When it comes to TV some of us revel in a bit of drama or even a spot of X Factor of a Saturday evening. However, if you're more of documentary fan then there's never been a better week to turn on the television.
If you tune in to Sky Atlantic on Friday November 8th at 9pm you'll be able to catch The Grierson Awards. Named after pioneering Scottish filmmaker John Grierson (whom documentary fans will know as the man dubbed the 'father of documentary'), these awards recognise and celebrate the best and the brightest in the field.
Before all the action kicks off however, there's a smashing week's worth of documentary delights to behold. And no, not a single one of them bears the title 'My Big Fat Gypsy...'. Here are just 5 Must See Documentaries on TV this week:
1. JFK: A New Perspective - RTE 1, Monday November 4th @ 9pm
Sure we can never say no to a bit of John F Kennedy around these parts. This brand new series apparently takes a 'fresh look at the life of the former US president, who became one of America's most popular leaders'. Tonight's first offering brings us all the way back to Kennedy's days as a 'sickly' youth.
2. The Crash Reel - Sky Atlantic, Tuesday November 5th @ 10pm
There's no better way to kick off a brand new season of documentaries on Sky Atlantic than with Lucy Walker's The Crash Reel. This film charts American snowboarder Kevin Pearce's rehabilitation after suffering a traumatic brain injury during training for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
3. 1916: Seachtar Dearmadta - TG4, Wednesday November 6th @ 9.30pm
We know all about the seven signatories of the 1916 proclamation but what about the other men who were executed in Kilmainham Gaol in the aftermath of the Rising? This new documentary series looks at the seven men we hear little about, beginning this week with Michael Mallin.
4. Newsflash: Stories That Stopped The World - UTV, Wendesday November 6th @ 11.05pm
This new series reveals what happened behind the scenes of some of the most momentous news stories in recent history, as told by those caught up in the real-life drama and the broadcasters who interrupted the TV schedules to deliver newsflashes into the nation's homes.
5. Aine Lawlor: Facing Cancer RTE1: 10.15pm
Veteran broadcaster and journalist Aine Lawlor looks at where scientists are in the war against cancer, while facing up to the gravity of her own situation and discovering how she has benefited from a new era of treatments.
