Pick of the WeekGoodman: Too Big to FailMonday & Tuesday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm
Texas has its oil tycoons, but Ireland has its beef barons, and the most famous of them all is Larry Goodman, whose meat-processing empire has dominated Irish agriculture over many decades. He gained a reputation for hard-nosed deal making, one observer calling him “Ireland’s JR”. He was powerful, influential and with close ties to politicians, but it looked like unravelling for Goodman in the early 1990s, when the government set up the beef tribunal inquiring into allegations of corruption in the beef industry, with particular focus on Goodman’s company, Goodman International. The tribunal came shortly after an export deal with Iraq collapsed following Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, prompting the government, led by Charles Haughey, to bail Goodman’s company out, as it was considered “too big to fail”.
Goodman survived the tribunal to continue running his ever-expanding business, with a diverse portfolio that includes property and private healthcare, and rakes in about €2.5 billion a year. He has stayed largely out of the spotlight, and at 89 is finally stepping back from his active roles in the business.
This two-part documentary series charts the rise and fall and rise again of one of Ireland’s most successful businesspeople, and how he deftly navigated controversy, negative publicity and near-bankruptcy to rebuild his empire and retain his unofficial title of Ireland’s biggest beef baron.
HighlightsStory and Song: 180 Years of Queen’sSunday, BBC One, 7pm
Queen’s University is celebrating a big anniversary, and nothing less than a big musical celebration will do to mark this milestone. Alfie Boe and the Ulster Orchestra will lead a star-studded line-up of talent for this gala concert, recorded at the university’s Whitla Hall and presented by Hope Street star Kerri Quinn. Among the performers for this special night are Declan O’Rourke, The Answer, Karl McGuckin, Jolene O’Hara, Dana Masters, Soak, the Robocobra Quartet and the Queen’s Choral Society Choir. The university’s current artist in residence, Van Morrison, will be the subject of a special tribute performance by Boe and the Ulster Orchestra, while current and former students will add their own contributions.
Handcuffed: Last Pair StandingMonday, Channel 4, 9pm
Jonathan Ross, Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing. Photograph: Colin Hutton/Channel 4/72 Films
Imagine being joined at the hip to someone you’ve never met before, and having to live with their foibles and flaws 24/7, with no way of separating without losing a potential cash prize of a hundred grand. Sounds easy, but what if you find yourself chained to a braying Brexiteer all day, or what if a Liverpool fan finds themselves stuck with a Man United supporter? In another of Channel 4’s increasingly bizarre social experiments, 18 people agree to be handcuffed to a total stranger, and must do everything – and they mean everything – while joined at the wrist, but which of these nine cuffed-together pairs will last the pace?
Jonathan Ross presents this new series, and among the contestants are polite 60-year-old millionaire Anthony, who is paired with sweary 37-year-old barmaid Tilly; feminist businesswoman Jo, who is cuffed to alpha-male property developer Reuben, and former prison officer George, who now has to do time with 79-year-old aristo Sir Benjamin.
Home of the YearTuesday, RTÉ One, 7pm
Home of the Year: Amanda Bone, Hugh Wallace, Siobhan Lam. Photograph: RTÉ
Home of the Year will never be the same without its charismatic presenter Hugh Wallace, who died in December. Wallace completed the new series of the popular property contest before his death, and RTÉ has the blessing of his family to air the new series, once again showcasing Wallace’s warmth and sense of humour, and his ability to connect with viewers. This 12th series co-stars Amanda Bone and Siobhan Lam, and features a new batch of homeowners battling to have their gaff crowned home of the year. Later this spring, RTÉ will also air the new series of The Great House Revival, in honour of Wallace’s “remarkable dedication, passion, vibrant spirit and enduring love for design and architecture”.
Our Farm: A GIY StoryTuesday, RTÉ One, 8.30pm
Jen and Ali, Our Farm: A GIY story. Photograph: RTÉ
How to you turn a neglected tract of land into a thriving farm? You gotta grow it yourself. This new series charts the painstaking progress as a team of farmers are tasked with restoring a 12-acre patch of land in Waterford. This patch just happens to be inside the historic walled garden at Curraghmore estate, and over one growing season the team will have to clear all the overgrowth, assess the quality of the soil and repair all the infrastructure. Only then will they be able to start planting seeds and growing a variety of food. It’s a big challenge, and the team will have to make some key decisions at the outset which will have a big impact further into the season.
Molly vs the MachinesThursday, Channel 4, 9pm
Molly vs the Machines: Molly Russell, who took her own life in 2017. Photograph: Russell family/Channel 4
Sounds like a good title for a dystopian sci-fi series aimed at teens, but this is actually a powerful documentary set in an all-too-real dystopia, where social media algorithms control the lives of young people, rewiring their brains and – in this case in particular – even driving them to make tragic choices. Molly vs the Machines tells the true story of one dad’s struggle to hold social media giants accountable for the death by suicide of his 14-year-old daughter.
One day, Molly Russell came home from school, did her homework, said goodnight to her parents and then, some hours later, took her own life. Ian Russell believes his daughter was caught in an algorithmic spiral, fuelled by Big Tech’s economic model, but with the richest, most powerful corporations in the world lined up against him, he faces a gargantuan task getting them to take responsibility for destroying young lives.
Europe on the Edge with Katya AdlerTuesday, BBC Two, 9pm
Katya Adler. Photograph: BBC/Karolina Mottram
It’s become painfully clear that Europe can no longer rely on the US – in fact, the current White House incumbent is openly hostile towards Europe, even though most of his Maga base could trace their family history back to the continent. In this documentary series, journalist Katya Adler wants to know if Europe has the wherewithal to go it alone without the tangerine tyrant, and how European countries might change and adapt to this new world order. She starts by visiting Italy, where she meets paratroopers on a Nato exercise in the Tuscan hills, and visits a Volkswagen factory in Germany to see how the country’s automotive industry is holding up against the threat of carmageddon from Russia and China.
Eva Pau’s Asian KitchenWednesday, RTÉ One, 8:30pm
Eva Pau. Photograph: RTÉ
Chef Eva Pau is back for a new series of her cookery show, blending western and Asian foods, and bringing tradition flavours to modern living. During this second series, Pau will be exploring a range of recipes from China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Korea, so get ready to brighten up your spring with some vibrant Asian cooking under Pau’s expert guidance. Pau believes Asian cuisine doesn’t have to be complicated, and she’ll share some easy-to-follow recipes for quick-fix dinners, comfort food dishes, midweek meals and weekend feasts using easy-to-source Asian ingredients. In the first episode, she rustles up some family favourites: chicken katsu curry, teriyaki salmon and banana fritters.
HostageWednesday, BBC Two, 9pm
The brilliant Suranne Jones stars as British prime minister Abigail Dalton in this explosive political thriller, first seen on Netflix last year. Julie Delpy co-stars as the visiting French president, Vivienne Toussaint, in a series led by two strong women characters. Abigail prides herself on her toughness and refusal to negotiate with or give in to terrorists, but her resolve is put to the ultimate test when her husband is abducted and the price for saving his life is that she step down as PM. With Abigail facing an impossible choice, and Vivienne facing a blackmail plot, both leaders must find common ground if they are to deal with this threat to country and family.
StreamingYoung SherlockFrom March 4th, Prime Video
Young Sherlock: Donal Finn, Natascha McElhone and Hero Fiennes Tiffin. Photograph: Daniel Smith/Prime
Guy Ritchie is on familiar ground with his latest series, revisiting the famous fictional detective of his two hit films starring Robert Downey jnr and Jude Law. Young Sherlock is an origin story of the world’s greatest detective, and stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the maverick young detective plying his trade in Victorian London who more often than not finds himself on the wrong side of the law. The series follows young Sherlock as he takes on his first murder case, which brings him around the world and face to face with his future nemesis, James Moriarty. And don’t worry – Richie will bring his usual kinetic style of cinematography and visceral fight scenes to this action-packed series.
VladimirFrom March 5th, Netflix
Vladimir: Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall. Photograph: Netflix
Rachel Weiss stars as a middle aged professor going a bit nutty in this comedy drama based on the novel by Julia May Jonas. This academic is feeling rather unfulfilled in the bedroom department, and soon starts obsessing over her handsome, charming younger colleague Vladimir, played by Leo Woodall. Weiss’s character doesn’t seem to have a name, but we get to know her intimately as her growing fixation leads her to breaking all sorts of taboos in a bid to live out her naughtiest sexual fantasies. She also talks directly to the camera à la Shirley Valentine, giving us all the salacious details of her F-plan. The trailer is a hoot, showcasing Weiss’s comic timing as her character’s world starts to unravel.