Benedict Cumberbatch stars in Eric, Aine Lawlor and Marty Morrissey are back at Bloom, Stephen Merchant's The Outlaws returns for a third run, and there’s the grand final of the latest Taskmaster . . .
Pick of the Day
Eric, Netflix
Set in 1980s New York, Eric is a new emotional thriller from Abi Morgan.
It follows the desperate search by a father (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) when his nine-year-old son disappears one morning on the way to school.
Vincent, one of New York’s leading puppeteers and creator of the hugely popular children’s television show, Good Day Sunshine, struggles to cope with the loss of his son, Edgar, becoming increasingly distressed and volatile.
Full of self-loathing and guilt around Edgar’s disappearance, he clings to his son’s drawings of a blue monster puppet, called Eric, convinced that if he can get Eric on TV then Edgar will come home.
As Vincent’s progressively destructive behaviour alienates his family, his work colleagues, and the detectives trying to help him, it’s Eric, a delusion of necessity, who becomes his only ally in the pursuit to bring his son home.
New or Returning Shows
Aine Lawlor and Marty Morrissey (below) return to the annual Bloom garden/lifestyle event in Dublin's Phoenix Park, with a look at the show's gardens on display.
Aine meets the award-winning designers of the show gardens and some first timers to Bloom, who are hoping to pick up a coveted gold medal.
Marty mingles in the crowd and makes his way to the food village, looking at what's on offer to taste.
The Outlaws, 9.00pm, BBC One
Welcome return of Stephen Merchant’s enjoyable comedy drama, starring Merchant, Rhianne Barreto, Rhianne Barreto, Darren Boyd, Gamba Cole and Eleanor Tomlinson.
Following her role as Martha Scott on Bady Reindeer, Jessica Gunning returns as Diane.
With the Dean awaiting trial, everyone is moving on with their lives.
Ben is running his own food shack. Myrna is rekindling a romance with an old flame, and John has a new-found Zen outlook.
Gabby is considering having a baby, while roping Greg into winning back her inheritance from her father, and Diane is training up an eager protege.
But everything changes when Rani shows up with a terrible secret that she needs help from the gang to bury.
We Are Lady Parts, 10.00pm, Channel 4
The comedy about a Muslim punk band returns for a second season.
The band returns home from a magical summer of gigs with a renewed artistic mission, having finally found their audience.
As frontwoman Saira gathers the band, she announces that it's time to level up and lay down their legacy: Lady Parts will record their debut album.
The band members are stunned to find that a rival Muslim band, Second Wife, are threatening their status quo.
In part two, at 10.35pm, things go from bad to worse for the band as Saira is faces eviction from the bedsit.
Don’t Miss
The Tattooist of Auschwitz, 9.00pm, Sky Atlantic
Streaming on NOW
As the penultimate episode begins, Heather and Old Lali’s relationship enters a new phase and they achieve a new level of trust as Lali confesses more of the truth about his experiences.
There is a bizarre sense in the camp that the end is looming, but in their panic and fear, the Nazis are growing increasingly erratic and increasingly dangerous.
Gita helps a young woman give birth in their block and conceal the baby, but this leads to the sacrifice of someone Gita holds dear.
Then when the women are marched out of the camp, Lali is alerted and miraculously, they manage to make a plan before Gita is swept away in the marching crowd.
Johnson & Knopfler’s Music Legends, 10.00pm, Sky Arts
Streaming on NOW
In this week’s episode Brian and Mark head to Music City - Nashville - and meet up with Mark’s longtime friend and sometime collaborator, Emmylou Harris (below, with a pal).
Emmylou shares her career highlights and discusses her relationship with legendary country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, with whom she recorded some of her finest work.
They’re also joined for an exclusive jam session with country music superstar guitarist, Vince Gill.
Question Time, 8.00pm, BBC One
A much early start than usual for this political discussion show involving a panel and members of the public – but there’s the rather pressing matter of a British general election on the way.
Fiona Bruce (above) chairs the topical debate, inviting a panel of politicians and other guests to answer questions from an invited audience in the Surrey town of Epsom.
Blazing Saddles, 10.00pm, BBC Four
Mel Brooks' superb – and hilariously un-PC - Western spoof, in which he co-stars alongside Cleavon Little (below, left), Gene Wilder (below, right) and Madeline Kahn, wouldn’t be countenanced these days.
A crooked railway tycoon whose hired hands are terrorising a frontier town arranges for a black sheriff to be appointed, hoping the racist residents will reject him.
The lawman proves more cunning than expected, and with the help of a drunken gunslinger, runs rings around the businessman.
Madeline Kahn is also great as the Marlene Dietrich-like Lili Von Shtupp.
Followed at 11.30pm by Mel Brooks: Unwrapped, where Alan Yentob travels to Hollywood to interview Mel Brooks.
At the time of filming (2018), the musical theatre version of Brooks' 1974 movie Young Frankenstein had just opened on London's West End.
New to Stream
Geek Girl, Netflix
In this new teen drama, Harriet Manners’ life is turned upside down when she’s thrust into the world of fashion.
Tightly wound agents, off-beat designers, impossibly high heels, a cute supermodel with a great smile, Harriet has no idea what she’s in for.
Ending Today
Taskmaster, 9.00pm, Channel 4
It's the grand final, which means one superior competitor will clutch Greg Davies' (below) gilded bonce to their proud chest.
But before that magical moment, Sophie Willan will impress on keyboards, Steve Pemberton will be surprised in a field, John Robins will refuse a biscuit, Joanne McNally will struggle with an anagram, and Nick Mohammed will make a magical prediction.
Click here for TV listings
Click here for more TV news
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
