What to watch on TV this week
We see how the Starks are having a mixed time of it, but surely that affable family will prevail by the end of this season?
John Creedon’s journey northwards takes him through Clare, Galway and Mayo, and among the people he meets along the way is Enda Kenny. The politician tells him how his grandfather was a lighthouse keeper at Loop head in the 1930s. Steve Wall from The Stunning also talks about the Beatles’ holiday to the Cliffs of Moher.
The documentary set in the Killarney hotel continues with the arrival of 8,000 people for the huge Oireachtas na Gaeilge event.
It’s sort of comforting to know that there are still places in the world that are inaccessible by road, and can only be reached by flying there. In this new three-part series, Arthur Williams flies to some of these areas, showing how the people who live there survive in what can be difficult environments. He’s in Nepal for this first episode, and sees what a difference small aircraft are making for some communities in the mountainous nation.
In the west of the country, he witnesses the risks entire families are taking to harvest yarsagumba, a fungus that is hugely popular as an aphrodisiac. A fascinating organism, it actually germinates in the larva of the ghost moth, killing the larva and mummifying it as it feeds on it.
This look at life at Romford Dog Track in London will be of particular interest to fans of greyhound racing. Apparently, it’s one of the last remaining tracks in the British capital, and we hear an independent bookie complaining that his takings are being hit by online betting on other sports. We also see the controversial opening of a Coral bookies on an estate in Slough.
George Clooney stars in a 2011 film that’s actually one of his better offerings of recent years. He plays a rich land baron who tries to reconnect with his young daughters after his wife is left comatose after an accident. It’s directed by Alexander Payne, who also impressed with such movies as Sideways and Nebraska.
Surely a three-year-old little girl can’t cause that much chaos in the family? Wrong. In tonight’s episode, we see how bossy Florence seems to rule the house. Her mother is tired of the constant battles over hair-brushing and other tasks so calls in the help of childcare expert Kathryn Mewes. We also see how dad Antony adopts a softer approach to his daughter’s behaviour that may not be helping the situation.
Twelve new contestants begin this new series trying to impress Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood with their baking skills. Among the challenges in this first episode are a madeira cake, a frosted walnut cake and that 1980s classic, the Black Forest gateau.
First of a new three-part series on the great philosophers, Buddha, Socrates and Confucius. Bettany Hughes points out how this influential trio lived between the sixth and fifth century BC, an era of incredible intellectual development in different parts of the planet. Rational thought grew and there was less reliance of supernatural explanations to explain the world, as the importance of personal actions came to the fore. First up she’s in India to look at the life and belief system of the Buddha.
As Iraq sinks deeper into the mire, and Isis make Al Qaeda look like moderates, it’ll be an interesting exercise to see this 2013 interview with Donald Rumsfeld, the US policy-maker with a large hand in creating the dire situation in the region. Needless to say, the veteran hawk isn’t exactly contrite as he looks back on his career.
Repeat of the enjoyable documentary on Muhammad Ali and his visit to Ireland for a fight at Croke Park against Al Lewis in 1972. It combines RTÉ footage with home movies from the time. A huge event at the time, the fight was organised by Kerry-born celebrity strongman Butty Sugrue, but it wasn’t a financial success.
While the inclement weather has ensured anybody going on holidays hasn’t had to worry about watering their outdoor plants, Monty Don has other tips on how you can ensure you can come back to a thriving garden after your break.
The British chef begins his journey through the former Byzantine Empire in Venice, a city that offers some incredible food, much of it influenced by its location on the coast, and its former empire that stretched across the Mediterranean. Seafood risotto, gnocchi with spider crab, and that local delight, tiramisu, are all on the menu.
For us mere mortals, it can be slightly depressing to see somebody as multi-talented as Seth MacFarlane. His Ted 2 film is one of the hits of the summer; Family Guy is possibly the funniest thing on TV; and he’s also a good enough singer to sing a Sinatra tribute with the John Wilson Orchestra. Concentrating on Ol’ Blue Eyes’ Capitol years from 1954 to 1962, he’ll cover favourites such as ‘Come Fly With Me’ and ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’. The show is co-presented by another double-jobber, Clarke Peters, familiar to many as Lester Freamon in The Wire.
Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh star in this decent, if uncheery, adaptation of the novel by Steven King.
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