Today's top TV and streaming choices: The Zoo, All Is True and Good Boy
Live Racing: The Oaks Virgin Media One, 1pm
The Derby meeting begins at Epsom with Ladies' Day, during which the third of this year's Classics, The Oaks, takes place.
Live International Football RTÉ2, 7pm
The Aviva Stadium hosts the first-ever match between the Republic of Ireland, who may feature Evan Ferguson, and Senegal. It's a friendly in which both managers may give fringe players a runout.
The Zoo RTÉ One, 8.30pm
Keeper Brendan Walsh discovers that Noel the bat has awakened too early from hibernation and, as a result, is in need of urgent medical care. Meanwhile, a team from America arrive to help remove two of Coby the Californian sea lion's teeth.
A Man Called Otto RTÉ One, 9.35pm
Tom Hanks heads the cast of a comedy-drama remake of a 2015 Swedish movie. He plays a grumpy widower who reluctantly becomes embroiled in the lives of his neighbours (portrayed by Mariana Treviño and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo).
All Is True BBC Two, 11.30pm
Drama written by Ben Elton and based on the final years of William Shakespeare's life. Kenneth Branagh plays the Bard, who returns after a 20-year absence to his wife and daughters following the destruction of his beloved Globe Theatre. Judi Dench and Ian McKellen co-star.
Dept. Q Netflix, streaming now
DCI Carl Morck may be an excellent investigator, but there's no hiding from the fact that he's a terrible co-worker. There's the small matter of his scathing sarcasm, which has left him without a single friend in the Edinburgh police force. Then there's the rather more serious issue of him having fatally shot a young officer and permanently injured his partner. Unsurprisingly enough, following this tragic turn of events, Morck is relegated to Department Q: a cold-case unit which was created as a publicity stunt. Although the force is thrilled to see Carl go, he soon sets about assembling a group of outcasts who are all keen to prove themselves. Yes, it does sound a bit like Slow Horses, which is quite the gauntlet for Netflix to throw. Only time will tell if it's worthy of comparison. With yer man from Leap Year (Matthew Goode) essentially playing a hybrid of Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb and Jack Lowden's River Cartwright, I wouldn't hold my breath.
A Widow's Game Netflix, streaming now
Picture it: August 2017. In a Valencia parking lot, a man is found stabbed seven times. The city's Homicide Group, led by a veteran inspector, races to solve the case, which appears to be a crime of passion. Their investigation soon takes a shocking turn, pointing to an unlikely suspect: Maje, the victim's seemingly sweet and stoic widow, married to him for less than a year.
Mission: Impossible Fest Disney+, streaming now
We can never get enough of the Mission: Impossible movies, it seems. You can now watch all the prequels to the recently released The Final Reckoning if you're so inclined.
Bono: Stories of Surrender Apple TV+, streaming now
Behold Bono's one-man stage show, exploring the personal experiences that have shaped him as a son, father, husband and activist. Oh, and as one of the planet's biggest rock stars. If Owen Wilson's signature shtick is more to your liking, The Stick lands Wednesday.
Good Boy Prime Video, streaming now
In order to combat crime in a perilous underworld, a group of former medal-winning athletes exchange the podium for police badges. In an exciting, action-packed ride, Yun Dong-ju (Park Bo-gum) and his group battle a formidable criminal syndicate. Also on Prime Video, we have season 2 of The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, courtesy of producers Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne.
The Better Sister Prime Video, streaming now
D'you know what society needs? More portrayals of women being pitted against each other. Based on Alafair Burke's novel, however, this eight-part thriller attempts to turn things. When media executive Chloe (Jessica Biel) and her estranged sister Nicky (Elizabeth Banks) are reunited after a murder, they must unravel long-buried family secrets to uncover the truth.
Criminal Code Netflix, streaming now
Season 2 of the Brazilian action series inspired by real crimes sees an elite Federal Police unit take on a ruthless gang in a high-stakes battle. For a telenovela twist, The Heart Knows follows a man who unknowingly falls for his heart donor's widow. Yep.
Power Moves with Shaquille O'Neal Netflix, streaming now
NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson were among the biggest names sporting Reebok in the '90s. Now, O'Neal is trying to revive the brand's legacy and find a rising star to rep it (his son being among the potential candidates).
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RTÉ News
7 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Fair City's Sash is in for a shock on Sunday night
Sash is shocked to find a visitor in her living room in Sunday's Fair City on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player. Ger Lynch - crime boss and Sharon's sister - is back in Carrigstown. "What the hell are you going here?!" Sash demands. Fans can watch what happens next on Sunday on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player at 8:30pm.
Irish Independent
13 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: Billy Joel Night, Poltergeist and Tyler Perry's Straw
Women Under Hitler's Flag RTÉ2, 8.15pm First in a two-part documentary examining the part played by women in Nazi Germany, revealing that some were just as brutal, if not more so, than their better-known male counterparts. Billy Joel Night BBC Two, from 8.40pm An evening dedicated to the singer-songwriter begins with archive clips in Billy Joel at the BBC. It's followed by concert footage in The 100th Live at Madison Square Garden, before the night ends with a chance to see Joel in action in the Old Grey Whistle Test, recorded in 1978. The long-running sci-fi series' future is reportedly in doubt, but that isn't going to stop showrunner Russell T Davies celebrating the 20th anniversary of its return to our screens. He discusses the programme alongside cast and crew past and present, including David Tennant and Billie Piper. The Guard RTÉ One, 9.25pm John Michael McDonagh's wonderful comedy-thriller stars Brendan Gleeson (above) as a Garda whose laidback lifestyle is disturbed by the arrival on his patch of an uptight FBI agent (Don Cheadle) who needs his help to bring down an international drugs ring. Poltergeist RTÉ2, 11.25pm Smash-hit evergreen horror focusing on a family whose move to their dream home turns into a nightmare when their young daughter is kidnapped by the property's resident ghosts. JoBeth Williams, Craig T Nelson and Heather O'Rourke head the cast. The Survivors Netflix, streaming now We're mostly used to two types of Australian viewing: soaps and super-dry (to the point of cringe) comedy. This is different. The drama follows Kieran Elliott's life after two people drown in his hometown of Evelyn Bay, Australia. To top it off, a young girl also went missing. Returning with his family 15 years later, the simmering guilt resurfaces, especially when the body of a young woman is found on the beach… K.O. Netflix, streaming now No one does visceral city grit like the French. Bastien has lived as a recluse since accidentally killing his opponent Enzo in an MMA fight three years ago. Now, Enzo's widow tracks him down as, essentially, he owes her one. Her request? Find her missing teenage son. Tyler Perry's Straw Netflix, streaming now Between this and last month's release of She the People, Mr Tyler Perry is getting himself around. This offering, however, is far more stark than May's fare. Here, one mum's day unfurls as it goes from tricky to catastrophic. Pushed to the precipice by a world that seems indifferent to her plight (until they can livestream it), she soon gets attention when she unwittingly holds up a bank.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Only in UK could we be forced to pay for BBC then have to cough up for best TV on streaming services – it's got to stop
TURN on your TV today and you'll find schedules filled with true crime thrillers and celebrity reality shows or, at the other extreme, indulgent tripe pandering to Gen Z snowflakes. But unless the Big Five channels stop making so much b****ks and grow some balls, they're going to kill British TV as we know it. 5 Blind Date, a much-loved TV format that was once on ITV but has now been snapped up by Disney+ Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 Subscription services are now making the most electrifying programmes on the planet, pictured hit White Lotus Credit: AP 5 Netflix's gritty drama Adolescence could easily have been done by Channel 4 Credit: Netflix Because BBC One and BBC Two, ITV , Channel 4 and 5 — whose listings increasingly read like a suicide note — are entering the final stages of a fight for their survival. They're up against Netflix, Sky , Prime Video and countless other corporations with deep pockets and big ambitions. Proof came this week in the unlikely form of Blind Date, a much-loved TV format that was once on ITV but has now been Only in Britain could we be forced by law to shell out for a home-grown broadcasting service, only to find the best TV shows are increasingly made by largely foreign-owned streamers Rod Yeah, that's right, Disney+. Paying through nose Years ago, the subscription services started out providing an alternative to traditional telly, then they began copying the traditional providers and, recently, they've started stealing their big-name talent — Jeremy Clarkson, Emma Willis, Amanda Holden, Holly Willoughby. Now the Blind Date deal shows that the super streamers are literally out to thrash the Big Five at their own game. The gloves have come off . . . but the increased competition won't stop us paying through the nose. Only in Britain could we be forced by law to shell out for a home-grown broadcasting service, only to find the best TV shows are increasingly made by largely foreign-owned streamers. Then — in the ultimate rip-off — we have to cough up even more money to watch them. That's the enraging situation we find ourselves in in the year 2025. Although there are some notable exceptions on the BBC , ITV and Channel 4, the consensus is that subscription services are now making the most electrifying programmes on the planet. Brassic Bids Farewell: Michelle Keegan's Final Series Think about it. Dramas including Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, Rivals, The White Lotus, Slow Horses. And consider the shows that have given us the biggest laughs over the past few years — hits like Last One Laughing, None of the above was delivered by the traditional Big Five terrestrials. So, why can't the channels we already pay for make more of the TV that gets us excited? The obvious response from the top UK channels would be that they are still giving us blockbusters — Strictly, I'm A Celebrity , Bake Off, The Traitors, Love Island and dramas like Happy Valley or Mr Bates Vs The Post Office . 5 Last One Laughing, on Amazon Prime Video, has been giving us more laughs than anything on the traditional Big Five terrestrials Credit: Supplied 5 Why can't the channels we already pay for make more of the TV that gets us excited like Brassic? Credit: Sky UK Limited. They are all, to be fair, brilliant. But so much of it is old now. It's predictable. And the new hits are few and far between. Though the streamers obviously have pots of cash to spend, it's not just a money problem either. Look no further than the recent co-production between Disney+ and the BBC on Doctor Who. It's easy to understand why other shows that are laden with CGI and big Hollywood stars end up on the streamers, but why is it that comedies like Ted Lasso never seem to pop up on ITV? Rod It was, by most people's standards, an unmitigated disaster. The studio giant pumped millions into cutting-edge special effects, sets that dazzled rather than wobbled and genuinely monstrous monsters. And what did the BBC do? They squandered it by turning a sci-fi classic into a series of woke lectures that had viewers turning off in droves. Now the Disney+ deal is hanging in the balance and they're having to bring back David Tennant. It's easy to understand why other shows that are laden with CGI and big Hollywood stars end up on the streamers, but why is it that comedies like Ted Lasso never seem to pop up on ITV? ITV, by the way, recently spent millions launching The Genius Game, with And the one thing I thought while watching the brilliant, gritty drama Adolescence was, this could easily have been done by Channel 4. Neither Adolescence nor Ted Lasso would have cost that much to produce, surely? It's not Star Wars or Bridgerton. Pure extortion Part of the problem, it seems, is that a lot of creatives and execs now don't just chase the money — they also chase trends and credibility. At last month's TV Baftas, around a third of the nominations went to streamers — a figure that's been growing rapidly over the past decade. That, too, could reach a tipping point in a couple of years. The solution is glaringly obvious, but not easy. If Disney+ steal Blind Date, come up with the next Blind Date. If they lose Clarkson to Prime Video, find the next Jeremy. If Netflix do Bridgerton, come up with another twist on the period drama. They need to stop the rot in terrestrial telly, because one day a cluster of these streamers will start offering a one-price-buys-all subscription deal that will make the licence fee look like pure extortion. Then public service broadcasting's days really will be numbered.
