John Byrne’s TV choices for the week ahead (Dates covered: Saturday May 2 to Friday May 8)
There's a new show from the creator of Shameless, Penny Dreadful and Firefighters are back, while it's farewell to Treme, Gogglebox and Second Captains Live.
Pick of the week
No Offence, Tuesday, Channel 4
Joanna Scanlan (The Thick of It), Elaine Cassidy (The Paradise) and Alexandra Roach (The Iron Lady) lead an unorthodox crack team of cops in Paul Abbott’s new police procedural. The writer of Shameless and State of Play has apparently created an outrageous show - we'll see - about tough but big-hearted bobbies who go above and beyond to bring down the criminal rabble.
Drug labs, arsonists, neo-Nazis and notorious murderers are all in a day’s work for this close-knit team, led by DI Vivienne Deering (Scanlan). But when a particularly twisted serial killer emerges it leaves even the most hardened of these seasoned coppers reeling. Deering and her team must crack this case by whatever unconventional means possible. And for all the assorted low life they've dealt with, this is their most disturbing case yet.
Sounds like fun.
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Star of the week
Sheridan Smith
The C Word, Sunday, BBC One
She's packed a lot into her 33 years, has Sheridan Smith. As a teenager she played Emma in The Royle Family, and followed that with Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Love Soup, Gavin & Stacey, Grownups and Benidorm. She has most recently starred in television dramas such as Mrs Biggs, for which she won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress, The 7.39 (with David Morrissey and Olivia Colman) and Cilla, where she played Cilla Black. Her film credits include Tower Block, Quartet, Powder Room and The Harry Hill Movie.
In her latest TV role - which is based on a true story - she plays Lisa Lynch, a 28-year-old who's diagnosed with cancer. The C Word is an adaptation of Lynch's inspiring and candid book about her experience of cancer, based on her popular blog which was launched shortly after her diagnosis in 2008. Adapted by Nicole Taylor, this one-off drama promises to be defiant, ballsy and funny.
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Starting this week
Penny Dreadful, Tuesday, Sky Atlantic
Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green return for a second run of the psychological thriller that's like Once Upon a Time for sociopaths. For the uninitiated, Penny Dreadful brings some of literature’s most terrifying characters together in Victorian London, and season two opens as Vanessa Ives (Green) is barraged by disturbing occult images brought on by the mysterious Evelyn Poole (Helen McCrory). Meanwhile, Ethan Chandler (Hartnett) decides to leave London and, under pressure from The Creature (Rory Kinnear), Dr Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) works to bring Brona (Billie Piper) back to life. Plus, Sir Malcolm (Dalton) returns to London to discover that a whole new evil is haunting Vanessa.
Here's to an improvement on the first season, which was relentlessly underwhelming.
Home Fires, Sunday, UTV Ireland
Francesca Annis and Samantha Bond star in this new six-part drama following a group of women in a rural Cheshire community as the shadow of World War II casts a dark cloud over their lives.
Firefighters, Tuesday, RTÉ One
Season three of RTÉ's popular reality series opens with firefighters rushing to the scene of a major fire at a large warehouse in an industrial estate. They need to act fast before the fire spreads and destroys the entire complex.
Inside the Factory: How Our Favourite Foods Are Made, Tuesday, BBC Two
This three-part series (screened on consecutive nights) promises to reveal the wonders of the mass production process behind Britain’s favourite foods, starting with bread.
Ending this Week
Gogglebox, Friday, Channel 4
Boo! Hiss! How dare they end Gogglebox! It's amazing how entertaining this show can be. Fingers crossed the Irish version works as well, but they've got massive boots to fill.
Here are Dom and Steph Parker with Alan Carr:
Treme, Thursday, Sky Atlantic
The jazz-infused drama created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer heads for TV Heaven after four seasons and another unique voice is lost. As Colson is offered a transfer out of the Big Easy, Albert is sent home. Elsewhere, Antoine takes his sons to a Dr John gig, Nelson returns to Texas and Davis revisits his pothole which has now been decorated.
How to Cook Well with Rory O'Connell, Wednesday, RTÉ One
Roast haddock's on the menu tonight. I'll get me plate.
Slow Train Through Africa with Griff Rhys Jones, Friday, UTV
Jones heads to South Africa, where he visits a gold mine, sees the rugged beauty of Cape Point and travels on a train that has a bath on board.
The Consumer Show, Wednesday, RTÉ One
The team investigates complaints about Yourtel Ltd, a telecommunications company offering pre-selection packages for home landlines.
Second Captains Live, Wednesday, RTÉ Two
The sixth and final episode in this run sees Irish rugby legend Brian O'Driscoll join the lads in the studio.
Discovering: Rita Hayworth, Wednesday, Sky Arts 1
Leading film critics take a look at the life and career of Rita Hayworth, the American actress who became a huge star in the 1940s. Great dancer, too. Take a look at this:
Sensitive Skin, Wednesday, Sky Arts 1
Al receives disturbing news from Dr Cass, discovers that his car has been broken into, his job could be under threat and that Davina is having an affair with Greg. Here's hoping for a decent finale to this dull Canadian comedy.
Blue Bloods, Wednesday, Sky Atlantic
Season five of the reactionary New York cop drama starring Tom Selleck comes to an end. When a member of the Reagan family is shot, Danny must track down the gang member responsible, without letting his emotions get the better of him, like they usually do.
Nadia: Chasing the Dream, Saturday, TV3
In decades to come, there should be a monument erected in memory of forgotten people who were sort-of famous, sometime, somewhere, somehow. This thing has gotten way out of hand.
Drama of the week
The Enfield Haunting, Sunday, Sky Living
The hype around this three-parter has been so relentless I feel obliged to hate the show on principle. An ordinary house in 1970s' London is gripped by extraordinary events in this psychological thriller inspired by the most-documented account of poltergeist activity in British history. The hefty cast includes BAFTA nominee Timothy Spall (Mr Turner), Matthew Macfadyen (Ripper Street), Juliet Stevenson (The Village), Rosie Cavaliero (Hunderby) and TV newcomer Eleanor Worthington-Cox.
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Comedy of the week
Modern Family, Monday, Sky1
The Dunphy girls take centre stage as Haley whisks Alex off to a music festival to take her mind off college. Bickering is replaced by bonding as the eldest Dunphy introduces her stressed sibling to the delights of a Long Island Iced Tea and, inadvertently, a sleazy guy, the aptly named Weasel. Meanwhile, Phil is starting to feel his age.
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On Demand
Seinfeld, Sky Atlantic
Sit back and enjoy season three of the greatest sitcom in TV history in its hilarious entirety. This is where the legendary show really hits its stride (this season received eight Emmy nominations, winning two) as the idiosyncratic quartet take no prisoners in a stunning run. No hugging. No learning. And one unforgettable trip to Florida. Genius.
Here's a flavour of what to expect:
Documentary of the week
Lusitania: 18 Minutes that Changed the World, Thursday, RTÉ One
On May 7th 1915, just 11 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale, the passenger liner Lusitania was struck by a single torpedo from a German U-boat. 18 minutes later She was gone, with a death toll of nearly 1200. This documentary follows the last voyage of the mighty Cunard flagship through the stories of individual passengers and crew, as well as the commander of the U-20 submarine, who fired the fatal torpedo.
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Film of the Week
Some Like It Hot, Sunday, Sky Movies Drama & Romance
Quite simply the greatest comedy film ever made, but just one of director Billy Wilder's many great movies. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are the dragged-up couple of male musicians hiding out from the Mob in an all-girl group led by sultry songbird Marilyn Monroe and heading for an even sultrier Florida.
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In a two-for-one deal, I'll throw in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds, which is on More4 on Friday, as its greatness cannot be ignored.
John Byrne
