With so many amazing TV shows across so many different platforms, it can be hard to figure out which TV shows you want to watch during your precious down-time.
Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Here are our picks for what you should be watching on TV in the next week.
Back In Very Small Business – Comedy
Wednesday, 9pm, ABC
Businessman Don has plugged-in daughter Sam on call.
The fact that Back In Very Small Business comes from Wayne Hope and Robyn Butler’s Gristmill production house is a big tick for me already. This is the team behind The Librarians, Upper Middle Bogan and this series’ hilarious prequel Very Small Business.
Thankfully, this eight-part series doesn’t disappoint. It’s fast, funny and very 2018.
Don Angel (Wayne Hope) runs his small-business empire, ably assisted by his social-media-savvy daughter Sam (Molly Daniels.) His dour sidekick Ray Leonard (Kim Gyngell) is his reluctant business partner. Don helms five companies and employs a diverse staff to generate the dollars he’s so keen to chase. In this premiere, Don is desperate to arrive at the Small Business Awards in a flash new Range Rover, but is reluctant – and unable – to pay full price. A frantic hustle for sales across the businesses ensues.
The whipcrack dialogue and sight gags – especially the unintentionally NSFW logo for Don’s Dirty Dog Wash franchise – had me laughing out loud.
The fact that Robyn Niven, Jane Harber and Marg Downey also appear means I’ll be back for more. As Molly would post, this is #mustseeTV.
Neighbours – Drama
Weeknights, 6:30pm, Eleven
They might be years apart, but love takes over for Leo and Terese!
Love is in the air in Neighbours this week.
And we’re not talking about Aaron and David’s amazing wedding.
The tension between Leo (Tim Kano) and Terese (Rebekah Elmaloglou) becomes too much to bear and the pair finally give into their feelings for each other.
When Leo first developed a crush on his father’s love interest, Terese, we never thought it would go so far.
But Terese has realised her own feelings for Leo. She knows it’s wrong and tries to put some space between them, but it seems no amount can quash their attraction.
As friends and family celebrate at Aaron (Matt Wilson) and David’s (Takaya Honda) wedding reception, Leo is nowhere to be seen. The young businessman is preoccupied with his own romantic bliss – between the sheets with Terese!
Their red-hot liaison is every bit the scandal we relish from the iconic Aussie soap. We’re not sure who loves it more – them or us.
But when he finally appears at the reception, Leo is racked with guilt as he watches Paul (Stefan Dennis) give a glowing speech about his two sons.
This love affair could go from sweet to sour faster than an apple falls from a tree.
The Tale – Drama
Tuesday, 9.30pm (AEST), Showcase
Laura Dern stars in The Tale.
The role of Jennifer Fox in The Tale demanded an actress with deep reserves of empathy and insight.
Who better for the job than Laura Dern, fresh from her knockout performance as Renata Klein in Big Little Lies?
Laura will stun you with the emotional depth she brings to Jennifer in this HBO special.
Be warned, this can be heavy going for a viewer – to see her examine the “relationship” she had with a coach (played with chilling effect by Jason Ritter) when she was just 13 years old.
Imagine the pressure on Laura to bring authenticity to the role given that the film is written, and directed, by Jennifer and based on events in her own life?
The story unfolds after Jennifer’s mother (Ellen Burstyn) discovers an essay her teenage daughter wrote after spending a summer with coach Bill and equestrian expert Mrs G (played by Australian Elizabeth Debicki).
The Tale is difficult to watch because Dern does such an incredible job of uncovering a long-suppressed truth.
Take Me Out – Game Show
Monday and Tuesday, 7.30pm, Channel Seven
Joel Creasey hosts Take Me Out.
Dating shows are a guilty pleasure. But in a sea of roses (The Bachelor Australia) and raunchy islands (Love Island Australia), Take Me Out might just be your new obsession.
Based on the cult Chinese dating show If You Are The One, Take Me Out features one man trying to win a date among a panel of 30 eligible women. The mix of host Joel Creasey’s sassy wit and the brutal honesty of all the single ladies will leave you both gasping and giggling.
Killing Eve – Drama
Friday, 8.30pm, ABC
Carolyn shares news with Eve.
With just one episode remaining of this must-see series, Eve (Sandra Oh, above left with Fiona Shaw, who plays Carolyn Martens, head of the Russia Section at MI6) is tantalisingly close to understanding Villanelle’s (Jodie Comer) evil motives.
At the start of this episode, however, Villanelle is still in a Russian prison. While there, Eve and Kenny (Sean Delaney) learn she’s had an unexpected visitor. Before long, The Twelve facilitate Villanelle’s escape, sending her on a shock mission to kill Konstantin (Kim Bodnia). Even Villanelle is conflicted by her order. Will she obey it?
Say Yes To The Dress – Reality
Wednesday, 8.30pm (AEST), TLC
If there’s one thing Randy knows, it’s wedding gowns.
After 15 seasons, hundreds of brides and thousands of dresses, Randy Fenoli is back and ready to help women find “the one”. If only it were as easy as a walk down the aisle.
The iconic gown whisperer is taking things to the next level this season as he makes a return to designing. But in between his high-fashion ambitions, he’s uniting brides with their dream dresses.
It’s no easy task for first-time bride and blogger Carly, who knows exactly what she wants: sparkles.
Having graced countless red carpets, she knows exactly what she’s after to stand apart.
But rest assured, Randy always gets the “yes” and delivers Carly a dress she says makes her look like a diamond. If that’s not enough sparkle, we’re not sure what is.
Meanwhile, bride Monica is having every wish come true thanks to her nanny family – Flipping Out’s Jenni Pulos.
The reality TV star delivers surprise after surprise to give Monica the special day she deserves. We guarantee it will leave you happy-crying.
The Employables – Reality
Wednesday, 8.35pm, SBS
Yarrie, Abu and Ian try to win over investors.
This is the kind of show where you’d love there to be a fairytale ending. The five remaining job seekers all have so much to offer and you want their business ideas to take off and become the next big thing. But The Employables is real life, not a fairytale. Personalities clash.
Good products fail to sell. Former refugee Yarrie, devout Muslim Abu and legally blind chef Ian get to pitch their ideas to a roomful of investors. But can they win them over?
Bite Club – Drama
Wednesday, 8.40pm, Nine Network
Chilling scenes will shock viewers this week.
When a female jogger is attacked and killed, homicide cops Dan and Zoe are quickly on the case.
Dan (Todd Lasance) and Zoe’s (Ash Ricardo) crime-solving strike rate so far this season has been impressive. And this case, while especially nasty, doesn’t present too many challenges when it comes to nailing the perps.
But not helping matters is their disturbing fellow officer Stephen Langley (Dominic Monaghan). When he witnesses one of the murder suspects attacking detective Claire Hobson (Darcie Irwin-Simpson), he does nothing to intervene until it’s almost too late.
It’s a serious worry that he harbours hopes of becoming a detective. There’s genuine menace in any scene Langley is in.
Dominic continues to shine in the role. His scenes with Claire in the hospital had me watching from behind a cushion – and his subsequent blank-eyed delivery of a home truth at her bedside is beyond chilling.
Surely it’s only a matter of time before his fellow cops take a closer look at their creepy colleague. That may be some time off, though, as Zoe and Dan are distracted by their own confused feelings.
