Ghosts ‐ Friday, BBC One, 8:30pm
All hats off to the original Horrible Histories team for creating such a rare treat: a family‐friendly sitcom that’s neither bland nor compromised or condescending. It’s funny, daft, clever and sweet, an obvious labour of love. The latest series begins with Alison and Mike anxiously welcoming their first guests to the manor house B&B they’ve been working on for all this time. Hopefully the well‐meaning spectral inhabitants won’t get in the way. As always, the writers seamlessly blend their driving narrative with nicely‐rounded subplots and some great fleeting gags. My favourite line this week: snooty Lady Button reveals that she once met The Elephant Man. What was he like? “Rather boring, couldn’t see the fuss.”
Mastermind ‐ Monday, BBC Two, 7:30pm
In 1972, Mastermind introduced a hitherto unthinkable solemnity to the TV quiz arena. The darkened set, the black leather chair, Magnus Magnusson rattling out questions on a wide variety of subjects, none of which would ever be touched upon by populist contemporaries such as Monkhouse and Forsyth: it was the intense no‐frills quiz to end ‘em all. So no wonder it celebrating its 50th anniversary. A world without Mastermind is no world at all. In round one, smooth incumbent host Clive Myrie welcomes contestants whose specialist subjects include hardboiled detective novelist Raymond Chandler, influential Spanish artist Francisco de Goya, Team GB’s performance at the 2020 Olympics, and Peaky Blinders (the latter contestant comes dressed for the occasion).
Cunk On Earth ‐ Monday, BBC Two, 10pm
The bewildered cultural commentator Philomena Cunk started out as a recurring character in Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe. Since then, she’s been span off into various solo vehicles. This one, a parody of self‐consciously epic BBC documentaries, invites that age old question: how do you mock something we automatically roll our eyes at anyway? An awestruck presenter standing atop a mountain while synthetic orchestral music swells is one of the most clichéd pieces of TV grammar. Making fun of it has become a cliché in itself. Diane Morgan, who plays Cunk, is brilliant. She’s a naturally funny performer with a deadpan gift for subtle improvisation, but the scripted material she’s working with only raises an occasional smile.
Sensationalists: The Bad Girls and Boys of British Art ‐ Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Sensation, the controversial contemporary art exhibition which put that entire generation of provocative Young British Artists ‐ Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin et al ‐ on the map. This vivid three‐part series places it all in context. Those punk‐inspired provocateurs, who went out of their way to overturn the elitist art establishment, were the disenfranchised children of Thatcher’s Britain. Episode one unfolds across a canvas of art schools, squats and job centres. It was a political movement, initially at least. Later episodes will presumably examine the ways in which it eventually bolstered the Cool Britannia myth, but episode one captures the anger and desperation of a creative generation with nothing to lose.
Doc Martin ‐ Wednesday, STV, 9pm
The Doc’s valedictory tour of duty continues with an episode in which Ben Miller returns to the show for the first time since series one way back in 2004. He plays Stewart, a local park ranger in a state of some distress. Stewart is beside himself with worry about an upcoming survival course he’s agreed to commandeer. If it doesn’t go well, he might lose his job. In an effort to help him out, surgery receptionist Morwenna encourages two series regulars to take part ‐ with, of course, amusing consequences. Meanwhile, Louisa, Doc Martin’s eminently sensible and sympathetic wife, agrees to speak at a local school assembly. Alas, complications ensue when several pupils are stricken with a rash.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK ‐ Thursday, BBC Three, 9pm
As the latest series of this fabulous celebration of fabulousness kicks off, extra‐special guest judge Joanna Lumley joins the panel alongside Graham Norton and Michelle Visage. But the real stars of the show are, as always, our latest cavalcade of contestants, most of whom would appear to be potential winners. After all, no one competing in Drag Race ever turns up looking like they’ve made a fatal error of judgement. It’s a landmark series in that one of the contestants, Dakota, is the first trans woman to participate in this particular version of RuPaul’s global phenomenon. She represents her community with humility, pride and a considerable amount of pizazz. As usual, everyone involved is utterly lovely. An uplifting endeavour.
John & Joe Bishop: Life After Deaf ‐ Thursday, STV, 9pm
Joe Bishop, the son of comedian and actor John Bishop, has an autoimmune condition causing progressive deafness. In this intimate documentary, Joe and John find out more about what it means to be part of the deaf community. John sets himself a challenge: he will perform an entirely signed stand‐up set for a deaf audience. The bill also includes established deaf comedians. John, a self‐evidently nice and empathetic man, doesn’t make it all about him. Far from it, he and Joe are united in their desire to educate people while throwing a spotlight on talented performers who might not otherwise receive mainstream exposure. Life After Deaf is followed at 10:45pm by a recording of the concert itself.
