TV Times top picks for tonight
What’s on telly tonight? Here the TV Times team of expert reviewers highlight the best shows on Monday 10th September
Strangers, 9pm, ITV
When lecturer Jonah discovers his wife Megan has died in a car accident while working in Hong Kong his life comes crashing down around him. Consumed by grief, he boards a long-haul flight to identify the body, thinking this might be the worst moment of his life. But Jonah (played by the ever-brilliant John Simm) doesn’t know the half of it – when he arrives in this overwhelming new city he discovers Megan had devastating secrets. Did he even know her at all? And are the circumstances around her death as straightforward as they seem? Beautifully shot and also starring Emilia Fox and Dervla Kirwan, this thrilling mystery will have you hooked. Rating: ****
Black Earth Rising, 9pm, BBC2
Turn off your phones, because this thought-provoking look at the ethics surrounding the prosecution of international war criminals will demand your full attention. Following her BAFTA-winning turn in comedy Chewing Gum, Michaela Coel more than proves she also has dramatic chops as traumatised legal investigator Kate Ashby, who was brought to the UK after being saved from the Rwandan genocide as a child. But the lives of Kate, her boss Michael (John Goodman) and her adoptive mother, lawyer Eve (Harriet Walter), are changed forever when Eve is asked to prosecute an African militia leader for war crimes. The stage is set for a taut thriller. Rating: ****
Oceans Apart, 9pm, BBC4
To mark the 250th anniversary of Captain James Cook setting sail across the Pacific, art historian Dr James Fox looks at the impact of that voyage through art. This three-part series begins in Australia with awe-inspiring and ancient rock art, some of which is over 10,000 years old. But Aboriginal culture was cruelly interrupted when Cook arrived in 1770 and declared Eastern Australia British territory. James looks at how art tells the story of an emerging country, from the dehumanising way indigenous people were portrayed, to the paintings depicting a land of opportunity and finally to the resurgence of Aboriginal art. Rating: ****
Travel Man, 8.30pm, C4
More mini-break mayhem as Richard Ayoade returns for a new run of the travelogue in which he and a celebrity friend have 48 hours to explore a city. Joining the host tonight in Zurich is Frank Skinner who, unsurprisingly, has a visit to a football museum high on his agenda. Also known for his love of art, the comedian drags Richard to the Cabaret Voltaire. The pair also pay homage to Swiss exports such as fondue and muesli. Rating: ***
More previews tomorrow.
