Dragon Hearts – ‘every rower has been touched, directly or indirectly, by the dreaded Big C’

TV WEEK (Wednesday 28th to Tuesday 3rd)

TOP SPECIALS

The Rehearsal (Sky Arts, Wednesday 28th, 9pm)

Nathan Fielder gives people a chance to rehearse for their own lives in a world where nothing ever works out as expected. The series has a Seinfeld/Larry David vibe as it employs a legion of actors to help ordinary people prepare for life’s biggest moments by ‘rehearsing’ them.

Bloom (RTÉ 1, Thursday 29th, 7pm)

It must be summer if Aine and Marty are in the Phoenix Park. From the show gardens on display to the best from the food village, viewers will see into the heart of Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland’s premier horticultural and food show at the Phoenix Park where the summer and the bank holiday weekend kicks off in earnest.

The Split: Barcelona (RTÉ 1, Thursday 29th, 10.15pm)

In this two-episode special, lawyer Hannah Defoe and her family of high-flying London legal eagles are reunited to attend the wedding of Hannah’s daughter Liv and her fiance Gael at a magnificent vineyard nestled in the Catalan countryside. As expected, things don’t go according to plan, as old jealousies and heartbreak come to the surface.

Under The Vines (BBC 1, Friday 30th, 2pm)

Sydney socialite Daisy Munroe and London lawyer Louis Oakley travel to New Zealand believing they are each sole heirs to a vineyard estate, only to discover that their idealistic notions of owning a vineyard, in reality, are less Tuscan romance and more dilapidated money pit. Stuck with each other and a vineyard-sized problem to get rid off, the pair set about making a deal with influential locals.

And Just Like That (Sky Comedy, Friday 30th, 9pm)

Will Carrie and Aidan get back together or commit to their five-year pause? Will Miranda and Charlotte continue to find love in strange places? And after Kim Cattrall’s much-buzzed-about cameo in the Season 2 finale, will Samantha finally return to the fold for good? All questions will be answered in this third series set in that city so good they named it twice.

WATCH OF THE WEEK

Dragon Hearts (RTÉ 1, Monday 2nd, 6.30pm)

A life-affirming documentary not just about sport and competition, but about survival, living with purpose, and finding joy – even in the toughest of times. What sets these paddlers apart from other rowing clubs is that every rower has been touched, directly or indirectly, by the dreaded Big C – ordinary people brought together in the worst of circumstances, now bonded in competitive camaraderie by this most unique of sports.

BEST FILMS

The Power Of The Dog (BBC 2, Friday 30th, 11pm)

One of the most acclaimed films of 2021, this tells the tale of rancher Phil Burbank, a hard individual who inspires fear and awe in those around him in 1925 Montana. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them mercilessly – until he slowly finds himself exposed to the possibility of love. Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Dunst and Jessie Plemons are in top form.

Old Guy (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Friday)

An ageing hitman (Christoph Waltz) is forced to train a young prodigy (Cooper Hoffman) when his employer moves to replace the old guard. But when they learn they are being betrayed, the unlikely pair turn into a lethal team – and their double-crossing bosses are in their sights.

A Different Man (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)

This unsettling drama stars Sebastian Stan as an aspiring actor who undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

CLASSIC MOVIE

The Taking Of Pelham 123 (ITV, Thursday 29th, 10.45pm)

The New York City subway system comes to a halt when heavily armed criminals, led by a mastermind John Travolta, hijack a train and threaten to kill everyone on board unless a large ransom is paid. Only clever dispatcher Denzel Washington stands between chaos and killing as he bids to outwit the hijackers and save the hostages. Not quite as good as the 1974 original with Robert Shaw, but still packed with thrills.

KIDS STUFF

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water (Film4, Wednesday 28th, 11am)

There’s chaos at Bikini Bottom for SpongeBob Squarepants and his friends when the top-secret recipe for Krabby Patties is stolen – so SpongeBob joins forces with his perpetual adversary Plankton and comes ashore to battle a fiendish pirate named Burger Beard.

Area 51: I Was There (National Geographic, Wednesday 28th, 1pm)

Area 51 was made famous by The X Files and generations of conspiracy theorists, but only a select few have been there, and even fewer have spoken of what lies inside. Venture beyond the perimeter fence to discover some of its incredible secrets in this ground-breaking special.

ON DEMAND

Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (Netflix)

We go inside the cockpit with the US Air Force’s legendary flight squadron, The Thunderbirds, to witness the top flight training and personal sacrifice it takes to push the limits of aviation as a member of America’s most revered demonstration teams. As they soar, loop and dive in tight formation, the Thunderbirds prove they are the rock stars of the air show world.

Bono: Stories Of Surrender (Apple TV)

A re-imagining of the U2 lead singer’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show, where he pulls back the curtain on life, family and friends to share personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star. It also features many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life.

Clarkson’s Farm (Amazon Prime)

Who knew the mad car nut would make farming so hilarious? In this fourth series Jeremy and team, including Kaleb Cooper, Lisa Hogan and Charlie Ireland, navigate new challenges, ambitious projects, and hilarious moments at Diddly Squat Farm. And just to make it really silly, this time round he buys his local pub, and there’s a cameo from his former fellow Grand Tour and Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond.

Sirens (Netflix)

A series set around three women at a beach estate over Labour Day weekend. Expect lavish homes, rich and often damaged individuals, plenty of quirky romance and plot twists around every corner, starring Julianne Moore, Megann Fahy and Kevin Bacon. If you’re sad after the final episode of The White Lotus, this might just be the remedy.

SPORTS CENTRE

UEFA Women’s Nations League (RTÉ 2, Friday 30th, 5.30pm)

The girls in green are flying the flag overseas this week – aiming to again beat this canny Turkish side. Marie Crowe is joined by Niamh Fahey and Rianna Jarrett for live coverage of Türkiye v Republic of Ireland from Esenler Erok Stadium, Istanbul. KO 6pm.