Marianna Spring examines whistleblower claims about social media platforms while Small Prophets reaches its finale and Steve Carell’s Rooster continues.
Monday night television leans toward media scrutiny and offbeat comedy. BBC Two’s Inside the Rage Machine explores how social media platforms such as Facebook and Meta have shaped online behaviour, drawing on testimony from former employees and whistleblowers.
Elsewhere, Channel 4’s reality experiment Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing approaches its final week, while the surreal comedy Small Prophets reaches its conclusion. Sky also continues its darkly comic suburban satire DTF St Louis and Steve Carell’s campus comedy Rooster.
Inside the Rage Machine
9pm, BBC Two
BBC journalist Marianna Spring examines the internal culture and decision making of some of the world’s most powerful technology companies.
The documentary features interviews with former Facebook and Meta employees who describe how recommendation algorithms were designed to maximise engagement, even when that meant amplifying divisive or inflammatory content.
Former senior researcher Matt Motyl appears among the contributors, alongside other ex staff who discuss the pressures faced inside the company as social media platforms expanded rapidly during the pandemic years.
The programme also draws on whistleblower documents and considers how competing platforms such as TikTok changed the dynamics of the social media landscape.
Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing
9pm, Channel 4
Channel 4’s unusual social experiment reaches its final week.
Contestants have been physically handcuffed to partners chosen specifically to clash with their personalities. The aim is simple in theory but exhausting in practice, stay together longer than everyone else to win the £100,000 prize.
With the final approaching, the remaining duos attempt a series of deliberately awkward British holiday activities while trying not to fall out completely.
DTF St Louis
9pm, Sky Atlantic
This strange and sharply written comedy drama continues to explore suburban relationships through a deliberately uncomfortable lens.
Linda Cardellini’s character continues her role playing affair with Clark, while Peter Sarsgaard’s mysterious user known as “Modern Love” provides philosophical commentary on the hidden lives of seemingly ordinary neighbours.
The show thrives on the idea that beneath the calm surface of suburbia, very little is as stable as it appears.
Small Prophets
10pm, BBC Two
The surreal comedy from Mackenzie Crook reaches its finale.
Michael originally brought the tiny prophetic figures to life hoping they would help him discover what happened to Clea. Yet despite their supposed ability to predict the future, he has still not asked them the one question that matters.
With the homunculi beginning to weaken and time running out, the final episode promises answers.
Rooster
10pm, Sky One
Steve Carell’s campus comedy continues with more chaos surrounding lecturer Katie.
After accidentally setting her ex husband’s faculty house on fire, she faces an uncertain future at the university. Her father Greg, played by Carell, may be able to help resolve the situation, although that solution might involve staying longer than expected.
Trying
10.40pm, BBC One
The charming adoption comedy returns with another double bill.
Jason and Nikki continue adjusting to the realities of parenthood, discovering that their personalities lead them toward very different approaches when dealing with the children.
Meanwhile their hapless friend Freddy accidentally wanders into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, creating another awkward but oddly touching subplot.
Watching UK TV while travelling
Streaming platforms such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 normally restrict access outside the UK because of licensing agreements.
Travellers often discover that programmes they watch regularly at home are suddenly unavailable when accessing these services abroad.
A UK based VPN can allow viewers to connect through domestic servers and access the services they already subscribe to while travelling. Reliability can vary depending on the provider and network infrastructure.
LibertyShield operates UK servers designed to maintain stable connections to common streaming platforms. Readers can test compatibility using the 48-hour free trial, allowing the service to be tried across devices before deciding whether to continue.