THERE'S an old joke that goes: What's worse than biting into an apple and finding a maggot? Answer: Biting into an apple and finding half a maggot.
Similarly, what's worse than turning on the television and finding a Barbara Taylor Bradford mini-series? Turning on the TV and finding half a BTB mini-series. The first half of the oft-repeated To Be The Best (World 9.30pm) was shown yesterday - the oneday when TV Eye keeps the set switched off.
Still, if memory serves, expect the usual rags, riches and revenge formula delivered by the obligatory all-star cast including Lindsay Wagner and Anthony Hopkins. Oh yes, it was filmed in Hong Kong.
MUCH better to turn to Torch Song Trilogy (Pearl 9.30pm, Original Running Time 120 mins) which is also a repeat, but at least has a tour de force performance by gravel-voiced Harvey Fierstein to recommend it.
Fierstein also wrote this caustically humorous autobiographical tale about the turbulent love life of homosexual Arnold Becker, alias Virginia Ham, torch-song singing drag queen.
The story is set in New York in the pre-AIDS years of 1971 to 1980. Arnold's search for love leads him from bisexual Ed (Brian Kerwin) to beautiful Alan (Matthew Broderick) with whom he sets up home and prepares to adopt a son.