10 TV Moments Not To Miss This Week

The most essential viewing of the week. Promise.

10. Liz McDonald returns to Corrie.

ITV

Weatherfield’s favourite slutty matriarch returns to take her rightful place as landlady of the Rovers’ Return. “Skirt no bigger than a belt, too much eyeliner, and roots as dark as her soul,” as the late, great Blanche put it. It’s a big week elsewhere for Corrie, as the Platts’ mountain of secrets comes tumbling down, and the Hayley story reaches whole new levels of sad.

Monday 14 October, 7.30pm, ITV.

9. The Peaky Blinders finale.

BBC

The impressive tale of gangsters in post-WW1 Birmingham has been one of the unmissable series of the autumn, and tonight everything comes to a head. Cillian Murphy’s kingpin Tommy Shelby prepares to oust Billy Kimber, but secrets threaten to tear the mob family apart. Meanwhile, Campbell (Sam Neill) unleashes one final plan to destroy the Peaky Blinders forever. Second series, please.

Thursday 17 October, 9pm, BBC Two.

8. Glee’s tragic goodbye.

Sky

The producers of Glee were left in a near-impossible position as to how to proceed following the sudden death of its star Cory Monteith. The decision to kill off his character of Finn and have the characters grieve along with the cast met some controversy, but word from the States is that The Quarterback came off as a tasteful tribute. As much a public tribute as an episode of storyline, this difficult episode gives fans a chance to say their own goodbye.

Friday 18 October, 8pm, Sky1.

7. The X Factor Love and Heartbreak week.

ITV

You said you weren’t going to get sucked in this year. You caught a glimpse out of curiosity last week. And you should have known better, but now it’s too late. You’re in with X Factor for another year and you may as well just try to enjoy yourself. This week the remaining 11 tackle the theme of Love And Heartbreak, which handily doubles up as “most of the songs.” Robin Thicke and Katy Perry perform on the Sunday show.

Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 October, 8pm, ITV.

6. The Bridge is remade as The Tunnel.

Sky

The Scandi-crime thriller about a body being found on the exact border of Sweden and Denmark went down as one of the most acclaimed of the genre. Now Sky have remade it, relocating the action to the Anglo-French border in the middle of the channel tunnel. Stephen Dillane and Cléménce Poesy put in powerhouse performances as the laid back English detective and his uptight French counterpart. Classy and chilling.

Wednesday 16 October, 9pm. Sky Atlantic.

5. Game Of Thrones meet Sarah Millican.

BBC

It’s a geek collision as three of the stars of Westeros guest on The Sarah Millican Television Programme. John Bradley, Finn Jones and Kristian Nairn turn up to dissect the fantasy genre with comedy’s most loveable. Also popping in is Dr Christian Jessen to talk about all manner of unfortunate bodily issues. Awkwardness ensues.

Tuesday 15 October, 9pm, BBC Two.

4. Veep returns.

google.co.uk

The brilliant Armando Ianucci teaming up with the brilliant Julia Louis-Dreyfuss was never going to end badly. But this satire on US politics turned out to be easily the match of The Thick Of It. The second series is even better. As it finally arrives in the UK, we pick up Vice President Selina Meyer in the thick of a disastrous midterm election, but real power looks like it could finally be within her grasp. What could possibly go wrong?

Wednesday October, Sky Atlantic, 10.35pm.

3. Hollyoaks' 18th birthday bloodbath.

Lime Pictures

It’s autumn stunt week as the UK’s most mental soap comes of age. Crazy Claire is out of jail and out for revenge, and Creepy Will looks like he’s about to kill again. Then, obviously, Sinead steals what she thinks is a bag of money from evil gangster Trevor, and takes it straight into Ste and Doug’s leaving party. It’s already been confirmed that five characters will die in this explosive week.

Weeknights, 6.30pm, Channel 4.

2. Man Down is the next great Channel 4 sitcom.

Channel 4

After making his name in The Inbetweeners, Greg Davies is cornering the comedy market in bad educators. But his latest role, of hapless drama teacher Dan, is less psychotic. Davies wrote his new series based on his own wilderness years in the school system, and it makes you fear for our children as he lurches from one disaster to another. Definitely worth going with, not least for Rik Mayall’s outstanding turn as his sociopathic Dad.

Friday 18 October, 9pm, Channel 4.

1. The Stephen Fry documentary everybody needs to see.

BBC

Part of the reason Fry has been so vocal against Russia’s new anti-gay laws were his experiences making this documentary about homophobia around the world. The broadcaster was so shaken he attempted suicide. Things certainly get heavy in Stephen Fry: Out There; he meets a Ugandan victim of “corrective rape”, but there is breadth: Neil Patrick Harris reveals his surprise at the “indifference” toward his coming out in Hollywood.

Monday 14 and Wednesday 16 October, 9pm, BBC2.