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What’s on TV (Aug 31-Sep 14): Diana’s death is just like the football
Ben Hamilton
August 31st, 2017
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This article is more than 7 years old.
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Without any football, the British media have been missing a momentous event to unite the country in grief. Until now.
On Thursday, months of salacious muck-raking climaxed as the country gathered around the idiot box to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death.
Thanks to Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, Diana: In her own words and Diana: The People’s Princess, it was time to milk the cash cow.
Just like with the footy, Denmark’s state-funded broadcasters are sharing the rights so the programs will be impossible to miss.
Will Wills venture little? Will Harry be more interesting than his brother? Will some tape enlighten us on Diana’s love of themeparks?
But in case it’s not fantastical enough, the 2013 film Diana will ensure your night ends, just like with the football, badly.
Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy
DR2: Aug 31, 18:30 & Sep 1, 23:50; TV2: Sep 3, 15:20
Diana: In her own words
TV2: Aug 31, 22:45 & Sep 3, 16:20; DR2: Sep 1, 11:55
Diana: The People’s Princess
SVT1, Sep 2, 21:30
Diana
TV2, Sep 1, 21:05
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Some things need to be seen to be believed. Catching a Killer: The Wind in the Willows Murder (DR2; Sep 14, 21:30) is the story of Britain’s most clueless murderer.
Michael Danaher tortured and killed a man to steal his first edition copy of the children’s classic and then listed it on eBay. Police later discovered a selfie taken outside the victim’s house.
Less far-fetched is The Frankenstein Chronicles (SVT2; Sep 6, 22:15), which stars Sean Bean as a 19th century London investigator of macabre cases, and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man (SVT1; Sep 1, 22:15), the comic book tale of a detective (James Nesbit) who can control his own luck.
Trying telling that to the unlucky subjects in House of Hypochondriacs (DR2; Sep 4, 20:00) or the victims of Evolution of Evil (DRK; Sep 2, 21:00).
Elsewhere, it’s a strong week for docudramas with Au Pairs in Australia (SVT1; Sep 4, 22:40), Rich Renters (DR3; Sep 1, 20:00) and Million Pound Party People (DR3; Sep 12, 20:50) leading the way; we’ve got S5 of the Voice Junior (TV2; Sep 9, 20:00) and S2 of Billions (SVT1; Sep 3, 22:15); and there’s two hours of Sofie Hagen’s standup (Zulu; Sep 1, 20:55) – on the same night Zulu should be encouraging people to go to its comedy festival!
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Family entertainment doesn’t come much better than new Netflix series Atypical (Metacritic 66), the story of an 18-year-old with functional autism negotiating the minefield that is high school dating. The crush on his shrink feels like a bum steer when it becomes so pivotal to the plot, but otherwise strong support from Jennifer Jason Leigh and relative newcomer Brigette Lundy-Paine ensure this is a fun series for the entire family to enjoy – if laughing at the bluntness of kids with autism is your kind of thing.
Staying on Netflix, send the kids to bed because if the Mexican cartel frightens you, you’ll love Ozark (67), a series that sets new standards in brutality. Jason Bateman (who also directs four of the ten episodes) is the last man standing after the cartel discovers his accountancy firm has been skimming during the laundry, and he relocates his family to Missouri to stay alive – a fate, it transpires, which is only marginally less worse than death.
Staying in thriller territory, the eight-episode miniseries Manhunt: Unabomber (71) starring Sam Worthington and Paul Bettany, based on the true-life investigation in 1996, comes recommended, as do The Sinner (71), a new anthology series starring Jessica Biel as a young mother who attacks someone on the beach, and Me Mercedes (71), an unsolved psycho killer adaptation of a Stephen King book starring Brendan Gleeson.
TOP SPORT:
The CL is back: with some good games for a change. First Barca host Juve (3+, Sep 12, 20:45), and then Liverpool welcome Sevilla (3+; Sep 13, 20:45). The return follows 2018 WC qualifiers that include England vs Slovakia (K6; Sep 4, 20:45) and Spain vs Italy (K6, Sep 2, 20:45). Elsewhere, we’ve got the Italian GP (3+,Sep 3, 12:30); the US Open (Eurosport) and La Vuelta (TV2 Sport) end on the weekend of Sep 9-10; and the NFL (3+, Sep 10, 22:15) kicks off.
TOP FILMS:
Aaron Paul hasn’t exactly been thriving since his big ‘break’. The Path is a bore, as is Smashed (DR3; Sep 6, 22:00), the story of a couple whose main connection is booze. Fathers & Daughters (DR1, Sep 8, 21:25) with Russell Crowe has its moments though. Elsewhere, Charles Dickens’ mistress is The Invisible Woman (DRK, Sep 14, 21:30), but more out in the open is The Whistleblower (DRK, Sep 1, 23:00 ) – both are recommended.
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