TV WATCH: What to watch this week
The Jonathan Ross Show UTV, 9.45pm
Guests include Stanley Tucci from The Hunger Games and Natalie Dormer, also from that film, but already familiar from Game of Thrones. Music is from Lily Allen.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Channel 4, 9pm
Harmless comedy-drama for the older demographic with a cast that includes Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Set in modern-day India, it revolves around a group of pensioners trying to make their pensions last by moving to a retirement hotel in Rajasthan.
All-Ireland School Choir Competition RTE One, 5.20pm
This week’s regional final comes from the Cork School of Music, with choirs from Glanmire Community College, Cashel Community School and Regina Mundi (Douglas) among the participants.
Flushed Away TV3, 5.20pm
Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet provide the lead voices in the tale of an uptown rat who inadvertently ends up in the sewers of London.
Fair City RTE One, 8pm
Jackie’s revelations are quite a surprise for Doug, and Mondo decides to try his luck with Kerri-Ann. Later in the week, Decco tries to rekindle the spark with Louise, and it’s Yvonne’s turn to be shocked as Dan comes clean.
No spoilers here, but it is the final episode of the series so you can expect plenty more drama as Nidge deals with the ongoing fallout from the death of Pauley, and the constant threat from his enemies outside and inside his immediate circles. We’ve already seen quite a bodycount over the past six weeks, but the violence isn’t over with yet.
Micky Flanagan’s Detour de France Sky 1, 9pm
Champagne and naturist sunbathing loom large in the second episode of the cockney funnyman’s cycle tour around France.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes Film4, 9pm
This 2011 offering provided an origin story for this year’s sequel, and follows the ascent of apes as a group of hyper-intelligent simians lead a revolt against the humans. Stars include Freida Pinto and James Paterson, but it was Andy Serkis as main monkey Caesar who received most of the praise as he again made great use of the motion capture technology we first saw him employ as Gollum.
Homeland RTE One, 9.30pm
Opinions seem split as to whether this series can survive the death of Brodie, but if you’re willing to overlook the ludicrousness of many of the scenarios, it does offer some decent thriller fare.
Secrets of the Salon Channel 4, 11.05pm
A one-off documentary that shows what women really do reveal in their conversations with hairdressers. You may be shocked at how open some are with a stylist they barely know.
Béaloideas Beo TG4, 8.30pm
The latest episode of the show on traditional medicine in Ireland meets a bonesetter and also a farmer in Kerry who uses traditional herbal cures for animals.
Ear To The Ground RTE One, 8.30pm
Every year we hear of far too many accidents on farms, and 2014 has been a particularly tragic period, with 23 deaths since January. Helen Carroll looks at measures that may improve safety in the sector, and meets Mike Broderick, a farmer who almost lost his life to slurry gas. One of the other topics she delves into is getting the balance right between training farmers or imposing harsh penalties for safety breaches. Elsewhere, there’s a feature on a young woman breeding rare droimeann cattle on the slopes of Kilordan, Co Kerry.
Life Story BBC One, 9pm
In tonight’s episode, David Attenborough explains the importance of power for many animals, with spectacular footage of a young chimp trying to climb the social ladder, and a pair of male kangaroos boxing.
Babylon Channel 4, 9pm
There was obviously a good enough response to the February pilot for this comedy drama to get a full series. Written by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, the main men behind Peep Show, it stars James Nesbitt as a police commissioner, and follows his regular dealings with the PR department of the force.
The Unemployables RTE 2, 9.30pm
Lifestyle transformation programmes are a big thing on Irish TV right now, with no shortage of celebrities and expert mentors available to help members of the public eat better, get fitter, paint their walls, make the beds, etc. In this show, Jennifer Maguire and Darren Kennedy will help undemployed people to find jobs.
For the pilot episode of a series we’ll see early next year, 19-year-old Andy and Kristyna, 23, are put through a ‘job-seeking bootcamp’ by the presenters.
Neil Diamond: One Night Only UTV, 10.15pm
The American singer is at the centre of this TV special, performing new songs and old classics, while Rob Brydon tells the tale of Diamond’s journey to stardom from humble beginnings in Brooklyn.
The Fall BBC Two, 9pm
If you miss Sunday’s debut of the first episode of the new series on RTE, perhaps this broadcast will help you catch up.
Unreported World Channel 4, 7.35pm
Since Moammar Gadaffi was overthrown in 2011, Libya has been pushed to the back of our minds by other conflicts further east. As this excellent world affairs show illustrates, however, the turmoil has continued and several groups are battling for control of the capital, Tripoli. It follows a group of firemen from the city’s main station to show the reality of life in a city many people had presumed was well past its darkest days.
Later – with Jools Holland BBC Two, 11.40pm
A legends-themed show has the presenter looking back on performances from the past decade featuring the likes of Grace Jones, the Specials and Randy Newman.
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