On TV tonight, a new thriller begins on BBC One, The Control Room, while crime drama Murder in Provence arrives on ITV. Paul Hollywood continues his tasty travels in Paul Hollywood Eats Mexico on C4 and the final season of Better Things begins on BBC Two. Finally, putting a bit of bite into a Sunday night is Sharkfest on National Geographic Wild. Here’s what you shouldn’t miss on TV tonight.
- Our hand selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include five TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set
- Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis
- For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide
What's on TV tonight
Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight...
Best TV shows on TV tonight
The Control Room, 9pm, BBC One
The life of ambulance-handler Gabe (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’s Iain De Caestecker) is blown apart after he answers a disturbing emergency call from a woman who knows him. Gabe tells the police that he has no clue who she is, but, of course, he’s lying… Tonight’s strong opener accelerates into an action-packed cat-and-mouse thriller with more twists than a novelty Line of Duty corkscrew in a hurricane. Joanna Vanderham stars as Sam, the mystery caller with an intangible hold over Gabe, while Sharon Rooney plays DI Breck, who we fear will have a mountain of paperwork before the credits roll… Showing over three evenings until Tuesday.
★★★★ ER
Murder in Provence, 8pm, ITV
Endeavour’s Roger Allam and Father Brown’s Nancy Carroll prove a perfect crime-solving partnership in this glorious adaptation (shown earlier on BritBox) of ML Longworth’s novels about dapper French investigative judge Antoine Verlaque and his intuitive girlfriend, criminal psychologist Marine Bonnet. The pair investigate a range of twisty crimes in the balmy climes of the South of France, beginning with the murder of a university professor, which takes them into dark and surprising territory. With an intriguing whodunnit, fun banter between the leads and some stunning backdrops, this is a perfect summery treat!
★★★★ CC
Paul Hollywood Eats Mexico, 9pm, C4
After eating his way around Mexico City last week, Paul starts his road trip around the rest of the country tonight. He begins in Baja California, meeting Michelin-starred chef Drew Deckman at his restaurant where he cooks everything on wood fired ovens outside. Paul loves his ribeye steak so much he declares his love for Drew! Next is the bustling border town of Tijuana where he meets up with a local chef passionate about street food. He also learns more about the divisive wall between Mexico and America and attends a quinceañera, a birthday party for a 15-year-old girl, bringing a huge cake and some very dodgy singing.
★★★ JL
Better Things, season 5, BBC Two
Pamela Adlon is back for a final season as Sam, the actor juggling work, family and relationships. Receiving great reviews from across the pond where it was released earlier this year, the fifth season sees Sam struggling for money and questioning how low she is prepared to go with her acting jobs when money is such an issue? Her three girls are all growing up fast and facing their own challenges, while her elderly mum Phil, played by the brilliant Celia Imrie, is just as demanding as the children. If this quietly brilliant drama has passed you by then all five seasons are streaming on iPlayer from today.
★★★★ JL
Sharkfest, 8pm, National Geographic Wild
Nat Geo marks the 10th year of what has become a cult TV phenomenon: its week of shark-themed programmes. Starting proceedings is series eight of When Sharks Attack, which focuses on underwater encounters in LA, before Shark Attack Files (9pm) asks why men are attacked more than women. A highlight later in the week is Baby Sharks (Tuesday, 8pm) – not the singalong but a look at why parents don’t stay with their young.
★★★ NT
Best box set to watch on TV tonight
Superman & Lois, season 2, BBC iPlayer
The first series of this action-packed drama ended with the Kent family trying to get their heads around John’s daughter Natalie (Tayler Buck) arriving from another dimension and thinking Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) is her mum. She isn't, sadly, in this dimension anyway, but it adds an interesting dynamic between the two characters as season 2 drops in full on iPlayer. As always, what we love best about this series is how it combines real-life family drama with huge action sequences and end of the world jeopardy – and there’s plenty of both in the new season. As teenage twins Jonathan and Jordan have girl trouble, Lois is struggling to reconcile some dark feelings from her past and Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) is flying around the globe stopping disasters in their tracks, whilst also trying to be a good dad and husband. There’s also a new threat introduced in the shape of Lieutenant Anderson (Ian Bohen), who reveals his not-so-cunning plan to make more Supermen, which is just never going to end well!
Best film to watch on TV tonight
Blade Runner 2049, 10.30pm, BBC One
In the hands of director Denis Villeneuve, this sequel to one of the most influential sci-fi films ever made matches – and may even surpass – the original (available on Prime Video). It’s set 30 years after the first film, and now the replicant hunting down rogue versions of itself is K (Ryan Gosling). He becomes involved in a labyrinthine mystery after discovering bones from a female replicant. It requires full attention to maintain a firm grip on all the threads, but the reward is a simply astonishing piece of work.
Live Sport
- Golf: The Open, 11am, Sky Sports Main Event/NOW
- Athletics: World Championships, 1.50pm, BBC One
- Women's Euro 2022, Switzerland vs Netherlands, 4.20pm (k-o 5pm), BBC Two
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss The Control Room on TV tonight — a thrilling new drama full of secrets and lies.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
