BEST ON THE BOX

FRIDAY

SILENT WITNESS

ABC TV, 8.30pm

Debuting all the way back in 1996, this venerable British crime drama returns with its 27th edition tonight. Longtime star Emilia Fox, who has now been with the show for 20 seasons, is back as forensic pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander, who, to nobody’s surprise, is tasked with investigating another grisly murder. Nikki and colleague Jack Hodgson (David Caves) are called in when a body is found with all the hallmarks of being an infamous serial killer’s latest victim. Along for the ride in this two-part episode is the superb John Hannah, who steals the show as a former coroner whose wife believed to be a victim of the same killer. The formula is the same as it’s always been, but after nearly three decades, why mess with it?

FRIDAY, January 24

Saturday

GUY MONTGOMERY’S GUY MONT SPELLING BEE ( NZ)

ABC ENTERTAINS, 8pm

Loosely based on a classic spelling bee format, and wholly an excuse for Kiwi stand-up Guy Montgomery to rib, taunt and infuriate his comedian pals on television, the Australian edition of this comedy panel show created quite the buzz for the ABC when it premiered last year. However, what some might not know is that there’s plenty more where that came from. It’s a red-letter day for fans: Montgomery’s homegrown seasons of the Spelling Bee are here, where he’s assisted by the delightfully deadpan

Sanjay Patel.

Tonight’s premiere sees Hayley Sproull, Abby Howells, Matt Heath and Josh Thomson prove their spelling prowess

WEDNESDAY

Optics

ABC TV, 8.30pm It’s a match made in Australian satire heaven: this biting new brilliance of The Chaser’s Charles Firth. It’s set in the o ces of public relations rm Fritz & Randell, where colleagues Greta (Zerbst) and Nicole (Owen) are trying spin a disgraced AFL player’s antics while their heir-apparent colleague Ian (Firth) sits in an all-male corporate strategy meeting. When the CEO suddenly passes away, the company’s owner (Claude Jabbour, LastKingoftheCross) suggests two surprising successors.

ABC TV (2) SBS (3) SEVEN (6) TEN (5) NBN (8, 80)

6.00 News. 9.00 ABC News Mornings.

10.00 Planet America. (R) 10.30 Take 5 With Zan Rowe. (PG, R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 The Newsreader. (Mal, R) 3.00 Forever Summer With Nigella. (R) 3.25 Grand Designs. (R) 4.15 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.25 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 6.00 WorldWatch. 9.05 World’s Most Amazing Festivals. (PGav, R) 10.10 Confucius Was A Foodie. (Ma, R) 11.05 Great Canal Journeys. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Great Australian Railway Journeys. (R) 3.05 Destination Flavour China. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (PG, R) 4.05 End Of The World: The Mayans. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) Presented by Tom Gleeson.

7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day.

7.30 Monty Don’s History Of The British Garden: The 19th Century. (R) Presented by Monty Don.

8.30 Silent Witness. (Return, Mal) Nikki and Jack investigate a murder bearing all the hallmarks of a notorious serial killer.

10.20 Live At The Malthouse. (Mal, R) A stand-up comedy performance.

11.25 ABC Late News. Coverage of the day’s events.

11.40 Grand Designs: Wyre Forest. (R)

12.30 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R)

1.15 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv)

5.00 Rage. (PG)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) Presented by Marc Fennell. 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 MOVIE: The Gold nch. (2019, Madlv, R) A young boy steals a painting from a museum. Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman.

10.10 The Day The Rock Star Died: Michael Hutchence. (Ma) Takes a look at Michael Hutchence. 10.40 SBS World News Late. 11.10 De Gaulle. (PG)

12.10 Kin. (MA15+l, R)

2.55 Home Is Where The Art Is. (PG, R)

3.45 Peer To Peer. (PG, R)

5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 2.45pm Beep And Mort. 3.00 Play School: Let The Games Begin. 3.50 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.25 Nella The Princess Knight. 5.20 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.00 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.25 Mythbusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 8.50 Robot Wars. 9.50 Doctor Who. 10.40 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22)

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven Noon News. 1.00 MOVIE: Morning Show Mysteries: Death By Design. (2019, PGav) Holly Robinson Peete. 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

6.00 7News Local. 6.30 7News @ 6:30. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. The Challenger. 10.30 Big Bash League Post-Game. Post-match coverage of The Challenger. 11.00 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. (R) Johanna Griggs learns pickling. Adam Dovile and Melissa King explore Singapore’s greenery. 12.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Men’s. Stage 4. Highlights.

1.30 Travel Oz. (PG, R) Greg Grainger continues his exploration of Australia with a focus on iconic bush ballads.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) Hosted by Grant Denyer.

5.00 NBC Today. News and current a airs.

7TWO (62)

6.00 NBN News.

7.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Reviews, previews, interviews, highlights and opinions from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

7.30 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 13. From Melbourne Park. Hosted by James Bracey. 11.00 MOVIE: Those Who Wish Me Dead. (2021, MA15+lv, R) A survival expert tries to save a teenage boy. Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Hoult.

1.00 Customs. (PG, R) Follows customs o cers at work.

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) Mark rides in a horse race.

4.30 Global Shop. (R)

5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

5.30 Drive TV. (R)

6.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R) Hosted by Grant Denyer.

6.30 The Project. The hosts and guest panellists take a look at the day’s news, events and hot topics.

7.30 MOVIE: Catch Me If You Can. (2002, Mls, R) An FBI agent spends years chasing a young con man who amasses millions in fraudulent cheques. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken.

10.20 10’s Late News. Comprehensive coverage of local, national and international news, as well as the latest sport and weather. 10.45 The Project. (R) A look at the day’s news. 11.50 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) Hosted by Stephen Colbert. 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 6am Morning Programs. 9.30 BBC News At Six. 10.00 Front Up. 12.20pm France 24 English News. 12.50 Hunters. 1.40 Question Team. 2.35 Scandinavian Star. 3.55 BBC News At Ten. 4.25 ABC World News Tonight. 4.50 PBS News. 5.50 Alone. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Love And Sex In China. 9.40 Secrets Of Penthouse. 10.30 Homeland. 1.15am MOVIE: Subjects Of Desire. (2021, MA15+) 3.10 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera. 6am Shopping. 6.30 Escape To The Country. 7.30 Harry’s Practice. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00

9GO! (83) 6am The Man Who Knew In nity. (2015, PG) 8.00 The Cup. (2011, PG) 10.00 The Glorias. (2020, M) 12.40pm Down With Love. (2003, M) 2.40 The Importance Of Being Earnest. (1952) 4.30 Skies Of Lebanon. (2020, PG, Italian) 6.15 All Roads Lead To Rome. (2015, PG) 7.55 Man Up. (2015, M) 9.30 Mother Couch. (2023) 11.30 Almost Legends. (2017, MA15+, Spanish) 1.40am The People Upstairs. (2020, M, Spanish) 3.10 In nite Storm. (2022, M) 5.00 I Capture The Castle. (2003,

6am Children’s Programs. Noon Hart Of Dixie. 1.00 Bewitched. 1.30 I Dream Of Jeannie. 2.00 The Golden Girls. 2.30 The Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 The Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 5.30 I Dream Of Jeannie. 6.00 The Golden Girls. 6.30 The Nanny. 7.30 MOVIE: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. (2012, M) 11.05 The O.C. 12.05am The Nanny. 1.05 Love After Lockup. 2.30 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders. 3.30 Beyblade