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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Hollie Richardson, Hannah Verdier, Phil Harrison and Graeme Virtue

TV tonight: a ridiculously funny superhero movie spoof

Jessica Hynes, Daniel Bruhl, Lolly Adefope and Himesh Patel in The Franchise
Search for the superhero inside yourself … Jessica Hynes, Daniel Bruhl, Lolly Adefope and Himesh Patel in The Franchise. Photograph: HBO

The Franchise

Monday, 10pm, Sky Comedy
What happens on the set of a ridiculous, big-budget superhero movie? This new spoof comedy from Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, Veep, I’m Alan Partridge), Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes and Succession’s Jon Brown shows us. The series follows first assistant director Daniel (Himesh Patel) and his team, Dag (Lolly Adefope) and Steph (Jessica Hynes), as they work on Tecto: Eye of the Storm. In the first episode of this week’s triple bill, they try to handle the conflicting egos of film stars Peter (Richard E Grant) and Adam (Billy Magnussen). With such cracking talent involved, you know you’re in for something hilarious. Hollie Richardson

Alma’s Not Normal

10pm, BBC Two
Julie Hesmondhalgh, Steve Pemberton and Selina Mosinski (also known as Charity Shop Sue) are dream guest stars as they play grandma Joan’s estranged weird-but-sort-of-wonderful siblings. They’re in town for their mother Alice’s funeral, which Alma organises in between her new standup comedy classes. HR

Michael Mosley: Just One Thing

8.30pm, BBC One
Mosley’s legacy of life-improving nuggets is a comfort blanket. In this concluding episode, he looks at how learning a new skill can improve your memory and mental health. Light science and moving stories from the people trying new skills back up the message, but will enthusiasm wane as the challenge goes on? Hannah Verdier

Mr Loverman

9pm, BBC One
This warm and sensitive adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s tale of forbidden love in the British Caribbean community continues with a trip down memory lane. Barry and Morris are painfully close to making their relationship official, but Barry is wary and a flashback to the jeopardy of LGBTQ+ life in the 90s hints at the roots of his concerns. Phil Harrison

The Penguin

9pm, Sky Atlantic
They may suddenly be bitter rivals but would-be Gotham crime bosses Oz (Colin Farrell) and Sofia (Cristin Milioti) have a very similar recruiting slogan: forget mob hierarchy, it’s time for small-time hoods and henchmen to get their share. But as Oz’s latest power play misfires, his poor old ma needs to relocate urgently. Graeme Virtue

Undercover: Exposing the Far Right

10pm, Channel 4


Hope Not Hate is an organisation that opposes far-right extremism: from supporting targeted communities to tackling discredited “race science” that a new generation of influencers are using to uphold their prejudices. This alarming documentary shadows its work. HR

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