Best of the Week's TV (Feb 8-14)
UTV, 9.55pm
Chris O’Dowd, Kiefer Sutherland and John
Legend make appearances on tonight’s show.
Today’s clash of Ireland v Wales (RTÉ Two, ko 2.30pm) sees Joe Schmidt’s men facing a possibly tough test against a Welsh side trying to win a third championship in a row. That’s followed by Scotland v England (ko 5pm), while the Pro12 features Munster v Cardiff (TG4, ko 7.15pm). In soccer it’s Liverpool v Arsenal (BT Sport 1, ko 12.45pm), Chelsea v Newcastle (Setanta 1, ko 3pm) and Swansea v Cardiff (Sky Sports 1, ko 5.30pm). The All-Ireland Club Hurling semi-finals (TG4, 2.30pm) are live from Semple Stadium.
BBC Four, 9pm
New Belgian thriller series follows the aftermath of a daring heist on the safety deposit boxes of prominent members of society.
Channel 4, 8pm
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is off to Denmark tonight, so there’s the obligatory stop at Noma, widely regarded as the best restaurant in the world. He also meets up with architect Bjarke Ingels, who talks about concept of hedonistic sustainability and how green living can be fun. Fearnley-Whittingstall then dips into some of the other things the Danes are famous for at the moment — bike-friendly cities, sperm banks and TV thrillers.
RTÉ One, 8.30pm
The Brennans try to attract more visitors to Cloughjordan Eco Village in Tipperary.
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton (Sky Sports 1, ko 1.30pm) features two sides struggling to make the Champions League places, while a beleaguered David Moyes must be relishing the prospect of Man Utd v Fulham (Sky Sports 1, ko 4pm). In France, a clash of the nouveau riche Monaco v PSG (BT Sport 1, ko 8pm) should feature the likes of Ibrahimovic and Falcao. Football action includes Westmeath v Dublin (TG4, throw-in 2pm), while Six Nations rugby has France v Italy (RTÉ Two, ko 3pm).
Channel 4, 9pm
Danny Boyle isn’t a name you’d normally associate with comedy, but he steps up here to direct the pilot for a new series from the pens of Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong (Peep Show and Four Lions). It stars James Nesbitt as a chief constable who wants to revamp his force’s public image.
RTÉ One, 10.05pm
When Swiss couple Arlette and Hans-Peter Riedo sent their only child, 17-year-old Manuela, to Galway in 2007 to learn English, they had no idea of the nightmare that would ensue. She was raped and murdered by Gerald Barry, a local man with a long history of violent crimes who had also raped a French student in the city a few weeks’ earlier. In this show, entitled A Claddagh From Manuela, we hear about her parents’ subsequent bond with Galway people who did their best to comfort and help the couple in the wake of the tragedy. Those involved include Sam Beardon, the local artist who found Manuela’s body; Liam Lynham, the police photographer and crime scene investigator; and farmer Tom Connell (pictured here with the Riedos) who placed a wooden cross at the crime scene.
TG4, 9.30pm
Mickey Rourke’s comeback in 2008 proved to be a surprisingly poignant tale of an ageing professional wrestler having trouble adjusting to life outside the ring.
RTÉ One, 9.35pm
Linda Nolan’s appearance on Celebrity Big Brother has put the family singing group back in the public eye somewhat, and this documentary looks back on a career that saw the sale of 30m records. Born to a Dublin couple who moved the family to Blackpool in England, we hear about their rise to fame in the 1970s, and the other highs and lows since, not least the death of Bernie Nolan last year.
RTÉ Two, 9pm
A milestone of sorts as Grey’s reaches its 200th episode, with the medics donning the tuxes for a fundraising gala.
RTÉ Two, 10.45pm
Season five begins on the eve of Jackie’s birthday, and it really is an eventful day. Two new doctors join the team — one who is described as having “slept her way to the middle“, and a stern ex-army medic — and there’s also an overturned bus to add to the chaos. On the personal front, custody of the children is still an issue for Jackie.
BT Sport 1, ko 7.45pm
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are languishing in the drop zone, but the former Man Utd striker will be hoping that his recent acquisitions from his old club can secure a much-needed home win.
RTÉ One, 7.30pm
The host goes Indian at the Ananda in Dundrum Town Centre. Chef Sunil Ghaia prepares chicken tandoori, while Maguire cooks grilled rib eye beef and makes a chocolate delice.
BT Sport 1, ko 7.45pm
This game could indeed have an influence on who wins the title, but not in the way that many would have predicted at the start of the season. Even a top four finish may be an overly-optimistic hope for David Moyes’s side at the moment, while his counterpart probably has his best chance in years to win the league.
RTÉ One, 8.30pm
The honeymoon is definitely over as some of the participants struggle to stay on track in week six, while Kathryn Thomas raises the huge issue of childhood obesity in Ireland with a visit to a school.
Sky Atlantic, 9pm
New four-part dramatisation of the life of Ian Fleming, with Dominic Cooper in the role of the James Bond author. We see his pre-war existence as a jazz club regular with an eye for the ladies, and his entry into the armed forces working with naval intelligence. Already we’re getting glimpses of where some of the inspiration came from for his incredibly successful creation.
RTÉ One, 8.30pm
Ella McSweeney looks at the aftermath of the horsemeat debacle to see the risks of self-regulation that still exist, and dairy farmer Jim White talks about the benefits of sexed semen to help ensure the arrival of valuable female calves.
RTÉ Two, 9.30pm
This week’s couple are miles away from each other on what they want in a wedding, with Eoin dreaming of a big traditional affair, while Stephanie desires something nice and quiet in a registry office.
RTÉ One, 10.15pm
The second and final part of this year’s short visit to the participating families. David Coleman talks to the parents about how their children have got on during their first year at school, and also hears their hopes for their children’s future. The next instalment of the show isn’t due for another two years.
Netflix
The superb political drama starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright is back for a second series. All episodes available online today.
RTÉ One, 7.30pm
The new series of the hiking show kicks off with news reader Aengus Mac Grianna walking the beaches and coastal paths of Carraroe, Co Galway, taking a beautiful route that finishes at the promontory at Golam Head. As well as the spectacular scenery along the way, he hears local lore and history from people living in the area, and meets up with former Olympic boxer Mike Lally.
TG4, ko 7.45pm
The high-flying Irish province should be too strong for the Welsh visitors in this game at
the RDS.
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