TV Picks: 14–20 September 2020

The nightmare next door.

— MONDAY 14th —

★ DES — ITV, 9PM.

Factual drama about notorious serial killer Dennis Nilsen, whose London home was found to contain drains clogged with human body parts. Starring David Tennant, Daniel Mays, Jason Watkins, Barry Ward & Ron Cook. Continues nightly until Wednesday. (1/3)

Also watch:

• Steph’s Packed Lunch — Channel 4, 12.30pm. New magazine series featuring guests, good, entertainment, lifestyle chat, and consumer stories. Hosted by Steph McGovern.
• Oceans — BBC2, 4.15pm. New wildlife series exploring the planet’s great oceans. (1/8)

Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Suggests a Cinematic Shakeup is Happening…

— TUESDAY 15th —

★ THE THIRD DAY — SKY ATLANTIC, 9PM.

New drama following the stories of a man (Jude Law) and woman (Katherine Waterston) who arrive on a mysterious island populated by strange people, at different times. Co-starring Paddy Considine, Emily Watson & Naomie Harris. (1/6)

Also watch:

• Harbour Cops — ITV, 7.30pm. New observational documentary following the Dyfed-Powys Police officers over the summer.
• Flying for Britain with David Jason — ITV, 8pm. Special where the beloved actor meets members of the RAF who preserve the historical WWII aircraft known as the ‘Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’ at RAF Coningsby.
• Britain’s Biggest Dig — BBC2, 9pm. New archaeological show, beginning with the excavation of a Georgian cemetery near Euston Station. Presented by Alice Roberts & Dr Yasmin Khan. (1/4)
• Room 104 — Sky Comedy, 9.35pm. Season 2 of the comedy anthology, this episode about three friends celebrating a birthday. (1&2/12)

— WEDNESDAY 16th —

★ AMBULANCE — BBC1, 9PM.

Series 6 of the observational documentary following the London Ambulance Service around the metropolis. (1/8)

Also watch:

• Walking Britain’s Roman Roads — Channel 5, 8pm. New series where Dan Jones explores some of the UK’s Roman Roads, beginning with the longest between the Kent coast and Shropshire. (1/6)
• Lost at Sea: My Dad’s Last Journey — Channel 4, 10pm. Documentary about a man’s adventurous father, who was the first person to row across the Pacific Ocean single-handed in 1983, but who vanished in 1996 when his boat was discovered empty.

Trailer: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ — Season 3

— THURSDAY 17th —

★ 10 WAYS TO ADD 20K TO YOUR HOME — CHANNEL 5, 9PM.

New property series where experts like Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Linda Barker, Scarlette Douglas, Laura Hamilton and Gary McCausland suggest ways everyone can add £20,000 of value to their home.

Also watch:

• Saving Lives at Sea — BBC2, 8pm. Series 5 of the observational documentary following the work of the RNLI. (1/10)
• The Real ‘Des’: The Dennis Neilsen Story — ITV, 9pm. Documentary about British serial killer Dennis Nilsen, who admitted murdering 15 men over a four-year period in the 1980s. Narrated by David Tennant.
• Motherland — BBC2, 9.30pm. Series 2 of the sitcom about middle-classs parents. Starring Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready, Lucy Punch & Philippa Dunne. (1/6)

— FRIDAY 18th —

★ FIVE GUYS A WEEK — CHANNEL 4, 10PM.

New series where five men move in with a single woman for a week, each trying to win her affections, before they’re eliminated.

Also watch:

• Secret Scotland — Channel 5, 8pm. Series 3 of the celebrity travelogue with comedian Susan Calman journeying around her native land. (1/10)

DMD in Beta Testing

— SATURDAY 19th —

★ EARTH’S TROPICAL ISLANDS — BBC2, 8PM.

New wildlife documentary series exploring the planet’s tropical islands, beginning with a look at Madagascar. Narrated by David Harewood. (1/3)

Also watch:

• Jane McDonald’s Weekends Away — Channel 5, 8pm. New series following the singer and presenter on various short trips across the UK, Europe & USA. (1/3)

— SUNDAY 20th —

★ US — BBC1, 9PM.

Adaptation of David Nicholls’ novel about a family’s trip around Europe before their son leaves for university, which soon becomes a desperate attempt to keep their marriage together. Starring Tom Hollander, Saskia Reeves, Tom Taylor, Gina Bramhill & Iain de Caestecker. (1/4)

Also watch:

• Family Fortunes — ITV, 8pm. Revival of the long-running family game show with new host Gino D’Acampo, where two competing families could win £30,000 by answering correctly on various surveys.

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