Other Voices
RTE2, Saturday; RTE player
Last December, a troupe of musicians and a horde of music fans braved the bad weather to make the trek to Dingle for the annual Other Voices shindig. And once again, the RTÉ cameras were there to capture some superb performances at St James's Church, and to meet some of the rising stars of indie music who gathered there to play. This is the 14th series of Other Voices , but really, who's counting?
Over the next five weeks, the series will feature performances from Jack Garratt, Glen Hansard, Otherkin, The Academic, Low, Richard Hawley and Ane Brun to name but a few. Episode one features Gavin James, the Dublin singer-songwriter poised on the brink of superstardom , Supergrass singer Gaz Coombes, whose album Matador was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, and Dublin monster rockers Bitch Falcon. Settle in for the next five Saturday nights in front of a warm telly, and feel the glow of great music.
The new series is broadcast on RTÉ 2 on Saturday nights, and the first episode is still available to view on demand via the RTÉ player.
The Real Marigold Hotel
Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm
In The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a group of elderly Britons head to India to retire on the cheap. The film starred Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy as the pensioners going on the Raj. In new series The Real Marigold Hotel, a group of well-known celebrities of a certain age take up the challenge to fend for themselves in India, just to see if they could deal with the heat, the different customs and the culture shock. Among the older celebs leaving familiar old Blighty for the exotic climes of Northern India are actors Miriam Margolyes and Sylvester McCoy, dancer Wayne Sleep, comedian Roy Walker and singer Patti Boulaye. How will they fare outside their comfort zone?
The X-Files
Tuesday/Wednesday, RTÉ 2, 9.55pm
The truth is out there – well, at least it was until 2002. We still remember the tagline for one of the most successful TV series of the 1990s, in which two FBI agents investigated strange phenomena and paranormal activity. So what happened to Mulder and Scully – were they abducted by aliens or did they disappear into the Bermuda Triangle? All will be revealed in the brand new series of The X-Files .
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson team up once again as Fox Mulder and Dana Scully for a six-episode miniseries, with original creator Chris Carter at the helm. Mulder (Duchovny) is still aiming to prove that the truth is out there, while the skeptical Scully is still keeping an open mind. The new series kicks off with a two-night extravaganza of the unexplained, as Mulder and Scully investigate a possible alien abduction. Looks like normal weirdness has been resumed.
The Mad World of Donald Trump
Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm
C4's former Washington correspondent Matt Frei takes a timely look into the mad world of presidential hopeful Donald Trump, whose meteoric political rise in recent months comes amid one of the most controversial political campaigns the US has ever seen. Exploring the man behind the brand, Matt Frei delves into the multiple divorces, the bankruptcies, the myraid insults and the bare-faced racism. Frei also goes on the campaign trail with the multi-billionaire tycoon who's decided he wants to become the most powerful person on the planet.
Neven Maguire: Healthy Home Chef
Wednesday, RTÉ One, 7.30pm
So, what do healthy people eat to stay healthy? And can Neven Maguire come up with recipes to suit the lifestyles of Ireland's fittest sportpeople? Only one way to find out – get a sporty celeb on to the show and rustle them up some nutritious nosh. Neven Maguire: Healthy Home Chef is Maguire's seventh Home Chef series, and each week he'll bring a guest on to help him cook the food they need to stay ahead in their chosen sport. First into Maguire's kitchen is Olympic silver medalist Sonia O'Sullivan, who is no longer running competitively but still wants to make healthy food for herself and her teenage children.
Madam Secretary
Wednesday, Sky Living, 9pm
The president's plane is flying over the Pacific when suddenly all communication is lost. The vice-president is incapacitated and unable to take command. So it's now up to the secretary of state to take the reins at the White House until this crisis can be resolved. The second series of Madam Secretary kicks off with high drama, and once again stars Tea Leoni as secretary of state Elizabeth Adams McCord, who is suddenly thrust into the role of president. Can Elizabeth step up to the gold plate, or will everything go Oval-shaped? Morgan Freeman is the star guest, and also directs this season premiere, his first time directing for TV.
The Nightmare Worlds of HG Wells
Thursday, Sky Arts, 9pm
HG Wells is best known for The War of The Worlds, but he wrote many more astounding stories to blow the minds of his readers back in Victorian times. Four of his most twisted tales have been adapted for television, featuring an all-star cast that includes Ray Winstone, Michael Gambon, Johnny Flynn, Antonia Thomas and Luke Treadaway. The Nightmare Worlds of HG Wells begins with two back-to-back episodes, the first a body-swap nightmare, the second a Faustian tale of art and obsession.
