Paris Olympics opening ceremony this week's TV highlight
TV WEEK (Wednesday July 24th to Tuesday 30th)
TOP SPECIALS
Hell Jumper (BBC 2, Wednesday 24th, 9pm)
Twenty eight year old Chris Parry went to Ukraine shortly after it was invaded with the single intention of helping others. The term ‘hell jumper’ refers to those who go into the warzone to bring people out to safety - Parry helped rescue more than 400 people before being shot by Russian mercenaries.
A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder (BBC 3, Wednesday 24th, 9pm)
Emma Myers is the smart Pip Fitz-Amobi in the series based on Holly Jackson’s successful YA mystery novel which follows the 17-year-old as she investigates the murder of a high school student who was killed five years prior.
Doom Scroll: Andrew Tate and the Dark Side of the Internet (Sky Documentaries, Thursday 25th, 9pm)
Andrew Tate’s meteoric rise to infamy has provoked global uproar, but the controversial figure is also a terrifying symptom of the increasingly fractured world and the dark influence of social media platforms and how their carefully crafted algorithms are shaping our world today.
Tabloids On Trail (ITV, Thursday 25th, 9pm)
The UK phone hacking scandal exposed a murky tabloid world where stealing secrets was big business and privacy was meaningless. Prince Harry was amongst victims accusing some of Britain's biggest newspapers of tapping landlines, fitting properties with listening devices and even burglaries to order.
Elsbeth (Sky Witness, Tuesday 30th, 9pm)
Season 1, episode 1 - Pilot
In this spinoff from The Good Wife, Elsbeth Tascioni is an astute but unconventional attorney who utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD. After leaving her successful legal career in Chicago to tackle a new investigative role in New York City, Elsbeth finds herself jockeying with the toast of the NYPD, the charismatic Captain CW Wagner.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony
(RTE 2, Friday 26th, 6pm)
It’s finally here - the biggest event on the planet - and this year with Ireland’s biggest ever entry. Who will grasp the golden rings in rowing, boxing or on the track? It promises to be an epic occasion. Get ready for days of amazing feats, failures and glory.
BEST FILMS
Free Guys (RTE 2, Thursday 25th, 9.35pm)
A bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game decides to become the hero of his own story... one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way... before it is too late. Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer star.
Queen & Slim (BBC 2, Thursday 25th 11.30pm)
Slim and Queen's first date takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them over for a minor traffic violation. When the situation escalates, Slim takes the officer's gun and shoots him in self-defence. Now cop killers in the media, the pair go on the run and soon become a symbol of trauma and pain for people all across the country.
The Beach (BBC 1, Friday 26th, 11.30pm)
Adapted from the bestselling Alex Garland novel, follows Leonardo DiCaprio as a young American backpacker who arrives in Thailand with adventure on his mind. Etienne and Francoise join him on an adventure to a mystical paradise - but one which turns out to be less than perfect.
CLASSIC MOVIE
Wall Street (RTE 1, Friday 26th, 11.25pm)
Michael won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of ruthless Wall Street broker Gordon Gekko in this tale of financial chicanery and dirty dealings. It’s catchphrase - ‘greed is good’ - went viral after this.
KIDS STUFF
Sneakerhead (BBC 3, Thursday 25th, 10pm)
Loveable pushover Russell becomes the manager of Sports Depot simply because he’s been there the longest - not because he’s the right man for the job. He struggles to be taken seriously by his eccentric colleagues, all the while navigating a tumultuous relationship.
Robin and the Hoods (Sky Cinema, from Friday)
For the tenacious 11-year-old Robin and her loyal band of friends ‘The Hoods’, the patch of overgrown scrubland at the end of their cul-de-sac is a magical kingdom. But when the slippery property developer Clipboard dazzles the parents of the area with promises of health spas, the gang risk losing their kingdom forever.
ON DEMAND
The Decameron (Netflix)
‘You are cordially invited to a wine-soaked sex romp in the Italian countryside’ is the tagline for this loosely inspired short story collection which examines the all-too-timely theme of class struggles in the season of a pandemic, as a cast of misfits tries to outlast the bubonic plague pandemic in 1348 Florence.
Those About To Die (Amazon Prime)
If you need a taster for the upcoming Gladiator 2 swords and sandals epic, this series will surely hit the spot. Starring Anthony Hopkins at the head of a starry cast, this epic drama is set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told — the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport.
Skywalkers: A Love Story (Netflix)
A daring couple travels worldwide to climb the 118-story megatall skyscraper, Merdeka 118, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, attempting a bold acrobatic stunt on the spire to salvage both their career and relationship. ‘Love is in the heights’ they say, but is it too high a price?
SPORTS CENTRE
Broken Kids: The Untold Story of Young Athletes
(TG4, Thursday 25th, 9.30pm)
A timely documentary on this opening week of the Olympics follows an international investigation on the globalisation of inhumane training methods where children pay the price for our appetite for medals. They are our future gymnasts, swimmers, figure skaters, hockey, tennis or football players… yet their childhoods are sacrificed in pursuit of elite-level sports.
Up For The Match (RTE 1, Saturday 27th, 9.20pm)
Up For The Match is back, capturing all the excitement and thrill of the biggest events in the All-Ireland GAA calendar. Presenters Jacqui Hurley and Des Cahill will be live in studio and will be joined by panels of GAA heroes to get their views ahead of the finals. Marty Morrissey and Anna Geary will be live from each of the final counties to bring us a taste of the anticipation and enjoyment of All-Ireland Eve.