The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
REBUS WITH A TWIST
Rebus – Saturday, BBC1, 9.25pm
It’s not the first time Ian Rankin’s world-weary Edinburgh police detective has appeared in a TV show, but the makers of this new six-part series have taken a different approach to the character. Out go the somewhat haggard faces of Ken Stott and John Hannah to be replaced by the fresherlooking Richard Rankin – no relation to the author, by the way. He’s playing a younger version of John Rebus, who’s a lowly detective sergeant when we meet him. He’s also about to tackle a case with a personal twist when his brother, a former soldier, gets caught up in a violent struggle, leaving Rebus with a dilemma – does he ensure justice is done or turn a blind eye to protect his sibling?
The Piano – Sunday, C4, 9pm
Host of many television programmes Claudia Winkleman, singer and entertainer Mika and worldrenowned pianist Lang Lang take their search for the UK’s best amateur pianists to London’s Victoria Station, where they encounter a romantic milkman, a soulful rugby player and an operatic singer whose performance leads Lang Lang to dub him as “the new Bach”. That’s high praise indeed, but will it translate into an invitation to play at the show’s final concert? Cynics may occasionally question whether this show is more about the tear-jerking backstories than celebrating musical talent, but it remains one of the most uplifting shows on TV.
Blue Lights – Monday, BBC1, 9pm
“Coming back for series two was like coming back to meet old friends, then devising new ways to put your old friends through torture,” says co-creator and writer Declan Lawn about Blue Lights. Watching his and Adam Patterson’s work is a nailbiting, gripping experience, but if that’s how they treat their mates, then thank goodness we’re not one of them. What makes it stand out from many other police dramas is the emotional punch it packs, and there’s more of that in the final episode of the run – yes, it’s come round rather quickly, hasn’t it? Monday nights will seem dull once we find out what happens after Mount Eden descends into chaos, with Grace desperate to save Henry from Lee.
Into The Amazon With Robson Green – Tuesday, C5, 9pm
It’s the largest rainforest on Earth, home to an incredible variety of wildlife, from piranhas to sloths – and now actor and presenter Robson Green is going there, too. He begins this three-part adventure in Alter do Chao, known as the gateway to the rainforest, which has also been dubbed the Amazon’s answer to the Caribbean. However, if you think that sounds like Robson will be having a nice, relaxing time before his journey of discovery begins in earnest, you would be wrong. Instead, he’s a taking a perilous route to the very top of the tree canopy, where he’s rewarded with an incredible view that brings home just how unbelievably vast and important this ecosystem really is.
Saturday, Channel 4, 9pm, premiere
Former US army ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) proudly served his country in the 75th ranger regiment until a traumatic brain injury sidelined him from active service. Miraculously, he is granted a medical certificate for a position as a private security guard, but the application demands a personal recommendation from a commanding officer. Briggs’ superior, Jones (Luke Forbes), agrees to support the application if the veteran successfully escorts a Belgian malinois military working dog named Lulu to Arizona to attend the funeral of her handler. Dog is a mismatched buddy drama-comedy, which marks Tatum’s directorial debut alongside long-time producing partner Reid Carolin. Their shaggy dog story addresses the heavy price of patriotism for American service personnel on two and four legs.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again– Sunday, ITV1, 4.35pm
In the inevitable sequel of the hit musical movie, Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) anxiously prepares for the grand opening of Hotel Bella Donna. Thankfully, her mother’s best friends Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters) are on hand to help settle Sophie’s nerves and encourage her to look to the past for courage. Cue flashbacks to the young Donna (Lily James, in the role made famous by Meryl Streep) embarking on her lusty Mediterranean odyssey with the young Sam (Jeremy Irvine), Harry (Hugh Skinner) and Bill (Josh Dylan) via Paris. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again lays all of its Abba love on us with platform heels, tongue-in-cheek humour and joy-infused musical performances choreographed to perfection by Anthony Van Laast. The addition of Cher as Streep’s impeccably coiffed mother is a masterstroke.
Spider-Man: Far From Home – Friday, BBC1, 10.40pm
As the world attempts to get back to normal after the events of Avengers: Endgame, Peter Parker just wants to get back to being a normal teenager. So the opportunity to go on a school trip to Europe is just what he needs – especially as it might also finally give him a chance to ask classmate MJ out on a date. However, it seems it’s a case of once an Avenger, always an Avenger, and when a series of mysterious attacks start taking place, none other than Nick Fury appears, to persuade the young hero to get his spidey suit out of storage. Tom Holland stars in his second solo outing as the wall-crawling hero, with Jake Gyllenhaal, Zendaya and Samuel L Jackson co-starring in yet another enjoyable adventure.