On TV tonight, Vienna Blood makes a welcome return, there's another chance to watch the 1996 drama The Crow Road, we take a look inside a farm shop at Christmas time, and there's a repeat of Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse's Gone Christmas Fishing. Here's what you shouldn't miss on TV Tonight.
- Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set
- Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis
- For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide
What's on TV tonight
Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight...
Best TV shows on TV tonight
Vienna Blood, 9 pm, BBC Two
It’s a welcome return for Matthew Beard as English psychologist Max Liebermann and Jürgen Maurer as experienced police inspector Oskar Rheinhardt who, once again, team up to crack baffling murder cases in early 1900s Vienna. In the first feature-length, standalone episode, a young seamstress at a fashion house is found dead and a post-mortem reveals a tiny puncture wound in her neck where a pin was carefully inserted into the stem of her brain.
But why was she killed in such a deliberate manner? The joy of the show is, as always, the chemistry between the two leads and the wonderful period setting.
★★★★ JE
The Crow Road, 10:10 pm, BBC Four
This 1996 BBC adaptation of Iain Banks’ novel starred Joe McFadden as Prentice McHoan, a young man struggling with adulthood who is unable to shake a fixation with his missing uncle and the book – The Crow Road of the title – he was writing when he disappeared. A strong cast that reads like a Who’s Who of Scottish actors at the time also includes Peter Capaldi as Prentice’s uncle, Bill Paterson as his father and Dougray Scott as his brother, along with Alex Norton and Stella Gonet.
★★★★ JP
A Lake District Farm Shop at Christmas, 9 pm, More4
The annual visit to one of the country’s most unusual farm shops, at the Tebay services on the M6. It’s the busiest time of year for the family-run operation, and the first return to something approaching normality after the pandemic. Head butcher Dave Morland is run off his feet trying to keep up with orders for the Christmas table.
And the range of presents has been expanded, with an increased selection of artisan and craft products – particularly handy for travellers who suddenly realise they’ve forgotten to buy someone a gift. Not your everyday service station, that’s for sure. If you’re peckish it’s more a case of pulled lamb shoulder and tzatziki wraps than Ginsters pasties!
★★★★ SM
Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing, 8 pm, BBC Two
A perfect piece of ‘slow TV’ for the festive season, this edition of Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse’s delightful angling show was first shown on Boxing Day last year. They’re fishing for salmon on the rivers Eden and Tyne, with special guests including Paul Gascoigne, who joins them on the riverbank, and Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, who perform at the Christmas party.
As ever, along with the beautiful landscapes and jolly chat, there’s some serious reflection, too, as Paul and Bob visit a dog shelter with rescue pooch Ted, and hear from Dr Anand Patel how we can help those who are lonely at this time of year.
★★★★ IM
Best box set on TV tonight
Motherland, Netflix or BBC iPlayer
With the Motherland Christmas special heading our way in a couple of weeks, it's the perfect time to re-watch or try the original series. The popular BBC comedy explores the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood with plenty of hilarious and cringeworthy moments along the way.
What's more, it's got an all-star cast including Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Punch, Paul Ready, Philippa Dunne and Diane Morgan, who all brilliantly play a variety of parents trying to balance life, work and kids.
Best film on TV tonight
Shirley Valentine, 10 pm, Channel 5
Pauline Collins, who portrayed Shirley Valentine in Willy Russell’s play in London’s West End and on Broadway, also took the lead here in this 1989 film version (and was Oscar-nominated for it). Director Lewis Gilbert and Russell – who adapted the screenplay himself – took a one-woman play and made a hugely successful romantic comedy for the big screen, as unfulfilled Liverpool housewife Shirley looks to expand her horizons abroad. Tom Conti, Bernard Hill, Joanna Lumley and Alison Steadman co-star.
★★★★ JP
Soaps
- Hollyoaks, 6:30 pm, Channel 4
Live Sport
- FIFA World Cup: France vs Morocco, 6:15 pm (k-o 7 pm), BBC One and ITV1.
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss Vienna Blood which makes a welcome return to our screens!
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
