It's a night for dystopian dramas as The Last of Us returns for a second run while The Handmaid Tale’s back for a sixth season, there’s the tale of The Golden Toilet Heist, while Denise Van Outen’s back on the box with Secrets of Supermarket Buyers . . .
Pick of the Day
The Last of Us, 9.00pm, Sky Atlantic
Streaming on NOW
Finally, more than two years after its much-praised debut season, this dystopian drama based on the game of the same name returns.
In 2003, a parasitic fungal infection ravaged the planet, turning humans into violent, zombie-like creatures known as the Infected.
Season one of The Last of Us was set twenty years later, where hardened survivor Joel (Pedro Pascal) is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to the rebel Fireflies.
She’s immune to the virus and could be a key to finding a cure.
This latest run picks up the story five years after the events of the previous season and follows the trajectory of the sequel game.
Joel and Ellie have retreated back to the community of Jackson in Wyoming, which shows some promise at re-establishing civilisation.
But then Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up with them, drawing them into conflict with each other and a world that becomes even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.
New or Returning Shows
The Handmaid's Tale, 9.35pm, RTÉ2
There you are, waiting for the return of a dystopian drama, and then two come along together.
It’s the sixth and final season of the show originally based on the novel of the same name by Maragaret Atwood and starring the ever-splendid Elizabeth Moss.
The book’s been long left behind as the TV show’s gone off on its own tangents. Lost me a few seasons back, to be honest.
As the story resumes, June and Serena's journey takes an unexpected turn, Moira makes a bold decision and Nick deals with a powerful visitor.
The Golden Toilet Heist, 8.30pm, BBC One
The audacious theft of an 18-carat gold toilet from an exhibition at Blenheim Palace in September 2019 instantly became one of the country's most high-profile art heists.
It also occurred just two days after it went on display – so these guys wasted little time.
Reporter Clodagh Stenson reveals how the crime was carried out and explores what is likely to have happened to the conspicuous £4.8million toilet once it entered the criminal supply chain.
Presumably, it's either in the loo of some very wealthy person's gaff, or been melted down for recycling.
The fact that we recently had the plumber in is purely coincidental.
Rebuilding Notre-Dame, 9.00pm, BBC Two
On December 7, 2024, the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris reopened five years after the devastating fire that ravaged the world-famous gothic masterpiece.
Here, Lucy Worsley follows the final stages of the restoration work, focusing on the teams battling to ensure the complex roof and spire were ready for the public reopening.
The TikTok Effect, 9.00pm, BBC Three
What connects amateur sleuths turning up at crime scenes, anti-social behaviour in UK schools and French riots?
This film finds evidence they are all examples of TikTok 'frenzies'.
The BBC's disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring – can't wait to see RTÉ appoint one of those - has spent the last year investigating unusual behaviour on TikTok spilling out into the real-world and her presents her findings.
Secrets of Supermarket Buyers, 8.00pm, Channel 4
In this brand-new consumer series Denise Van Outen (below) discovers savvy shopping secrets from supermarket buyers.
They’ll include discount disruptors and premium grocers, to find out how they predict demand and what the next big trends will be.
Here she goes behind the scenes at Waitrose, from the in-store bakery to cheese, smoothies and free coffees.
The Sky at Night, 10.00pm, BBC Four
Back for its monthly look at the stars, the team explores one of the biggest recent stories in space news, the 'city killer' asteroid 2024 YR4.
George Dransfield talks about the damage this asteroid could do and why some say Earth is overdue a strike from one of this size.
Maggie Aderin-Pocock explains some of the options, from nudging it to nuking it, and George speaks to Dr Carly Howett about Nasa's Lucy Mission.
Don’t Miss
Anna Haugh's Big Irish Food Tour, 8.00pm, BBC One
This week’s episode takes a wander down the Wicklow Coast with local native and broadcaster Laura Whitmore.
Proud of her home town, Laura is keen to show Anna the great produce available along the Wicklow sea shore.
The pair visit Airfield Estate urban farm with gardening gloves at the ready as they get a lesson in growing their own vegetables.
Anna also meets a farming family who have been recognised internationally for their award-winning cheeses.
Mastermind, 7.30pm, BBC Two
Clive Myrie chairs the second semi-final of the long-running quiz, inviting four contestants back into the glare of the spotlight as they brave the black chair.
Their specialist subjects are wild cats of the world, the tragedies of Euripides, the Battle of Gettysburg and West Ham United from 1992 to the present.
Chess Masters: The Endgame, 8.00pm, BBC Two
Sue Perkins, with analysis from David Howell and Anthony Mathurin, presents the latest episode of this rather quirky contest.
The four remaining players from the second heat battle are faced with a giant projection screen, and realise an innovative challenge awaits - a memory test set by world number one chess player Magnus Carlsen.
This is followed by a team chess game - with the promise of a sting in the tail.
