TV guide: 12 of the best new shows to watch, beginning tonight

Summer Night Concert from Vienna

Sunday, BBC Four, 8pm

We’re not getting much of a summer round these parts, but hopefully the weather will be nice in Vienna as music-lovers gather in the beautiful setting of the city’s Schönbrunn Palace Gardens for an evening of well-known works from the 19th and 20th centuries, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of maestro Andris Nelsons. The programme is designed to showcase Europe’s musical riches and will include arias from Wagner’s Tannhauser and Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, sung by Norwegian singer Lise Davidsen.

Karl Jenkins: The Composer Behind the Moustache

Sunday, BBC Four, 9.20pm

The Welsh composer turned 80 earlier this year, and happily his famous snowy moustache is as resplendent as ever. His musical instincts are also in fine fettle, and this documentary explores how Jenkins became the world’s most-performed living composer. It looks back on his illustrious career to learn how his boundary-breaking music evolved.

Friends, fellow musicians and fans are on hand to build up a portrait of the composer, and Jenkins himself talks about his influences growing up in Wales. He also brings us on a sentimental journey to Sweden to visit his grandfather’s house, where he spent a good part of his early childhood.

The Jetty

Monday, BBC One, 9pm

Jenna Coleman stars as detective Ember Manning in this crime thriller series tackling the thorny and topical issue of consent and sexual exploitation in an age of unregulated social media. In a lake town in Lancashire, a fire sparks off an investigation that takes Manning down some very perilous pathways. It’s up to her to make the connection between the blaze, a missing persons cold case and two underage girls who are being groomed by an older man. But of course it all soon gets personal, as Ember uncovers long-buried secrets about her own past and the town she thought she knew so well.

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The Locals

Monday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm

In early June, local elections took place all over the country, bringing some shocks and surprises, but this observational documentary focuses on one very busy ward, Dublin’s North Inner City, where 19 candidates battled for seven seats on Dublin City Council. The programme follows seven of these candidates as they campaign in this colourful, diverse and rapidly changing part of the capital.

Midsomer Murders

Tuesday, UTV, 8.15pm

Every English county has its special attractions, and in the fictional county of Midsomer the speciality is of course murder. Neil Dudgeon stars as DCI John Barnaby, and in this episode he’s invited to a lavish retirement party for DCS Elaine Bennett, along with the great and good of the Midsomer constabulary. Barnaby doesn’t know Bennett too well, but he senses an air of hostility at the party, and suspects that she may not be so well-liked by her former colleagues.

Sure enough, when the party ends, Bennett is found dead after crashing her car into a tree, and it turns out that the brake cable was cut. Barnaby has to question the cops, all of whom are wise to the ways of police interviews.

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Daley: Olympic Superstar

Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm

There’s only one Daley, and that’s former Olympic decathlete Daley Thompson, the man with the Shaft moustache and the gold medal-winning talent. This feature documentary explores the life and sporting achievements of one of Britain’s most celebrated champions, who won gold in the decathlon in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. The documentary also examines the challenges Thompson faced as a child growing up in London, and the hard work and graft he put in to become a world-class athlete. But will we get to see his classic Lucozade ad from the 1980s?

Suspect

Wednesday, Channel 4, 9pm

Eagle-eyed viewers may notice the absence of James Nesbitt from this second series of the not-hugely acclaimed psychological crime drama, but fear not: Anne-Marie Duff returns as Dr Susannah Newman, with Ben Miller as Superintendent Richard Grove. They’re joined by a heavyweight new cast that includes Dominic Cooper, Tamsin Greig, Vinette Robinson and Eddie Marsan. Susannah has a new client, Jon, and in their first hypnotherapy session, he confesses he’s a serial killer, and is planning to kill a young woman that very night. Susannah faces a race against time to stop Jon before it’s too late.

Harry Wild

Wednesday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm

Jane Seymour is the titular retired English professor turned private dick in this crime comedy drama set in Dublin’s fair city, and in this episode Harry, Lola and Fergus are invited to a murder mystery weekend on a secluded island. It’s a 1920s-themed party on the island’s hotel, and each guest is given their own character to play, but you’ll never guess what happens. That’s right – a real murder takes place: the head chef, in the kitchen, with a blunt object. With the last ferry having departed, and no phone or wifi signal, there’s no way of calling for help, so it’s up to Harry to unmask the killer before they strike again.

Why Trains Crash

Thursday, BBC One, 8pm

On June 2nd, 2023, two passenger trains collided with a freight train at a station in India’s eastern Odisha state, killing almost 300 people and injuring more than 800. It was one of the worst train disasters in modern history, but what caused this catastrophic crash and could it have been prevented? This documentary looks at the disaster and its aftermath in forensic detail, using archive footage, eyewitness accounts and CGI reconstructions. It also examines how many railway companies just don’t have the budget to upgrade their ageing infrastructure.

Path to Paris

Thursday, RTÉ One, 10.10pm

This three-part series profiles some of our top athletes as they go through the gruelling preparations to qualify for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in Paris and compete on the world’s biggest sporting stage. In this third and final episode, we meet marathon runner Hiko Tonosa Haso, a former refugee who went from direct provision to competing for Ireland.

Also featured is 21-year-old Paralympian swimmer Nicole Turner, who is preparing for her third appearance at the Games. Finally, we follow boxer and Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington as she trains for Paris and tries to shrug off the weight of expectation on her shoulders.

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Those About to Die

From Friday, Prime Video

Can’t wait for Paul Mescal to rock up in his O’Neills toga in Gladiator 2? Then this rollicking Roman epic series, starring Anthony Hopkins, should sate your bloodlust in the meantime. Director Roland Emmerich promises to immerse viewers in the world of chariot racing and gladiatorial combat in ancient Rome, as Emperor Vespasian (Hopkins) gives the people what they want: bread and circuses, plus lots of death and dismemberment.

First Night of the Proms 2024

Friday, BBC Two, 7pm

We’re not seeing much sun, but we know it’s summer because the Proms are kicking off again, and this opening night of the Proms features music by some composing giants, including George Frideric Handel (Music for the Royal Fireworks – overture), Clara Schumann (Piano Concerto in A Minor) and Ludwig van Beethoven (Symphony No 5 in C minor). Elim Chan conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra, making her First Night debut, with soprano Sophie Bevan and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason performing.