THE REMOTE IS our weekly look at upcoming TV highlights.

What With Everything, people are at home a bit more than usual these days so we’ve got you covered whether you want a once-off special of a new series to get into.

We’ll focus mainly on free-to-air TV and freely available streaming services.

Something everyone will be talking about

While Jim Sheridan’s documentary on the death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier is already being shown on Sky Crime, Netflix’s own three-part documentary is to be released tomorrow. 

Sophie: A Murder in West Cork is the latest effort to tell the story of what is perhaps now Ireland’s most famous unsolved crime. While Sophie’s family asked to have their interviews removed from Sheridan’s version, Ian Bailey has asked to have his interview removed from the Netflix version. 

That might perhaps suggest the line this latest true crime documentary from the streaming giant is likely to take. Baily himself has called the Netflix show “poisonous propaganda”. 

When’s it on? Streaming from tomorrow on Netflix

Someone’s got a text

After taking a year out last year due to Covid, ITV smash summer reality show Love Island is back again.  

Series 7 series started last night and will likely dominate tabloids and Instagram feeds for the next couple of months, so if you want to get on board now is the time to do it. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the premise, Love Island basically takes a bunch of preened and fame-hungry men and women to a villa in Spain and follows them as they date each other. 

Pure escapism and bubble gum tv. 

When’s it on? Nightly at 9pm on Virgin Media TV

Something different  

Meet the Bray Side Boyz, aka CJ and Sammy, who moved to Bray ten years ago and loved it so much, they named their rap group after the seaside town.

New series #OurTown #Bray, starts Thursday, 9.30pm | @RTEPlayer pic.twitter.com/LVBDx8AWuK

— RTÉ2 (@RTE2) June 23, 2021

Filmed over 18 months to the end of 2020, Our Town follows the hopes and dreams and the challenges and joys of a diverse bunch of young people in the seaside town of Bray, County Wicklow.

The show started last week and featured young single mother Gabi and hip hip duo CJ and Sammy, aka the Bray Side Boyz. 

When’s it on? Thursday at 9pm on RTÉ 2 or on the RTÉ Player

Something sporty

Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Aside from crowds being nowhere near what we’d be used to in normal times, this weekend would almost make you feel like nothing had changed. 

There’s a whole slate of sport happening and being televised, so here’s a quick rundown. 

All being shown on RTÉ 2 are the following: Euro 2020 continues with games tonight, Friday and Saturday, The Irish Open golf from Mount Juliet runs from Thursday to Sunday, the All Ireland Football and Hurling Championships on Sunday, Ireland v Japan rugby international on Sunday. 

On TG4, the Tour de France continues daily while the Galway Races racing festival is on on Friday and Saturday. 

BBC also has ongoing coverage of the Wimbledon tennis grand slam. 

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More