The Good Place
It’s a perfectly balanced combination of smart and silly and its leads boast the most effortless comic chemistry seen on TV in years. But can The Good Place maintain its standards with Eleanor, Chidi, Jason and Tahani back on Earth? And are Eleanor, Chidi, Jason, and Tahani back on Earth? All will be revealed, an episode a week, from Friday. Available from Friday, Netflix
Bodyguard
There is so much to wrap up that this final episode of Jed Mercurio’s magnificently berserk drama is 75 minutes long. Happily, Bodyguard concludes in thoroughly convincing and satisfying style. Beyond that, we’re saying nothing … Sun, 9pm, BBC One
Quincy
Earlier this year, Quincy Jones gave a series of extraordinary interviews which essentially confirmed that he had led pretty much the craziest life of any human alive. Accordingly, this Netflix biography can’t really fail; in fact, the biggest challenge might be fitting everything in. Available now, Netflix
Sick of It
After spending years as Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s performing monkey, Karl Pilkington’s ship has come in at last in the shape of this sitcom. In it, he plays “Karl”, a newly and unhappily single taxi driver. Vaguely generic sitcom farce jostles for space with much more amusing trademark Pilkington internal monologues. Thursday, 10pm, Sky1
Jonathan Pie : Back to the Studio
Tom Walker’s fulminating comedy newsreader tends to split opinion. Is he a fearless truth-teller; someone as impatient with the doctrinaire left as the amoral right? Or is he a hypocrite; happy to point out the sins of others despite having his own career launched by Putin’s propaganda channel Russia Today? His full-length show goes on to BBC Three this week. Expect fire and fury. Available from Thursday, BBC iPlayer
Pls Like
Liam Williams’s inspired comedy set in the weird world of vlogging returns for a second series. This week, it’s the Likeys, a new awards ceremony intended to promote positivity in the vlogosphere. But will these good vibes survive contact with various raging egos? Friday, 11.25pm, BBC One
The Leisure Society
Gemma Cairney hangs out with Michael Stipe in the latest episode of this engaging series which chats to musicians about their various side-projects. Stipe’s passion is photography; he was studying it at university before REM came along, and he is publishing a book of his pictures soon. Sunday, 1pm, 6 Music
Later Live: With Jools Holland
The 53rd series of this implausibly hardy musical perennial gets under way. Highlights include Ella Mai, the first UK artist to top the US R&B charts since Lisa Stansfield; and combustible, political Bristolian punks Idles. Reunited synthpoppers Soft Cell will also be adding some retro appeal. Tuesday, 10pm, BBC Two
Tale of Tales
Loosely based on a collection of 17th-century Italian tales, Gomorrah director Matteo Garrone’s astonishing fantasy is a fabulous mix of magic, sex and violence. Salma Hayek’s childless Queen of Longtrellis, Vincent Cassell’s lusty king of Strongcliff and Toby Jones’s pompous King of Highhills lead a visceral fairytale that is definitely for adults only. Wednesday, 11pm, Film4
Mystery Road
For the first time, BBC Four’s Saturday evening crime drama slot will be filled by an Australian show. Mystery Road is a baleful outback-set affair, revolving around a suspicious disappearance from a remote cattle station: could it be linked to a past injustice? Local cop Emma James (Judy Davis) soon has her hands full. Saturday, 9pm, BBC Four
