What’s on telly tonight? Our pick of the best shows on Thursday 12th April including Law and Order (which featured EastEnders actor Derek Martin)

What’s on telly tonight? Our pick of the best shows on Thursday 12th April including Law and Order (which featured EastEnders actor Derek Martin)

TV Times picks of the day

What’s on telly tonight? Here the TV Times team of expert reviewers highlight the best shows on Thursday 12th April

Law and Order, 10pm, BBC4

In 1978 the country was rocked by a TV show depicting bent coppers, corrupt solicitors and a legal system run to suit itself. It caused an outcry, but once the dust settled, work started on the Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984, which regulated police powers. Now, 40 years later, BBC4 is showing all four parts. Leading the first episode is Derek Martin as DI Fred Pyall, who viewers will recognise as EastEnders’ Charlie Slater. Rating: ****

Living with the Brainy Bunch, 8pm, BBC2

How much of what happens at school is linked to the home environment? Could a radical change in family life turn a tricky teen into a dream pupil? That’s the premise behind this one-off documentary, which takes two under-achieving 15-year-olds, who will be taking their GCSE exams in nine months, and places them in the homes of straight-A students. For six weeks, disillusioned Hollie will move in with head girl Holly, and Jack, who has had over 100 detentions, will live with multi-lingual Tharush, who recently moved to the UK from Italy. Will the strict family routines help focus the pair or frustrate all concerned? Rating: ****

Urban Myths, 9pm, Sky Arts

There’s a welcome return for the quirky series of one-off comedies that put a slightly fantastical spin on key events in the lives of famous faces. First up, a wonderful episode set in the Golden Age of Hollywood sees Gemma Arterton on sensational form as Marilyn Monroe, who’s having a tough time delivering a line on the set of her legendary movie Some Like It Hot. Director Billy Wilder (James Purefoy) finds that his patience is wearing thin as his fragile star messes up take after take, but what can he do to ensure that she finally delivers? The rest of the colourful series will air weekly but all episodes are available on demand after the first has gone out. Rating: ****

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.


Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 


David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.


Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!