TV review: Watch of the Week - 'Gods of Tennis'
TV WEEK (Wednesday 3rd to Tuesday 9th)
TOP SPECIALS
The Football Fraudster (ITV, Wednesday 3rd, 9pm)
When his promising professional football career ends, Medi Abalimba turns to an astonishing life of crime – this film tracks what followed as the fraudster poses as an advisor to stars from the world of sport and business in order to scam his unsuspecting victims – including Love Island star Georgia Steel. Another lesson revealing how accomplished fraudsters earn their victims trust – only to betray them in devastating ways.
Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die (Sky Comedy, Friday 5th, 10.15pm)
In her record-breaking stand-up special, Nikki Glaser dives into why she doesn’t want kids, the harsh realities of aging, her sexual fantasies, and plans for her death — all in her unapologetic, and brutally honest style. Be warned though – her material often gravitates toward macabre and risqué topics that should warrant a content warning.
Ibiza Narcos: Disorganised Crime (Sky Documentaries, Sunday 7th, 9pm)
Explores how sleepy Mediterranean Island was transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals. The series charts the rise and fall of the smugglers and dealers who brought LSD, ecstasy, and cocaine, and the police attempts to stem the tide of narcotics flowing in with the clubbers.
Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland (RTÉ 1, Tuesday 9th, 12.35am)
Over twenty-five years on from a peace agreement being reached, this five-part documentary series about the Troubles combines personal accounts with archive footage to tell the stories of people and communities dealing with violence and conflict on a daily basis. The episodes run chronologically from the beginning of The Troubles in the late 1960s to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
Gods Of Tennis (RTÉ 1, Monday 8th, 10.35pm)
Neatly coinciding with Wimbledon 2024, this series delves into some of the great rivalries of the game, and the players who brought the sport to a whole other level. In 1981, crowds flocked to see two tennis superstars face off against each other in the Wimbledon men’s final. The rivalry between sex symbol Bjorn Borg and tabloid bad boy John McEnroe was the fiercest the men’s game has ever seen.
BEST FILMS
Drift (Sky Cinema, from Wednesday)
Jacqueline (Cynthia Erivo), a young refugee, lands alone and penniless on a Greek island. While gathering her strength, she begins a friendship with a tour-guide (Alia Shawkat) and together they find the resilience to forge ahead.
Anyone But You (Sky Cinema, from Friday)
In the edgy comedy, Bea and Ben look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold – until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.
Redemption Of A Rogue (RTÉ 1, Saturday 6th, 12.35am)
Aaron Monaghan plays Jimmy, a man who carries a black doctor’s bag around containing the rope he plans to hang himself with. He returns home to the fictional town of Ballylough, in the cold austere beauty of West Cavan, to seek salvation for sins committed in the past before saying goodbye.
CLASSIC MOVIE
Bridget Jones’ Baby (RTÉ 1, Friday 5th, 9.35pm)
With the fourth and final film currently in production, this taster should whet the appetite for more of Bridget’s romantic entanglements. Breaking up with Mark Darcy and being a singleton over 40 again, our gal decides to focus on her career as a top news producer – only to meet a dashing and handsome American named Jack (Patrick Dempsey). Things couldn’t be better, that is until Bridget discovers she’s pregnant.
KIDS STUFF
Kylie At The BBC (BBC 4, Friday 6th, 9pm)
A journey back in time for a selection of the best and biggest performances from the early, girl-next-door days with star makersStock Aitken Waterman to the boundary-pushing dance sounds of the 90s and beyond. Along for the ride are some of the eclectic mix of stars Kylie has collaborated with over the years, including Robbie Williams, Nick Cave and Jason Donovan.
The Imaginary (Netflix)
The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see, imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures.
ON DEMAND
The Bear (Disney+)
Carmy, Sydney, Richie return for a third season determined to make their Chicago fine dining establishment a success. But it’s a losing battle every day in the restaurant business, as Carmy pushes himself harder than ever, and demands excellence from his crew, who do their best to match his intensity. In a business where every second counts, do they have what it takes to make it to tomorrow?
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix)
Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, Foley teams up with a new partner – Joseph Gordon-Levitt – and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
My Lady Jane (Amazon Prime)
Period drama series taking an alternate version of history, where Lady Jane Grey escapes her own beheading and goes off on an adventure. Married against her will, made Queen for nine days, then put in the Tower and shortly thereafter beheaded – the series explores what might have happened if history had turned out differently.
I Am Celine Dion (Amazon Prime)
Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, this documentary gives a raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness. Serving as a love letter to her fans, this inspirational documentary highlights the music that has guided her life and showcasing the resilience of the human spirit.
SPORTS CENTRE
UEFA Euro 2024 (RTÉ 2, Friday 5th, 4.30pm & 7.30pm)
This tournament needs to ignite with a goal fest at some point, and hopefully the quarter finals will provide that opportunity. Peter Collins presents live coverage from Stuttgart of the first quarter-final, and from Hamburg of the second.