Building homes under watchful eye of Harrison Gardner
TV WEEK (Wednesday 1st to Tuesday 7th)
TOP SPECIALS
Dance Master (RTÉ 1, Thursday 2nd, 10.15pm)
An insightful portrait of Breandán de Gallaí, tracing his evolution from traditional dancer to choreographer unafraid to challenge convention. An exploration of identity and Irish cultural expression from the structured world of competitive Irish dancing to the global phenomenon of Riverdance, as de Gallaí brings an honesty to the stage and the screen.
How Are You? It’s Alan Partridge (BBC 1, Thursday 3rd, 9.30pm)
As he re-integrates into life in Britain after a year working in Saudi Arabia, Alan realises that the happiness he thought he’d feel at being back in Norwich just hasn’t materialised. Something’s missing, so he sets off on a quest to understand his funk – and if he ends up being seen as a mental health champion for the middle-aged, so be it.
Saturday Night Live (Sky Comedy, Sunday 5th, 9pm)
Live from New York, and stretching into its second half-century, the US late-night comedy institution returns ahead of the launch of the highly anticipated EU edition next year. Last season, high profile names like Scarlett Johansson, Jean Smart, Ariana Grande, Michael Keaton, Charli XCX, Chris Rock, Martin Short, Jack Black and Lady Gaga all took on the mantle of host, while mega artists including Bad Bunny, Chappell Roan, Jelly Roll and Coldplay provided musical support.
Stitched Up? Surgery In The Sun (BBC 1, Monday 6th, 10.40pm)
Cosmetic surgery is no longer just for the rich and famous, especially if you’re willing to travel, and this new three-part series peels back the glossy veneer of medical tourism and asks whether social media’s picture-perfect surgery journeys show the full story. Many people have positive experiences with cosmetic procedures overseas and as the multi-billion-pound industry booms for those preparing to go – but also with the families left to deal with sometimes traumatic outcomes.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
Build Your Own Home (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 1st, 9.35PM)
The series charts the mammoth challenges the participants face as they set out to build and renovate their own dilapidated homes under the watchful eye of master builder and building teacher, Harrison Gardner, an Australian and Clare-based eco-builder who believes that anyone can learn how to build. Aoife NicChraith and Louis Brennan have plans for an ambitious modern extension to a 200-year-old Tuam house to cater for their growing family.
BEST FILMS
Code 3 (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)
A pair of overworked, underpaid paramedics face a wild 24-hour shift when one quits and has to train his rookie replacement. What begins as a routine day spirals into a chaotic ride full of emergencies, absurd encounters, and unexpected truths about life on the front lines.
See How They Run (Film4, Thursday 2nd, 9pm)
Plans for a film version of a smash-hit 1950s London play come to an abrupt halt after a member of the crew is murdered – enter world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and eager rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) to investigate a puzzling whodunit beneath the glamour of the West End.
Rye Lane (BBC 2, Friday 3rd, 9pm)
Sharp romcom sees Yas and Dom, two 20-somethings both reeling from bad break-ups, connect over the course of an eventful day in south London – helping each other deal with their nightmare exes, and potentially restoring their faith in romance.
CLASSIC MOVIE
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Friday)
They say this is the last film in the series – but we hope not. Bridget Jones navigates life as a widow and single mother with the help of her family, friends, and former lover, Daniel. Back to work and on the apps, she’s pursued by a younger man and maybe – just maybe – her son’s science teacher. It’s complicated…
KIDS STUFF
Panda Plan (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Wednesday)
Soon after legendary kung fu star Jackie Chan is invited to adopt a beloved zoo panda named Hu Hu, a notorious international crime syndicate set their sights on the bear and offer a massive bounty for his capture. Faced with this crisis, Jackie outsmarts and outkicks the bad guys at every turn.
Juliet and Romeo (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Wednesday)
Set in 1301 at the end of medieval times, Juliet and Romeo finds our most famous star-crossed lovers turning the tides on the history Shakespeare based his own story on. But the biggest twist in this most beloved of tales is leaving the poetry of Iambic pentameter in the past for original pop music, the greatest love story of all time, set to the greatest music of our time.
ON DEMAND
Love Is Blind (Netflix)
Singles sign up for a less conventional approach to modern dating, and choose someone to marry without ever meeting them. Over several weeks, the newly engaged couples plan their weddings, finding out if their physical connection matches the strong emotional bonds developed slowly in the pods. When their wedding days arrive, will they really marry the people they fell blindly in love with?
The Last Frontier (Apple TV)
Frank Remnick is the lone US marshal in charge of a remote, rugged outland in the vastness of Alaska. But his peaceful life is upended when a prison transport plane crashes in the wilderness, setting free dozens of violent inmates. Protecting the town he’s vowed to keep safe will become a life or death struggle for the lawman.
Monster. The Ed Gein Story (Netflix)
Serial killer. Grave robber. Psycho. In 1950s rural Wisconsin, a recluse named Eddie Gein lived quietly on a decaying farm – hiding a house of horrors so gruesome it would redefine the American nightmare. Driven by isolation and an all-consuming obsession with his mother, Gein’s perverse crimes birthed a new kind of monster.
SPORTS CENTRE
FAI Cup Live (RTÉ 2, Friday 4th, 7pm)
Cork City v St Patrick’s Athletic in the semi-final from Turner’s Cross. Pat’s enter as favourites, but Cork are beginning to find traction at last on their quest to bring glittering silverware back to the Rebel capital.
Tony Cascarino: Extra Time (RTÉ 1, Monday 6th, 9.35pm)
Tony Cascarino, the former trainee hairdresser from Kent, once transferred for a set of tracksuits, becomes a hero to millions of Irish people and a star at the biggest football club in France. The former Republic of Ireland footballer charts his career path, personal struggles, and public redemption.