This week sees lots of new series starting, and some of our old favourites are back, including Harry Hill and Bones.

So let’s take a look at what else we recommend you take a look at this coming week…

Monday

Criminal Justice, 9:00pm, BBC1

Peter Moffat’s Bafta Award-winning drama, which takes an uncompromising and insightful look at the criminal justice system, returns to BBC1 for a new series.

Maxine Peake plays a mother in desperate trouble, and she leads an impressive cast that boasts some of Britain’s top acting talent, including: Matthew Macfadyen, Sophie Okonedo, Denis Lawson, Steven Mackintosh, Eddie Marsan, Zoe Telford and Kate Hardie.

As the series begins, respected barrister Joe Miller successfully prosecutes in a murder case. He’s a man on top of his game. As he awaits the verdict he tries to call home, causing his wife, Juliet, to become increasingly panicked as she misses his calls…

E-Mail is Ruining My Life, 9:30pm, BBC4

E-mail has revolutionised our lives, but can you have too much of a good thing?

Two million e-mails are sent every second and now companies are hiring consultants to teach their staff how to cope with the daily avalanche in their inboxes. Things have got so bad that some companies have introduced e-mail-free days.

Tuesday

Blitz: The Bombing of Coventry, 9:00pm, BBC2

On 14th November 1940 the Luftwaffe launched the most devastating bombing raid so far on Britain. The target was Coventry; deep in the heart of England.

In a twelve hours blitz the Luftwaffe dropped thousands of tons of bombs. Three quarters of the city centre – including the ancient cathedral – were devastated. The Nazis coined a phrase – ” to Coventrate” – to describe the intense destruction.

It was a baptism of fire for Coventry and Britain. For years the government feared that aerial bombardment could destroy civilian morale. In Coventry those fears were tested.
In the immediate aftermath of the blitz the evidence was not encouraging. Panic and hysteria gripped the city.

Half of Coventry’s population fled. But within weeks – and contrary to all expectations – the city revived. Factories were soon turning out aircraft parts which would be used to avenge the attack on Coventry.

The RAF studied the Nazi bombing techniques and perfected the art of “Coventration”. In Dresden, Hamburg and Berlin the Nazis reaped the whirlwind they had sown in their devastating attack.

True Stories: The Glass House, 10:00pm, More4

Documentary by Hamid Rahmanian which gives a unique insight into Iran through the prism of a day centre for troubled women run by Marjaneh Halatin, a psychologist now based in London.

Among those featured are Nazila, trying to find an escape through rap music, Sussan, who has fled her abusive drug-addicted brother and, most affecting, Samira, aged 14, who became a drug addict after being force-fed heroin by her equally addicted mother.

As Rahmanian follows their stories, their shared spirit and mutual support shine through in this surprising and illuminating documentary.

Wednesday

The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, 8:00pm, ITV1

Hosted by Carol Vorderman, the annual event is packed with breathtaking stories of heroism and courage, uplifting and moving moments and hilarious celebrity surprises.

More than 100 stars – ranging from Prince Charles and Prime Minister Gordon Brown to David Beckham, Sir Michael Caine, Simon Cowell and Ant and Dec – pay tribute to our real-life heroes at the glittering occasion at the Grosvenor House in London’s Park Lane.

Prince Charles honours a former heroin addict who, after racking up 176 criminal convictions, now saves the lives of young drug abusers, Little Britain’s David Walliams and Matt Lucas meet a courageous female fan whose cancer battle stunned the nation and Paul O’Grady joins a plucky 95 year old lady as she attempts to break a world record in abseiling!

Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity join in celebrating the best of British – returning to our screens to open the show with a specially created dance routine.

Nominated by the public, the winners truly deserve recognition. From all walks of life, of all ages, and from all over the country, their achievements are extraordinary, inspiring and a lesson to us all… have the tissues at the ready!

True Blood, 10:00pm, Channel 4

This is a new twelve-part American drama from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball.

It’s set in a backwater Louisiana town where vampires live alongside normal humans, following the creation of a synthetic blood that quenches their thirst. Anna Paquin stars as telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who meets 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton after helping save him from a couple who try to drain his valuable blood – and tests the limits of his gratitude when they are left alone in the dark.

Stephen Moyer and Ryan Kwanten co-star

Thursday

Alex: A Passion for Life, 9:00pm, Channel 4

Alex Stobbs became an overnight phenomenon and shot to international prominence following the broadcast of last year’s critically-acclaimed, award-winning documentary, A Boy Called Alex.

Now aged 19, a choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, and a member of its world-famous choir, this new film follows Alex’s dramatic and eventful transition from boy to man. Determined to live as normal a student life as possible, complete with girlfriends, late nights and major socialising, Alex is also set on fulfilling his life-long ambition: to conduct Bach’s masterpiece, the St Matthew Passion.

Highlights from the performance of the St Matthew Passion conducted by Alex follow on More4 at 10pm.

Bones: Harbingers in the Fountain, 9:00pm, Sky1

A new series of the hugely successful scientific crime drama series begins tonight.

Sweets finally passes Booth as mentally fit for duty after the agent recovers from brain surgery. Angela’s psychic reads her tarot cards and announces that several bodies are buried under a fountain. Booth and Brennan are sceptical but are surprised by what the investigation reveals.

Pop icon Cyndi Lauper guest stars as a psychic who leads a reunited Booth and Brennan to where several bodies are dumped. Deliciously dark.

Friday

Rude Tube: Heroes and Villains, 9:00pm, Channel 4

This new series kicks off with an episode that celebrates the goodies and baddies now immortalised on the web.

These are the men, women and beasts caught up in a timeless battle between good and evil, including such epic struggles as man versus sofa, tree versus house and monkey versus car.

Alex Zane presents.

Mystic River, 10:35pm, ITV1

During a summer in 1975, Dave Boyle and two friends, Jimmy and Sean, are playing on a sidewalk in Boston when Dave is abducted by two men and subjected to sexual abuse over a period of several days.

Eventually escaping, but haunted into adulthood by his trauma, Dave becomes a primary suspect when Jimmy’s daughter, Katie, is found murdered. Sean, assigned to investigate the crime, finds himself facing both demons from the past and demons in the present as the circumstances surrounding Katie’s death are uncovered.

Stars Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon. Here’s the film’s trailer

Saturday

Harry Hill’s TV Burp, 7:30pm, ITV1

The multi-award-winning Harry Hill returns with a new series of the comedy show which pokes fun at a host of new shows, family dramas, soaps and classics, including perennial favourites Coronation Street, Emmerdale, EastEnders, X Factor, The Apprentice and The Weakest Link.

Having garnered a slew of accolades and awards since his last outing, including a BAFTA, another British Comedy Award and an RTS Award, the comic prepares to tackle another season’s batch of telly offerings.

With nothing too sacred to be spared his gimlet gaze, the comedian lampoons popular soaps, dramas, TV quizzes and many others in his friendly but also merciless style.

The Departed, 9:00pm, Film4

In South Boston, the state police force is waging war on Irish-American organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Frank Costello. While Billy quickly gains Costello’s confidence, Colin Sullivan, a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the state police as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit.

Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the mob and the police that there’s a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy – and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

But is either willing to turn on the friends and comrades they’ve made during their long stints undercover?

Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen and Ray Winstone.

Here’s the film’s trailer…

Sunday

Jack the Ripper: Killer Revealed, 9:00pm, Discovery Channel

Historian Mei Trow has spent two years gathering evidence and conducting exhaustive research, and now believes he has uncovered the true identity of notorious nineteenth-century serial killer Jack the Ripper.

This could be an exciting watch if his claims are true!

Crimes That Shook the World: Monster of Florence, 10:00pm, Discovery Channel

Profile of the mysterious Monster of Florence. Over 17 years, eight courting couples were killed in and around the beautiful Tuscan city.

Although each case was similar, and the geographical area concerned was small, police struggled to find the Monster. Despite several trials and wrongful convictions, the case has never been solved and it has inspired many fervid conspiracy theories.

That’s it for this week’s Primetime Picks. Join us next Sunday for more!