There’s 100 Years of Ulysses, a housing debate on Prime Time, Anna Maxwell Martin in Hollington Drive, the return of The Righteous Gemstones, and the finale of And Just Like That . . .
Pick of the Day
100 Years of Ulysses, 10.15pm, RTÉ One
To mark the centenary of the publication of James Joyce's classic novel Ulysses, Ann Skelly narrates a documentary aiming to unlock one of most controversial books of the 20th Century.
Though Ulysses was banned initially in America and Britain, it soon came to be celebrated as a masterpiece of modernism and a revolution in literary expression.
In Ireland, Joyce was meanwhile accused of treachery for having gone to war with the Irish Catholic Church and repudiating his own people (ie: the easily-offended and achingly conformist middle class).
He was also accused of ignoring his nation's long struggle for independence from Britain which culminated in the founding of the 26-county Irish Free State in 1922 - only weeks before Ulysses was published.
Prime Time, 9.35pm, RTÉ One
Prime Time's week-long focus on housing culminates with this long-awaited debate between the Minister with responsibility for housing, Fianna Fail's Darragh O'Brien (above) and the main opposition spokesperson, Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó'Broin.
With the government's Housing for All strategy put under the spotlight, Prime Time asks will it produce the increase in accommodation that is needed and will younger buyers, in particular, have anything to purchase?
Sinn Féin's housing proposals call for a huge increase in local authority building and for rent caps and curbs. Will this produce more housing supply or just gum up the system in government-induced lethargy?
Don’t Miss
How to Be Good with Money, 8.30pm, RTÉ One
This week Eoin McGee (above) gives advice to 57-year-old Elaine Mullen, who hails from the south Dublin suburb of Crumlin.
Unfortunately, she started building her private pension on the late side and is preparing psychologically and financially for retirement.
Rio Bravo, 8.00pm, BBC Four
If you fancy getting lost in a couple of classic movies tonight, here’s a superb Western double bill to keep you entertained from 8pm until midnight.
First up is Rio Bravo, one of Howard Hawks’ finest Westerns, and a personal favourite, starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan and Angie Dickinson.
Sheriff John T Chance and his drunken deputy Dude make a courageous stand against a rancher and his hired guns, who are threatening to tear apart a peace-loving town if a murderer being held in the local jail is not released.
That’s followed at 10.15pm by The Searchers (above), director John Ford’s cinematic masterpiece and inarguably one of the greatest films ever made.
John Wayne’s back again, here as an embittered American Civil War veteran who sets out to find his niece (Natalie Wood), who has been abducted by a renegade Comanche tribe.
Fantastic!
New or Returning Shows
Hollington Drive, 9.00pm, Virgin Media One
Anna Maxwell Martin is one excellent reason for checking out this drama, though the reviews when it was on ITV weren't great.
The story focuses on the grief that tears through a picturesque suburban street when 10-year-old Alex Boyd is declared missing.
Sisters Theresa and Helen struggle to hold their lives and families together as secrets begin to surface in the wake of the tragedy.
Theresa is troubled by her own son's behaviour - is it possible that he was somehow involved in Alex's disappearance?
The Righteous Gemstones, 10.00pm, Sky Comedy
Streaming on NOW
Season two of the evangelical comedy series finds the blessed Gemstone family threatened by outsiders from both the past and present aiming to destroy their empire.
As Jesse (Danny McBride) eyes a business opportunity with an evangelical couple (special guest stars Eric Andre and Jessica Lowe) on the rise, the media cracks down on a fellow preacher.
Meanwhile, Eli (John Goodman) reconnects with a figure from his mysterious past.
Laochra Gael, 9.30pm, TG4
The definitive GAA sports series is back for a 20th season. First up, Joe Quaid.
With a famed surname, Joe was destined to wear the Limerick jersey. And indeed, he inherited the goalkeeping post from his hero, his cousin Tommy.
Joe was made a scapegoat for a notorious defeat in 1994. Despite the criticism, he more than held his own among the greatest generation of goalkeepers ever.
He has faced horrific injury and the tragic death of Tommy. But throughout it all, he has proudly carried the Quaid legacy, which has now fallen to Tommy’s son, Nickie.
Mary Beard’s Forbidden Art, 9.00pm, BBC Two
The admired classicist Mary Beard (above) explores a broad range of thought-provoking and sometimes controversial works of art that tackle unsettling subjects.
She begins by exploring ways artists have depicted somewhat taboo aspects of the human body, including scenes of sex, violence and death.
Mary meets portraitist Daphne Todd and contemporary artists Tracey Emin and Martin Creed to discuss works they've produced that feature usually private bodily acts or experiences that, for some, have seemed to go too far.
New to Stream
Murderville, Netflix
This will either be great fun or unwatchable rubbish.
Meet Senior Detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett), Homicide Division.
For Terry, every day means a new murder case and a new celebrity guest star as his partner. But here’s the catch: each episode's guest star hasn’t being given the script.
They have no idea what’s about to happen to them.
Together, the guest star and Terry Seattle will have to improvise their way through the case . . . but it will be up to each celebrity guest alone to name the killer.
The celebrity guest stars are Annie Murphy, Conan O’Brien, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch, and Sharon Stone.
Ending Today
And Just Like That . . . , 9.00pm, Sky Comedy
Streaming on Now
It’s the final episode of this Sex and the City revival, which certainly wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, as the films were awful.
Still, it was cringey to see the girls, now in their mid-50s, trying desperately hard to keep up with current trends. A zombie-like Miranda was particularly exhausting.
And don’t get me started on the annoyingly self-righteous Che Diaz, played by Sara Ramirez.
Still, Carrie's holding up quite well.
Here’s hoping for a decent finale and a lid on this. SATC was of its time and should’ve been left there.
