Collision (Friday 9pm, ITV1/ITV HD)
Tricky slot for a drama, Friday at 9pm on ITV1, but with the momentum that Collision has built up over the last four nights, the finale of this decent piece of telly should do okay. Averaging around 6 million viewers across the week, Collision’s performance will have done ITV’s 9pm average the world of good, and leaves the way open for more dramas stripped across the week. Have we seen the future of drama on TV?
The Armstrong and Miller Show (Friday 9.30pm, BBC1)
The boys keep up the high quality level that has been typical of this series, with hapless historian Dennis Lincoln-Park becoming a firm favourite. It might be the same gag week in, week out, but that’s the absolute beauty of it. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face at the end of the week.
Merlin (Saturday 6.05pm, BBC1)
Blah blah, summat about magic, blah blah guest-star Emilia Fox, blah blah Arthur and Merlin go on a quest, blah blah blah, all great fun, blah blah blah.
Casualty (Saturday 8.40pm, BBC1)
If all else fails (and it’s a bizarrely thin schedule tonight for this time of year) there’s always Casualty. The perennial medical drama is always worth looking at every now and then, just to make sure it’s still there. Look out for a guest-turn from Russ Abbott.
The Thick of It (Saturday 10.10pm, BBC2)
Tonight’s instalment of officially the best comedy on television (according to me, so there) sees the return of Roger Allam’s Tory MP Peter Mannion, last seen in the fantastic specials a couple of years ago. It’s a testament to the writing team that Mannion is a likable if fairly impotent character - it would have been easy to portray the Tory as slavering, smug blaggards. It’s as sharp as ever, with Mannion’s team attempting to capitalise on problems in Nicola Murray’s private life. And of course, in the thick of it, there’s Malcolm. There’s always Malcolm.
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars (Sunday 7pm, BBC1/BBC HD)
Well, this is it, the beginning of the end for David Tennant as one of the very best Doctor Whos we’ve been graced with in the show’s rich history. And it a corker, a scary, tense piece set on Mars research station Bowie Base One. There’s something in the water, and the human crew on the base are being transformed into terrifying zombies. It looks incredible, and the story really takes Doctor Who to its scariest best - mums and dads might want to be on hand to reassure the little ones that it’s all going to be okay. Breathtaking television, guest- starring the majestic Lindsay Duncan. Doctor Who Confidential follows at 8pm on BBC2.
Top Gear (Sunday 9pm, BBC2/BBC HD)
More of the same from Messrs Clarkson, Hammond, May and The Stig to take us up to Christmas. Cars may feature somewhere along the way.
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here (Sunday 9pm, ITV1)
It’s that time of year when a “celebrity” competes to be crowned King/Queen of the Jungle and have that fleeting moment when they think their pitiful career has been saved. Followed by the crushing disappointment about a month later when the chat show appearances have dried up and a turn on Loose Women is about all you can look forward to. Ratings will be huge, as ever, but really, I’m not sure I can be bothered any more.
Miranda (Sunday 10pm, BBC2)
Repeat of the first episode of Miranda Hart’s delightful new sit-com. We love it, so you should too!
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