{"id":671562,"date":"2026-11-01T07:58:14","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T07:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/671562\/"},"modified":"2026-11-01T07:58:14","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T07:58:14","slug":"tv-guide-the-best-new-shows-to-watch-starting-tonight-the-irish-times-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/671562\/","title":{"rendered":"TV guide: The best new shows to watch, starting tonight \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pick of the weekIreland\u2019s Population CrashWednesday, RT\u00c9 One, 9.35pm<\/p>\n

There was a time when Ireland was synonymous with large families, but that\u2019s an era far in the past. This new series sees Miriam O\u2019Callaghan<\/a> look at Ireland\u2019s birth rate and the reasons it has fallen to its lowest level since records began. With Ireland now having the fastest-ageing population in Europe, she explores the factors behind declining birth rates and what that means for generations to come. In the first episode, O\u2019Callaghan heads to South Korea, which has the lowest birth rate in the world, to find out more about a movement called 4B. Its members are women who have chosen not to marry, have children or date. Hopefully this show will go beyond sensationalist headlines and examine the many reasons why people are choosing not to have children, and what this might mean for Ireland.<\/p>\n

HighlightsYAGASaturday, Sky Atlantic, 9pm\"YAGA:YAGA: Hudson Williams plays a dual role in the drama <\/p>\n

Canadian TV is getting a lot more attention these days thanks to Heated Rivalry, the queer hockey romance based on author Rachel Reid\u2019s Gamechanger series. This new show comes from the same streamer, Crave, and even stars Heated Rivalry\u2019s<\/a> Hudson Williams (aka Shane Hollander). But narratively it\u2019s a different prospect, even if it does also include some steamy scenes. Williams plays two roles: Henry Park, a billionaire\u2019s son who goes missing, and Park\u2019s roommate, the shady Logan Casey. Searching for Park is a flirty private investigator named Charlie Rapp (Noah Reid of Schitt\u2019s Creek<\/a>), who is teamed up with sceptical local detective Carson (Clark Backo). Among the suspects is intriguing university professor Katherine (Carrie-Anne Moss of The Matrix). This takes a little from the folk-horror elements of True Detective<\/a>, but is otherwise a feminist tale inspired by the Baba Yaga from Slavic folklore. While some parts of the 30-minute episodes don\u2019t quite cohere, it\u2019s a fun and bingeable ride.<\/p>\n

Ireland\u2019s Fittest FamilySunday, RT\u00c9 One, 6.30pm\"Ireland’sIreland\u2019s Fittest Family: Anna Geary and Andrew Trimble return as coaches in the latest series <\/p>\n

Time for a brand new season of Ireland\u2019s Fittest Family<\/a>, aka the show that is guaranteed to make you feel lazy, out of shape and in need of a personal trainer. Returning for the 14th season are coaches Anna Geary<\/a>, Donncha O\u2019Callaghan<\/a>, Davy Fitzgerald<\/a>, Ellen Keane<\/a>, Michael Darragh Macauley<\/a> and the reigning Fittest Family champ, Andrew Trimble. This season the families will compete at different locations across the country, with the heats taking place at Haulbowline Navy Base. Meanwhile, the quarter-finals will be located at the bogs of Hell and Back in Co Wicklow, the semi-finals will have the dramatic background of Drogheda Port, and the grand final will see participants go head-to-head at the beautiful Avondale House. Also back is series host Laura Fox<\/a>, who will oversee the competitive craic as the families battle it out to be named Ireland\u2019s Fittest Family, and win the tasty \u20ac15,000 prize.<\/p>\n

Blue Planet IIISunday, BBC One, 8pm\"BlueBlue Planet III: Cinematographer Luca Vaime films the harlequin shrimp using underwater tripods, cameras and small lights. Photograph: Mike Veitch\/BBC Studios <\/p>\n

Is there anything more soothing than hearing David Attenborough<\/a> talk you through the wonders of the natural world? It\u2019s been 25 years since the groundbreaking series Blue Planet<\/a> first aired, and things have certainly changed for the environment and climate since. In the first episode of this latest series, we are brought to the northern tip of Australia to meet tawny nurse sharks. Then it\u2019s on to the Red Sea to encounter coral groupers, Maori wrasse and moray eels, onwards to Bali to meet tiny harlequin shrimp, before welcoming humpback whales who have migrated from Antarctica. Sure to be stunning and awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n

The EntrepreneursMonday, RT\u00c9 One, 8.30pm\"TheThe Entrepreneurs: Skingredients founder Jennifer Rock is among the participants <\/p>\n

Want to be inspired by people who set up their own successful businesses? Each episode of this series tells the stories of three different Irish business owners who have weathered storms and found success. This week\u2019s entrepreneurs include Oltian Dervishi<\/a>, Jennifer Rock<\/a> and Danny Buckley<\/a>, and we\u2019ll find out what inspired them to go it alone, how they deal with setbacks and what the secrets to success are. Each contributor to the show is a finalist in the 2026 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year<\/a> programme, and they work across a range of sectors \u2013 from AI to wellness. If you\u2019re someone with dreams of setting up your own business, this is a good chance to learn from those who\u2019ve been there, done that and learned all the lessons.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0EY Entrepreneur of the Year profiles: From push notes to balconies and diamond ringsOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

BustedMonday, RT\u00c9 One, 9.35pm\"Busted:Busted: Major drug seizures feature in the RT\u00c9 documentary <\/p>\n

This three-part series tells the tales of some of the world\u2019s biggest drug busts, and crucially includes the input of the Defence Forces<\/a>, garda\u00ed and customs. We\u2019ll find out about high-profile and bizarre drug seizures \u2013 and yes, that includes the story of how 1.5 tonnes of cocaine was found floating in a Cork bay, an incident that inspired the movie The Young Offenders<\/a>. In the first episode we learn about Irish Naval Service vessel LE William Butler Yeats, which dramatically took container ship MV Matthew<\/a> by force as it tried to head for international waters. In total, 2.2 tonnes of cocaine was seized during the incident, which had a value of \u20ac157 million \u2013 the largest such seizure in Irish history<\/a>. It\u2019s sure to be a high-octane watch, and even includes voice notes and images from phones belonging to the drug smugglers.<\/p>\n

Cr\u00e1Tuesday, TG4, 9.30pm\"Crá:Cr\u00e1: Siobh\u00e1n \u00d3’Kelly as Aoife Cooney in the new series of the TG4 drama <\/p>\n

The Irish-language crime drama Cr\u00e1<\/a> returns this week, and if you\u2019re impatient to watch it you\u2019ll be happy to hear that all six episodes will be available on streaming service TG4+ that same night. The show\u2019s been a breakout success for TG4<\/a>, selling to 68 territories under the international title Boglands. In series two we return to the town of Gaoth Dobhair and are promised a \u201cdarker, more ambitious story\u201d centred on the character Garda Conall \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in, played by D\u00f3nall \u00d3 H\u00e9ala\u00ed. When we return to his world, Conall is a trainee detective trying to navigate new cases while dealing with the consequences of his past. Sounds like a nightmare for him, but a compelling time for us viewers. Among the cast are Alex Murphy<\/a> from The Young Offenders<\/a> as Barry, and Hannah Brady from the horror film Soulm8te as Ciara Kate.<\/p>\n

A Ring and a PrayerFriday, RT\u00c9 One, 8pm\"AA Ring and a Prayer: The RT\u00c9 series celebrates multicultural marriages in Ireland <\/p>\n

If you need a bit of a boost at the end of the week, A Ring and a Prayer returns to celebrate multicultural love in Ireland. This is the second season of the six-part show, which follows 12 couples from nine different nationalities as they prepare for their wedding day. There are a variety of different approaches here, from devoutly religious to non-theistic, and the show looks at how people from different cultures or faith traditions combine their values into their wedding. In episode one, Ciar\u00e1n from Kilkenny and Yinka from Carlow plan a wedding that will include a traditional Yoruba marriage ritual, while Vladimir from Latvia and Inna from Ukraine tie the knot by combining elements from both of their home countries. Plus there are couples on hand to offer advice based on their experiences.<\/p>\n

StreamingThe GreatestFrom Wednesday November 4th, Prime Video<\/p>\n

No need to ask who\u2019s the subject of this new eight-part biographical drama series. Only one man still retains the title The Greatest, and it\u2019s not Hulk Hogan. Jaalen Best stars as aspiring, idealistic young boxer Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad Ali, as he makes his name in the sporting world. The series is also a chronicle of a changing America, as the civil rights movement takes root, and Ali fights moral and political battles outside the ring, including the notorious court case over his refusal to be drafted to fight in the Vietnam war. This scripted series following the life and career of Ali, who died in 2016 aged 74, has been given the blessing of the fighter\u2019s family, with his fourth wife, Yolanda \u201cLonnie\u201d Ali, acting as executive producer. <\/p>\n

StickFrom Wednesday November 4th, Apple TV<\/p>\n

Pryce Cahill, aka Stick, once had the golfing world at his feet, but a very public meltdown put the kibosh on his professional career and his marriage. In the first series of this sports comedy series starring and executive produced by Owen Wilson, Cahill found his way out of the rough by taking on a young golfing prodigy named Santi, helping his young charge become the golfer Stick never managed to be. Now Stick is back for a second series, but this time he\u2019s taken a new golfer under his wing – himself. He\u2019s decided to take on the daunting task of becoming the oldest golfer to win the US Open. Timothy Olyphant returns as his former rival Clark Ross, with Marc Maron back in action as Cahill\u2019s loyal caddie Mitts, and Rhea Seehorn as Cahill\u2019s new golf coach Amanda. <\/p>\n

Black DovesFrom Thursday November 5th, Netflix<\/p>\n

Keira Knightley electrified the first series of this spy caper with wit and energy, helped by co-stars Ben Whishaw, Sarah Lancashire and Andrew Buchan, and the quartet is back in action for a second series, featuring more danger, more intrigue, and more targets getting bumped off at long range. Knightley is Helen Webb, a stay-at-home mum married to ambitious conservative politician Wallace Webb. But behind the mumsy facade is a deadly assassin working for the top-secret organisation the Black Doves. New additions to the cast include Ambika Mod, Babou Seesay, Sam Riley and Neve Campbell. <\/p>\n

The AssassinFrom Friday November 6th, Prime Video<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a busy week for women with guns: alongside the return of Keira Knightley in Black Doves, Keeley Hawes is back in business in the second series of the crime thriller, in which she plays the titular hitwoman who just can\u2019t seem to get out of the assassination business. Hawes plays Julie Green, a woman with particular skills that could get her killed any time; Freddie Highmore is her estranged son Edward, a journalist whose search for the truth about his parents\u2019 past could get him killed. In series one, Mum and son had to reluctantly team up to avoid getting whacked by criminals, and here they are thrown together once more by a new threat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pick of the weekIreland\u2019s Population CrashWednesday, RT\u00c9 One, 9.35pm There was a time when Ireland was synonymous with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":671563,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[198093,31770,93,61,60,74699,282],"class_list":["post-671562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-blue-planet-iii","tag-cra","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-irelands-fittest-family","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/671562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=671562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/671562\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/671563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=671562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=671562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=671562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}