The Last Kingdom
9pm, BBC2
Time for some Saxon violence. The BBC makes a move into Game of Thrones territory with this adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s historical novels, in which invading Danes rampage across ninth-century Britain. This opener is heavy on prologue, with 10-year-old hero Uhtred a bystander in the Northumbrian fracas that will shape his fate. But there’s no shortage of GoT-style realpolitik, with betrayals, decapitations, mooning Vikings and, best of all, Rutger Hauer as a perpetually self-amused blind poet. Graeme Virtue
Unforgotten
9pm, ITV
Episode three of Chris Lang’s twisting cold-case police procedural and it seems one of Woody Allen’s recurring themes – is it possible to live with having committed murder? – is bubbling to the surface. So who killed Jimmy back in the day? That’s still unclear but, as Cassie and Sunny inch closer to finding the killer’s identity, the pressure starts to tell on the potential suspects, as Lizzie’s marriage hits problems and the share price of Sir Phillip’s company tumbles in the wake of a tabloid story about his past. Jonathan Wright
My Son the Jihadi
9pm, Channel 4
It can feel tempting, when some impressionable young Briton decamps to one Islamist militia or another, to wave them off with a hearty “good riddance”. As this documentary reminds, there are some for whom it isn’t so simple. The film introduces Sally Evans, one of whose sons left their Buckinghamshire home in 2011 to join Somali fanatics al-Shabaab. Evans, horrified and bewildered, nevertheless seeks to do the best for her child, including reaching out to the equally appalled family of his underage wife. Gripping and heartbreaking. Andrew Mueller
A Very British Romance with Lucy Worsley
9pm, BBC4
The final part of Worsley’s look at love skips through the 20th century, showing how much the business of romance has changed over the years. After the first world war, women realised they might never find a husband so the roaring 20s ushered in a more hedonistic attitude. Worsley embarks on a 1930s-style dinner date, where the man chooses the food beforehand, and examines racy texts such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Her expertly told tale has a happy ending with a nod to the advent of same-sex marriage. Hannah Verdier
Drifters
9pm, E4
The Leeds-based comedy following a trio of clueless, perpetually skint twentysomethings returns for a third run. Meg comes to the not-so-logical conclusion that her ex must be gay when he declines a hookup, and rather than keep her theory to herself she’s soon spreading the news of Mark’s “coming out” to all and sundry. Elsewhere, Bunny gets into a sexually charged situation while rehearsing a play and Laura loses her patience with Gary yet again. As with E4’s Chewing Gum, essential viewing for equally maladroit millennials. Hannah J Davies
Bring the Noise
9pm, Sky1
The blurb for Bring the Noise promises a “hilariously entertaining new music and comedy show” featuring two teams of three waxing wry on pop ephemera. Basically, in the same way League of Their Own showed what happened if you photocopied the premise of They Think It’s All Over and then threw a bigger budget at it, Noise takes the well-worn Never Mind the Buzzcocks formula and adds the comic wiles of Nicole Scherzinger, Tinie Tempah and chief Kaiser Ricky Wilson. A tribute act featuring established musicians. Mark Gibbings-Jones
Russell Howard’s Good News
10pm, BBC2
This light, slight, topical comedy magazine may not have produced many enduring memories but it stubbornly refuses to go away. This is the 10th series of Russell Howard’s Good News and last year’s run saw it make a successful transfer from BBC3 to BBC2. So what is Howard’s secret? He’s a beige presence and unlikely to ever really polarise opinion. He seems equally unlikely to ever really distinguish himself, but maybe he’s just emblematic of this particular cultural moment. Phil Harrison
Film choices
Earthquake (Mark Robson, 1974) 11.35am, More4
Mega-disaster time, with a gaggle of Hollywood stars going through the motions of panic and heroics as LA collapses around them. Ava Gardner, Richard Roundtree and Geneviève Bujold hang on for dear life while Charlton Heston tries to pick up the pieces. The cinema version introduced gimmicky Sensurround, which induced a mock tremor; no need to fear that being recreated in the living room. Paul Howlett
The Lincoln Lawyer (Brad Furman, 2011) 9pm, Film4
Based on a Michael Connelly novel, this slick thriller stars Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller, known as the Lincoln lawyer because he conducts his business from the back seat of his Lincoln Continental. He is engaged to defend rich kid Ryan Phillippe who is accused of the attempted murder of a sex worker, in a tale with enough wit and snappy dialogue to balance the workaday plot. PH
Today’s best live sport
International Test Cricket: Pakistan v England Opening day of the Second Test between the sides. 6.30am, Sky Sports 2
IPC Athletics World Championships The opening day of the para-athletics event, which takes place in Doha, Qatar. 2pm, More4
Europa League Football: Anderlecht v Tottenham Hotspur Spurs take on the Belgian side in their third group game. Liverpool v Rubin Kazan follows (8pm). Molde v Celtic airs on BT Sport 2, 8pm. 6pm, BT Sport Europe
