Tonight in HD: July 10

SoHo Highlight: Band of Brothers (Sky 10, 8.30, 5.1) HBO’s searing, authentic, true-life dramatisation of an elite paratroop regiment going to hell and back in wartime Europe at last screens in HD on NZ TV — just in time to mark its 10th anniversary. While the first of 10 episodes suffered from too many boot camp basics, the rest easily earn their stripes. The second opens with Easy Company parachuting behind enemy lines on D-Day, in a fearsome sequence reminiscent of the beach landing in Saving Private Ryan, and from thereon the series barely lets up. The powerful combat footage is more horrific than heroic, the storytelling doesn’t surrender to cliches and the acting is sublime. ✭✭✭✭✭

GCB (TV2, 9.30, 5.1) When Amanda tries to put together an all-female barbeque team to prove a point to her daughter, she recruits the helps of the GCBs for the cook-off of the year. Grant Bowler (Outrageous Fortune, True Blood) guest stars as a businessman who finds cracks in Cricket and her gay husband Blake’s “white marriage”. Bowler told The Hollywood Reporter: “Cricket definitely winds up being the cat on a hot tin roof. She’s got this character I’m playing chasing her around pretty hard. The ‘white marriage’ thing is all very well and good, but it makes it a lot easier for that third party to come in and upset the applecart.” ✭✭✭

MasterChef Australia (TV One, 4.45) The Blue team are up for elimination following their loss at the yum cha challenge. ✭✭

Home & Away (TV3, 5.30) Brax tries to protect his mother from Danny; Liam must make amends for falling off the wagon; Sasha wants Ruby to stay away from Casey. ✭✭

Friends (TV2, 6.30, R) While Ross and Elizabeth are on a romantic weekend getaway at her family’s cabin, Elizabeth’s father (Bruce Willis) and Rachel show up unexpectedly. ✭✭✭

Shortland Street (TV2, 7.00) Phoenix risks all to secure crucial evidence; Paige thinks casual could be fun; under pressure, Brooke is caught out. ✭✭✭

The Middle (TV2, 7.30, 5.1) It seems like Frankie truly has eyes in the back of her head when she busts both Sue and Axl making some bad choices — but it turns out that she’s using Brick as her snitch. Said the AV Club: “Any episode that kicks off with Axl strapped into a desk chair and being pulled behind a car is destined to be a good ‘un, and The Telling more than lives up to its destiny, providing strong, fleshed-out storylines for all three kids while also managing to give both Mike and Frankie plenty to do.” ✭✭✭✭

Highway Cops (TV One, 8.00) A young man smokes up more than his tyres in Oamaru, and a driver ends up in the dog box in Omarama. ✭✭✭

Suburgatory (TV2, 8.00, 5.1) When Eden moves in with Tessa and George, Tessa has trouble accepting her; George finds Eden’s parenting skills highly unusual. ✭✭

Kings Cross ER (TV3, 8.00)  A man is discovered alone and unconscious in a St Vincent’s Hospital public toilet; and a 31-year-old runner collapses after finishing Sydney’s annual marathon. ✭✭✭✭

Postcard From Afghanistan With Mike King (TV One, 8.30) Mike King travels to Afghanistan to entertain Kiwi soldiers and is confronted with the realities of war in this eye-opening journey. ✭✭✭

The Mentalist (TV2, 8.30, 5.1) A client from Jane’s past requests his psychic expertise in locating her missing son; Jane butts heads with her new spiritual advisor. ✭✭

NCIS (TV3, 8.30, 5.1) An explosion on a Navy ship is investigated, and security is elevated at all US Navy facilities around the world. ✭✭

Hawaii Five-O (TV3, 9.30, 5.1) Five-0 investigates the murder of a women’s volleyball coach and the probe leads the team to discover more bad news about Kono and her ongoing legal problems. Reiko Aylesworth guest stars. ✭✭