Tonight in HD: December 15

SoHo Highlight: Treme (Sky 10, 9.30, 5.1) Toni tracks down a former cop in search of clues about Daymo; Janette considers suspending operations; the Bernettes make a splash at the Krewe du Vieux parade. As The AV Club said of this series six episodes in: “[Creator David] Simon and his writers are unsparing in drawing out the instances of corruption, inefficiency, and downright ineptitude in government; and if there’s any moral to the story, it’s this: You’re pretty much on your own, kid. If the government isn’t actively obstructing you, then it isn’t present when you need it, either.” According to New Orleans’ Times-Picayune, “the title of [this] episode, Shallow Water, Oh Mama, is a traditional Mardi Gras Indian call-and-response chant first recorded in 1988 by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux.” Moreover, “this week’s Treme gives us a new view of most of our characters — it lets us see them in ways we haven’t seen them before,” New York magazine observed. “We get to see Davis as ambitious whereas once he was only a screw-up. We see Janette as a failure when we only knew her as a talented chef. We see Toni break through in an investigation that has long stymied her. And we see that Sonny isn’t just an asshole — he’s a huge asshole.” ✭✭✭✭✭

Friends (TV2, 6.30, R) Monica breaks up with her popular new boyfriend, and breaks her friends’ hearts in the process; Chandler battles with his smoking habit; Phoebe gets an unexpected gift from the bank. ✭✭✭

Shortland Street (TV2, 7.00) Maxwell’s protective instincts pay off; Callum is blind to deception; Ula confirms something important about herself. ✭✭✭

The X Factor USA (TV3, 7.30, 5.1) Who will survive this round? ✭✭

Chuck (TV2, 10.30) Chuck pushes Vivian to get in touch with her inner villain, as Sarah tries to get in touch with her inner bride. ✭✭✭✭

Lie to Me (TV3, 11.15, 5.1, R) Dr Cal Lightman investigates a case involving the son of a family of devout Jehovah’s Witnesses who is accused of killing his teacher after being caught fleeing the scene of her murder.  ✭✭✭

Diplomatic Immunity (TV One, 11.35, R) Comedy about the misadventures at the consulate of The Most Royal Kingdom of Feausi, and the fallen New Zealand Foreign Affairs high-flier who’s been sent in to straighten out the consulate staff. ✭✭✭

Underbelly: The Mr Asia Story (TV3, 12.15, R, F) The Federal Police race against time to capture Aussie Bob Trimbole from his hideouts in Ireland and Spain.  ✭✭✭✭

Criminal Minds (TV One, 12.05, R) ✭✭

The Vampire Diaries (TV2, 3.35, R) ✭✭✭  

Sky Movies Greats: In Her Shoes (Sky 22, 8.30, 5.1) Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette play estranged sisters in a ‘chick flick’ that flies higher than most. Their performances (along with Shirley MacLaine’s as their mother), the sensitive but telling screenplay by Erin Brockovich’s Susannah Grant, and Curtis (8 Mile, LA Confidential) Hanson’s sturdy direction could scarcely be a better fit. (2005) ✭✭✭✭