Thursday’s best TV: Without Limits – Vietnam; Educating Greater Manchester

The intrepid Brits with disabilities meet their Vietnamese counterparts; plus more challenges for Harrop Fold’s Mr Povey

Without Limits: Vietnam
8pm, BBC1

The concluding half of an agreeable doc following six Brits with disabilities as they travel through Vietnam. The location doesn’t add much since the film’s value is in hearing the participants talk about the everyday pains, sadnesses and triumphs of their lives, which they could almost as easily have done at home. Tonight they do, however, meet Vietnamese people who live with both disability and vastly inferior medical resources. Jack Seale

Educating Greater Manchester
9pm, Channel 4

Each version of this franchise brings irresistible uplift. Already, EGM has tickled the nation’s tear ducts with a delightful friendship between year-seven charmer Jack and Syrian refugee Rani. But enough nice things: this week, the wastrels get their moment in the spotlight as 15-year-old Kim becomes almost unteachable and Mr Povey gets counter-intuitive with 14-year-old miscreant Vincent and puts him on the student council. Phil Harrison

Tribes, Predators & Me
9pm, BBC2

Gordon Buchanan concludes his quest to get closer to some of the creatures he has filmed over the years with a trip across Ethiopia, a country boasting the world’s largest hyena population. Buchanan visits the Bodi – a cattle-herding community constantly under threat from the predators – who employ improvised means to protect their livelihood. Then, to a city where urban hyenas are common, and many feel their fierce reputation is merely a facade. Mark Gibbings-Jones

Tim Roth in Tin Sta
Tim Roth in Tin Star. Photograph: Allen Fraser/Tin Star Alberta Productions Inc

Tin Star
9pm, Sky Atlantic

This week’s events are presented in an elaborate series of flashes back and forward, as Tim Roth’s still-grieving Rocky Mountains expat sheriff slopes off for a bender. He returns to find his daughter missing, despite a police guard. She has hitched a nighttime lift in which she is picked up by a mystery Englishman, but the opening credits suggest he is very much not to be trusted, despite the potential for romance. Stylish and intense stuff. David Stubbs

Safe House
9pm, ITV

Series two of Safe House trundles on, with the dialogue still the clunkiest in town, and the scenery that’s not being chewed still looking lovely. Tom makes a breakthrough, but following revelations that he roughed up Griffin to get information, Vedder persuades Jane he needs to be frozen out. Following his lead to an estate agent connected to many of the crime scenes (the none-more-villain-faced Andrew Tiernan), it looks like he might have been on to something. Ben Arnold

Eamonn & Ruth’s 7 Year Itch
10pm, Channel 5

If the thought of the mum and dad of daytime TV Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford visiting a sex dungeon disturbs you, look away now. And if it doesn’t, take a long, hard look at yourself. The pair are exploring ways of restoring spark to lacklustre relationships after reading research that proves lack of intimacy is one of the main reasons for marriage failure. Lucky Ruth also gets a crash-course from a dominatrix and the pair dance a tango. Phew. Hannah Verdier

The Russell Howard Hour
10pm, Sky1

Russell Howard’s first series since he took the Sky shilling finds the comedian offering his take on the week’s major stories. This doesn’t sound a million miles from Howard’s Good News show for the Beeb, but at the very least it will be intriguing to see if he can sustain laughs through a longer running time. Over 14 episodes, we’re promised celebrity guests, expert comment and “fledgling global correspondents”, whoever they may be. Jonathan Wright

Click here to see the trailer for Northern Soul.

Film choice

Northern Soul (Elaine Constantine, 2014) 1.15am, Film4

It’s set in a fictional town called Burnsworth, but this is a loving recreation of a very real time and place: 1970s Lancashire, and the dancehall revolution that was northern soul. Elliot James Langridge is a winning presence as John, who rejects teacher Steve Coogan’s sneery values to bond with new mate Matt (Josh Whitehouse) over dreams of a vinyl-buying trip to the US. It’s all a bit flimsy, but the frenetic dancing and marvellous music are pure joy. Paul Howlett

Live sport

ODI Cricket: England v West Indies The second match in the five-game series from Trent Bridge. 12noon, Sky Sports Cricket

Golf: The Tour Championship The opening day of the final event in the FedEx Cup, held at the East Lake Club in Atlanta. 6.30pm, Sky Sports Golf

Scottish League Cup Football: Motherwell v Aberdeen A quarter-final cup clash from Fir Park. 7.15pm, BT Sport 1

Contributors

Ben Arnold, Mark Gibbings-Jones, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Jack Seale, David Stubbs, Hannah Verdier, Jonathan Wright

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: Educating Greater Manchester; Tin Star
Impressive tough love from Harrop Fold school’s student development team. Plus Tim Roth as a Rocky mountain cop

Ali Catterall, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Andrew Mueller, Jack Seale, David Stubbs, Graeme Virtue, Jonathan Wright

07, Sep, 2017 @5:00 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: Mercury Prize Live; Without Limits
Lauren Laverne hosts as Ed Sheeran vies for the top-album prize. Plus: disabled Brits face the challenge of a lifetime in Vietnam

Ali Catterall, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Mark Gibbings-Jones, Jack Seale, David Stubbs, Hannah Verdier, Jonathan Wright

14, Sep, 2017 @5:01 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: Russia with Simon Reeve; The Handmaid’s Tale
Mountains, mysticism and militarism as our guide continues his Russian trek. Plus, another chance to catch the most talked-about drama of the year

Ali Catterall, Mark Gibbings-Jones, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Andrew Mueller, David Stubbs, Graeme Virtue, Jonathan Wright

05, Oct, 2017 @5:05 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: Who Should We Let in?; Host the Week; Riviera
Ian Hislop unearths some surprises in a history of Britain’s response to outsiders. Plus: Scarlett Moffatt is the first celeb to Host the Week; and revelations on the riviera for Julia Stiles

Ben Arnold, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Ellen E Jones, Andrew Mueller, John Robinson, David Stubbs, Hannah Verdier

22, Jun, 2017 @5:10 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: Circus Kids; Who Do You Think You Are?
A peek behind the curtain of a touring troupe, with the children working hard to join the family firm; plus revelations about Dad for actor Charles Dance

Ben Arnold, Ali Catterall, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Ellen E Jones, Andrew Mueller, Jack Seale, David Stubbs

06, Jul, 2017 @5:00 AM

Article image
TV tonight: the return of sister act Sharon Horgan and Aisling Bea
Horgan co-stars in a new series of This Way Up – as Bea’s sibling in her delightful comedy drama. Plus: Craig and Bruno’s Great British Road Trips. Here’s what to watch this evening

Ammar Kalia, Graeme Virtue, Phil Harrison , Jack Seale and Paul Howlett

14, Jul, 2021 @5:00 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV – Vitamin Pills: Miracle or Myth?; Sally4Ever
Dr Giles Yeo examines the food supplement industry for Horizon, while Julia Davis’s latest series promises to be her filthiest yet

Graeme Virtue, Ali Catterall, Gwilym Mumford, David Stubbs, Hannah Verdier and Paul Howlett

25, Oct, 2018 @5:20 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: Russia With Simon Reeve; The Supervet
An unfailingly polite trek across the former Soviet Union, plus radical surgery for dogs

Ben Arnold, Ali Catterall, Paul Howlett, Andrew Mueller, John Robinson, Jack Seale, Hannah Verdier, Graeme Virtue

28, Sep, 2017 @5:05 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: Who Do You Think You Are; The Apprentice; Extraordinary Weddings
Liz Bonnin is disturbed to find that her ancestors were involved in the slave trade; The Apprentice candidates sample gin; plus tales of challenging nuptials

Ali Catterall, Mark Gibbings-Jones, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Jack Seale. David Stubbs, Hannah Verdier, Graeme Virtue

08, Dec, 2016 @6:30 AM

Article image
Thursday’s best TV: In the Line of Fire With Ross Kemp; Three Identical Strangers
The ex-EastEnder straps on a bodycam to show how policing has changed. Plus! A jaw-dropping true story

Mike Bradley, Hannah J Davies, Phil Harrison, Paul Howlett, Gwilym Mumford, Graeme Virtue

28, Feb, 2019 @6:01 AM