Satellite choice
MATINEE CRACKER The Million Pound Note, 12noon, Talking Pictures
MARK Twain’s cautionary tale is given a charming makeover, with Gregory Peck (pictured) as the man who is given a million-pound note as part of a bizarre wager — then finds that the problems it causes outweigh the benefits. (Freesat 306, Sky 343)
SONG & DANCE Stage School, 5.30pm, E4
THIS ‘structured reality’ show about life at the D&B Academy in Bromley might feel fake at times, but there are some big egos on display that provide good entertainment. Memorable members of this new, second series include Lucia and Josh.
FOOTBALL Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion, 7pm, Sky Premier League & Main Event
ARSENAL are never more than a game away from a crisis, and the ‘Arsene Wenger Out’ brigade will have a field day if the Gunners lose here, plus Kieran Gibbs should be lining up for West Brom . . .
NEW PROFILE Through The Lens Of Larkin, 7.30pm, BBC4
AS WELL as being a writer, Philip Larkin was a keen photographer. In fact, he sounds like a bit of a pest – in this thoughtful and very watchable documentary, his secretary, Betty, recalls how he’d pop up unannounced and take pictures of her at work.
EPIC STORY The Vietnam War, 9pm, BBC4
THE documentaries of Ken Burns have a particular style, blending soft music and atmospheric photography with first-hand testimony and aloof narration to create an immersive journey through history. They also tend to be very long, and this ten-part behemoth begins with a double bill.
SCI-FI PREQUEL Star Trek: Discovery, Season 1, Episode 1, Netflix
THE first Trek series since 2005 is an exciting visual feast, and stars Jason Isaacs (pictured) and Michelle Yeoh as two human captains caught in a Federation-Klingon cold war. It’s set in the universe of the TV shows rather than the films, and takes place ten years before the Sixties series. A new episode arrives every Monday.
UP CLOSE The Davina Hour, 9pm, W
THIS week’s honest discussion is about parenting, and Davina leads the charge in telling stories of mistakes – relating how she left her baby at a school – while others open up about feeling judged, and the pressure to look like you’re having a great time as a mother. ‘I do love my son now,’ says one. ‘But it took a long time.’
MODERN WORLD Heavy Rescue, 10pm, Quest
ONTARIO’S Highway 401 takes around half a million vehicles a day, so when there’s an accident, the fallout can be huge. This first of a new series opens with a terrifying 40-vehicle pile-up, and a lot of bleeped swearing over radios. Among those on the way to help is Sonny, who fled civil war in Sri Lanka to start anew in Canada!
TOP NEW MOVIE Away, 10.10pm, Sky Premiere
BLACKPOOL-SET drama following an unlikely friendship between Juno Temple’s runaway and Timothy Spall’s alcoholic. It’s all about the performances, and both actors are a joy to watch.