TV preview: nine shows to watch this week

Jekyll and Hyde

Sunday, UTV Ireland, 7pm

Sherlock Holmes has had so many reboots and reimaginings, there’s nowhere left for him to go except into outer space to solve alien mysteries – and Doctor Who already has that job. So the TV makers have turned to another classic character – or should that be two characters? Jekyll and Hyde resets Robert Louis Stevenson’s story in the 1930s, and has transformed Dr Robert Jekyll’s alter-ego into a smooth, sexy anti-hero with super powers. Tom Bateman stars as the earnest Dr Jekyll and the suave Mr Hyde. Richard E Grant co-stars.

Catastrophe

Tuesday, Channel 4, 10pm

The first series became a cult favourite for its brutal, honest humour, and there’s more of the same in store in series two of Catastrophe . Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney return as the accidental couple whose relationship is a catalogue of disasters. In the first series, the Irish-American couple are thrown together by an unplanned pregnancy. Fast-forward, and Sharon and Rob are living in London. When Rob’s mother, played by Carrie Fisher, comes over to visit, the scene is set for more mayhem.

The Affair

Friday, Sky Living, 9pm

Dominick West and Ruth Wilson return as illicit lovers Noah and Alison in the second series of The Affair. Noah and his wife Helen’s divorce proceedings descend into acrimony, and his new life with Alison turns out to be not quite the idyllic set-up he imagined.

The Hardy Bucks

Monday, RTÉ Two, 10.25pm

Fresh from their movie, The Hardy Bucks are let loose again for another series of rude, rural antics. Shot in Swinford, Co Mayo, series two finds the unlikely lads grappling with the pressures of work and relationships. Eddie is getting panic attacks from hitting the sauce too often, while The Viper is trying to expand his cannabis dealership as he nurses a broken heart.

Nurses

Thursday RTÉ Two, 9pm

The medical profession is experiencing a shortage of nursing staff, with one hospital CEO saying there just aren’t enough nurses in the world. A new documentary series Nurses, looks at the challenges frontline health staff face. It follows six trainee nurses as they complete their final year of studies and are catapulted into the coalface of an industry ravaged by cutbacks. Will the Minister for Health watch this and be spurred to take action to solve the chronic crisis in our health service? Don’t hold your breath.

Reality Bites: Skin Deep

Thursday, RTÉ Two, 9.30pm

Why do people get tattoos? Why would anyone want to sport a “tramp stamp” or a “job stopper”? Sinéad Kennedy looks at the tattoo phenomenon in Reality Bites: Skin Deep, and finds out what goes on in the minds of those who choose to mark themselves for life with a tattoo. Some people do it to look cool, or to look hard, but many get tattoos to mark significant events in their lives, while others do it to get past a traumatic time. Kennedy meets some colourful characters on both sides of the tattoist’s needle.

Better Off Abroad – The Irish in Dubai

Sunday, RTÉ One, 9.30pm

More than 8,000 Irish people call Dubai home, but what is life like for economic migrants to this rich oasis in the Middle East? George Lee travels to Dubai to find out for himself in Better Off Abroad – The Irish in Dubai. The country is a tax-free haven with year-round sunshine, but also has rigid rules for behaviour, and harsh laws. Lee meets successful Irish people in Dubai including Gerald Lawless, who heads up the huge Jumeira hotel group, and talks to those who didn’t fare so well in this desert boomtown.

Daniel and Majella’s Road Trip

Monday, UTV Ireland, 8pm

Daniel O’Donnell has chosen to travel amongst the plain people of Ireland in Daniel and Majella’s Road Trip. He visits the country’s towns and villages, sampling local cuisine and culture on offer. No five-star hotels for Dan and Maj – they’ll be staying in B&Bs. First stop is Anne’s B&B in Tulsk, Co Roscommon, owned by Anne Sheerin.

The Great Irish Bake Off

Sunday, TV3, 9pm

The Great Irish Bake Off returns with a new judge, Irish Times columnist Lilly Higgins. She'll join Anna Nolan and Paul Kelly as 12 new contestants don their oven gloves.

KEVIN COURTNEY