TV FILMS of the week

1

I, TONYA Tonight, BBC2, 10pm

As a girl, Tonya Harding (Margot

Robbie, pictured) learns to ice-skate at the behest of her domineering mother LaVona (an Oscar-winning Allison Janney). LaVona is far from impressed with Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) as a potential son-in-law but she is powerless to stop her daughter from falling under Jeff’s spell. Tonya trains hard and becomes the first US athlete to land a triple axel jump in competition but the judges refuse to give her the high marks she thinks she deserves. In stark contrast, rival Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver) is lavished with praise. As frustration grows, Tonya’s bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt (Paul Walter Hauser) and Jeff hatch a loopy plan. I, Tonya is a blackly humorous biopic, which illuminates a grubby episode in sporting history.

2

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Tomorrow, Film4, 9pm

Roll up and rock out for director Michael Gracey’s foot-stomping musical based on the life of circus impresario Phineas Taylor Barnum (played by Hugh Jackman, pictured). A crowd-pleasing rags-to-riches fairytale set to a wickedly infectious score, it also stars Michelle Williams, Zac Effron, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.

3

CRIMSON TIDE Tuesday, ITV4, 9pm

A Russian nuclear missile base falls into ultranationalist hands, and a US submarine is ordered to prepare for a pre-emptive strike. The captain clashes with his new by-the-book first mate over what course of action to take. Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington, pictured, are superb in the leading roles in Tony Scott’s tense thriller.

4

SNOWPIERCER Wednesday, Film4, 11.50pm

This dark fantasy thriller boasts an impressive cast including Chris Evans (pictured), Tilda Swinton and Jamie Bell. A failed experiment to end global warming has turned the Earth into a frozen wasteland. What’s left of humanity is confined to a high-speed train, where passengers are divided by class – but a revolution is afoot.

5

THE MARTIAN Thursday, Film4, 9pm

The six-strong crew of the Ares 3 are gathering samples on Mars when a storm hits. During the trek back to the ship, botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon, pictured) is hit by debris. Believing him to be dead, the crew blasts off, but Watney is still alive. On Earth, NASA lets Mark know the cavalry is coming – but can he last until it arrives?

6

THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB Friday, Film 4, 9pm

This thriller resuscitates Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s avenging angel Lisbeth Salander (Claire Foy, pictured). Lisbeth is hired to hack the servers of the National Security Agency (NSA) and steal an application that can access the world’s nuclear codes. But heractions attract the attention of NSA agent Edwin Needham (Lakeith Stanfield).

7

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES Saturday, Channel 4, 9pm

It’s 12 years since the ALZ-113 virus ravaged the globe. Caesar (Andy Serkis), his wife Cornelia (Judy Greer) and their sons live in exile. Colonel McCullough (Woody Harrelson) stages an assault on the apes and kills most of Caesar’s family. The grief-stricken leader orders the survivors to flee while he exacts revenge on the Colonel.