Tonight in HD: June 21

Series Premiere: Episodes (TV One, 10.10) Green Wing’s Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan reunite as the happily married writers of a UK TV hit whose lives change when they go to LA to re-make it for US TV with a new lead actor (Matt LeBlanc as  himself). “It was either a clever postmodern joke or a foolhardy gambit that the star of the show didn’t appear in the first episode of Episodes, other than a brief glimpse of him driving a car,” said The Guardian, adding: “The opener had some promising scenes, and Greig and Mangan strike a nice balance between insecurity and irony. But if there’s one thing that Hollywood excels in it is sending itself up, and there was nothing in the first episode to suggest that Episodes (co-written by Friends creator David Crane) is going to deliver a fresh or especially funny perspective on a familiar scene.” However, across the Atlantic USA Today dubbed it “a riotously, often scathingly funny showbiz satire that proves LeBlanc is smart enough to know self-mockery can be a potent weapon, and talented enough to wield it properly.” ✭✭✭✭

The Unit (TV3, 11.45, 5.1) Season premiere: The military special ops team unravels an assassination plot involving high-ranking government officials. The final 22 episodes of this sharply-written mix of action, political intrigue and human interest debut here nearly four years after its premiere in the US and only a week ahead of its SD run on Sky’s The Box. It was released here on DVD two years ago but not on Blu-ray. US reviews of the Blu-ray praised the “sharp definition, true colours, and minimal distortion outside of the occasionally vertigo-inducing camera work” but acknowledged “varying degrees of grain“. Said DVD Talk of The Unit’s last tour of duty: “As the show draws to a close during this fourth season, the series does an astonishing job maintaining the kind of tension that it had built up over the past few seasons.” ✭✭✭✭

Home & Away (TV3, 5.30) Heath and Bianca are forced to discuss what to do if there are any complications with the birth; Brax learns about Heaths plan to get their dad out of jail. ✭✭

Friends (TV2, 6.30, R) On Thanksgiving, Chandler tries to gain favour with Monica’s parents, but an old secret involving Ross causes problems and Rachel’s dessert proves intriguing. ✭✭✭

Shortland Street (TV2, 7.00) TK forces Josh to face his demons, Brooke earns the wrath of her sister, and Chris confronts his destructive pride. ✭✭

Once Upon a Time (TV2, 8.30, 5.1) August tries to enlighten Emma on ways she can beat Regina and possibly take custody of Henry; Geppetto agrees to a plan to save Snow White and Prince Charming’s daughter. ✭✭

Bones (TV3, 8.30, 5.1) Series return: An escaped convict’s remains are found in a residential sewer pipe; Booth asks Brennan to take it easy as they await the birth of their baby. While Emily Deschnael’s off-screen pregnancy interrupted season seven’s run, don’t expect season eight to be the last — despite co-star David Boreanaz’ tweets suggesting otherwise. “We are in no way planning for it to be the last season,” creator Hart Hanson told Entertainment Weekly. “I mean anything can happen in a complicated world but we’re very, very confident in having at least a season nine, and I can see as far as season 10 before my eyes get misty.” ✭✭

Fringe (TV2, 10.30, 5.1) While Olivia copes with migraines, she and her team investigate an invisible force which kills its victims and causes the body to turn a ghostly white. ✭✭✭✭

Sky Movies Greats Premiere: Fun With Dick and Jane (Sky 22, 8.30, 5.1) Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni play an aspiring couple who resort to a life of crime after their storybook dreams of prosperity, social status and executive success are dashed by a corporate scam. The set-up is hilarious, as we watch them hit rock bottom through a series of snappy vignettes and sight gags, but the second half is a half-baked, don’t-get-mad, get-even scenario that’s sillier than the star’s signature slapstick. (2005) ✭✭✭