TV WATCH: What to watch this week
BBC Two, 8pm
Beautiful natural history footage as this week’s episode looks at the monsoon in Asia, showing how it triggers mating season for toads and all sorts of other events.
BBC Two, 9pm
There’s more water action from Asia as the affable British presenter travels the most famous sacred river of ‘em all — the Ganges in India. Along the way, he addresses such issues as how India’s booming economy is affecting its religious culture. Reeve also meets Western tourists in Rishikesh seeking spiritual enlightenment in ashram central.
UTV, 9.15pm
Baxter’s suspicions are raised when Thomas returns to Downton with a strange illness.
The Mahony family from Cork have their health and lifestyles assessed by medical experts in this new series. David (55), Dolores (51) and their 12-year-old son Oisín are carrying extra weight and don’t exercise enough. Dr Nina Byrnes and her team recommend a raft of changes for the family.
Fox UK, 9pm
Season five of the zombie apocalypse drama could be a make-or-break one. Last year’s offering was a big step down from the brilliance of series three, even though ratings in the US were higher than ever. This opener is being broadcast just a day after American viewers get to see it, and picks up the action at Terminus where last season’s cliffhanger finale had Rick and his cohorts captured by a group of armed hipsters. As if they didn’t have enough to deal with already.
Five, 9pm
This channel doesn’t get too many viewers on this side of the pond, but perhaps the fact that it’s the first to show this much-hyped American show will draw some Irish eyes. Set in Batman’s home city years before the arrival of the caped crusader, the high-budget affair delves into the origins of that popular superhero and some of his foes. Familiar faces in the cast include Sean Pertwee and Jada Pinkett Smith, and those who don’t have access to the British broadcaster will get to see it on RTÉ 2 at some stage.
BBC One, 9pm
His royal highness Alan Sugar returns for his tenth year at the helm of the ever-popular show. A £250,000 investment in a new start-up company is on the table for the eventual winner, and past experience would indicate that anyone hoping to win it should not step up as a team leader in the first battle of boys v girls. The first task has a retro feel to it as goods accumulated from the past 10 years of the show must be sold in one day. Candidates include Irish accountant Róisín Hogan.
BBC TWO, 9pm
The popular professor is addressing more really big questions in tonight’s episode as he ponders the origins of the universe. He’s in India where he hears how the Vedic monks were exploring such issues about 1500BC, and then journeys to Japan to catch up on the latest scientific thinking. Episode two follows on Wednesday.
TG4, 7.30pm
In this episode of one of a number of medical shows tonight, we hear about the various problems that can occur if the thyroid gland isn’t working properly.
BBC Two, 8pm
The first episode of the new series has Michael Mosley addressing the vexed issue of getting the balance right between a healthy amount of exposure to the sun and fears of skin cancer.
Channel 4, 8pm
Even the animal shows tonight have a medical angle, with Noel Fitzpatrick returning for a new series with his high tech solutions for pets’ ailments.
Channel 4, 10pm
Documentary in the Cutting Edge strand follows four patients taking part in advanced trials of treatment at Macmillan Cancer Centre at University College Hospital in London.
TV3, 8.30pm
New cookery series has chef Simon Lamont travelling around Ireland in the quest to create ‘effortless food’. First up, he’s in Cork, trying a shellfish roast and also visiting the buffalo in Toonsbridge to get some real mozzarella.
RTE One, 8.30pm
The final episode of the series has the team helping Tralee native Pat spend €45,000 on revamping his cottage in Stoneybatter, Dublin. His hoarding tendencies means he really needs to declutter, and finding clever storage solutions is a major part of the job for Aoife Rhattigan and Garry Cohn.
RTE Two, 10pm
Elayne has long wanted to visit New York and in tonight’s show we follow the Finglas rapper as she realises her dream in the city where hip-hop emerged. Down in Cork, Kate is preparing to go to Australia.
RTE Two, 7.05pm
Can the Hoops put a dent in the title ambitions of the high-flying Lilywhites in the third-last game of the season.
RTE Two, 11.05pm
Series two of the drama continues with Virginia hearing about Masters’ troubled childhood.
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