you discover a little about his life. An inquisitive fellow, he trekked solo across Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 to better understand the region. The book he wrote of this journey, "The Places Between" was hailed by The New York Times as a masterpiece.

In his early thirties, he was deputy-governor of a province of war-torn Iraq. And at not quite 40, he is now a Conservative MP in the British Parliament, notwithstanding his opposition to the war in Afghanistan. In this personal analysis of the fate of foreign powers in the country, he refers to his previous exploits, but only to enrich his argument instead of his ego. This is powerful and enlightening, and one of the best things I’ve seen this year.

Other Highlights:

Survivors: Nature’s Indestructible Creatures (Wednesdays 7:30pm SBS ONE)

Jerusalem: The Making of a Holy City (Fridays 8:30pm SBS ONE)

Prohibition (Saturdays 8:30pm SBS ONE)

Battle Castle (Sundays 7:30pm SBS ONE)