Channel 4The Last Leg and the bet: catch up on the weekend's must-see TV
Best of the bunch
What we watched: The Last Leg, Saturday, Channel 4
What happened: ParalympicsGB have been incredibly successful, managing to top their 2012 medal haul with 147 medals, including 64 golds. Yet they aren't the only winners of the sporting event (slick link right?) with The Last Leg having lived up to expectations.
Why was it so good? The last Rio episode (the hosts return in October for their regular show) saw an amazing line-up which included New Zealand runner Liam Malone (who explained that he modelled his look on GoT's Jon Snow), Hannah Cockroft, Dame Sarah Storey and Kadeena Cox. Best of all? Presenter Adam Hills, following through on a bet about ParalympicsGB placing higher than Australia in the medals table...
BBC
Thursday
What we watched: The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs, BBC One
What happened? From people becoming resistant to antibiotics, to medicine cabinets overflowing, it seems our nation is being prescribed more drugs than ever. This documentary (and experiment), presented by Dr Chris van Tulleken sees patients prescribed a mixture of placebos and alternative therapies - including exercise - to see if they improve.
Why was it so good? It raised questions that are probably relevant to all of us - even if we often assume they only apply to others. Should we take less medication? Probably... but then I do have this nasty sore throat so bung over some antibiotics would you? We weren't convinced by some of the advice; for example, is swimming in an ice-cold lake a good alternative to taking anti-depressants? We're not sure about that one, but it was very interesting all the same.
Watch episode one on BBC iPlayer
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Friday
What we watched: The White Helmets, Netflix
What happened: With bombs dropping, an ongoing battle for power, and food and water hard to come by, it's hard to imagine just how hard life is in Syria. This short documentary follows The White Helmets - a group who are often the first to arrive when a bomb falls, in the hope of saving lives.
Why was it so good? The White Helmets have the motto 'To save a life is to save all of humanity'. This pretty much sums up the group who are willing to risk it all in the hope of helping others. When they're not hunting through rubble in the hope of finding people they are going about their normal lives - well, as normal as life can be when there's a civil war engulfing your country. This short documentary is as powerful as it is uplifting. It's just 40 minutes so well worth finding time for.
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Saturday
What we watched: The Night Of, Now TV
What happened? This eight-part series, which has been on Sky Atlantic, is available to watch as a boxset on Now. The New York drama is loosely based on Criminal Justice and follows Naz, a man accused of a brutal murder.
Why was it so good? So, this is a bit embarrassing. Everyone's been raving about this for months and, yet, we've only just got round to watching it. We did of course save ourselves precious time by binging on all the episodes over the weekend. It's incredibly gripping, and Brit actor Riz Ahmed shines in the lead role. Don't know much about him? He's just penned a brilliant essay that's worth a read.
Sunday
What we watched: Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, Channel 4
What happened? All in the name of charity, a bunch of celebs have been left to fend for themselves* on a desert island. MIC's Ollie Locke, comedian Dom Joly and TOWIE's Lydia-Rose Bright were responsible for most of the entertainment in week one.
Why was it so good? You know how everyone thinks they can rise to the occasion? The truth is, sometimes they can't. Locke and Bright failed twice in the space of 48 hours to hunt for water. Both times they had to press an SOS button for help as they got lost too. They may have been a bit embarrassed, but it certainly makes for good TV.
*We say fend for themselves - there is a film crew of course and an SOS button which will bring them help when required.
BBC
BBC Three must-watch
What we watched: Obesity: The Post Mortem
What happened: A corpse was purchased from the USA and the post mortem filmed. Why? The lady (whose identity has been kept anonymous) died of illnesses related to her obesity.
Why was it so good? Before you watch it, one thing we will say is be prepared for some graphic scenes. This is a proper post mortem and it doesn't hold back. However, this programme wasn't produced for shock value: the doctors explain exactly how the lady's weight affected her body - organs, skin, everything. No matter what we're told about the links between obesity and ill health, you simply cannot imagine it until you see it for yourself.
