Doctor Thorne
9pm, ITV
With Downton barely even cold in the ground, ITV’s new costume offering, adapted by Downton’s Julian Fellowes himself from Anthony Trollope’s novel, arrives overflowing with scandalous illegitimacy, heavy boozing and social exclusion. Tom Hollander is Doctor Thorne, living with his niece in the village of Greshamsbury, but harbouring a secret about her parentage that could derail her romance with landed gent Frank Gresham. The quality cast also includes Rebecca Front, Alison Brie and Ian McShane. Ben Arnold
The Jump: The Final
7.30pm, Channel 4
In the unlikely event that there are any competitors left unhurt, Davina McCall will gather the brave finalists to compete for the prestigious Cowbell trophy. The celebrities haven’t had it easy, with half having to abandon the snow, including gymnast Beth Tweddle, who had emergency surgery on her fractured vertebrae. Barring last-minute falls, Superman Dean Cain and Ben Cohen, who’s carried on despite having his face stitched up, are the ones to watch. Wouldn’t it be easier to go to Australia and eat some bugs? Hannah Verdier
Steve Backshall’s Extreme Mountain Challenge
8pm, BBC2
There must be times when TV crews yearn to be reassigned to the safety of Flog It, where risks rarely extend beyond an errant auctioneer’s gavel. Those on Steve Backshall’s new series are instead confronted with life-threatening rockfalls, ground-skimming biplanes and a creature so unpleasant it led to Darwin disbelieving God. That’s all before the programme’s primary premise: climbing the most forbidding (and hitherto unconquered) mountain Venezuela can offer. Mark Gibbings-Jones
The Story Of Cats
8pm, ITV
It is a question that many cat lovers must have asked themselves: just how similar is dear old Topsy or little Miss Ghostie to those great big yellow things with enormous teeth in Born Free? (And if our cats were bigger, would we even stand a chance?) Tracing the a-meowsing evolutionary journey from the savannah to the sofa, this fascinating new series explores the links between domestics and their big cat cousins; the former sharing 96% of their genes with tigers. Go on, give ’em another treat. Ali Catterall
The Night Manager
9pm, BBC1
Virtually everyone in this excellent series seems to be auditioning for a role in a forthcoming Bond movie, with Tom Hiddleston surely in line for the big prize. Tonight the suspense continues, as Pine remains at Roper’s residence under the watchful eye of Corky (Tom Hollander). With suave nonchalance, Pine is doing a solid job of intelligence gathering; the delicious pay-off for us is that the deeper he goes, the more dangerous his situation becomes. His trip for an ice-cream holds a bonus for Mrs Burr. John Robinson
Marvel’s Agents Of SHIELD
8pm, E4
“I didn’t actually know there were this many biographies of Margaret Thatcher.” One glimpse of power-bobbed Rosalind Price’s bookshelf was enough to inflame SHIELD director Phil Coulson. Now, with the Inhuman threat nominally under control, the two no-nonsense heads of rival spy agencies are canoodling over a candlelit dinner of takeaway burgers. Will things ever be the same again? Meanwhile, big bad Hydra dude Malick pushes on with his plan to open an intergalactic portal from within an English castle. Graeme Virtue
Parks And Recreation
11pm, Dave
It may be hidden away in the schedules, but Parks And Recreation remains reliably entertaining as season five continues. Tonight’s double bill begins on Halloween, with Ron being unhappy at the fuss and din produced by Diane’s children. Elsewhere, Jerry has a “fart attack”, and a lawyer looking to run for office offers Ben a job. In the second episode, Leslie is determined to bring together Ben’s divorced parents, and an emotional rollercoaster of being “happy/sad” overwhelms Chris. Jonathan Wright
FILM CHOICE
East Is East (Damien O’Donnell, 1999) 9pm, More4
O’Donnell’s version of Ayub Khan-Din’s play is a delightful comedy about an Asian family’s struggles in early-70s Salford. Om Puri is the Pakistani dad who runs a fish and chip shop with his English wife (Linda Bassett) and tries to bring up his large family in the traditional manner – arranged marriages, excruciating family gatherings et al – but the children start to rebel. It’s made with wit and warmth. Paul Howlett
American Hustle (David O Russell, 2013) 9pm, Channel 4
Based loosely on a 70s FBI operation to inveigle a conman into helping them entrap a crowd of dodgy politicians, Russell’s zany, retro caper-comedy is a brilliantly designed, hilarious artifice hosting a bunch of extraordinary characters: Christian Bale’s dodgy Irv, his highly strung wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) and the Fed “mastermind”, Bradley Cooper’s super-smug Richie. PH
The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino, 2013) 12.50am, Film4
Sorrentino’s loyal leading man Toni Servillo stars here as the 65-year-old Jep Gambardella, a hedonistic one-time writer given to haunting Rome’s fashionable parties. News of the death of a woman he once loved plunges him into a reassessment of his life. It’s an elegant, melancholic and utterly captivating portrait of elderly ennui. PH
Today’s best live sport
Davis Cup Tennis: Great Britain v Japan The final day of the World Cup fixture from Birmingham. 1pm, BBC1
Cycling: World Championships Clare Balding presents coverage of the fifth and final day. 2pm, BBC2
T20 Cricket: South Africa v Australia Prep for the T20 World Cup at the Wanderers. 12.25pm, Sky Sports 3
Premier League Football: West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United Action from the Hawthorns. 3.30pm, Sky Sports 1
