Today's top TV and streaming choices: Ireland v Luxembourg, Broken Arrow and Call Her Alex

Irish Independent

16 hours ago

The Gold BBC One, 9pm
Cast your mind back to February 2023 when, while we were still reeling from the final scenes of Happy Valley, the BBC launched a new — but very different — crime drama on an unsuspecting world. Entitled The Gold, it focused on the 1983 Brink's-Mat robbery, when six career criminals made off with gold bullion, diamonds and cash now worth £111million from a London warehouse facility.
The six-parter proved to be gripping stuff, but there was heaps more of the story to tell. Thankfully, the BBC's bosses knew they were on to a winner, so immediately commissioned a second series — which is about to begin.
'I am delighted that we have been given the opportunity to tell the rest of the Brink's-Mat story,' states the programme's writer and executive producer Neil Forsyth.
'It sees the consequences of the robbery and its aftermath grow only more surprising, dramatic and far-reaching, both in Britain and around the world.'
Hugh Bonneville, Charlotte Spencer, Emun Elliott, Tom Cullen and Stefanie Martini return, as does Jack Lowden as Kenneth Noye, one of the criminals involved, although he doesn't appear until the third episode.
The story picks up after the conviction of some of those involved in the handling of the stolen goods as well as the theft itself. However, the police are convinced there's more to the story, leading them to investigate international money laundering and organised crime.
Aistear an Amhráin RTÉ One, 7pm
Sinéad Ní Churnáin takes viewers back to the early 1990s to investigate the origins of the song After All by The Frank and Walters, which was introduced to a whole new generation by its use in The Young Offenders. It's a heartwarming tale told with help from frontman Paul Linehan.
Live International Football RTÉ2, 7.30pm
Heimir Hallgrímsson's Republic of Ireland get set for a friendly against Luxembourg, a nation they have only lost once to in seven previous encounters since 1936.
24 Hours in A&E Channel 4, 9pm
Tension mounts when a 92-year-old woman is rushed into Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre, having been trapped under her own car. Another nonagenarian also arrives with a dangerously low heart rate, while a little boy needs help with an unusual problem.
Broken Arrow Film4, 5.05pm
Arguably the best of James Stewart's many Western collaborations with director Anthony Mann focuses on a former US Army scout's efforts to broker peace between settlers and an Apache chief.
Call Her Alex Disney+, streaming now
Back in October 2024, just less than a month before the election, Kamala Harris went on the Call Her Daddy podcast. Her appearance on such a highly popularised new medium was meant to nail her bid for the presidency. Instead, we have Trump and Stephen Miller in the White House and lingering whimpers of 'Why didn't Kamala go on Joe Rogan instead?' Such retrospection is, unfortunately, futile at this point. So, instead, let's find out more about Alex Cooper and what it took to become the most influential female podcaster of a generation. Directed by Ry Russo-Young (Nuclear Family), this two-part docuseries follows Cooper from a shy Pennsylvania kid to a progressive sex-and-dating podcaster, evolving over six years into the CEO of a media empire. More than a success story, it's a portrait of a person creating a space where women feel heard (and their respective others in their life can glean some often-necessary pointers).
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 Orkney Assassin Prime Video, streaming now
The Orkney Isles lie 130 miles north of Aberdeen. It's a peaceful place with a strong sense of community. In June 1994, however, Bangladeshi waiter Shamsuddin Mahmood was working at the lone curry house when a masked man fatally shot him. This documentary revisits one of Scotland's most extraordinary murder cases, examining racism, loyalty, and the impact of trauma decades later.
Ocean with David Attenborough Disney+, streaming now The man who will never retire explores stunning ocean habitats, highlighting the challenges for marine-life recovery.
The Astroworld Tragedy Netflix, streaming now
On November 5, 2021, Travis Scott stepped on stage to perform at Astroworld, which ended in the deaths of 10 people. An exclusive look told from the perspective of the survivors, paramedics and staff who were at the centre of this tragedy.