This week's best telly is packed full of fantastic comedy, including the highly-anticipated Friends Reunion. And if you're after something more dramatic, there's a high-octane thriller on Channel 4 for you to enjoy.
Here are 7 TV shows you can't miss this week...
1. Shrill
Saturday 22nd May on BBC Three
Back for its third and sadly final season this week on BBC Three is Hulu original comedy Shrill, starring Aidy Bryant and Lolly Adefope.
Newly single after the events of that explosive season two finale, we join Annie as she jumps back into the dating world, with mixed results. But after a dramatic encounter at the doctor and Thorn facing serious cutbacks, does Annie's future suddenly look very different? And Fran and Emily decide to take their relationship to the next level.
Elsewhere in the series, Annie is set up on a disastrous blind date, faces backlash from an article and there's a girls' night out for Annie, Fran, Ruthie and Maureen!
1-8/8 All episodes available at launch
2. Motherland
Monday 24th May at 9pm on BBC Two
Chances are you've already indulged in all five (far too short) episodes of this brilliantly funny and heartwarming third series, but just in case you haven't then you can still watch it weekly and this week's episode features a cameo from Joanna Lumley in what is as close to perfect casting as you can get!
This week, it's Mother's Day and Amanda’s mother Felicity travels from Cheltenham for a gloriously passive-aggressive celebratory lunch and Anne is beside herself with excitement at the prospect of a day out with her Mammy.
Elsewhere, Julia is feeling completely ignored and Meg’s family have gone way over the top in reaction to her cancer diagnosis. And Liz and Kevin try to avoid Mum stuff altogether with a trip to the countryside that becomes an impromptu driving lesson for Kev.
3/5 Continues weekly. All episodes now available
3. Inside No.9
Monday 24th May at 9.30pm on BBC Two
Last week's episode of Inside No.9 was excellent and this week's episode Lip Service which guest stars Fleabag's Sian Clifford, is similarly brilliant.
Set in a hotel bedroom, Steve Pemberton plays data entry manager Felix Hughes, who is pretty certain his that his wife is up to something with her boss Dmitri. So he decides to hire some help to prove things either one way or the other.
When professional lip-reader Iris arrives with her powerful binoculars, the couple stake out a hotel bedroom and start to gather their evidence.
3/6 Continues weekly
4. Before We Die
Wednesday 26th May at 9pm on Channel 4
Based on the hit Swedish series of the same name, Channel 4's new high-octane thriller, Before We Die stars Lesley Sharp as Detective Inspector Hannah Laing. After her married lover, Sean Hardacre, goes missing in mysterious circumstances, she persuades her colleagues to launch an urgent manhunt. Determined to find whoever is responsible for killing him.
After accessing one of Sean’s confidential contacts, Hannah persuades them to help her unpick the tangled threads of Sean’s investigation into the Mimicas, a tight-knit family who left Croatia for Bristol and now run a successful restaurant.
Forced to operate undercover for fear of a criminal informer at Police HQ, Hannah and her sceptical new partner, Billy Murdoch, played by Vincent Regan, uncover a daring plot by the Mimicas to smuggle an enormous quantity of cocaine into the country. However, Hannah quickly realises there is far more at stake than bringing Sean’s killers to justice.
Patrick Gibson plays Hannah's British-born son of a Croatian father, Christian Radic, who is trying to put his life back together after going off the rails following his parents' divorce. After being introduced to the Mimica family by Stefan Vargic, a small-time criminal he met in jail, Christian now works as a dish-washer at the same restaurant his mother is investigating,
Read my interview with Patrick Gibson here.
1/6 Continues weekly. All episodes available at launch
5. Friends: The Reunion
Thursday 27th May at 8pm on Sky One
It's 'The One' we've all be waiting for... after several Covid-related delays, Friends: The Reunion is finally here and the good news is that the UK will be getting it at the same time the US do on HBO Max, thanks to Sky One.
The long-awaited get together will see Friends stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer return to the iconic comedy’s original soundstage, Stage 24, on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank for a real-life unscripted celebration of the beloved show.
There'll also be a variety of special guest appearances from the likes of; David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliot Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin, Mindy Kaling, Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai.
1/1 Available from 8am
6. Breeders
Thursday 27th May at 10pm on Sky One
If your idea of a break away from the kids is to watch a sitcom about parenthood, then you're in luck because not only is Motherland back on the BBC, but returning to Sky this week is one of 2020's breakout comedies, Breeders.
That's right, Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard are back as Paul and Ally and on screen, over 5 years have passed. Their son Luke, now played by Alex Eastwood, is about to turn 13 years old and daughter Ava, now played by Eve Prenelle, is now 10. But some things never change as they both still serve up brand new challenges for their parents.
Luke’s increasing anxiety and Ava’s growing independence add some new and uncharted complications into the existing chaotic mix of stretched resources, lack of time and the fine art of winging it while looking like you know what you’re doing.
Also back are Paul's parents, Jackie and Jim and Ally's mother Leah, who themselves are older and Paul and Ally find themselves having to parent the generation above them as well as the generation below!
And at the centre of all this is Paul and Ally’s relationship. Can they survive these new pressures when they only just about survived the old ones? Or is there a finite number of ropes you can find yourself at the end of?
1/10 Continues weekly. All episodes available at launch
7. Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel
Wednesday 26th May at 9pm on Channel 4
On the 25th February 2011, audiences were invited in to the Goodman family home to join them as they gather for the tradition of a Friday night dinner. Now 10 years later, Friday Night Dinner has become one of the most popular sitcoms on British television and Channel 4 are marking the occasion with a celebratory 90-minute documentary.
Following the very sad news on 6th April 2021 that Paul Ritter, had passed away at the age of 54, Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel now also serves as a fitting tribute to the actor who over six series, made the nation fall in love with his character, Martin Goodman. He brought joy to millions of viewers who eagerly awaited to see him topless and bemused in the kitchen or uttering those three words... "Shit on it!"
With exclusive behind-the-scenes material and never-before-seen outtakes, the documentary features some of the funniest Friday Night Dinner moments of the past decade, as well as exclusive interviews with the cast including Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Simon Bird, Tom Rosenthal, Mark Heap, Tracy-Ann Oberman, writer Robert Popper and as this was recorded before his sad passing, Paul Ritter.
Plus a host of celebrity fans, including Claudia Winkleman, Joe Thomas, David Baddiel and Jessica Hynes, will be revealing their favourite Friday Night Dinner moments.
And as if that wasn't enough, straight after from 10.30pm, Channel 4 will show three of the best Friday Night Dinner episodes as voted for by viewers.
1/1