"Two portraits both alike in dignity - with rival claims whereon we base our tale - herein contend for authenticity: by provenance, by probe, by paper trail. The first, a royal gallery's vaunted prize 200 years unchallenged, now must face an heirloom piece that, in its owner's eyes, hath better call to merit pride of place." So goes the prologue to this excellent hour investigating the relatively unknown countenance of William Shakespeare. Montreal director Anne Henderson focuses on two well-known images: the "Chandos portrait" hanging in Britain's National Portrait Gallery, and a more youthful visage done by John Saunders, which retired engineer Lloyd Sullivan says has been in his family for generations. The first time we see Sullivan, he's struggling through seven-foot-high snowbanks at his Ottawa home carrying his boxed treasure to the trunk of his sedan. He's off to another round of verification tests, shown here in their exhaustive detail. The detective work is fascinating to witness, so too are the attitudes, both snooty and awestruck, from celebrated art dealers and collectors. Sunday, 8 p.m. on Bravo!
Also new:
Raised to Be Heroes, Saturday, 8 p.m., Documentary channel (available for free all this month). The 2006 film looks at Israel's Refuseniks, a group of soldiers who will die for their country, but not in a war against Palestinians.
World's Tallest Children, Sunday, 10 p.m., TLC. What's it like to be 7-foot-4 at age 13? Or 5-foot-9 by the time you're 11? The hour-long show tones down the freak-show element by researching the children's long-term health challenges and day-to-day struggles.
Paris Hilton's My New BFF, Thursday, 9 p.m. on Star, MuchMusic. Speaking of children, the spoiled one starts a new round of playground antics. Apparently, last season's "best friend forever" let the limelight go to her head and Paris had to dump her.