This week’s highlights include a new series with Dermot Bannon, a famed Irish architect. Entitled “Dermot Bannon’s Super Spaces”, the programme will start on Wednesday on RTÉ1 at 9.35pm, signifying again the unending Irish fixation with real estate. Unlike his previous show, “Super Small Spaces”, this series isn’t centred around size, instead, it’s about showcasing impressive properties. Dermot embarks on a journey around the country, exploring splendid houses, stunning makeovers, eye-catching designs and hidden treasures. He begins with a visit to Fernwood Farm in Connemara, the location of a unique house erected on 57 stilts, aptly named the Stilt House. Bannon’s journey includes a visit to Dublin, to uncover a slice of Barcelona in Phibsborough, and an incredible discovery of a restored and expanded 200-year-old thatched cottage, just an hour outside of Dublin. Moreover, in Portrush, County Antrim, he pays a visit to the remarkable Basalt House, including a tour of the newly inaugurated International Rugby Experience in Limerick, where he is rigorously trained by Paul O’Connell, Ireland’s rugby forwards coach.
Among this week’s highlights is also ‘Grace’, airing on Sunday on UTV at 8pm. The captivating police drama sees the return of John Simm in the role of Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, a policeman haunted by his wife’s vanishing years prior, fervently committed to maintaining law and order in Brighton and Hove. Richie Campbell also returns as Detective Sergeant Glenn Branson, his partner in crime-solving. In the first episode, a violent burglary at a secluded house that leaves the owner on the brink of death is investigated by Grace and Branson. Numerous valuable antiques are swiped during the crime, with one item, in particular, apparently sought-after. As Grace delves further into the case, he unearths a labyrinth of old animosities and deeply-hidden mysteries tracing back to East London in the 1960s.
Necessary viewing this week includes “The Boy That Never Was” that will air on Sunday on RTÉ1 at 9.30pm.
In this adaptation of the novel penned by Karen Perry, actors Colin Morgan, Toni O’Rourke and Simon Callow breathe life into the story of Harry and Robin, an Irish pair. Once leading a merry life in Morocco with their young son Dillon, they suffer a great loss when an earthquake levels their home, taking Dillon with it. Despite Harry’s desperate rescue attempts, Dillon is lost without trace. Fast-forward three years and the couple, still mired in sorrow, have relocated back to Dublin. When Harry spots a child bearing a striking resemblance to Dillon in a busy train station, his obsession to locate him kicks in, hoping against hope that this boy could be their lost son.
On RTÉ1 at 9.35pm, we have ‘On the Beat’. It offers an inside view into the lives and challenges faced by an efficient yet under-resourced police squad comprising Garda Neechal Ramah, Insp Dave Jordan, Sgt James McDonagh and Garda Clodagh Horgan. As members of An Garda Síochána, the series profiles their continual efforts to maintain low crime rates and build solid community relationships over three months in Dundalk, Longford and Waterford, even as they navigate through escalating crime rates and scarce resources.
A must-watch on Virgin Media One at 9pm and on BBC1 at 10.40pm is ‘Dead and Buried’, a four-part psychological thriller by Colin Bateman. Colin Morgan is featured once more, this time as Michael McAllister, a man haunted by past transgressions that threaten his current existence. The plot thickens when a chance encounter with young mother Cathy McDaid, whom he left bereaved 20 years ago, upends his stable family life. Upon learning of his early release from jail and current prosperous lifestyle, a vengeful Cathy plots his downfall under a false online identity.
Also of interest is ‘In My Own Words: Billy Connolly’ on BBC2 at 11.30pm.
Despite his lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease over the past ten years, the towering giant of British comedy, Billy Connolly, remains unyielding in his vivacious wit and homely intelligence. This affectionate self-portrait delves into Connolly’s life as a funnyman, a family man, and his journey into elderliness, now at the age of 81. Never waning is his enduring love for his wife, Pamela Stephenson. He also candidly shares the unease he feels about some of his early stand-up comedy work and vividly reflects on his troubled upbringing in Glasgow marked by domestic violence.
Monday night brings us back to the thrilling police drama “The Tower” on UTV at 9pm. Gemma Whelan resurrects her character DS Sarah Collins in the exciting third season, unfolding two years after the second series. Sarah is charged with solving the case of a stabbed teenager, but the investigation pits her against her workmates DC Steve Bradshaw (Jimmy Akingbola) and Inspector Kieran Shaw (Emmet J Scanlan) as they engage in covert operations to capture a notorious drug kingpin in South London. Meanwhile, recently promoted detective Lizzie Adama (Tahirah Sharif) struggles to find equilibrium between her family duties and her hazardous profession.
Tuesday evening, on RTÉ1 at 7pm, we’re brought the revelation in “Best Place to Be”s second season that some Irish emigrants don’t spend their entire lives longing for home. Baz Ashmawy embarks on a journey to connect with Irish individuals who ventured abroad and have found a new life that they absolutely love. He will explore the lives of the Irish diaspora in Portugal, France, Sweden, Switzerland, and Cyprus. In the inaugural episode, Baz travels to Belgium, unearthing a vibrant Irish-speaking community nestled in Brussels.
On Wednesday, tune into “Caomhnóirí na Talún” on TG4 at 8.30pm.
Irish wildlife and habitat are currently under threat with numerous risks causing a significant decrease in biodiversity. The culprits, many argue, fall heavily in the camps of excessive farming and forestry. However, it’s crucial not to generalise all farmers as being irresponsibly neglectful; there’s a fresh wave of farmers who are actively striving to conserve and cultivate the native plants and animal species on their lands. They are fostering a sustainable framework that others can potentially mimic. With bird species, including the skylark and kestrel, seeing devastating population drops, these proactive farmers are in a race against the clock to enhance biodiversity in their agricultural territory, innovating new environments and solutions for restoring varied living organisms.
“The Story of Zelenskiy”
This programme, set to broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm on Wednesday, dives into the remarkable story of Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Once a youthful actor and comedian, Zelenskiy started his political journey by portraying a presidential role in the Ukrainian television show “Servant of the People”. Little did he know that a few years down the line, he would be crowned the actual president of Ukraine, helming the defence against Russia’s invasion. The three-part series traces the origin of Zelenskiy’s rise to stardom in the entertainment industry, his political revelations during the 2014 Maidan Revolution, his frankness against country’s corruption and Vladimir Putin’s defiance as well as his remarkable progression to become a globally recognizable leader. The series offers exclusive insights into Zelenskiy’s life and includes notable contributions from political figures including Boris Johnson, Nancy Pelosi, just to name a few.
“Mercury Prize 2024: Album of the Year”
To be aired on Thursday, 8pm, on BBC4 is the fresh edition of the Mercury Music Prize, a highly sought-after recognition for British and Irish music artists. It focuses on honouring the best albums of the year, a form of music that might seem a bit out-dated, but is still thriving and cherished by many. The Prize, a valuable recognition for the artists’ studio work, rewards the winner with a cash amount of £25,000. Among the front-runners for this year, we have The Last Dinner Party’s Prelude to Ecstasy, Lives Outgrown by Beth Gibbons, Brat by Charli XCX and Berwyn’s Who Am I. Irish star CMAT aka Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson has also made it to the shortlist with her second album, Crazymad, For Me.
“Funny Woman”
In the second season of the dramedy “Funny Girl,” based on a novel by Nick Hornby, Gemma Arterton reprises her role as the budding comedian, Sophie Straw. In the male-centric comedy landscape of the 1960s, Sophie is climbing her way to the top, becoming the country’s favourite humorous personality. Profiting from a robust love life and an unbreakable band of friends, Sophie seems to be thriving. However, her comfort zone is drastically shaken as she grapples with the failure of her sitcom, a stagnating romantic affair, and the luring call of Hollywood.
Streamable on Apple TV+ from Wednesday is the exceptional “Slow Horses,” a thrilling TV series successfully adapted from an excellent novel series. Gary Oldman is back in his fourth season as the grumpy M15 agent Jackson Lamb, a story based on “Spook Street,” which is the fourth installment in Mick Herron’s spy series. Lamb, alongside his band of misfits, will not be nestling into a comfortable routine at Slough House. The thrill is heightened in this journey, with explosive scenes, exceptional action and production values. The interplay from the cast, which features Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Saskia Reeves, and Jonathan Pryce, remains as crisp as ever. New members joining the cast include Hugo Weaving, Ruth Bradley, and James Callis. This season focuses on the correlation between a terrorist attack and the demise of an agent.
Available from Thursday, don’t miss “The Perfect Couple” on Netflix.
You are warmly welcomed to the year’s biggest socialite wedding, hosted by Nantucket’s wealthiest kin. Benji Winbury, son of renowned writer Greer Garrison Winbury, is set to marry his fiancée Amelia Sacks in an extravagant cost-no-object ceremony. But what could potentially mar this grand event? A lifeless body discovered on the wedding morning, casting a gloomy shadow over the festivities. Guests swiftly transform into suspects as familial hidden truths begin to surface, and Amelia’s aspirations to wed into affluence metamorphose into horrific reality. The character of the author-mother of the groom is portrayed by Nicole Kidman, with Eve Hewson playing the bride, Liev Schreiber as father of the groom, Billy Howle as the groom, Jack Reynor as the brothers, and Dakota Fanning as the sister-in-law.
Selling Sunset
Releases on Friday on Netflix
A reality show surely has worn out its welcome when its stars begin to harp about “fresh starts”. This marks eighth series for the estate agents of the Oppenheimer Group, during a time when the LA property market has significantly altered. It seems that individuals are less eager to dispense prodigious amounts of money on premium lavish properties, plunging the market into disarray. To maintain their position in the frantic real estate field, Oppenheimer’s potent agents must refine their sales approach to entice wealthy property seekers to commit. However, radical actions are needed, including inducting eager young sales executives into the enterprise, sparking potential conflicts of personality.