FREE TO AIR
10, 7.30pm
Razor-tongued Tom Gleeson returns to host season two of this wonderfully off-the-wall game show, ready to berate and possibly even congratulate the new contestants’ creative comedic endeavours. This season’s outstanding troupe of comedians is Wil Anderson, Anne Edmonds, her partner Lloyd Langford,
Josh Thomas and Jenny Tian; they kick off the kooky battle with a scenario involving hot chips and balloons. Will Edmonds and Langford’s relationship bring an intense rivalry or a heart-warming solidarity to proceedings? Only time will tell.
ABC TV, 8.30pm
After working together for more than a decade, the writers of this long-running forensics procedural most likely grew tired of the will-they-or-won’t-they tension between Nikki (Emilia Fox) and Jack (David Caves) and resolved to be done with it and let them fall in love. It’s a bold move that has irked some, but the general grumpiness about this 26th season should arguably be directed at the flimsy writing. In “Star Part 1”, the underbelly of social media and influencers is explored after a death at a music festival.
SBS, 7.30pm
It might sound like a cutesy title designed for a show about two wayfaring cats or even two jolly chefs, but this six-part series is a love letter to a very unique (and real) place: the archipelagos of the Channel Islands. Love Your Garden’s Alan Titchmarsh narrates this idyllic travelogue which feasts on the stunning natural beauty of the area. Rich with heritage and quirks, locals who have lived in on the islands of Jersey and Guernsey for generations share their colourful insights and knowledge. 9LIFE, 9.30pm We all have our weaknesses. For some, that’s relishing cringe-worthy TV. In this new US series, the American dream is in full swing for former Teen Mom star Cheslea Deboer. In a scenario that will fill some with optimistic warmth and simply make others shudder, the reality TV star teams up with her project manager husband Cole to renovate other people’s homes in a “South Dakota glam” style. Chelsea may have no interior or design education, but she doesn’t let that hold her back. Tune in for the couple’s first job, renovating their wedding planner’s home.
TAKEN TO TASK: Anne Edmonds, Jenny Tian, Josh Thomas, Lloyd Langford and Wil Anderson compete in 10, 9.40pm
Times are tough but this network’s support of homegrown (and adopted) stand-up comedians supplies much-needed laughs and silliness. Welshman Lloyd Langford muses about all sorts of things, with the funny and relatable theme of new parenthood taking a front-row seat. The freshly minted father engages with the audience, perfecting a conversational style as he lightly tickles subjects such as playground etiquette, the royal family and breastfeeding.
ABC TV, 9pm
Whether you’re down in the dumps or on top of the world, one thing remains certain: the realm of human emotions is fascinating and complex. In this educational and playful series, much-loved host Myf Warhurst(pictured) is untangling everything we need to know about the six core emotions. Last week’s premiere basked in everything about joy. Tonight, the pendulum swings in its opposite direction, to the intensity of anger. Warhurst discovers there’s a thin line separating its destructive power and constructive anger that sparks change.
SBS, 7.30pm
Even couch-bound viewers have probably succumbed to a case of the shivers by just witnessing the players’ harsh plight in New Zealand’s South Island this season. Their steely determination to prove their innate resilience and overcome nature in a quest to win a cool $250,000 now reaches its end. After weeks battling the wild terrain and their own inner thoughts, the winner is announced. Stay tuned for the reunion at 8.30pm.
7MATE, Sunday, 8.30pm, M (2010)
Bruce Willis (pictured), Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich team up in this tonguein-cheek action-comedy about a bunch of retired CIA operatives dragged back into action having adapted to life after espionage with varying degrees of success. Adapted from a comic book, the film’s cast strikes an admirable balance between self-consciousness and credulity, with Willis in particular finding his feet in a role that so many other films have tried without success to shape for him. The film also marks another bizarre turn for the brilliant Malkovich, who turns up as a whacky LSD casualty. The plot may become convoluted, but Red is a film full of spirit.
SBS WORLD MOVIES, Monday, 9.25pm, M (2017)
It’s goofy yet touching, but most of all uplifting fun. This vibrant rom-com about a Muslim Australian family is from director Jeffrey Walker (Lambs of God), with its standout star Osamah Sami (pictured), who plays earnest high-schooler Ali. The young man is desperate to please his Muslim cleric father (Don Hany) and family in his final year at school. When his grades don’t match their medical school aspirations, his little lies lead him astray and into an arranged marriage despite being head over heels for the local-born Dianne (Helana Sawires).
Streaming from Friday, Prime Video