Creedon explores how music shapes the identity of Ireland
TV WEEK (Wednesday 29th to Tuesday 4th)
TOP SPECIALS
The Irish Question (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 29th, 9.35pm)
With the likelihood of a border poll becoming an increasing possibility, do we really understand what that could mean for all those living on the island of Ireland? Or are we stumbling into some unknown future as Britain once sleep-walked into Brexit? Featuring Bill Clinton, Bertie Ahern, Mary-Lou McDonald, Leo Varadkar, John Major and Gerry Adams, this offers a fresh and sometimes surprising look at the dark trauma of the past and the unique possibilities of the future.
Trinity’s Treasures (RTÉ 1, Friday 31st, 8.30pm)
Former senator and civil rights activist David Norris looks at the collections that have helped shape Ireland politically through some of the earliest records on the evolution of the nation’s society from the medieval period. The earliest surviving legal documents in Irish history are part of the library’s collections, offering a witness to history.
Creedon’s Musical Atlas Of Ireland (RTÉ 1, Sunday 2nd, 6.30pm)
Broadcaster John Creedon embarks on a journey to explore how music shapes the identity of Ireland in this new series. The opening episode begins with one of Ireland’s oldest myths of which three ancient musical traditions are still alive today. Dagda’s magical harp was said to play three noble strains of music: Suantraí, Geantraí and Goltraí. Together they offer a remarkable way of understanding only Irish music, and the emotional role it has played in our lives for generations.
Barrow: The Truth Behind the Grooming Lie (Sky Documentaries, Sunday 2nd, 9pm)
When Ellie Williams’ allegations of grooming went viral, it tore the UK town of Barrow apart and triggered national outrage. Police quickly denied there was a grooming gang, and Ellie was sentenced to eight and a half years in jail. But was there truth beneath the lies? And did the focus on proving one young woman a liar lead to denial of a wider grooming problem? This three-part series reframes the case to expose a far wider and more troubling story.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door (Sky Documentaries, Tuesday 4th, 9pm)
This traces the extraordinary chain of events set in motion when former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury, England. Through first-hand testimony from senior intelligence officials, counter-terrorism leaders and victims whose lives were forever changed, the film uncovers how authorities raced to identify the perpetrators, contain a deadly chemical weapon and respond to one of the most brazen acts of state-sponsored aggression on British soil.
BEST FILMS
Taxi Driver (BBC 4, Thursday 30th, 9pm)
Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly in an insomniac rage as he witnesses the crime destroying his beloved Big Apple. Growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city, he encounters 12-year-old prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster), he decides to take the law into his own hands. Fifty years old, this early De Niro performance directed by Martin Scorsese still burns through the screen.
Love Me (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)
In a story that spans billions of years, a buoy and a satellite meet online long after the extinction of humanity. As they learn what life was like on Earth, they discover what it means to be alive and in love. This first feature from directors Sam and Andy Zuchero explores contemporary topics surrounding technology and identity, but at its heart is a simple, emotionally resonant tale of transformation. Kristen Stewart and Steven Yuen co-star.
Heretic (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)
Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Famous for his romcom performances, Grant changes tack completely here – to a devilish creature with wolfish grin and deadly intent.
CLASSIC MOVIE
Scent Of A Woman (BBC 1, Friday 31st, 11.15pm)
Al Pacino won a deserved Best Actor Oscar for this uplifting tale about Frank, a retired officer from the US army who’s blind, cranky and driving his daughter crazy. Enter Charlie, a working class boy at an elite school who takes the job of minding Frank over the Thanksgiving holiday for extra money to pay his college fees. What follows is a journey from the country to New York and some life lessons young Charlie will never forget. A wonderful film that never gets old.
KIDS STUFF
Caligula With Mary Beard (BBC 4, Wednesday 29th, 9pm)
Two thousand years ago, one of history’s most notorious individuals was born. Professor Mary Beard embarks on an investigative journey to explore the life and times of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus – better known to us as Caligula, Rome’s most capricious tyrant, and the most infamous of any of its emperors. Caligula’s life reveals an astonishing story of murder, intrigue and dynastic family power.
Don’t Date Brandon (CH4, Thursday 30th, 11pm)
If you’re wary of dipping your toe in the uncharted waters of online dating, this series may well confirm your worst fears. Two women discover they dated the same deceptive man they met online. After launching a podcast about their experiences with Brandon, more victims emerge, revealing a pattern of manipulation and dark secrets. A story about far more than a cunning man’s lies, this is a docudrama about survival and the women who refused to stay silent.
ON DEMAND
Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy (Netflix)
Mo Gilligan investigates the global fried chicken obsession – and the hidden costs behind our cravings – as he puts his body to the test in a bold experiment by eating fried chicken three times a day for 28 days straight. Over the course of the month, he embarks on an eye-opening journey from south London to the United States to reveal the historical origins of fried chicken and how fast-food chains affect our health, the planet and the way we eat.
Furious (Disney+)
Emmy Rossum heads the cast in this crime drama about an FBI agent on the hunt for a mysterious and calculating female serial killer, played by Belfast actor Lola Petticrew. On opposing sides of the law, these strong females walk their own paths toward different kinds of justice – but, as their lives start to intertwine, the line between right and wrong begins to blur.
The Bombing Of Pan Am 103 (Netflix)
On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people. What followed was the largest murder investigation in the history of Scottish policing, into the deadliest act of terrorism on British soil. Based on the testimony of those who were there, this is the true story of the collaboration between Scottish police and US law enforcement – and the families’ quest for justice.
SPORTS CENTRE
Racing From Galway (RTÉ 2, Wednesday 29th, 5pm)
Proving that there is a sporting life after the World Cup and the all-Ireland hurling and football, we turn to one of the most colourful and high-profile events in the Irish horse racing calendar. Jane Mangan is joined by Barry Geraghty, Lisa O’Neill and Ruby Walsh for live coverage from Galway, a city wearing its best colours for the hugely popular annual event. Reporters: Brian Gleeson, Katelyn Hayes, Katie Walsh.