John Byrne’s TV choices for the week ahead (Dates covered: Saturday May 23-Friday May 29)
Dubliner Eoin Macken stars in new US drama The Night Shift, there's a reality show about six new Irish emigrant in Vancouver, while the latest CSI franchise comes to Ireland.
Pick of the week
The Night Shift, Thursday, RTÉ2
Dubliner Eoin Macken has done his career prospects in the US a huge amount of good since he landed the lead role in this medical drama, which has already been running for two seasons in the States and has been renewed for a third.
The night shift at San Antonio Memorial Hospital is when all the toughest and craziest cases come through the door. That’s especially true of Dr. TC Callahan (Macken), a brilliant, battle-hardened Afghanistan vet who’s seen more than his share of challenging medical emergencies and whose ex-girlfriend, Dr Jordan Alexander, is now in charge of the night shift. So while TC and Ragosa’s disagreement over a baby who needs dialysis places Jordan in the hot seat, she finds an ally in psychiatrist Dr Landry de la Cruz.
In the pilot episode, as TC is introducing a crop of new interns to the night shift’s rooftop clubhouse, an incoming patient’s gunshot wound sends everyone to the ER where Jordan’s expertise with trauma cases is put on full display. After arguing over treating uninsured and indigent patients, TC decks Ragosa before jumping on board a helicopter en route to a car accident that has trapped a teenager and separated his skull from his spinal column.
Sounds lively at least.
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Star of the week
Carole King: A MusiCares Tribute, Saturday, Sky Arts 1
New York born singer-songwriter Carole King, who has written or co-written some of the 20th Century's greatest songs, was honoured as the 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year in recognition of her extraordinary creative accomplishments as well as her significant charitable work over the years. The show, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel at the Los Angeles Convention Center, features major artists from across multiple genres, including Steven Tyler, Pink, Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys, all of whom honour Carole King by performing covers of some of her best-known songs, such as You've Got a Friend and Beautiful.
Here's a flavour, as Pink sings So Far Away:
Starting this week
Exiles, Thursday, RTÉ2
This is a reality show about six new Irish emigrants and their adventures in Vancouver, Canada. In the opening episode fashion stylist Sean McConnon has a secured a meeting with a top agent and heads to his first interview. Dylan Townsend meets actor Michael Coleman, star of ABC’s Once Upon a Time, and asks for advice. India Dawson goes for an interview in a local bar for a job and gets some tips on keeping the reputation of Irish in Canada clean. Sounds appalling – but that can be a good thing, right?
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Kitchen Hero, Donal's Irish Feast, Tuesday, RTÉ One
Back for a second season, In Donegal's Rathmulen House Donal Skehan makes Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters, Beer Batter Fish Tacos and Carrot & Courgette Cake.
CSI: Cyber, Tuesday, RTÉ2
Patricia Arquette stars in this latest CSI spin-off as Special Agent Avery Ryan, who heads the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI, a unit at the forefront of solving illegal activities that start in the mind, live online, and play out in the real world. She also knows first-hand how today's technology allows people to hide in the shadows of the Internet and commit serious crimes of global proportion. While other agents search for criminals in dark homes and alleys, Ryan searches the dark net, a place deep in the bowels of the Web where criminals are anonymous, money is untraceable and where everything is for sale with just a keystroke.
The Walking Dead, Tuesday, RTÉ2
It's season five of the zombie drama starring Andrew Lincoln. Rick and the group are still trapped in the train car, awaiting their grim fate at the hands of the inhabitants of the Terminus.
Glee, Thursday, Sky 1
This swansong outing of the cheesy teen drama sees New Directions’ original star Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) return home from the Big Apple following her humiliating failure as a TV actress.
Ending this Week
The Late Late Show, Friday, RTÉ One
Yep, one of the first signs of summer is the departure of The Late Late Show. No doubt Ryan Tubridy will bow out with a bit of a bang, so viewers can expect a pretty tasty line-up as the show takes a break until next September.
Marvel's Agents of Shield, Sunday, RTÉ2
S.H.I.E.L.D. puts everything on the line to survive a war that blurs the line between friend and foe. Coulson and his team will be forced to make shocking sacrifices that will leave their relationships and their world changed forever.
The Blacklist, Friday, Sky Living
As this bonkers conspiracy thriller reaches its season two finale, many questions remain unanswered. But while Liz continues to piece together the details of her convoluted history, danger is close by. Liz realises that she is being framed by The Cabal and is forced to rely on Red's connections to prove her innocence. Meanwhile, as Cooper hears some shocking news, Ressler, Samar and Aram must decide which members of the task force they can trust with their lives.
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Arthur & George, Sunday, UTV Ireland
Martin Clunes stars as the adaptation of Julian Barnes' novel about a real-life murder case that Sherlock Holmes' creator Arthur Conan Doyle got involved in at the dawn of the 20th Century.
NCIS: Los Angeles, Sunday, Sky 1
Season six concludes with a wham-bam trip to Moscow, where the team assume multiple identities to locate their suspects. Meanwhile, Callen digs up new information on his father.
Stalker, Monday, Sky Living
Following Beth’s kidnap, Ben’s shooting, Perry’s death and a series of violent and heart-pounding stalking cases, the debut season of Kevin Williamson’s hugely disappointing drama reaches its conclusion.
The Night Bus, Monday, Channel 4
It's the third and final stop on this observational series that takes a variety of journeys in the company of London's night bus travellers.
Grey’s Anatomy, Wednesday, Sky Living
The eleventh season of the long-running medical drama concludes with another unforgettable finale. As the doctors continue to tackle an unfathomable crisis, they are reminded of what is important and brought closer together.
Claire Byrne Live, Monday, RTÉ One
It's the end of the road for Claire Byrne's first season presenting this current affairs chat show, and no doubt the repercussions of last Friday's referenda will feature.
1992, Tuesday, Sky Arts 1
The stylish Italian drama draws to a close and the sprawling network of political corruption within Italy is set to be exposed.
Drama of the week
The Following, Saturday, Sky Atlantic
Kevin Bacon concludes his time as serial killer-hunting FBI man Ryan Hardy with a feature-length finale of this bonkers-but-fun drama that's overflowed with corpses. As the FBI’s hunt for calculating killer Theo continues, the stakes get higher for everyone involved. As suspicions rise, alliances are shaken and no one is safe. Will Ryan Hardy make the ultimate sacrifice?
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Justified, Saturday, TG4
It's the last-ever episode of this brilliant hillbilly drama. With Raylan in custody and Boyd on the run, Markham presses Ava to reveal where she’s hidden his stolen millions.
Comedy of the week
Sun Trap, Wednesday, BBC One
BBC comedies have had a pretty dire time of it in recent years, so here's wishing all the best to the latest effort, which is being described as Minder meets Magnum. Woody (Kayvan Novak) is a master of disguise and he's the world’s number one undercover reporter. But when his corrupt editor blows his cover, he’s forced on the run. The only problem is that charming motormouth Woody has trouble staying out of the spotlight.
With nowhere else to turn, Woody escapes to find his former mentor Brutus (Bradley Walsh), an expat now running a bar on a sunny Spanish island. Initially less than thrilled to see his trouble-making pal, Brutus soon realizes he can profit by putting Woody to work on a series of investigations.
In this week's opener, Melody (Emma Pierson), the beautiful wife of pension’s fraudster Donald Hammer (Alan Williams), approaches Brutus to help her find her husband's hidden millions. Brutus enlists Woody's help, but there's a catch: the only living being who knows where the money is hidden is Teflon, Don’s talking parrot - and Teflon's been kidnapped. Can Woody’s mastery of disguise help him unmask the bird-napper before it's too late?
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On Demand
Chicago Fire, Sky Living, Thursday
This is a hugely enjoyable, if undemanding drama about firefighters and stars Jesse Spencer and Taylor Kinney – aka Mr Lady Gaga. There are a couple of arcs at work here, but it's basically a rock-solid episodic, ensemble piece that is uncomplicated, mainstream American TV at its best. As addictive as chocolate.
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Documentary of the week
Born Naughty? Thursday, Channel 4
One in 20 British children aged between five and 16 have serious behavioural issues, ranging from refusing to eat or do what they are told, to swearing, hitting and breaking things. Here, family GP Dr Dawn Harper (Embarrassing Bodies) and consultant paediatrician Dr Ravi Jayaram help children with behavioural problems, as well as their long-suffering parents, who often have to wait years for a definitive diagnosis and appropriate help. I'm getting a headache just thinking about this!
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Film of the Week
Blue Jasmine, Wednesday, Sky Movies Drama
Easily the best Woody Allen film of his most recent period, this delightful drama tells the story of a rich Manhattan socialite (an Oscar-winning performance from Cate Blanchett) who falls on hard times and has to move in to her sister's apartment in San Francisco. Alec Baldwin stars as her duplicitous husband. Blue Jasmine has been compared to the similarly-themed A Streetcar Named Desire, but it's a truly memorable film in its own right, made even better by Blanchett.
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