John Byrne's essential telly for the coming week includes new Sunday night drama Tutankhamun, much-lauded American dramas Mr Robot and The Americans, and loads more.
Dates covered: Saturday October 15-Friday October 21
Pick of the week
The Americans, Sunday, RTÉ2
This is easily one of the best TV shows of the last ten years and it's a shame that this FX series doesn't get the exposure and acclaim on this side of the Atlantic that it so richly deserves.
Soaked in paranoia, this 1980s-set, Cold War drama about two seemingly average American parents who are actually Soviet spies gets increasingly claustrophobic with each season. And it's more about a dysfunctional marriage rather than espionage, which only heightens the tension.
Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are superb as the duplicitous duo, Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, and there are various sub-plots concerning American and Soviet spies, but nothing beats what's happening at home with Liz and Phil – and their kids.
Season four opens with tensions rising as Philip tells Martha, his CIA informant played by Alison Wright, the truth about Gene, the FBI's computer guy he murdered in the season three finale.
Here are ten TV shows that shouldn't be missed:
Saturday
Mr Robot, 9.05pm, TG4
This Emmy Award-winning American drama follows Elliot, played by Rami Malek, a cyber-security tech by day and vigilante hacker by night.
He's recruited by the head of a highly secret hacking group to take down the corporation he is being paid to protect with the hope of erasing 70% of all the debt in the world.
Not quite as good as the hype might have you believe, it's still a pretty good show. In this excellent pilot episode, Mr Robot, the mysterious leader of the hacker group fsociety, contacts Elliot and invites him to join their cause.
Sunday
Tutankhamun, 9.00pm, UTV Ireland
As the title indicates, this new drama is based on the story of Howard Carter's discovery of the tomb of one of Ancient Egypt’s forgotten pharaohs, the boy-king Tutankhamun.
The series opens in 1905, archaeology in Egypt is a rich man's game, the preserve of aristocrats and tycoons, and one of them is Lord Carnarvon, played by Sam Neill. In his employ is the highly-regarded Howard Carter (Max Irons).
Maggie Lewis (Catherine Steadman), a member of the New York Met Museum’s dig, sets Carter off on a trail of discoveries that convinces him that there is a royal tomb that’s forgotten by history and waiting to be discovered.
Spoiler alert: he may be correct.
The Crystal Maze SU2C Celebrity Special, 9.00pm, Channel 4
Stephen Merchant hosts a team of celebrities to this special edition of the legendary game show in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.
Rio Ferdinand captains an all-star line-up featuring Michelle Keegan, Jonnie Peacock, Sara Cox, and Josh Widdicombe. The team attempt to collect gold tokens, which will be converted to money in the hope of winning a huge cash prize for Stand Up To Cancer.
Harry Hill's Tea-Time, 6.00pm, Sky 1
For those still missing the great TV Burp, here goes. One part chat show, one part spoof cookery show, Harry Hill returns to the small screen via our stomachs.
The first guest getting a taste of Harry's tomfoolery is master baker Paul Hollywood. Pulling a Greek-themed menu from Harry’s golden sausage, Paul is challenged to create the classic dish that is a George Michael-carved doner kebab with feta cheese.
Monday
Paying for Sex: Reality Bites, 10.00pm, RTÉ2
This documentary follows two women on different sides of the sex-for-sale debate. Kate is a sex worker, while Rachel is a prostitution survivor.
Both of them campaign tirelessly on opposing sides of a newly-proposed bill that would make it a crime to pay for sex in Ireland.
Criminal Minds, 9.00pm, Sky Living
It's season 12 of the long-running procedural and this is the one where Thomas Gibson got the sack, so it's the final fling for Hodge with the BAU.
Meanwhile, a new face joins the team as CSI: Miami star Adam Rodriguez debuts as Luke Alvez, a former task force agent who replaces the departed Derek Morgan, played by Shemar Moore.
Tuesday
Ordinary Lies, 9.00pm, BBC One
Back for a second season and still based at the call centre and warehouse of sports sales company Coopers, the six-part drama introduces viewers to a new set of characters, each with their own tangled web of torrid secrets and lies.
The first episode tells the story of head of sales, Joe (Con O'Neill). Popular with his colleagues, Joe is the life and soul of the office and always the first to tell a joke. But his cheery demeanour is knocked when he is sent home early from work after an injury to find his wife Belinda (Jill Halfpenny)acting strangely.
Wednesday
HIM, 9.00pm, UTV Ireland
Created by BAFTA-winner, Paula Milne, this is a new three-part 'domestic horror story' that focuses on a 17-year-old boy known only as 'HIM' who is caught in limbo between childhood and adulthood.
With the repercussions his parents’ divorce and their consequent remarriages knocking HIM’s (Fionn Whitehead) world out of balance, he finds himself struggling with adolescence, failing in school and experiencing feelings he can't control.
Brendan O'Connor's Cutting Edge, 9.35pm, RTÉ One
Back after an initial five-episode run last May, this chat-cum-panel show sees Brendan O'Connor and three guests discuss and debate the issues of the week in news and entertainment.
Friday
Stand Up To Cancer, from 7.00pm, Channel 4
A themed night of shows, presented by Davina McCall and Adam Hills, that includes a celebrity special episode of Gogglebox (9.00pm) and a David Bowie tribute with Boy George (11.00pm).
On Demand
Black Mirror, Netflix
Moving from Channel 4 to Netflix, Charlie Brooker's quirky anthology series about modern life and the not-too-distant future hits season three. Expect techno-paranoia from the outset.
This latest run features six new stories and settings, with the various casts including the lies of Bryce Dallas Howard, Alice Eve, James Norton, Cherry Jones, Wyatt Russell, Alex Lawther, Jerome Flynn, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mackenzie Davis and Kelly McDonald.
Intriguingly, the writers include Rashida Jones, daughter of legendary record producer Quincy Jones, and former cast member of Parks and Recreation, where she played Leslie Knope's bestie, Ann Perkins.
