Tonight's television lineup offers a perfect blend of heartwarming festive cheer and gripping drama, with Channel 4's beloved dog adoption series returning for a Christmas special and BBC One delivering an intriguing murder mystery.
The Dog House at Christmas: Finding Forever Homes
Channel 4's heartwarming matchmaking show The Dog House returns with a festive special at 8pm, continuing its mission to find permanent homes for abandoned dogs. The Christmas edition features several compelling stories that will tug at viewers' heartstrings.
Teenager Kyra appears in the programme after spending eight years attempting to persuade her father to welcome a dog into their family. Her hopes rest on charming Luna, an adorable labradoodle who might finally break her dad's resistance.
Meanwhile, Queen considers whether she can handle energetic American bulldog Chico, while Rick, who was left paralysed following an accident, meets Jenny the terrier. The programme questions whether Jenny can melt Rick's somewhat Scrooge-like Christmas mood and bring seasonal joy back into his life.
Return to Paradise: Hallucinogenic Tea Turns Deadly
At the same time on BBC One, Return to Paradise serves up a very different kind of entertainment with episode two of the Australian crime drama. The staff of a dating app participate in a spiritual away day that takes a dark turn when their boss dies unexpectedly.
The mysterious circumstances become increasingly puzzling when it's revealed that everyone, including the deceased, consumed the same hallucinogenic tea. Investigator Mack, played by Anna Samson, must untangle the complex web of her colleagues' romantic relationships to solve what appears to be an impossible crime.
Evening's Additional Highlights
Sky Atlantic presents All Her Fault at 9pm, shifting focus from distressed mother Marissa (Sarah Snook) to Chicago detective Alcaras (Michael Peña), who leads the search for her missing five-year-old. The dedicated officer also faces personal challenges as he struggles to secure a better school placement for his nonspeaking son.
Music enthusiasts can tune into Sky Arts at 9pm for Greatest Basslines, a new three-part series exploring influential bass players. The opening episode features Peter Hook, founding member of Joy Division and New Order, discussing the basslines that defined his bands' distinctive sounds. Future instalments will include Foo Fighters' Nate Mendel and Melissa Auf der Maur from Hole and Smashing Pumpkins.
BBC One's charming sitcom Daddy Issues continues its second season at 9.35pm, with Aimee Lou Wood and David Morrissey portraying an unconventional father-daughter parenting team. This episode sees Gemma desperate to wear her "weapons-grade pulling dress" for a night out, leaving Malcolm to care for baby Sadie with uncertain results.
The evening concludes with The Graham Norton Show at 10.40pm on BBC One, featuring Glenn Close discussing her role in the third Knives Out film following her appearance in the critically panned All's Fair. She shares the famous red sofa with Alexander Skarsgård, Miriam Margolyes and Nicola Coughlan.
Film Recommendation: Left-Handed Girl
For film lovers, Netflix offers Left-Handed Girl (2025), the debut solo feature from Shih-Ching Tsou, a regular collaborator with Oscar-winning director Sean Baker. The Taiwanese drama follows single mother Shu-Fen (Janel Tsai) and her children - left-handed five-year-old I-Jing (Nina Ye) and young adult I-Ann (Shih-Yuan Ma) - as they move to Taipei to open a noodle stall. The film beautifully combines Baker's interest in marginalised communities with Tsou's intimate portrayal of Taiwanese life, creating what Simon Wardell describes as "an unforced, perceptive and utterly beguiling drama."
