This week’s best telly includes some great drama including Informer and Butterfly, some great new comedy including There She Goes and Zapped and more fun and frolics on (and hopefully not off) the dance floor as Strictly Come Dancing continues. Here are 7 shows you can’t miss this week...
1. Informer
Tuesday 16th October at 9pm on BBC One
Another week, another brand new BBC drama. This week it's the turn of Informer, a new six-part thriller about Raza, a young second generation British-Pakistani man from East London who is coerced by Counter-Terrorism Officer Gabe into informing for him.
Raza is played by newcomer Nabhaan Rizwan, whilst Gabe is played by Paddy Considine (Peaky Blinders). Wanting to keep his past a secret, Gabe is joined by his new and ambitious partner Holly, played by Bel Powley. Her endless curiosity becomes a threat to him.
In the opening episode, a night out with his girlfriend goes badly wrong when Raza is arrested, after Gabe and Holly identify him as a potential informant for London’s Counter-Terrorism Special Unit (CTSU) and coerce him into working for them.
As the central counter-terrorism investigation heats up, the stakes for all three, their families and relationships, get higher and higher. The full series will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer straight after the first episode has aired.
1/6
2. There She Goes
Tuesday 16th October at 10pm on BBC Four
BBC Four brought us The Thick of It, Twenty Twelve and more recently Detectorists and this week sees the launch of their latest comedy (comedy drama if you're being technical), There She Goes.
The five-part series stars David Tennant and Jessica Hynes as Simon and Emily, parents to nine year-old Rosie, played by Miley Locke, who has a severe learning disability.
Written by Shaun Pye, all the stories and characters are drawn from his real life experiences, as his daughter was born in 2006 with an extremely rare and to date undiagnosed chromosomal disorder.
Each episode shines a light on day to day life with Rosie, unique experiences from simply trying to take her to the park to trying to explain that every day isn’t her birthday. A second timeline set in 2006 shows the effect having a severely disabled child had on the family unit, how it threatened to disintegrate but ultimately brought them even closer.
1/5
3. Zapped
Wednesday 17th October at 10pm on Dave
This week, Dave returns to Munty for a third series of their fantasy comedy Zapped, which stars James Buckley, Sharon Rooney, Paul Kaye, Louis Emerick and Ken Collard.
After Howell’s failed attempt to send Brian home at the end of Series 2, he now finds himself on Earth, doing Brian's old office job, desperate to get back to Munty.
In the opening episode, Brian is being forced to perform in a travelling circus, run by the sadistic
Feffenhoffer played by the wonderful Steve Coogan. Elsewhere, Barbara and Steg set out to rescue him while Herman accidentally traps a fairy.
1/6
4. No Offence
Thursday 18th October at 9pm on Channel 4
If you haven't been watching No Offence on Channel 4 then you've missed a real treat as the third series has been spectacular from start to finish.
Sky customers were able to watch the entire series after the first episode, which is exactly how I chose to watch it, but if you've been following the weekly airing on Channel 4, then this week sees the series come to an end.
In the final episode, the team are running out of options and their strategy is threatened when one of their own is placed in peril.
6/6
5. Strictly Come Dancing
Saturday 19th October at 6:45pm and Sunday 20th October at 7:45pm on BBC One
Following last week's drama off the dance floor, here's hoping that it's the events that happen on the dance floor that drive viewers to watch and talk about Strictly Come Dancing this week.
This week the 12 remaining couples will each take to the floor in a bid to impress the millions watching at home as they hope to make it through another week.
They'll also be wanting to impress Shirley Ballas, Dame Darcey Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood and a special guest judge as Bruno Tonioli misses the show for the second year running. Taking his place will be Alfonso Ribeiro, star of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and winner of the Dancing with the Stars in 2014.
On Sunday night, it's business as usual as the bottom two couples will take to the ballroom floor once more to dance for survival. And this weekend's musical performance comes from Paloma Faith.
6. Luisa Omielan's Politics for Bitches
Sunday 21st October from 10am on BBC Three
Luisa Omielan is the definition of rising star in the comedy scene. For many who enjoyed her previous tour, What Would Beyoncé Do?, you could argue that she's already risen but with her first TV series on BBC Three it's now more than ever that audiences should take note.
Luisa finds politics intimidating, inaccessible and has no idea what she’s talking about but despite that she's on a mission to educate young people about politics and the reason it's so important.
Part stand-up gig, part documentary, this series explores some of the most important things relevant to young people today. And she wants this series to be one that everyone can identify with as she learns on the job, travelling around the UK with her dog Bernie, exploring issues that matter to people like her.
BBC Three will be making the entire series available as a boxset with the first episode tackling the housing crisis, the second focussing on opportunities, the third exploring the issues bothering women and the final episode shines the spotlight on public spending.
1-4/4
7. Butterfly
Sunday 21st October at 9pm on ITV
It only began last week, but already we're onto the penultimate episode of ITV's latest Sunday night drama Butterfly.
In the second episode, Vicky and Stephen do everything they can to support Max’s transition to becoming Maxine. But it’s clear that Stephen is unhappy things are moving so fast.
With the couple divided, Vicky takes matters into her own hands, and makes a reckless decision.
2/3