Peter FitzSimons' The Great Australian Race Riot on SBS showed that the Cronulla riots were just the latest in a long series starting with an Irish Catholic versus Protestant British stoush.

Two at least of the riots I'd read about, both against the Chinese, that of Lambing Flat and the other Buckland River, but the others were quite new and would you believe, one in Brisbane had the Russians on one side, and in Kalgoorlie it was against the Italians and any other Southern European.

Well presented with the conclusion that all of these in one way of another changed our history.

BRIAN Cox has taken on an even deeper subject in his Human Universe (ABC, Wednesday).

The Peter Pan-like professor presents his theories with some absolutely magnificent cinematography.

The first episode was from ape men to spacemen on how we evolved.

The second was on why are we here?

Through the laws of physics Cox shows us how accidental were our actual births but there is a set of rules that govern nature.

These are almost unbelievable. 

For example, across the world streams all meander in the same way.

How remarkable is that?

This week's subject is are we alone?

Cox has a marvellous way of explaining difficult scientific concepts in a way that we can all understand.

I MISSED out completely on the first series of Rectify (SBS, Wednesday), but have become hooked by the second series.

The story is that Daniel Holden (Aden Young) has been freed from 19 years on death row because of his DNA.

He has been convicted of the rape and murder of his 16 year old girlfriend.

Daniel returned to his hometown in Georgia, but many just don't believe he is innocent.

He is badly beaten up and that's where the second series starts.

He's in hospital. 

Will he become a vegetable or even survive? 

Well, naturally as the main character he does survive and with no brain damage.

His mother and sister have been by his bedside all along but also his sister-in-law, a very Christian lass, has had a close relationship with him before the attack.

So there are problems with the brother. 

Everyone knew who attacked him but no-one would speak out to the police, until finally one broke and now the town is again divided.

Great acting and just love the accents.