TV Times top picks for tonight
What’s on telly tonight? Here the TV Times team of expert reviewers highlight the best shows on Sunday 25th
Strike, 9.00pm, BBC1
After a successful debut last year, Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger make a welcome return as shabby detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott for another challenging two-part case, Career of Evil. When a severed leg is delivered to Strike’s office, the sleuths delve into their own traumatic pasts to discover who has a vendetta against them. After a girl’s body is found, Strike looks into cases that haunted him both as a military policeman and as a child, and Robin’s own university ordeal is brought to the fore. However, she’s also trying to juggle the harrowing inquiry with preparing for her wedding to the frankly rather annoying Matthew! Rating: ****
Call the Midwife, 8.00pm, BBC1
Pregnant Northern Irish mum Pearl (Kelly Campbell) has come to Poplar to start a new life with her family away from strife back home, but her arrival seems utterly cursed by bad luck as first tragedy strikes and then the newsagent’s shop she is running catches fire. Can the ever-plucky Phyllis save the day as she places herself in danger to go to the rescue? Meanwhile, gung-ho Valerie, to the chagrin of her prudish pal Lucille, decides to run health classes for local teenage girls to teach them the basics of what she hilariously calls "puberty, periods and pongs". But she soon clashes with one youngster’s over-protective mother and a difficult family history comes to light… Rating: *****
Hold the Sunset, 7.30pm, BBC1
It’s Edith’s (Alison Steadman) 70th birthday – the perfect opportunity for Roger (Jason Watkins) and Phil (John Cleese) to continue their rivalry, outdoing each other with presents and bouquets. While the two of them make digs at each other in Roger’s man shed, Edith’s busy chatting to her daughter, Sandra (Joanna Scanlan). It turns out her birthday visit is just a subterfuge to ask for a loan, so how will she feel when she hears about Edith’s plans to get married and sell the house? Meanwhile, Edith is horrified to discover who’s coming to her birthday party – her eccentric former cleaner Mrs Gale, played to perfection by Anne Reid. Rating: ****
More previews tomorrow
