TV: Charlie finally leaves it all on the table

TV WEEK

TOP SPECIALS

The Donald Trump Show (CH4, Wednesday 10th, 9pm)

As if we didn’t already know too much about the man with the crazy hair, this documentary delves deep behind the happenings in the White House over the last year – protests, political turmoil, backstabbing and turning the whole world upside down. It’s the inside story of the extraordinary Trump presidency where friends and foes tell of his rise from TV star to leader of the free world, elected not once but twice.

Girl Fight (BBC 1, Wednesday 10th, 10.40pm)

At a gym in Ballymena, a new generation of female Mixed Martial Arts fighters is rising. But these fighters aren’t just chasing titles and belts, they’re taking part in the sport to overcome personal battles – seeking transformation and a renewed sense of control over their lives. This three-part series follows the journeys of three young women who step into the cage in the tough sport of MMA, putting their bodies and minds on the line.

The Newsreader (BBC 2, Thursday 11th, 9pm)

The third and final series of this popular Australian drama is again set in the cutthroat world of a commercial TV news, where ambitious reporter Dale Jennings and notoriously ‘difficult’ news star Helen Norville are paired together. Covering an extraordinary chain of news events from the Challenger Disaster, to Halley’s Comet, to the AIDS crisis, Dale and Helen’s personal and professional lives begin to intertwine into an unconventional relationship in a world on the cusp of change.

Doc (Sky Witness, Monday 15th, 9pm)

After a brain injury erases the last eight years of Dr Amy Larsen’s life, she has to navigate an unfamiliar world where she has no recollection of patients she’s treated, colleagues she’s crossed, the soulmate she divorced, the man she now loves or the tragedy that caused her to push everyone away. She can rely only on her estranged 17-year-old daughter, whom she remembers as a nine-year-old, and a handful of devoted friends, as she struggles to continue practising medicine, despite having lost nearly a decade of knowledge and experience.

WATCH OF THE WEEK

The Late Late Show (RTÉ 1, Friday 12th, 9.35pm)

Patrick Kielty is back behind the desk with another compelling lineup of guests, and more than a few controversial topics under the microscope. With the election to the big house in the Phoenix Park just around the corner, expect some politics mixed in with the banter and entertainment over the coming weeks. The Late Late has become the longest chat show in the world for good reason – and still mostly delivers the goods on a weekly basis.

BEST FILMS

Beast (RTÉ 2, Wednesday 10th, 9.30pm)

You may never take a safari holiday again. Idris Elba stars in this survival thriller as a father who takes his two teenage daughters on an African trip of a lifetime, only to be hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the savanna has but one apex predator. You’ll definitely jump more than once as this lion king roars.

Amongst The Wolves (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Wednesday)

On the streets of Dublin, Danny, a homeless man grappling with the ghosts of his past, finds himself caught in a cycle of despair and survival. Haunted by memories of his time serving in the Royal Irish Army, his life takes a turn when he encounters Will, a young teenager on the run from a dangerous drug gang.

Die Alone (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)

If you’re still missing The Last Of Us, this slightly similar dystopian thriller might just float your boat. Lost in a world reclaimed by nature and overrun by mysterious creatures, a young man with amnesia teams up with an eccentric survivalist to find his missing girlfriend. Post-apocalyptic horror starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Frank Grillo and Douglas Smith.

CLASSIC MOVIE

Nosferatu (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Friday)

Adapted from the terrifying 1922 original, this modern update is a Gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. The top notch cast includes Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe.

KIDS STUFF

The Sky Arts Awards (Sky Arts, Tuesday 16th, 8pm)

Presented by Bill Bailey from the iconic Roundhouse in London, the ceremony will champion the best of British and Irish arts and culture, spotlighting creative brilliance across the industry. It remains the only global event that recognises the full breadth of cultural genres with categories including classical music, comedy, dance, film, literature, poetry, opera, popular music, television, theatre and visual arts.

Broad City (Virgin TV Go)

Created by and starring Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer as 20-something best friends trying to navigate life in New York, where their adventures always seem to lead down unexpected and bizarre paths. They have little money, but remain determined Big Apple survivors who aren’t afraid to throw themselves into sticky situations, no matter how messy the end results may be.

ON DEMAND

AKA Charlie Sheen (Netflix)

Charlie Sheen had youthful talent to burn – and did exactly that in a downward spiral that almost destroyed his career and life. With seven hard-fought years of sobriety behind him, Charlie finally leaves it all on the table, revisiting the public peaks and valleys of his life with humour, heart, and jaw-dropping candour.

Parallel Me (Paramount+)

This comedy-fantasy series operates on the theme of ‘how do you change your life when it turns out you can’t cope with it?’. To help bewildered businesswoman Toni, the mysterious Ariadne helps her to open up new vistas into alternative worlds she can pick and choose from. But Toni learns quickly that every attractive alternative also has its downsides.

Beauty In Black (Netflix)

Season two sees more of how the ruthless, backstabbing family behind a beauty brand – and an underground trafficking ring – facing a reckoning. Kimmie, the once-unassuming sex worker in their employ, becomes an unstoppable force and is now the one calling the shots after inheriting sole ownership of the family business.

SPORTS CENTRE

One Valentine’s Day In Edinburgh (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 10th, 10.35pm)

On Valentine’s Day 1993 the first Irish Women’s International Rugby team ran on the pitch to face their Scottish counterparts at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh and together they made history. This documentary follows several Irish sporting trailblazers who founded the first Irish women’s national rugby team. Not waiting for permission, they broke new ground through sheer will and determination, laying the foundation for generations of sportswomen to come.

Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup (RTÉ 2, Friday 12th, 7pm)

Peter Collins presents live coverage of the quarter final meeting of Drogheda Utd v Shamrock Rovers from Sullivan and Lambe Park. KO 7.30pm.