Kayleigh Dray

Television vampires remain compelling because they combine beauty, danger, immortality and forbidden desire while offering an escape from conventional social, gender and family structures. The Vampire Lestat intensifies those qualities through Sam Reid’s glam-rock performance, presenting Lestat as a flamboyant, sexually liberated and unapologetically queer figure. Across shows including True Blood, American Horror Story, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and What We Do in the Shadows, vampires function both as seductive romantic fantasies and as vessels for exploring toxic relationships, redemption, moral transgression and the rejection of heteronormative expectations.

Netflix’s animated series reimagines Lara Croft with a more realistic physique, practical clothing and visible physical and emotional vulnerability, moving away from the exaggerated sexualization of the original games. The piece argues that although Lara was always an independent adventurer rather than a damsel in distress, earlier versions were shaped by the male gaze. The new series emphasizes her complicated past, friendships, found family and responsibility to return stolen treasures, presenting her imperfections and emotional baggage as part of a more feminist and self-directed characterization.

Television’s portrayal of witches has shifted from demonised, sexually threatening hags to complex figures representing female autonomy, rebellion and self-determination. From Circe and The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch to Samantha Stephens, Buffy’s Willow, Hermione Granger, The Craft and contemporary works such as The Witch, The Love Witch and Wednesday, popular culture has progressively reclaimed the witch archetype. Agatha All Along continues that trajectory with a coven of older, morally ambiguous women who are powerful, messy and free of romantic subplots, presenting their autonomy as a feminist act.

The Guardian’s television guide recommends Nikki Glaser’s stand-up special Someday You’ll Die for its irreverent treatment of ageing, childlessness and death. Other picks include extended UK election coverage with Sophy Ridge, celebrity and political comedy programmes, the finale of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, and football podcast Stick to Football. Film recommendations range from the Brat Pack documentary Brats and the romantic comedy Anyone But You to Studio Ponoc’s anime fantasy The Imaginary, alongside live coverage of a Chicago Cubs–Los Angeles Angels baseball game.

The guide recommends television options for UK election night, led by BBC One’s Election 2024 coverage with Laura Kuenssberg and Clive Myrie. Alternatives include Sky News, Channel 4’s Emily Maitlis and Krishnan Guru-Murthy-led coverage, and entertainment such as Douglas Is Cancelled, Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain and Paul Whitehouse’s Sketch Show Years. Live golf on Sky Sports is also listed.

A television guide previews the evening’s programmes, led by Battle of the Bagpipes, which follows Scottish pipe bands competing under intense pressure ahead of the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. Other recommendations include George Clarke exploring unusual self-builds, crime drama Alaska Daily, Australian family dramedy Love Me, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen touring extravagant homes, and Trevor Eve reflecting on Waking the Dead.

The evening’s television recommendations lead with Tim Harford’s Channel 4 investigation into Britain’s weak economic growth and the declining expectation that younger generations will be wealthier than their parents. Other highlighted programmes include Bake Off: The Professionals, a documentary following MMA fighters Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann, House of the Dragon, 24 Hours in A&E and The Sympathizer. The listings also cover Euro 2024 round-of-16 matches between France and Belgium and Portugal and Slovenia.

The evening’s television highlights include extensive Glastonbury 2024 coverage, with performances by Paul Heaton, the Sugababes and Dua Lipa. Other recommendations feature Nick Robinson interviewing Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, a documentary about Andy Murray’s career, an episode of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, the reality-show finale of The Nevermets, and Erica Tremblay’s film Fancy Dance, which explores Native American identity, family and belonging.

The evening television guide highlights a Dispatches investigation filmed undercover in an A&E department, showing patients waiting for days on chairs, ambulance delays and overcrowding-related infection risks. A post-programme debate hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy examines how to repair the NHS. Other recommendations include election interviews with Nigel Farage, Carla Denyer and John Swinney, a documentary on the development of the Pap smear, family-reunion programming, and new episodes of House of the Dragon and The Sympathizer, alongside live women’s tennis from Eastbourne.

The Guardian’s evening television guide recommends Suranne Jones: Investigating Witch Trials on Channel 4, in which Jones explores the 17th-century witch trials near her Greater Manchester hometown and their wider implications for women. Other recommendations include Capital’s Summertime Ball 2024, Songs of Praise marking the RSPCA’s 200th anniversary, Countryfile from the Norfolk Broads, Shetland: Scotland’s Wondrous Isles, and We’re Here. The guide also lists live coverage of Formula One, the Men’s T20 World Cup match between the USA and England, and Scotland versus Hungary at Euro 2024.

The television guide highlights a BBC Two documentary in which Shania Twain reflects on her difficult childhood, musical beginnings and rise to pop stardom before her Glastonbury appearance. Other recommendations include finales of Doctor Who, Jana: Marked for Life and Rebus, coverage of the Isle of Wight Festival, and a behind-the-scenes Doctor Who programme. Film choices include Netflix’s Black Barbie documentary, the cult sci-fi film Plan 9 from Outer Space and Daisy Ridley’s understated drama Sometimes I Think About Dying, alongside listings for tennis and rugby.

The Guardian’s television recommendations highlight Unreported World’s harrowing report on Haiti, where gang rule has contributed to the collapse of healthcare and severely endangered pregnant women. Other choices include a scenic journey through Scotland’s rivers, the wedding-focused finale of Beyond Paradise, gardening programming, an awkward breakup comedy and another episode of Late Night Lycett.

A television guide recommends Channel 4’s new dating show Love Triangle, in which contestants choose between two potential partners before the rejected date can re-enter the relationship. Other highlights include Alison Hammond’s Battersea dog rescue programme, the sitcom Changing Ends about young Alan Carr, a documentary featuring victims of Gary Glitter, Michael Palin’s travels through Nigeria, the crime drama Catch Me a Killer, and the classic war film The Small Back Room. The listings conclude with Arsenal versus Chelsea in the Premier League.

The Guardian’s evening television guide highlights The Jinx – Part Two, which revisits Robert Durst’s attempted escape, police interactions and the aftermath of his apparent on-camera murder confession. Other recommendations include Belfast crime drama Blue Lights, an archaeological excavation in Pompeii, a digitally driven murder investigation, and comedy series Meet the Richardsons. The guide is less enthusiastic about the political satire The Regime, while its film selections praise Funny Pages and the classic heist comedy The Lavender Hill Mob.

The Guardian’s evening television guide recommends Red Eye on ITV1, a thriller about a doctor extradited from London to Beijing aboard a troubled flight, and compares its tone favorably with Hijack. Other recommendations include the wildlife documentary Mammals, a celebrity Bake Off special, the penultimate episode of This Town, a BBC Two classical-music retrospective and Zara McDermott’s investigation of Ibiza’s rising costs, social divide and crime. The film choice is Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life, while live sports listings include the Chinese Grand Prix and the London Marathon.

The Guardian’s television roundup recommends BBC Scotland’s Disclosure: Dead Man Running, which investigates how fugitive sex-assault suspect Kim Avis faked his death and fled to California. Other featured programmes include a River Tay exploration, coverage of pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian tensions on US college campuses, crime drama Beyond Paradise, sitcom Avoidance and Joe Lycett’s live comedy show. Film picks include Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver and BlackBerry, a comedy-drama about the mobile phone’s rise and fall.

A selection of evening television highlights includes Mammoth, a BBC Two comedy starring Mike Bubbins as a teacher defrosted in 2024 after being frozen in an avalanche since 1979. Other recommendations include Andi Oliver’s food and arts programme, a Glow Up make-up challenge, Race Across the World in Japan and South Korea, Professor T’s investigation into connected deaths, and Red Flag, which explores abusive relationships through survivors’ accounts and therapy. Champions League matches are also scheduled on TNT Sports.

The Guardian’s television guide recommends the return of Belfast police drama Blue Lights, praising its intense second-season opener and continued focus on both personal relationships and policing amid rising drug crime. Other featured programmes include an archaeological investigation at Pompeii, Jamie Oliver’s air-fryer recipes, Martin Clunes exploring Papua New Guinea, a documentary about digital crime-solving, and the political satire The Regime starring Kate Winslet.

The television guide recommends The Assembly, in which 35 autistic and neurodivergent interviewers ask Michael Sheen unusually personal questions during Autism Acceptance Week, calling it candid, funny and compelling. Other picks include Romesh Ranganathan’s returning comedy Avoidance, Travel Man in Prague, a Wales pilgrimage series, Susan Calman’s Glasgow episode and the dystopian drama Helgoland 513. Film recommendations highlight Morgan Neville’s two-part Steve Martin documentary and Girls State, a politically charged documentary about teenage girls creating a fictional government in Missouri. The evening’s live sport is an England-Sweden Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier.

A television guide highlights the return of MasterChef for its 20th anniversary, with Gregg Wallace and John Torode judging contestants through a gnocchi challenge and dinner service. Other recommendations include the Mastermind final, Anton and Giovanni’s travel series in Spain, a University Challenge semi-final, emergency cases in 24 Hours in A&E, and the penultimate episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. The film choices are the documentary Tish, about photographer Tish Murtha, and Spike Jonze’s surreal satire Being John Malkovich.