Coronation Street (Friday 7.30pm, ITV1)
There’s a definite sense that Corrie is treading water at the moment. It’s probably down to the summer malaise that hits TV, but there’s no sense of momentum or building storylines. The most interesting to do down the cobbles at the moment is Tony’s sabre rattling in the direction of stretching his property empire across the Street, with Kevin Webster likely to be caught in the crossfire. On the whole, a bit meh, but as always with Corrie, brilliance is never far away.
Celebrity Masterchef (Friday 8.30pm, BBC1)
The biggest shock from this week’s return of the best show on television, like ever, was that Sean Wilson, formerly Coronation Street’s Martin Platt, is a renowned actor. I would imagine that’s down his local. The problem with Celebrity Masterchef is that John and Gregg just aren’t as rude to the celebs as they are to Joe Public, which is one of the delights of the format. Still, it’s as entertaining as ever and tonight is the first quarter final where it’s likely Andi Peters will cry, Claire off of Steps will smile a lot (I like her), Louis Emerick (he was in Brookie you know) will let us know how competitive he is and…. And forgive me, but I’ve lost interest in the fella who was apparently in The Bill. Great entertainment as always.
Criminal Justice (Friday 9pm, BBC1)
This final episode of Peter Moffat’s gripping drama is likely to be as tense as a bowl of pasta put in front of John Torode. We’re approaching the end of the trial as Ben awaits his fate, but will his barrister be able to uncover some new and vital evidence that will change the direction of the trial? A brilliant piece of work, but as Scott pointed out earlier this week, why did it have to come and go like a summer cloud across one week of the schedules?
Doctor Who (Saturday 6.40pm, BBC1)
Oh thank God for that. This clapped out load of sci-fi nonsense finally limps to the end of the series. Frankly I couldn’t care less, I don’t know what people see in this rubbish, it never ceases to amaze me how… Ah, who am I kidding? I’ve been a gibbering wreck all week waiting to find out if we’re about to get a new Doctor, just what has happened to Rose’s teeth and just where on Earth is K9. This is going to be a nail biting 65 minutes, so take the phone off the hook, pour the pinot and crack open the crisps. It’s the TV event of the year.
Last Choir Standing (Saturday 7.45pm, BBC1)
A new spin on the talent show format of recent years as Myleene Klaas and Nick Knowles lead the search for Britain’s best choir. This has the potential to be very good indeed and the talent on display - there’s every kind of choir that you can think of here - is likely to be a cut above what we’ve been used to in the past. The judges are Russell Watson, Suzi Digby and Holby City’s Sharon D Clarke. Read our First Look preview.
The NHS: a Difficult Beginning (Saturday 8.30pm, BBC2)
On the 60th anniversary of the start of the NHS, this documentary is well worth looking at, chronicling the Herculean task of health minister Nye Bevan in revolutionising the way we receive medical treatment in the UK.
George Gently (Sunday 8pm, BBC1)
Martin Shaw provides an oasis of pleasure in the desert-like schedules as he returns as Northumberland detective George Gently following last year’s enjoyable pilot. It’s 1964, and Gently and sidekick DS Bacchus (Lee Ingleby, brilliant as ever) investigate a murder that draws them into a plot involving gunrunning and the IRA. It’s gentle (geddit) in that sleepy Foyle’s War kind of way (Shaw has the look of Michael Kitchen in this), but no less enjoyable for it.
Midsomer Murders (Sunday 8pm, ITV1)
As a relatively new kid on the crime block gets down to business on BBC1, a venerable old prizefighter is still going strong on ITV with the return of Inspector Barnaby for four new investigations in Midsomer Murders. Cully Barnaby is getting hitched, but as ever in the life a village policeman, dad Tom is soon called away when the maid of honour at another wedding is stabbed to death.
Dexter (Sunday 10pm, FX)
The Square Eyes Sunday crime theme continues with the second season of Dexter on FX. Serial-killer good guy Dexter is having difficulty offing bad guys at the beginning of this new series as he’s been tailed by his increasingly suspicious colleague Doakes. It’s brilliantly done, with Michael C Hall carrying off the trick of playing a murdering psychopath who is utterly likeable and charming. Great stuff.
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