TOP OF THE BOX

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (M-Net, Channel 101, Wednesday, 19:30)

The acronym in the title of this series stands for “Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division”, a new squad of young heroes. After a mysterious, lethal explosion, the lead character Mike Peterson (J August Richards) and his team of four agents must focus on anonymous “hacktivists”, who create chaos with computers. The show’s creator, Joss Whedon, also made Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and The Avengers, and this new series offers great holiday fare.

Crazy on the Outside (SABC1, Channel 191, Today, 20:00)

This awkward situational comedy stars Tim Allen as Tommy, a man who just got out of prison after serving three years for video piracy. It’s quite formulaic but it has its moments. Almost all Tommy’s attempts to stay on the straight and narrow are undermined by his manipulative sister Viki (Sigourney Weaver), who compulsively lies to people. Suddenly, Tommy finds he has to act more like a criminal now than he ever did in prison.

The Color Purple (M-Net Movies Romance, Channel 107, Thursday, 20:15)

A major star emerged from this film based on the novel by Alice Walker. This was Whoopi Goldberg, who plays Celie, a free woman in the Southern United States who is still, in a sense, a slave — abused by a brutal husband, played by Danny Glover. The story of how Celie finds the courage to become a proud and brave woman is spectacular, but keep a box of tissues at hand.

Jane Eyre (M-Net Movies Showcase, Channel 108, Thursday, 19:45)

There have been at least 19 adaptations of Charlotte Bronte’s novel, but this new version by Japanese-American director Cary Fukunaga is tougher and more realistic than previous films. The orphaned Jane Eyre initially lives with some sour distant relatives but runs away to become a teacher. When she is asked by a wealthy landowner to take care of his daughter, all seems fine until a dark secret is exposed. The cast, including Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender (both pictured), Judi Dench and Jamie Bell, is impeccable and the styling is perfect.

Alex Cross (M-Net, Channel 101, Sunday, 20:05)

Author James Patterson wrote the bestselling series of books about detective Alex Cross. In two previous films, he was played by Morgan Freeman but now actor-director Tyler Perry (pictured) takes on the role in this crime thriller. It’s a switch from his usual raucous comedy style, which his fans will surely enjoy.