Pick of the Day

GENE HACKMAN (right) is one of the world's most solid actors; he has appeared in many bad films without ever giving a bad performance himself. He is perfectly cast in The French Connection (10pm Sky Cinema) as Popeye Doyle, a great cinema creation. In this Oscar-winning film, the tough-guy cop, who is not afraid to break the law when it suits him, takes on the drugs trade. William Friedkin's thriller - which went by the memorable catchline of "Doyle is bad news... but a good cop!" - was drawn from the real-life deeds of a maverick police officer called Eddie Egan. It is rightly celebrated for its portrayal of the seedier side of New York.

Something as insignificant as a cigarette butt can be used by forensic researchers to find and convict criminals. This week's Modern Marvels (11pm History Channel) investigates.