The Serpent is one of the gems on tonight...
The second episode of BBC thriller The Serpent is on, plus Bradley Walsh is back with a new series of Beat the Chasers - complete with a fancy new studio. Here's what else you shouldn’t miss on TV tonight.
- Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include three TV shows, a film 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 Serpent, 9pm, BBC1
There’s a twisted love story at the heart of this dark series and we get a glimpse of how Marie-Andrée Leclerc’s obsession with Charles Sobhraj began in tonight’s episode. The young Canadian had been on holiday with her fiancé in India when she fell under the spell of a handsome stranger who claimed to have been a war photographer, and within months she was an accomplice to murder. It’s a tale of loneliness and insecurity, which Jenna Coleman does well to portray in a handful of scenes, but sympathy for Marie-Andrée evaporates as she slips deeper into her own delusion and becomes Sobhraj’s puppet. ★★★★ RF
Beat the Chasers, 9pm, ITV
Bradley Walsh is back with The Chase’s popular spin-off as new contestants take on the Chasers for the chance to win a huge prize. The more Chasers they face, the more money at stake. But The Beast, The Sinnerman, The Governess, The Vixen and The Dark Destroyer have upped their game – they’ve even had buzzer practice in lockdown! Look out for a futuristic new set, complete with a gladiator-style entrance tunnel that the contestants must walk through. Continues all week. ★★★★ HD
The Great, 9pm, C4
It’s not often we praise a show for leaving accuracy at the door, but this ten-part satirical take on the story of Catherine the Great (from Tony McNamara, co-writer of The Favourite) favours comedy over history and is all the better for it. Elle Fanning plays Catherine, naive bride of petulant man-child Peter III (Nicholas Hoult, on scene-stealing form), who discovers the Emperor sees her as merely a means to an heir. Then right-hand woman Marial (Phoebe Fox) helps Catherine realise she can seize power for herself… ★★★★★ SP
Best box set to watch on TV tonight
The Cry, BBC iPlayer, series one
This four-part BBC thriller, starring Victoria favourite Jenna Coleman, is a drama not to be missed. When Joanna and Alistair travel to Australia with their baby son, Noah, they are bracing themselves to fight for custody of Alistair's daughter. But soon their lives start to unravel when they face an unthinkable tragedy. However, not everything is as it seems, and soon Joanna is about to discover that the truth is far worse than she could have ever imagined.
Best film to watch on TV tonight
Dirty Dancing, C5, 2.25pm
What better way to spend a winter afternoon than watching this surprise smash hit of 1987. The classic romantic drama stars Jennifer Grey as a holidaying teen who enjoys mildly scandalous fling with a dance instructor, played by the legendary Patrick Swayze. ★★★
Live sport
- Burnley v Fulham, 12pm, Sky Sports
- Newcastle v Leicester, 2.15pm, Sky Sports
- Chelsea v Manchester City, 4.30pm Sky Sports
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss the second instalment of The Serpent - it's the BBC drama everyone is talking about.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
