The Big British Asian Summer
At a time when hostility towards Britain’s Asian communities is reaching intense levels, this season of programming provides a welcome corrective. It seeks to explore British-Asian culture in all its diversity, so as well as documentaries on Bollywood and at-risk men, there are standup showcases, profiles of artists and a special episode of Gardeners’ World.
All month, BBC TV and radio
On the Edge
Four’s ambitious anthology series offers up three thematically linked dramas about Britain’s criminal justice system, each written by first-time screenwriter. There’s real talent on screen, too: Cyril Nye, Alexandra Roach, and Richard Harrington all feature.
Tuesday, 10pm, Channel 4
Disenchantment
Matt Groening follows up Futurama by taking a step into the past with this medieval fantasy comedy. Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson voices Bean, a tearaway princess who gets into all manner of scrapes with her two elf and demon mates. There are Game of Thrones references aplenty, as well as some sterling voice work from Matt Berry, Eric Andre and Noel Fielding.
From Friday, Netflix
Slow Burn
After tackling Watergate in its first series – and becoming a runaway hit in the process – this Slate podcast on recent political history turns its attention to another indelible political saga: the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the subsequent impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton.
Podcast
Mama’s Angel
Four’s globetrotting drama strand Walter Presents has been digging in the crates again, and has picked out this dark psychological Israeli drama. It concerns the death of a young boy from a well-to-do suburb of Tel Aviv and the subsequent suspicion heaped upon an Ethiopian artist, a storyline that digs into political, racial and social tensions in Netanyahu-era Israel.
Sunday, 10.20pm, Channel 4
Insecure
Issa Rae’s HBO comedy returns for a third season with change in the air: with love interest Lawrence finally out of the picture, Issa is looking to get both her sex life and career back on track. What hasn’t changed is the fact that there’s nothing on TV quite like it.
Thursday, 10.45pm, Sky Atlantic
Celebrity Big Brother
Outflanked by Love Island of late, the celeb version of the veteran reality show seeks to win back the public’s affections with an “eye of the storm” theme, featuring famous folk who have been the subject of controversy. Rumoured contestants include Noel Edmonds, Kirstie Alley and (gasp!) Stormy Daniels.
From Thursday, 9pm, Channel 5
Suntan
Middle-aged Doc Kostis (Makis Papadimitriou) is working quietly on a small Greek island, when a beautiful tourist, Elli Tringou’s Anna, arrives for treatment. She capriciously allows him into her hedonistic gang, but Kostis’s fantasy of a relationship with Elli is painfully exposed in Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s unsparing portrait of a midlife crisis.
Sunday, 1.45am, C4
All or Nothing: Manchester City
Amazon’s highly acclaimed sports documentary strand has tackled American football, ice hockey and rugby union in the past; now it turns its attention to Premier League football. The focus? Runaway 2017-18 title winners City, and their visionary – if more than a little eccentric – manager Pep Guardiola.
From Friday, Amazon
Mark Gatiss on John Minton: The Lost Man of British Art
When he is not devising whodunnits for Sherlock to solve, Gatiss has created a decent sideline in smart BBC Four docs. This effort sees the League of Gentleman co-creator salute the life and work of largely forgotten painter and illustrator Minton, with contributions from Bridget Riley and Peter Blake.
Monday, 9pm, BBC Four
