Best of the Week's TV (Aug 17-23)
BBC Two, 9.10pm
Jane Campion’s series reaches its conclusion with an eventful finale. Tui is about to give birth and Robin is anxious to get to her before Matt does. Overall the New Zealand-set drama has been one of those shows that has split audiences between those who reckon it has been the best thing so far this year, and others who found it patchy and unconvincing.
The new Premier League season kicks off today with a different TV offering than previous years. A big change is the arrival of BT Sport, now part of Setanta’s package in this country. Between them, Setanta and BT will have the earlier Saturday games, with Sky taking the evening slot and Sundays. If you’re not subscribed to Sky Sports 1, you can still watch the channel today via Sky 1 as part of a ‘Free Day’ promotion. Today’s live games are Liverpool v Stoke (BT Sport, ko 12.45pm), Arsenal v Aston Villa (Setanta, 3pm) and Swansea v Man Utd (Sky Sports 1, ko 5.30pm). Championship action features Leeds v Sheffield Wed (Sky Sports 1, ko 12.15pm). Irish soccer fans will miss Premier Soccer Saturday from RTÉ, thus ensuring a mass migration to Match of the Day (BBC One, 10.30pm).
RTÉ One, 9.30pm
Tonight’s final features Aengus MacGrianna, David Gillick and Maia Dunphy battling it out to impress the judges on location at the Al Maha Resort in Dubai.
TV3, 11.10pm
Episode three of the show features Jesuit priest Peter McVerry, atheist Michael Nugent and Prof Sean Freyne, the former professor of theology at Trinity College Dublin. Among the subjects they’ll be discussing will be who Jesus was, and what was special about him, as well as why he never explicitly said he was God, or opposed slavery.
The Sunday Game Live on RTÉ Two comes from Croke Park for coverage of the All-Ireland
hurling semi-final clash of Limerick v Clare (throw-in 3.30pm), as the two sides vie to meet Cork in the final on Sept 8, and the equivalent minor encounter of Limerick v Galway (throw-in 1.30pm). Soccer action features Crystal Palace v Tottenham (Sky Sports 1, ko 1.30pm) and Chelsea v Hull (Sky Sports 1, ko 4pm).
Netflix, from noon
The online streaming company continues to show the final episodes of the addictive US series, with each one becoming available around noon on Mondays. Over the next seven episodes, we will finally find out what becomes of Walt and his methamphetamine empire. The series will also be shown by TG4 in the New Year.
RTÉ One, 8pm
Dáithí O Sé returns to his home county to introduce the first night of broadcasts from the festival dome in Tralee. Tonight and tomorrow, he’ll interview the 32 roses before a winner is selected.
Sky Sports 1, ko 8pm
Monday night soccer begins with the clash of two teams that are sure to generate plenty of headlines through the season ahead.
Channel 4, 9pm
A welcome second series for Ronan Bennett’s gritty drama set on an inner city housing estate in London. Last year’s superb debut was shown over consecutive nights, which meant it was missed by many people who would have enjoyed the tale of Dushane’s (Ashley Walters, aka Asher D in the So Solid Crew, pictured below) rise through the ranks of the local drug gang. Thankfully, this year’s four-part offering is a weekly affair, and we catch up with the gang as some of their past deeds come back to haunt them.
RTÉ One, 8pm
Dáithí O Sé interviews the second bunch of Roses, with this year’s winner being revealed in the second part of the show after the Nine O’Clock News.
BBC Two, 9pm
A new six-part series looking at the work of the staff involved in delivering babies at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester. The first midwife we encounter is Lesley, who has two challenging births on her hands. Neelam has type 1 diabetes and her pregnancy is putting strain on her fragile kidneys; while all doesn’t go to plan for Liza, hoping for a natural birth for her twins.
RTÉ One, 8pm
Leo’s dodgy dealings with Zumo are again at the centre of this week’s episodes, and tonight Leo will regret ever getting involved. Meanwhile, Vivienne reconsiders her feelings about Paddy, and Tommy plans to set a trap for Luke.
BBC One, 9pm
One of Gary Lineker’s claims to fame as a footballer was that he never received a yellow or red card. As he finds out in this show, however, not all his ancestors were so law-abiding, with one doing several stints in prison for poaching. Lineker is pictured on right with his brother Wayne in 1968.
RTÉ Two, ko 7.45pm
Live coverage from Turkey of the Champions League play-off round first leg tie.
BBC Two, 9pm
Vanessa Engle follows members of slimming clubs run by three different organisations — Weight Watchers, Slimming World and Rosemary Conley — over 12 weeks to explore their complicated relationship with food.
Channel 4, 9pm
Bart Layton’s stylised documentary explores the incredible story of Nicholas Barclay, a 13-year-old Texan boy who went missing in 1994. Three years later his family received a call from somebody claiming to be him. A ‘reunification’ followed and the family seemed willing to overlook that their ‘son’ looked nothing like he used to and even spoke with a French accent. The bizarre and tragic film includes an interview with the serial imposter, Frédéric Bourdin.
RTE One, 8.30pm
Ballyseedy Garden Centre is a well-known premises on the outskirts of Tralee, and the company also opened an outlet at Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, in 2011. In tonight’s episode we hear how disastrous timing for the decision to borrow 4m to expand the Kerry business left Bernie Falvey and her son Nathan struggling to avoid bankruptcy. After one good year, the recession hit, and the owners have some big decisions to make on the advice of Sean Dunne and Tommy Murphy.
TV3, 9pm
Donal MacIntyre looks at the ownership of newspapers in Ireland.
TV3, 7.30pm
Tina has realised that David was behind the hate campaign against Leanne and Nick, and in tonight’s episode confronts the scheming young Platt about the crash. Elsewhere, Katy continues her attempts to win back Chesney, but she still faces competition from Sinead.
RTÉ Two, 9pm
The last two episodes of series three should whet the appetite for the fourth season due later in the autumn. Siobhan’s rape is reported to the police and Nidge is about to come under pressure from them and the paramilitaries. A superb finale lives up to the high expectations and ties up most of the loose ends.
RTÉ One, 8.30pm
A repeat of the show about the Blackwater and its journey from the Kerry mountains, through counties Cork and Waterford to the sea at Youghal.
