Oddball comedy meets crime investigation and cost‑cutting experiments
Monday night television settles back into routine after a sport heavy weekend, though the schedule still finds room for curiosity, comfort and a touch of the surreal. From Mackenzie Crook’s offbeat new sitcom to practical energy saving experiments and long running crime staples, the evening moves between escapism and everyday concern with ease.
Here is what stands out across UK screens tonight.
Mackenzie Crook leans into the supernatural
Small Prophets, 10pm, BBC Two
There has always been something slightly otherworldly about Mackenzie Crook’s writing, and Small Prophets leans fully into that instinct.
This new sitcom centres on Michael, played with gentle eccentricity by Pearce Quigley, a man emotionally suspended in time. His partner disappeared seven years ago, leaving him in a house that has become part shrine, part holding space. Life has not moved forward. It has simply lingered.
Enter his father Brian, played by Michael Palin, now living in a care home but convinced he has discovered a way to uncover answers. His solution sits somewhere between medieval science and mystical folklore, using alchemy to grow homunculi, tiny human figures that might reveal hidden truths.
It is a premise that sounds absurd on paper, yet Crook’s work has always found warmth inside oddness. Early signs suggest Small Prophets will follow that tradition, balancing grief, humour and quiet philosophical reflection.
Jamie Oliver returns to budget friendly comfort
Jamie’s Feasts for a Fiver, 8pm, Channel 4
Practical cooking television continues to resonate, particularly as household costs remain under scrutiny.
This week’s menu leans into nostalgic comfort. Toad in the hole anchors the savoury side, while dessert takes a sweeter turn with raspberry jam treacle tart, layered with crunchy cornflake golden syrup and served alongside custard.
The format remains straightforward, accessible recipes, low ingredient cost, familiar flavours. Patricia Chung joins Jamie to prepare a sardine broth noodle soup, adding a different texture to the episode.
It is food television shaped by economic context rather than indulgence.
Silent Witness opens a new case
Silent Witness, 9pm, BBC One
Few crime dramas hold their Monday night footing quite like Silent Witness, and tonight’s episode begins with a murder that unfolds in unsettlingly public circumstances.
An estate agent’s open house becomes the scene of the crime, drawing forensic specialists Nikki Alexander and Jack Hodgson into another layered investigation. Initial evidence suggests racial tension may have played a role, though the narrative quickly begins to complicate those assumptions.
As ever, the series balances procedural detail with character continuity, giving returning viewers both familiarity and narrative progression.
Guy Martin tackles the cost of living
Guy Martin’s House Without Bills, 9pm, Channel 4
Energy affordability continues to dominate household conversation, and Guy Martin’s latest project places that concern at the centre of primetime television.
This episode focuses on a 1930s semi detached home in Greater Manchester, retrofitted with insulation, draught proofing and heat pump technology to test real world efficiency gains. Alongside it sits a visit to a factory producing modular eco housing, hinting at longer term structural change in how homes are built and heated.
Martin’s presenting style keeps the tone grounded, curious rather than preachy, focused on practical outcome rather than policy debate.
Fantasy storytelling continues on Sky Atlantic
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, 9pm, Sky Atlantic
The expanding world of Westeros continues to unfold in this Game of Thrones prequel series.
Revelations around Egg’s lineage shift the political dynamics surrounding Dunk, though survival remains precarious. The show’s strength lies in its smaller scale storytelling, more character driven than its predecessor, yet still rooted in dynastic tension and moral consequence.
For fantasy audiences, it remains essential weekly viewing.
Industry pushes its characters further
Industry, 10.40pm, BBC One
Late evening drama moves back into the high pressure financial world.
This episode sees Sweetpea travel to Accra in pursuit of corporate leverage, while Harper navigates personal revelations that threaten to destabilise her professional focus. The series continues to explore ambition, identity and moral compromise within global finance, retaining its sharp dialogue and emotional undercurrents.
Streaming and watching on the move
With drama, documentary and entertainment spread across BBC, Channel 4 and Sky platforms tonight, most viewers now move fluidly between live broadcast and on demand streaming.
BBC iPlayer, Channel 4’s digital services and Sky’s app ecosystem make it straightforward to watch across phones, tablets and connected televisions. For those travelling outside the UK, access to these services can become restricted due to regional licensing agreements.
Secure VPN connections are often used to maintain continuity with UK subscriptions while abroad. Services such as LibertyShield provide encrypted access across devices, alongside a 48 hour free trial that suits shorter trips or single event viewing, allowing audiences to keep up with their regular programmes wherever they are.
Monday night takeaway
Tonight’s schedule blends the unusual with the familiar.
A supernatural sitcom rooted in grief and humour. Budget conscious cooking. Long running forensic drama. Practical energy experimentation. Fantasy lore and corporate ambition.
After a weekend dominated by live sport, Monday returns television to narrative and reflection, quieter perhaps, but no less considered.