Chernobyl
Jared Harris, Emily Watson and Stellan Skarsgård star in this clammily well-realised account of one of the Soviet Union’s darkest episodes: the 1986 explosion of the No 4 reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear facility. It’s a sordid saga of cover-ups and blame-passing, but heroes do emerge, from the firefighters to the doomed workers in the plant itself.
Tuesday 7 May, 9pm, Sky Atlantic
Line of Duty
Mother of God! A frantic, feature-length episode to round off another series of Jed Mercurio’s forensic cop drama. Expect an extensive grilling of Ted Hastings as Anna Maxwell Martin continues her breakout turn as chief inquisitor DSC Carmichael.
Sunday 5 May, 9pm, BBC One
Sneaky Pete
Now in its third season, this drama is proving to be a bit of a long con, with Giovanni Ribisi’s hangdog hustler showing few signs of giving up his wicked ways. But might he be growing attached to the family of the patriarch he’s impersonating? Margo Martindale (The Americans) also stars.
From Friday 10 May, Amazon Prime Video
Storyville: Brexit – Behind Closed Doors
After Laura Kuenssberg’s recent doc provided a behind-closed-doors look at the chaos it has wrought on our political system, here’s a glimpse at how this Brexit business has been received on the other side of the channel. This two-part edition of Storyville follows EU lawmakers including Guy Verhofstadt as they react to our continuing national shambles.
Wednesday 8 May, 9pm, BBC Four
The Society
Pitched somewhere between Lord of the Flies and Dazed and Confused, this latest attempt by Netflix to corner the yoof market is a creepy drama that sees a group of teens transported to a facsimile of the posh New England town they call home. The twist? There’s no sign of any adults. Class war and general lawlessness inevitably follow.
From Friday 10 May, Netflix
Taskmaster
Dave’s reliably daffy gameshow returns with Greg Davies doling out another lot of preposterous challenges (“conceal yourself in a phone box” is a particularly cruel one here). Alex Horne is, as ever, on assistance duties while guests include Iain Stirling and Lou Sanders.
Wednesday 8 May, 9pm, Dave
The Survivalist
In a deceptively verdant post-apocalyptic land, Martin McCann’s nameless hermit ekes out a meagre existence, protected only by shotgun and bear trap. The arrival of a mother (Olwen Fouéré) and daughter (Mia Goth) offering sex in return for food and shelter sets up a complex triangle of menace and suspicion in Stephen Fingleton’s brutal, unsettling debut.
Wednesday 8 May, 10.50pm, Film4
On Second Thought: The Trevor Noah Podcast
Noah steps out from behind the Daily Show desk for a slightly more serious series that aims to provide challenging takes on subjects you might have assumed you knew everything about. The catch? It’s on Luminary, a new podcast subscription service you’ll have to pay for.
Luminary
Wine Country
Amy Poehler gets the Filofax out for her film directorial debut, which features her former SNL co-stars Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph and – naturally – Tina Fey, as well as Jason Schwartzman and Cherry Jones. The premise is more than a little Bridesmaids-y, as a group of longtime friends descend on the Napa Valley for a 50th birthday blowout. Sold!
From Friday 10 May, Netflix
Red Table Talk
While recommending a TV series broadcast via the medium of Facebook remains an odd proposition, this tongue-in-cheek talkshow, now in its second series, is worth logging in for. It sees Jada Pinkett Smith, assisted by mum Adrienne and daughter Willow, invite a series of A-listers into their Malibu home to discuss travails big and small.
Monday 6 May, Facebook
