This week's best telly includes Sheridan Smith as the lead in a new Channel 5 drama, Lily James as Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy as well as a US remake of Murder in Successville, a new BBC Three sketch show and more!
Here are 7 TV shows you can't miss this week...
1. The Responder
Monday 31st January to Wednesday 2nd February at 9pm on BBC One
2022 really is spoiling us when it comes to television drama and The Responder, from ex-police officer Tony Schumacher, starring Martin Freeman as a crisis-stricken, morally compromised, unconventional urgent response officer, is already up there as one of the year's best.
If by some miracle you haven't already watched the whole series on BBC iPlayer, then the three final episodes are airing on BBC One this week as Chris plans to hand the drugs in, until Carl makes him an offer he can’t refuse. And whilst Rachel strikes a deal with Mullen, Chris' behaviour makes her feel conflicted.
As the series continues, Chris reaches rock bottom and is forced to work for a major drug dealer to return the drugs stolen by Casey and when Rachel needs his help urgently, Chris must decide where his loyalties truly lie.``
3-5/5 Continues nightly
2. The Teacher
Monday 31st January to Thursday 3rd February at 9pm on Channel 5
With Four Lives on BBC One at the start of the year and No Return on ITV next week, Sheridan Smith is all over our TV in 2022 and this week she plays the lead in Channel 5's latest drama The Teacher.
Sheridan plays Jenna Garvey, a popular teacher with a chaotic private life who beneath the veneer of professional respectability, is emotionally troubled. She seeks to numb her pain with alcohol and promiscuity. After a night out celebrating a promotion, Jenna is accused of sleeping with Kyle Hope, a 15-year-old pupil played by Samuel Bottomley.
As she's formally charged with having sex with a minor, Jenna's life falls apart and when the press get hold of the story, they let rip with salacious stories. She loses her job, her friends fall away and Jenna’s self-esteem shrinks further as she’s forced to stay with her cold, critical father.
1-4/4 Continues nightly
3. Janet Jackson
Monday 31st January and Tuesday 1st February at 9pm and 10pm on Sky Documentaries
This two-night, four-hour documentary event joins Janet as she travels back to her hometown of Gary, Indiana to see where her incredible journey began. She starts to look back at her own life and reflect on her fight to the top.
Speaking like never before, Janet discusses everything including her Superbowl appearance with Justin Timberlake in 2004, the controversy surrounding her brother Michael Jackson, and becoming a mother later in life.
Janet Jackson is Janet’s life story in her own words, with five years of access to Janet herself alongside interviews with her nearest and dearest: siblings, friends, business partners, peers, and journalists.
The documentary covers the difficult themes of family relationships, drug addiction, race relations, sexuality, the Jacksons’ rags to riches journey, all illustrated with incredible archive footage from throughout Janet’s rich and storied career.
1-4/4 Continues nightly
4. Lazy Susan
Tuesday 1st February at 10.15pm on BBC Three
Following a successful pilot in 2019, sketch-show Lazy Susan, from the minds of writer-performers Freya Parker and Celeste Dring is finally returning with four 15-minute episodes, forming part of the launch night schedule for BBC Three as it returns to television.
Characters include pilot favourites Megan and Michaela who "don't want any drama" as well as an achingly whimsical French woman. But of course, expect some brand new creations including a pair of inhumanly peppy Radio DJs and a couple of lads from Middlesbrough.
All brought to life with joyful, sharply-observed performances Lazy Susan promises smart commentary on our modern world and people falling over. Sketch comedy with heart, soul, and just the right amount of weird.
1/4 Continues weekly. All episodes available at launch
5. Pam & Tommy
Wednesday 2nd February on Disney+
Set in the Wild West early days of the Internet, Pam & Tommy is the highly-anticipated drama series based on the incredible true story of the Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex tape. Stars Lily James as Pamela Anderson and Sebastian Stan as Tommy Lee.
Stolen from the couple’s home by a disgruntled contractor played by Seth Rogen, the video went from underground bootleg-VHS curiosity to full-blown cultural obsession when it hit the Web in 1997.
A love story, crime caper, and cautionary tale rolled into one, Pam & Tommy explores the intersection of privacy, technology, and celebrity, tracing the origins of our current Reality TV Era to a stolen tape seen by millions but meant to have an audience of just two.
1-3/10 Continues weekly. Three episodes available at launch
6. Murderville
Thursday 3rd February on Netflix
In many ways, it's apt that a US remake of Murder in Successville should launch on Netflix in the week BBC Three returns to television. Murderville stars Will Arnett as Senior Detective Terry Seattle, Homicide Division.
For Terry, every day means a new murder case and a new celebrity guest star as his partner. But they're not given a script and have no idea what’s about to happen to them. Together they must improvise their way through the case... but it will be up to each celebrity guest alone to name the killer.
Helping Terry solve crime this season will be Annie Murphy, Conan O’Brien, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch and Sharon Stone.
1-6/6 All episodes available at launch
7. Suspicion
Friday 4th February on Apple TV+
Apple TV+'s latest original drama, Suspicion, stars Uma Thurman as a prominent American businesswoman whose son is kidnapped from a New York hotel and the eye of suspicion quickly falls on four seemingly ordinary British citizens who were at the hotel on the night in question.
As they find themselves in a trans-Atlantic cat and mouse race to evade the combined forces of the National Crime Agency and the FBI to prove their innocence, it becomes apparent that not everyone can be trusted.
Who is really behind the mysterious abduction, and who is only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time?
1-2/8 Continues weekly