TV Week: Apparitions, The Graham Norton Show, BBC Children In Need 2008 and John From Cincinnati

In this opening episode (the first of a two-part story, before the BBC commissioned a full six-part series), exorcist Father Jacob is contacted to investigate the alleged possession of a little girl's father. The story primarily tackles the disparity between ancient Christian practices (which even Jacob's immediate superior scoffs at), and modern society's secular sneering at religion. Amusingly, possessed dad Liam (the excellent Shaun Dooley) listens to Jerry Spring: The Opera and reads Richard Dawkins' books – in one of the episode's less subtle moments.

At times it's very silly, but the balance between realism and fantasy grows stronger as it rattles along, and Martin Shaw makes for a magnetic, compelling presence -- clearly relishing the opportunity to tackle more interesting material away from legal drama Judge John Deed. Indeed, it was Shaw who approached the BBC with the idea of playing an exorcist. The inevitable comparisons to The Exorcist can't be ignored, but Apparitions doesn't play its horror as broadly (for better or worse), only stretching to bleeding eyes and flickering lights, not rotating heads and projectile vomiting.

It remains to be seen if Apparitions will forge its own unique identity, or simply become an exorcism-of-the-week – but, with Ahearne behind the script and camera, with Shaw's dog-collared hero leading the way, this should be a compelling series of chillers before bedtime. Just remember to check under the bed and place a crucifix under your pillow. BBC1, THURSDAYS, 9PM.

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I groan whenever I see Graham Norton hosting musical talent search shows or awards bashes. It's a waste of his talent, which is best applied to risqué entertainment for the over-18s. While he's not to everyone's taste, I don't think there's anyone better at putting celebrities at ease, either. THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW doesn't get much press attention (tucked away at the arse-end of Thursday primetime), but it's a regular TV highlight for me. If there was any justice, it would replace BBC1's Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. Maybe one day…

The format is a diluted version of Norton's ribald Channel 4 series from the early-00s, with less emphasis on sex and smut. Instead, it's a more straightforward venue for celebs to plug their wares, and have their anecdotes interrupted to play games with the audience, browse the internet, or make silly phone calls. Brilliantly, it understands that audiences have OD'd on celeb gossip -- so, entertainment comes from interviewing two celebs together…

These sofa "odd couples" can lead to very funny, slightly creepy, or embarrassing situations -- like Hollywood babe Jessica Biel politely ignoring ham-fisted chat-up lines from Hollywood gargoyle Mickey Rourke a few weeks ago. Even better, most of the celebs seem to genuinely enjoy the experience and clearly feel at ease in Norton's disarming company. For them, this interview isn't a dry "serious" one, isn't as sycophantic as American ones, isn't as discourteous as an appearance on Jonathan Ross can be, and isn't quite as facile as Paul O'Grady's line in sycophantic questioning.

More than any other interviewer, Norton's just one of us: he looks excited by a famous person's presence, he's eager to have some fun with them, he rarely name-drops, and he's able to make his audience feel included in the whole process. In so doing, he thus makes celebs appear more human and down-to-earth in their responsiveness. BBC2, THURSDAYS, 9.30PM

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It's not the ideal financial backdrop to launch BBC CHILDREN IN NEED 2008 and appeal for donations, but we Brits are a generous nation. This year's campaign focused on loose change, and I don't think the credit crunch has bitten hard enough to deny children your pennies found down the back of a sofa. Indeed, the great British public ensured CIN beat last year's £19 million end-of-night total by a cool million. Pats on the back all round, but was the night's entertainment up to snuff?

Well, I'm sure everyone knows what to expect from these telethons. Terry Wogan was back to host, paired with plank-like Tess Daly and achingly hip Fearne Cotton. The night featured the inevitable song-and-dance medleys (from EastEnders and The Bill), pop star performances (McFly, Boyzone, Take That, Girls Aloud, Duffy, Sugababes, Alesha Dixon, Leon Jackson), short sketches (Merlin, The Royle Family), a two-minute preview of Doctor Who's Christmas special, one-off episodes of Strictly Come Dancing, Children's Masterchef and QI, weird silliness (Top Gear meets Ashes To Ashes, BBC newsreaders do Mamma Mia!) and toe-curling comedy travesties (Gok Wan meets Coronation Street?)

It was essentially two-hours of entertainment stretched to four hours, then repeated for the final three. But, these things aren't really designed to be watched all the way through – it's just to inspire you to donate some cash. Perhaps because of the financial concerns, the hard-hitting videos about child suffering looked toned down, but that didn't seem to dampen the nation's generosity. To our great credit. Visit the CIN website to make a donation, if you haven't done so already. www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

JOHN FROM CINCINNATI is a supernatural drama from David Milch (the creator of HBO's Deadwood), and it couldn't be more different to his gritty western, although it has the same ear for creative swearing. Events revolve around the surfing community of California, where the legendary, dysfunctional Yost family reside: middle-aged pro-surfer Mitch (Bruce Greenwood), his stubborn wife Cissy (Rebecca De Mornay), their junkie son Butchie (Brian Van Holt), and Shaun (Greyson Fletcher), their surfing prodigy grandson.

The Yost's lives are all affected by a coiffured stranger calling himself John (Austin Nichols) -- a parrot-talking oddball with a few supernatural quirks and autistic temperament, who arrives in Imperial Beach after Mitch finds himself levitating off the ground after surfing.

The scene is set for a thick soup of family drama and an impenetrable mystery that would have David Lynch scratching his head in confusion. Make no mistake; John From Cincinnati isn't easy viewing. Even the most devout of fantasy-lovers will struggle to make sense of Milch's knotty dialogue, visual vagaries, unusual tone and seemingly nonsensical plotting.

Having already digested the full 10 episodes (the show was cancelled after one low-rated season in the US), it does begin to make a slow, weird, half-sense -- but things are definitely not wrapped up in a satisfying manner by the end. Still, if you embrace TV drama that doesn't play by the rules, offers something unique, ignores narrative formulas, and dares you to make sense of what's going on, this is a fascinating but extremely maddening example. SUNDAYS, FX, 10PM.