There's a documentary about and a screening of horror classic The Exorcist, Martin Clunes delves into the lives of guide dogs, Bargain is the latest bonkers Korean show, while In Love and Toxic: Blue Therapy lands on E4 . . .
Pick of the Day
The Fear of God: Twenty-Five Years of The Exorcist, 9.00pm, BBC Four
In this exclusive extended version of his 1998 documentary, Mark Kermode (below) traces the extraordinary history of The Exorcist.
The hit novel by William Peter Blatty that director William Friedkin turned into a popular and controversial film that redefined the horror genre.
Kermode examines the aura of mystery that still surrounds the film, the making of which claimed several lives.
Alongside extracts and outtakes from the movie, there are interviews with Blatty, Friedkin, and actors Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair and James Ferman, then-director of the British Board of Film Classification.
Don’t Miss
The Exorcist, 10.20pm, BBC Four
William Friedkin's supernatural horror, starring Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow and Lee J Cobb, is approaching its 50th anniversary. It still stands tall.
Then 13-year-old Linda Blair stars as a girl is possessed by a formidable demonic entity that resists all efforts at freeing her from its control.
In desperation, the child's mother appeals for help from a local priest and a veteran exorcist, but succeeding in this nightmarish contest of wills threatens the lives of both men.
Cheap Irish Homes, 7.00pm, RTÉ One
Streaming on RTÉ Player
This week episode sees Maggie and Kieran meet 35-year-old primary school teacher Bernadette from county Wexford, who is searching for a new place she can call her own after moving back in with her parents.
New or Returning Shows
A Dog Called Laura, 9.00pm, UTV/ITV1
While Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs continues at 8.30pm on Virgin Media One, here Martin Clunes sets out to explore the secret lives of guide dogs.
He adopts retired guide dog Laura from Jaina Mistry and the film follows Jaina as she tries to find a replacement for Laura, visiting the Guide Dogs UK's national base in Leamington Spa.
This is a place where they can breed up to 1,500 puppies a year, while Martin meets some of the people who have the serious and challenging responsibility of getting each dog ready for that daunting role.
Guide dogs are angels in fur!
In Love and Toxic: Blue Therapy, 10.00pm, E4
You know you shouldn’t, but you must watch this.
The original series first aired on YouTube in 2021, created by Andy Amadi’s Trend Centrl, and quickly gathered a worldwide fanbase thanks to its juicy storylines as the couples sat down with therapist Denise to air out their relationship problems.
Denise is back as the resident life coach and is joined by Jo, a holistic and wellness coach from London.
They join forces to help five couples navigate the challenges in their relationships and dating experiences– while also having to referee some heated arguments.
Here's what the original looked like:
Tarrthálaithe na hÉireann, 8.00pm, TG4
Streaming on TG4 player
Ireland's mountains, seas and coastline provide an irresistible draw for holiday makers, hikers and those seeking adventure. But things can go wrong in the blink of an eye.
This brand-new series follows the brave men and women of the Irish coast guard, mountain rescue teams and community rescue boats around the island.
Since Covid the mostly voluntary rescue teams are now busy all year round. Their training, equipment and rate of call outs is of a very professional standard.
They are hugely committed people, rooted in their communities, ready to search and rescue at a minutes' notice.
New to Stream
Bargain, Paramount+
This is the second South Korean drama title coming to the streaming platform as part of a strategic partnership between Paramount and Seoul-based content powerhouse CJ ENM.
It’s an adaptation of Lee Chung-hyun’s award-winning short film of the same name from 2015 and stars Jun Jong-seo and Jin Seon-kyu.
The six-part series revolves around a group of strangers who gather at a remote motel.
After an unexpected earthquake traps them inside the building, and with no one to trust, they must find a way to survive.
Lupin, Netflix
Inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin, gentleman thief Assane Diop sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family.
Season 3 opens with Assane in hiding, learning to live apart from his wife and son.
With the suffering they endure because of him, Assane can't stand it any longer and decides to return to Paris to make them a crazy proposal: leave France and start a new life elsewhere.
But the ghosts of the past are never far away, and an unexpected return will turn his plans upside down.
Ending Today
Donal's Feasts, Fasts and Festivals, 10.15pm, RTÉ One
Streaming on RTÉ Player
Donal Skehan breaks fast with a Muslim family during Ramadan and joins a charity soup run at Dublin's GPO.
He also prepares a lavish Easter feast with the Romanian Orthodox community, and joins in the joyous atmosphere of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, as he celebrates and feasts with a Hindu family in the Temple and at home.
Movies: The Story of Terminator 2: Judgement Day, 9.00pm, Sky Arts
Streaming on NOW
For the final instalment in this series - hopefully, it will return for a second run - film critic Ian Nathan looks at the film that reshaped expectations for franchise sequels and set a new bar for special effects.
Following on from 1984’s Terminator was no mean feat, and it was down to director James Cameron to resurrect Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic role as an unstoppable killing machine.
The film controversially chose to implement a face turn on Arnold’s role, turning him from foe to friend, and utilised cutting-edge CGI visuals for the time to create an equally memorable antagonist - Robert Patrick’s terrifying liquid metal assassin, the T-1000.
