HD Heads-Up: February 21-27

TV3 will launch its newest HD drama, State of Affairs, off the back of The Blacklist.

The 9.30 Monday premiere is on February 23 — 24 hours after TV3’s network HD premieres of A Good Day to Die Hard and Hitchcock.

State of Affairs is Katherine Heigl’s first series since her breakout role in Grey’s Anatomy.

She plays the President’s CIA analyst in series most critics thought was a Homeland-lite.

“Compared to Homeland, State of Affairs is hands down the weaker show,” the Chicago Sun-Times said.

“Compared to the broadcast networks’ other new dramas, it’s strong enough — just enough — to deserve a chance to find its legs .”

“The narrative of State of Affairs is not as outré as the one in Scandal,” the New York Times reckons, “but it’s still preposterous and at times laughable.”

Quipped Variety: “Far from any inspiration, this show feels not just like it was created by a committee, but a Senate subcommittee at that.

“And in TV terms, that’s a pretty sorry state of affairs.”

Also new in HD for the week starting February 21 are:

• The Day That Changed My Life (TV1, 8.30 Wednesday), which follows the stories of six survivors in the immediate aftermath of the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch
• Alex Polizzi’s Secret Italy (TV1, 9.30 Wednesday), featuring TV’s Hotel Inspector on the road
• Shed of the Year (TV1, 7.30 Thursday), in which George Clarke explores more amazing spaces
• Was It Something I Said? (TV1, 10.00 Thursday), a British panel show hosted by David Mitchell
• Joey (TV2, 6.20 Sunday), which will re-run back to back with Friends from the beginning.

Other HD coming attractions include Mulan (TV2, 7.00 Saturday), Benjamin Button (TV2, 8.30 Saturday), Little Mermaid (TV2, 6.55 Sunday), Silent Hill: Revelation (TV2, 10.30 Sunday), Contraband (TV3, 8.50 Thursday) and The Wedding Planner (TV2, 8.40 Friday).

Guesting on Friday’s Graham Norton Show (TV3, 8.40) are Broadchurch’s David Tennant and Olivia Colman, and film producer Harvey Weinstein.