Who will impress the Taskmaster in this series?
This week's best telly includes a new ITV1 drama starring Wunmi Mosaku and Daniel Ryan, about a close-knit town where nothing seems to perforate the mundane, new series' of Mandy and Taskmaster plus Kate Garraway shares with us the final year of her husband Derek Draper's life.
Elsewhere, new reality show The Underdog: Josh Must Win, hopes to fill the gap left behind by Celebrity Big Brother and Derry Girls favourites Nicola Coughlan and Louisa Harland lead two brand new shows, Channel 4 comedy Big Mood and Disney+ fantasy drama Renegade Nell.
Here are 7 TV shows you can't miss this week...
1. Passenger
Sunday 24th and Monday 25th March at 9pm on ITV1
BRAND NEW
Set in Cheddar Vale, a close-knit town where nothing seems to perforate the mundane, ITV1s newest drama Passenger follows D.I. Riya Ajunwa, played by Wunmi Mosaku, who is bored of solving petty crimes by day and looking after her batty mother-in-law by night.
So, when Katie Wells goes missing one night in the forest, Riya thinks this could be the case that changes everything. The only problem is, Katie Wells, played by Rowan Robinson, shows up at home, safe and sound, 24 hours after she disappeared.
But Riya’s not convinced. Something doesn’t add up. Where did Katie go, and why won’t she tell Riya what happened in the forest? What about the reports of other young people who are disappearing, all seemingly with a connection to the fracking site and the old tree on the town’s outskirts? And then there’s the dead stag on the forest road, which has been obliterated into a thousand pieces by someone. Or something.
Does it all have something to do with Katie’s dad Eddie Wells, played by Barry Sloane, who has just been released from prison? One drunken night 5 years ago he committed a monstrous crime, and Riya was the one who locked him up.
Or does her nouveau-riche mate Derek, played by Daniel Ryan, who runs the local bread factory, have something to do with it? He and his anxious brother are certainly hiding something.
1-2/6 Continues weekly
2. The Underdog: Josh Must Win
Monday 25th to Wednesday 27th March at 9pm on E4
BRAND NEW
Described as a "reality show with a twist", E4's The Underdog: Josh Must Win, follows a typically super-confident, gorgeous cast of reality contestants who all think they have what it takes to win the ultimate popularity contest. But one of them is different. Josh is just your average guy, an underdog, and the least likely reality star ever.
What none of the players, including Josh, knows is that four celebrities, including reality heavyweights who've won the biggest shows, are secretly watching from a control room just metres away. And the celebs must do everything in their power to make underdog Josh the most popular.
Nick Grimshaw, Vicky Pattison, Amber Gill and Pete Wicks must secretly manipulate challenges, control storylines and use every trick in the book to make Josh shine. Each contestant believes that one winner will bag £10,000, but if Josh wins, every contestant wins a share of up to £100,000. If Josh wins, everyone wins.
1-3/8 Continues Monday to Wednesday
3. Kate Garraway: Derek's Story
Tuesday 26th March at 9pm on ITV1
FOLLOW-UP
Following the sad loss of Derek Draper in January this year, Kate Garraway: Derek's Story, documents the final year of his life and follows her two previous documentaries, Finding Derek and Caring for Derek. When asked why he wanted to take part in this film, Derek said: "I want to be heard."
With close access to Derek and his wife, Kate Garraway, the film provides an insight into his personal struggles with illness and highlights the challenges faced by millions of people in the UK living with serious illness and disability and those who care for them.
Joining Derek and Kate in May 2023, the film confronts head on the reality of Derek’s struggles and gives an unflinching view of the effect on all those around while also capturing real moments of love and joy as they spend time together as a family.
With around five million unpaid carers in England and Wales, the film also highlights the often prohibitive costs as well as practical difficulties, of caring for people within their homes and features contributions from Jake, the care worker who supports Derek’s care, as well as Kathryn Smith, CEO from charity Social Care Institute for Excellence.
Derek's Story also reflects on Derek’s life before Covid, including his high-profile political career, as well his relationship with Kate, their early years together and how Derek’s illness changed the nature of their dynamic while they maintained their close bond.
1/1
4. Mandy
Wednesday 27th March at 10pm and 10.15pm on BBC Two
RETURNING
Diane Morgan returns to BBC Two this week with a third series of Mandy, in which she plays the title role, a hapless, jobless heroine whose daft adventures mostly end in disaster.
Mandy often has her head in the clouds, normally a disadvantage for long-term success. But in her new role in the first episode, it's absolutely essential.
And in the second episode of this new series, Mandy’s precious me-time is disturbed by an unexpected visitor, whose arrival sparks a series of events that lead her to a new job, where she makes new friends, and even newer enemies.
1-2/6 Continues weekly. All episodes available at launch
5. Taskmaster
Thursday 28th March at 9pm on Channel 4
RETURNING
As Taskmaster returns for its 17th series, hoping to walk away with Greg Davies' fabled golden head trophy are Joanne McNally, John Robins, Nick Mohammed, Sophie Willan and Steve Pemberton.
Once again, with Alex Horne by his side, Greg Davies is back to judge the five contestants' efforts as they hunt for patatas, hoopla a gorilla and hug a special friend and in the opening episode, they must complete tasks involving roller blinds, a floating prima;te and, as is traditional, eggs.
1/10 Continues weekly
6. Big Mood
Thursday 28th March at 10pm and 10.35pm on Channel 4
BRAND NEW
Written and created by Camilla Whitehill, Channel 4's newest comedy Big Mood promises to be a vivacious and rebellious portrayal of female friendship, infiltrated by the complexities of a serious mental illness.
Best friends Maggie and Eddie, played by Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West have lived in each other’s pockets for ten years, through thick, thin, and multiple challenging eyebrow trends. But with the rest of their lives looming, careers hanging in the balance, and Maggie’s bipolar disorder making an unwelcome return to form, Eddie begins to question whether this friendship is really in their best interests.
It’s a pivotal point in both their lives, bringing to the surface those all-important questions – could sleeping with your former History teacher be the key to happiness? Is a basement Rat Hotel a functional alternative to pest control? With their twenties behind them, Maggie and Eddie’s relationship faces the future, can it survive?
1/6 Continues weekly. All episodes available at launch
7. Renegade Nell
Friday 29th March on Disney+
BRAND NEW
Louisa Harland stars as Nell Jackson, a quick-witted and courageous young woman in Sally Wainwright's new action-adventure fantasy drama for Disney+, Renegade Nell, in which she finds herself framed for murder and unexpectedly becomes the most notorious outlaw in 18th-century England.
But when a magical spirit called Billy Blind, played by Nick Mohammed, appears, Nell realises her destiny is bigger than she ever imagined.
Renegade Nell also stars Frank Dillane as Charles Devereux, Alice Kremelberg as Sofia Wilmot, Ényì Okoronkwo as Rasselas, Jake Dunn as Thomas Blancheford, Bo Bragason as Roxy Trotter, Florence Keen as George Trotter, Pip Torrens as Lord Blancheford, Craig Parkinson as Sam Trotter, Joely Richardson as Lady Eularia Moggerhangar and Adrian Lester as Robert Hennessey, Earl of Poynton.
1-8/8 All episodes available at launch