Thursday’s best TV: Salisbury Nerve Agent Attack: The Inside Story; Esther Rantzen’s House Trap (original) (raw)
Salisbury Nerve Agent Attack: The Inside Story
9pm , BBC One
The audacity of the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, and the almost facetious attempt on Russia’s part to claim the innocence of its supposedly cathedral-loving suspects, is a depressing reminder that, despite the collapse of the Soviet empire, we are back in cold war conditions. Jane Corbin talks to police officers, the government’s chemical weapons scientist and intelligence insiders, and also speaks to Skripal’s friends and family. David Stubbs
Esther Rantzen’s House Trap
7pm, Channel 5
Rantzen returns to consumer crusading, borrowing the format of Rogue Traders: a house rigged with cameras lures tradesmen into showing the nation, or at least the part of it watching Channel 5, that they sometimes fleece clients. Specifically, their older clients, played here by a “silver army” of canny pensioners. Jack Seale
Takeshi’s Castle
8pm, Comedy Central
Proving there’s always mileage in watching people pratfall while tackling daft obstacle courses, the cult Asian show returns. Roman Kemp offers commentary with the assistance of his dad, Spandau Ballet’s Martin, whose contributions largely consist of admitting he’s got no idea what’s going on. Jonathan Wright
Inside the Foreign Office
9pm, BBC Two
Is the UK’s diplomatic service an expensive luxury or a political necessity? You do wonder, when programmes like this focus on glorified salesmen doing their British best to wine and dine our soon-to-be-ex-EU partners into trade agreements. Might you sense a fusty colonial air pervading proceedings? Mike Bradley
Tomorrow’s World Live: For One Night Only
9pm, BBC Four
The revered science show returns for a live 90-minute edition presented by Maggie Philbin and Howard Stableford. Along with mathematician Hannah Fry, they reveal the latest in British invention, put cutting-edge technology to the test and look forward to the advances that will shape our future. MB
Sally4Ever
10pm, Sky Atlantic
Sally’s work starts to suffer as a result of Emma’s unpredictable behaviour. Having decided to take her to see her therapist (played superbly by Vicki Pepperdine), Sally attempts to end the relationship, but winds up flabbergasted when the therapist unexpectedly takes Emma’s side. Toe-curlingly brilliant. MB
Film choice
Marcia Gay Harden (left) and Zac Efron (centre) in Parkland. Photograph: Allstar/The American Film Company
Parkland (Peter Landesman, 2013), 9pm, Film4
After Oliver Stone’s strident JFK, Peter Landesman’s account of the assassination of president Kennedy in 1963 has a quiet authority. The action focuses on ordinary people caught up in events, including Zac Efron’s surgeon and Marcia Gay Harden’s head nurse at the Parkland Memorial Hospital, attending the stricken Potus. Paul Howlett
Live sport
Women’s International Hockey: Great Britain v Netherlands 10am, BT Sport 1. FIH Hockey Champions Trophy round-robin match.
American Football: Detroit Lions v Chicago Bears 5pm, Sky Sports Main Event. First in a Thanksgiving triple bill.
Test Cricket: Sri Lanka v England 4am, Sky Sports Cricket. Coverage of the first day of the third and final Test in Colombo.