‘Testimony’ chronicles fight for justice by survivors of Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes

TV WEEK (Wednesday 22nd to Tuesday 28th)

TOP SPECIALS

CIA (Sky Witness, Thursday 23rd, 9pm)

A rule-breaking case officer and a smart by-the-book FBI agent are assigned to work together out of the Central Intelligence Agency’s New York Station. As they work on covert operations trying to uncover international plots and terrorist cells, the mismatched pair discover that their differences may actually be their strength in a world where one wrong move could be fatal.

Station Eleven (Sky Atlantic, Friday 24th, 9pm)

Based on the bestselling novel, this post-apocalyptic saga follows the survivors of a devastating flu as they attempt to rebuild the world anew, while trying to hold on to the best of what’s been lost. After the collapse of civilisation, a group who make their living as traveling performers encounter a violent cult led by a man whose past is unknowingly linked to a member of the troupe.

The Idaho Murders (Sky Documentaries, Sunday 26th, 9pm)

On November 13, 2022, four University students were brutally stabbed to death in the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho. What began as a tragedy quickly escalated into one of the most high profile murder investigations in recent American history. Even after criminology student Bryan Kohberger was caught, his conviction left many unanswered questions.

Building Ireland (RTÉ 1, Tuesday 28th, 7pm)

Six documentaries exploring the rich tapestry of the built heritage and natural environment that has helped define the River Shannon region from Leitrim to Limerick. Geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, engineer Tim Joyce and architect Orla Murphy investigate the topography of this enormous river basin, patterns of human settlement through history and the rich diversity of natural environments which helped build the identity of the people and places on the River Shannon.

Gomorrah: The Origins (Sky Atlantic, Tuesday 28th, 9pm)

Set in 1977 Naples, this new chapter of Gomorrah is an origin story tracing the criminal education of a young Pietro Savastano, offering a fresh perspective on the roots of his power, capturing an era that shaped the face of modern crime. As a tough city kid who grew up in the poorest parts of Secondigliano, Pietro has a big dream: to become the neighbourhood’s ‘king’ and a life of ruthless ambition at all costs.

WATCH OF THE WEEK

Testimony (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 22nd, 9.35pm)

Testimony chronicles the fight for justice by survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes. It captures the determination of the women, supported by the advocacy group Justice for Magdalenes, to hold the Irish government accountable for decades of institutional abuse. The Magdalene Laundries, operated by religious orders with state complicity, imprisoned and dehumanised women under the guise of moral rehabilitation to endure forced labour, physical abuse, and the lifelong stigma of being labelled ‘fallen’.

BEST FILMS

The Old Man and the Gun (Film4, Wednesday 22nd, 5pm)

At the age of 70, Forrest Tucker makes an audacious escape from San Quentin, and goes on to successfully plan an unprecedented string of bank heists that confound authorities and enchant the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit is a detective who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman who loves him in spite of his chosen profession. Robert Redford at his best.

Our Ladies (RTÉ 2, Friday 24th, 9.35pm)

When a group of Scottish schoolgirls win a day trip to Edinburgh to perform in a choir competition, things definitely don’t go according to plan. Escaping their small town in the Scottish Highlands, the trip becomes a chance to transform their daily lives and run riot in the big city, living for every moment in this raucous tale of love, life and friendship.

The Forgiven (CH4, Sunday 26th, 10pm)

Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain star as an entitled couple heading to Morocco for a weekend of indulgent hedonism. But the trip takes a dark turn when they crash into and kill a young native boy. They take the body to the party, thinking the boy is a ‘nobody’ who will not be missed – until his father turns up looking for him.

CLASSIC MOVIE

House Of Gucci (RTÉ 1, Sunday 26th, 9.30pm)

Inspired by the true story of the family behind the famous Italian fashion empire, this is a tale of how money and power drove some members to consider any method of generational succession. When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, revenge, and ultimately murder. Adam Driver and Al Pacino round out a starry cast.

KIDS STUFF

Heartstopper Forever (Netflix)

Nick and Charlie are inseparable, but with one of them preparing to leave for university the reality of a long-distance relationship begins to weigh on their relationship. With their friends also confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on, can first loves really last forever?

There’s No Place Like Home Snoopy (Apple TV)

When Snoopy’s beloved doghouse is accidentally sold at a yard sale, our hero is devastated. After all, that’s where his imagination first took flight and where he keeps all his favourite things. So he and Charlie Brown decide to go on a wild quest to try to recover it before his humble abode is lost forever.

ON DEMAND

Ransom Canyon (Netflix)

Set in a small town in Texas Hill Country, season two follows the intersecting lives of families where neighbours know everyone’s business. Rancher Staten Kirkland fights to reclaim his family’s Double K Ranch, while musician Quinn O’Grady has to work out if she belongs in her native small town or the fast-paced world of New York City.

Murder 101 (Amazon Prime)

A Tennessee school classroom is the setting for this true crime docuseries following teacher Alex Campbell’s sociology class, as he encourages his pupils to solve the ‘Redhead Murders’ – a series of killings in the 1970s where the bodies of women and girls with red hair were discovered along major highways in the South. They remained unsolved crimes for decades – until these clever kids changed the ending of the story.

72 Hours (Netflix)

Kevin Hart stars as a 40-year-old executive hoping to save his flailing career by joining a group of 20-somethings on a wild three-day bachelor party, after he’s inadvertently added to their group text. A madcap comedy where age is just one of the dividing lines, and which underlines that old phrase – ‘you can never go back’.

SPORTS CENTRE

All-Ireland Football Final 2026 (RTÉ 2, Sunday 24th, 2.30pm)

This will be the earliest the final has ever been held due to changes in the GAA calendar, and Mayo and Kerry go head to head for the ultimate prize in Gaelic football. The teams are different in styles and playing ability, and it promises to be a cracker.