What to watch on TV and streaming today: Tracks and Trails, Eastern Promises and Welcome To Wrexham
Doireann Ní Ghlacáin meets ex-rugby player Barry Murphy of folk rock band Hermitage Green, who wants to show off the delights of his Co Limerick home during a cycle ride along the Limerick Greenway from Abbeyfeale to Rathkeale.
Alison Hammond's Big Weekend BBC One, 8.30pm New series in which the host gets to know various celebrities by spending an entire weekend with them, beginning with singer Perrie Edwards.
The Zoo RTÉ One, 8.30pm
Phantasmal poison frogs are on their way from the Amazon, and zookeeper Garth is determined to make them feel at home by creating a special eco-habitat. Plus, a garter snake and a southern white rhino require treatment from the vet team.
Mrs Harris Goes to Paris RTÉ One, 9.35pm
Lesley Manville stars in this light-hearted tale set in the 1950s. She plays a widowed cleaning lady who journeys to the French capital after setting her sights on a couture Dior dress; it's a trip that will change her life. Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson and Jason Isaacs co-star.
Eastern Promises BBC Two, 11pm
Director David Cronenberg's tough thriller stars Naomi Watts as a London midwife searching for the family of a Russian teenager who died in childbirth. Viggo Mortensen also appears as a gangster who tries to help, unwittingly introducing her to the city's underworld in the process.
Welcome To Wrexham Disney+, streaming now
It's season four, you know the score.
Overcompensating Prime Video, streaming now
Meet Benny and Carmen. He's a closeted former football legend, she's a determined outsider, as they navigate hook-ups, flavoured vodka and fake IDs on the college campus. If you're in a dystopia loop, The Assessment might be a better fit.
Two of the UK's most prolific killers are once again under the microscope due to recently unearthed police recordings.
Untold: The Liver King Netflix, streaming now
By ritualistically horsing into raw meat on social media, The Liver King created an enterprise around supplements. And he supposedly had the muscles to show it. How did he get so enormous...? Speaking of ripped physiques: in the week following WrestleMania, last night saw WWE superstars seeking retribution against past opponents and beginning new rivalries. Even Cena isn't safe.
Bad Thoughts Netflix, streaming now
If you fancy Black Mirror vibes but with bloody slapstick humour, this collection of wildly disturbing stories pushes the boundaries of decency in ways only Tom Segura could conjure. Expect tales from a country music star who mines people's misery in exchange for spoiled prawns, a tortured barista, and lots of other delightful weirdness. Speaking of which, a new volume of Love, Death and Robots landed yesterday.
A Deadly American Marriage Netflix, streaming now
The story of Jason Corbett and Molly Martens was always going to be made into a Netflix documentary. Corbett, a widower, got married in 2008 to Martens, his Tennessee au pair. They left Ireland to start over in North Carolina with his kids, Jack and Sarah. Their story took a dark turn in August 2015, when Molly and her dad, former FBI agent Thomas Martens, were in an altercation resulting in Jason's death. Molly later entered a no-contest plea, claiming self-defence, while Thomas was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in 2023. After their 2024 prison release, uncertainty remained about certain facets. Directed by Jessica Burgess and Jenny Popplewell, this documentary includes exclusive interviews providing insight into the divergent perspectives of those involved, leaving some grappling with the question of: 'Who was the real victim?' And, given Jack and Sarah's unbelievably brave contributions, the answer to that would be: the kids.
Octopus! Prime Video, streaming now
Narrated by Phoebe Fleabag Waller-Bridge, this marvellous mash-up chronicles being killed by a lover, losing yourself in Mexico, spotting a unicorn, befriending a competitive quilter, exploring our connection with aliens, and extra Tracy Morgan. This is how all nature documentaries ought to be produced from now on.
Rose International Dance Prize Marquee TV, streaming now
For those unfamiliar with Marquee TV, it's your global streaming platform for the arts. This 60-minute film, narrated by Fiona Shaw (Bad Sisters, Harry Potter, plus too many more to mention), sees internationally acclaimed choreographers compete for dance's version of the Oscars.
The Match Netflix, streaming now
If you're watching season two of The Devil's Plan and wondering why there's always a Go master in the line-up, this cut-throat drama could give you some context. For something at the other end of the spectrum entirely, Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon and a rake load of other famous people star in Nonnas.
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Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gritty thriller set in Northern Ireland branded 'mesmerising'
Crime drama enthusiasts can catch Gillian Anderson in one of her most acclaimed performances, as she takes on the role of a detective in a smash-hit Netflix series. The gripping thriller, which first graced BBC screens in 2013, features Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson alongside Jamie Dornan as serial murderer Paul Spector. Working as a Met Police officer, Stella is temporarily assigned to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to evaluate the advancement of a murder inquiry, with the serial killer remaining at large. The programme garnered glowing reviews from critics and boasts a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its debut season. The Guardian placed it as the tenth finest television programme of 2013. Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in The Fall (Image: BBC) The series in question is The Fall, which follows Stella's squad as they work relentlessly to construct a case and apprehend Paul. The psychological cat-and-mouse drama earned high acclaim from Anderson, who lauded writer Allan Cubitt. Regarding what attracted her to the series, she remarked: "How good the writing was - Allan is a talented writer. "I don't know how he manages to infuse so much of each character within the scene and the dialogue without description; it comes out in their personalities and their actions which is a hard thing for writers to do. "He just intrinsically knows how to do that so the characters are unique and individual. That was it first and foremost. "As an actor, anytime you are told something was written with you in mind it adds to your ego, but also to the enticement of it. It makes you prick up your ears." ACC Jim Burns (John Lynch) with DSI Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) (Image: Helen Sloan) Fans have been sharing their thoughts on the series, with Dina Brown posting on Google Reviews: "What a shocker of a series. Not for the faint of heart, its brutal but very well acted. "It starts out slow, but trust me stick with it, because it becomes an amazingly shocking ride. "To see Gillian Anderson in this role like this was such a detour from what we have come to know her for. My goodness her acting has matured, and she plays the part perfect. "The nemesis to her part was such a good actor that I found myself despising him as if the events were real. Fans of hardcore crime thriller will love this i think. I know I did." Wendy Bardsley also chimed in: "A mesmerising show. The characters are fascinating, even the bit players and the cliche psychiatrist, there are also well written female roles. "A lot is covered in terms of trauma, anger and what is good and evil. Lots of detail on procedures that not everyone will enjoy but I found fascinating. "It is a great crime thriller with fast and slow action and some shocking explosions of rage and violence. Brilliant cast, even the children were good." The Fall is available to stream on Netflix
Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
WATCH: Full Metal Jacket star full of praise for one particular Andrew Scott performance
The stars descended on Dublin's Convention Centre this weekend for Dublin Comic Con, and one of them was full of praise for homegrown star, Andrew Scott. Vincent D'Onofrio, who is famed for his roles in the likes of Full Metal Jacket, Law and Order Criminal Intent and Daredevil on Netflix and Disney+, took part in a Q&A hosted by sister site Geek Ireland, and delighted fans with tales from set. When the questions opened up to the floor, one fan asked the 66-year-old what recent performance had he seen that wowed him, and his answer was seeing Andrew Scott in the Netflix limited series, Ripley. Vincent D'Onofrio at Dublin Comic Con Summer Edition 2025. Pic: GMCD He said: 'What was that Netflix show about Ripley? Yeah, Andrew Scott's performance was amazing. I was totally moved by it and hated him so much. [laughs] 'I hated him for several reasons, because the character was so unlikable, but his talent is extraordinary, and I hated him for that too. Just, you know, this is a guy that's… he's the real deal. Vincent D'Onofrio at Dublin Comic Con Summer Edition 2025. Pic: GMCD 'I'm kidding, really. I just respect it so much when I know how hard it is to pull off a good performance in something. And so, when I see it from a man or a woman, I'm just so impressed.' Earlier in the panel, D'Onofrio also revealed he had seen the RTÉ series Kin, which starred his pal and Daredevil co-star Charlie Cox. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Geek Ireland (@geekireland) He asked what the Irish audiences thought of Charlie's Irish accent, with the crowd in agreement that it was good, joking that we'd definitely say otherwise if it wasn't good. The Kingpin star was a guest at Dublin Comic Con Summer Edition 2025, and was joined by the likes of Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower, Wayne's World's Tia Carrere, Aliens star Mark Rolston, Sons of Anarchy's Theo Rossi, Star Trek's John De Lancie, Marvel star Ross Marquand, Power Rangers Alyson Sullivan and Tracy Lynn Cruz, Hitman stars David Bateson and Jane Perry, and voice actress Karen Strassman.
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
My stalker was inspired by Netflix show to kidnap & chain me to wall in torture chamber… I struck dark deal to survive
When twisted Christopher Thomas was finally caught he took extreme action to conceal evidence CHILLING PLOT My stalker was inspired by Netflix show to kidnap & chain me to wall in torture chamber… I struck dark deal to survive WAKING to a creaking floorboard in her bedroom, Samantha Stites was about to reach for a small axe hidden under her bed when she was suddenly attacked. Intruder Christopher Thomas gagged her, tied her up and bundled her into a car before driving her to a bunker in a storage unit - where he kept her chained to a wall. Advertisement 14 Samantha Stites bravely shares her ordeal in a new documentary Credit: Supplied 14 Christopher Thomas spent 11 years stalking Samantha Credit: Supplied 14 Samantha with Thomas at college, where they first met as students Credit: Netflix But this horrific kidnap, in October 2022, was no random attack. Thomas had been stalking Samantha for over a decade, after becoming obsessed with her when they first met at Grand Valley State University in Michigan in 2011. And his terrifying plot to kidnap, rape and murder her was inspired by watching hit Netflix show You, which saw its deranged main character Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, torture women in a glass box hidden in the basement of his New York bookshop. Recalling the horrifying moment Thomas forced her into a custom-built soundproof bunker in a rental storage unit, Samantha said: 'He takes off my bandana, I'm in this torture chamber. Advertisement 'Holy s***, this is like a horror film. Is he going to rape me and kill me in this room? I can't fight my way out.' Samantha had to summon every ounce of strength to survive and escape. Fighting for her life, she was eventually forced to strike a dark deal - to have sex with her sick captor in return for her freedom. In a gripping three-part Disney+ documentary Samantha bravely shares her story for the first time, recounting years of fear and astonishing resilience. Advertisement Featuring never-before-seen police interview footage, CCTV surveillance from the storage unit and disturbing images and videos recovered from Thomas' phone, Stalking Samantha also includes powerful testimony from her friends and the investigators who helped bring her attacker to justice. Thomas's dark obsession took hold the moment he laid eyes on her, 11 years before the attack. Obsessed stalker faked pregnancy, swerved car into ex & bombarded him with messages in relentless campaign of harassment 14 Samantha recalls the terrifying moment she was bundled into the bunker Credit: Netflix 14 Penn Badgley plays deranged stalker and murderer Joe Goldberg in You - the show that inspired Thomas Credit: CLIFTON PRESCOD/NETFLIX Advertisement After their first meeting Samantha turned down repeated requests for dates, but he refused to take no for an answer and became increasingly persistent. Several years older than her and socially awkward, Thomas bombarded Samantha with lengthy emotionally charged messages, insisting: 'I want you to be part of my life.' He nicknamed her Jellybean and quoted passages from the Bible, suggesting their relationship was God's plan. She said: 'Every time I saw him I was more and more scared.' Advertisement Her former roommate Charissa Hayden explained: 'He was a nobody, a sad, lonely guy. She felt sorry for him and was nice to him. He took that and ran away with it.' Samantha's childhood friend Patrick Bruening added: 'He showed up with flowers at her work and I thought that was a huge red flag. "He thought he was her knight in shining armour. Not at all - he was creepy.' Every time I saw him I was more and more scared Samantha Stites Although pathetic Thomas continued to harass Samantha, she ignored him for months until she finally snapped one day when he approached her at a bus stop. Advertisement 'On the inside I was flaming mad, the angriest I've been because I thought we were past all this,' she recalled. She told Thomas: 'I've told you I don't want to see you, I don't want to speak to you, I don't want flowers, just leave me alone. 'I've told you multiple times, I've blocked you. I don't want to see you, I don't want to talk to you." She adds: 'I think he was surprised that I wasn't flattered. But he knows very clearly what my wishes are and doesn't care.' Advertisement Another friend, Robin Trierweiler, said: 'All I wanted to do was shake her and say please take care of yourself. 'It seems like she's in danger and it's frustrating to watch her downplay that. It's not a normal situation, it's a hazard.' Drastic action 14 Samantha, right, was a happy-go-lucky teenager before she met Thomas Credit: Netflix 14 Thomas caught on camera outside Samantha's home Credit: Netflix Advertisement After graduating from college, Samantha returned to her home town of Elk Rapids, a small close knit community, where she thought the ordeal was behind her. But soon Thomas turned up there too, and even applied for the same internship she was starting. 'I just feared that I would never be free of him,' she said. 'I felt scared and threatened.' When he was spotted coming out of her apartment in 2016, Samantha took drastic action and applied for a personal protection order - banning him from all contact. Advertisement Judge Norman Hayes, who granted the order for six years, recalled: 'I was really concerned. I've never seen a stalking case as severe as this. 'He was obsessed, absolutely obsessed with her. He's going to do something very severe - either rape, kill her or kidnap her. I was really concerned. I've never seen a stalking case as severe as this... He's going to do something very severe - either rape, kill her or kidnap her Judge Norman Hayes 'At the time it was the longest personal protection order I had ever granted.' With Thomas legally banned from making contact, Samantha's life gradually returned to normal. Advertisement She trained as a social worker and bought a house, but in September 2022 - as soon as the restraining order expired - she spotted Thomas lurking as she played football. 'I stopped dead in my tracks,' said Samantha. 'I worry that he's coming after me in a vengeful way wanting to hurt me for denying him all those years ago.' Thomas also joined Samantha's gym and football league, but technically he had not done anything wrong and her request for another personal protection order was denied. Gagged and bound 14 The storage unit where he intended to keep his victim for two weeks Credit: Netflix Advertisement 14 The bunker inside the storage unit where Samantha was held Credit: Netflix 14 Cuffs found by police while gathering evidence against Thomas Credit: Netflix Lying in bed in the early hours of 7 October 2022, Samantha jumped as she heard a floorboard creak. 'My heart starts racing, my mind shoots to the hatchet I kept under my mattress,' she said. Advertisement 'In a second somebody storms into my room and jumps on to me. I start screaming and I feel his hands around my throat and he begins to choke me. 'It gets tougher to breathe and I think he's going to kill me. I recognise immediately it's Christopher. In a second somebody storms into my room and jumps on to me. I start screaming and I feel his hands around my throat and he begins to choke me Samantha Stites 'I say, 'If you want to rape me just do it,' but he said, 'I just want to talk to you, not here.' 'He shoves a ball gag in my mouth, pulls out black gorilla tape, puts it around my head and hair multiple times. I feel like a prisoner.' Advertisement Thomas handcuffed and blindfolded Samantha, and bundled her into her own car, along with her dog. She added: 'Once we leave my house the likelihood of me surviving goes down drastically - this really becomes a fight for my life.' Chilling plan Once they reached the bunker Thomas revealed his chilling plan for them to spend two weeks holed up together. He gave Samantha pyjamas, told her to use a bucket as a toilet and then chained her to a wall. Advertisement Then he calmly explained that he intended to fake Samantha's death by leaving her paddle board in a nearby lake so people would assume she had drowned. She said: 'On the inside I'm freaking out - there's no way we're going to just talk for two weeks. Is he going to rape me and kill me? Will I see daylight again? 'I need to stay focused, I can't fight my way out - this guy is faster and stronger than me. 'Christopher is a psychopath, he is someone I can't use normal logic with. I try not to react with disgust. Advertisement On the inside I'm freaking out - there's no way we're going to just talk for two weeks. Is he going to rape me and kill me? Will I see daylight again? Samantha Stites 'He talks about the TV show You, about a good-looking young man who becomes obsessed with a young woman, kidnaps her and keeps her in a glass room - which he says wasn't logistically possible, he looked into it. 'In the show he ends up murdering her.' Thomas gave Samantha a football shirt with her name on the back - which he'd bought when first he asked her out 11 years earlier. Over the next 13 hours Samantha begged him to let her go, promising not to go to the police. Advertisement She said: 'I try to convince him we can be friends, and what he's done isn't a big deal. 'I said, 'As a social worker, I'm good at keeping secrets,' but he says, 'What will convince me is if you sleep with me.' 'I told him, 'I'm seeing somebody, I don't want to sleep with you,' but he said, 'That's the only way I can trust you.' 'I think this person is capable of killing me, he holds the key to my life. Advertisement 'I don't see anything sharp I could hide and stab him with, not a screwdriver I could take the locks off the door, there is no way out of this. If I say no is he going to rape me anyway? 'I say, 'You promise me if I sleep with you, you'll let me out tonight?' He looked me in the eye and shook my hand. His integrity is important to him, I was banking on that." 'Dead inside' At the time, she thought the actual rape would be over quickly. She adds: 'This guy hasn't had a girlfriend in a long time, this might be a quick endeavour. Advertisement 'But then he says, 'I masturbate 12 times a day so this might take a while.' I felt myself go dead inside. It was painful, I cried and I shook. I didn't want him to know I was disgusted and terrified. I didn't want him to get angry Samantha Stites 'I felt myself go dead inside. It was painful, I cried and I shook. I didn't want him to know I was disgusted and terrified. I didn't want him to get angry. 'He said, 'That's all I've wanted for so long, you can't imagine how long I've wanted that. You're the person I'm supposed to marry.' 'My stomach turns just thinking about that, but I said, 'I've held up my end of the bargain, you need to let me go'.' Advertisement Astonishingly, Thomas agreed and drove Samantha home. 14 Samantha in hospital following the ordeal Credit: Netflix 14 Police examine the bunker where she was held Credit: Netflix 14 Thomas is arrested after kidnapping Samantha Credit: Netflix Advertisement Within 36 hours he had been arrested, having chemically burnt the skin off his head and body in a desperate bid to conceal evidence. Cops then discovered he'd had a tracker on Samantha's car for months, and found more than $5,000 worth of receipts for tools and equipment he bought to create the lair - where he also hid rifles and a crossbow. It also emerged that he had been arrested for stalking a former colleague in 2009. Although he claimed Samantha participated in 'role play', Thomas was convicted of kidnapping, home invasion, torture, aggravated stalking and four counts of criminal sexual conduct. Advertisement He was sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison. In a call to his mother from prison, he admitted he had thought about Samantha every day for 12 years. Samantha has chosen to share her story to help other women avoid harm. "I would want other women or people in general to know how to identify those signs that somebody is potentially stalking you or is at risk of harming you in some way," she says. Advertisement "Knowing some things that you can do, places you can go to get help, and really advocating for yourself if you've got a gut feeling that something's wrong, it likely is and really pursuing that. "I felt like I did that to the best of my ability." Stalking Samantha is available on Disney+ from August 19. 14 Thomas was jailed for over 40 years Credit: Netflix
