Monday’s TV Tips

If you ever found yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere with only the searing sun and a few circling vultures for company, you’d do well to remember Bear Gryll’s top tips for survival.

And if you think the chances of finding yourself in that situation are slim, then think again – the 13 blokes in this new series probably thought that too.

But stranded on a remote, uninhabited island is exactly where they are. It’s the third episode, and the isolation is really taking its toll on the men, who are quickly losing weight, surviving on an average of just 300 calories a day.

There’s tension among the group, as some castaways feel others aren’t pulling their weight, and the youngest – 21-year-old Ryan has become exhausted and isolated from the group. He heads off alone in search of food, but soon finds himself lost and in danger.

And the men have a choice – do they bring Ryan back into the fold or cast him out?

FILM: Fast Five (Film 4, 9pm)

Unlike other ‘Fast & Furious’ films, a lot more is at stake as Dominic Toretto and his crew of elite racers embark on a new challenge.

Now working for the FBI in LA, Brian O’Conner teams up with ex-con Toretto, (who was bailed out by Brian in the previous Fast & Furious offering), to take down a heroin importer.

However, Hobbs, a ruthless federal agent, is on hand to bring Toretto in for his criminal past, unaware he is halting their next move.

Fast-paced and thrilling driving scenes make this a must-see, while Joaquim de Almeida has a great time as Reyes, the villain of the piece. However, if you’re looking for something that has substance rather than style, you’re in the wrong place.

Starring: Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster

RottenTomatoes.com Rating: 77%

CONSUMER: Desperate House Buys (RTÉ One, 9.40pm)

Dublin’s 2014 spring property season is gearing up - demand for family homes is outstripping supply, and prices are rising.

With rents on the rise and housing lists mounting, is the current bubble from Dublin to Cork and Galway a seasonal blip? Is the government failing to tackle the problem of lack of supply by not targeting potential sites for new builds?

‘Desperate House Buys’ looks at whether the current rush to buy in some urban areas of Ireland signals short-term panic.

Estate agents tell a tale of two Irelands.

Dublin-based agents have front row seats on the rising capital market after years of steady decline. However, their rural counterparts still struggle with legacy issues of over-supply and downward spiraling prices.

And just who are the people desperate to buy and sell? We meet Claire and Ciaran from Drumcondra, who are in a two-bed terrace house with a second baby on the way. If they can’t find an affordable city property they may have to move down the country.

REAL-LIFE: Man Vs Weird (Channel 4, 10pm)

Simon Farnaby travels the globe sifting through its weird and wonderful inhabitants and chatting with people who claim to have extraordinary powers

This week, he meets people who seem to be able to fight off extreme pain, and even death, and he begins in Indonesia.

He watches the Banten tribe’s sacred ritual, which involves cutting and burning themselves, seemingly without injury or pain.

Next up, he’s off to China, where he meets Guang, a performer who can pull a car along a street with just a rope attached to his eye sockets.

But that’s not even the worst of it. Simon meets Hu Giong, the Shaolin master who balances on lethally sharp spears and takes a drill to his skull.

DOCUMENTARY: Return of the Rod Squad (RTÉ Two, 10.30pm)

In 2003, the four-part documentary series The Rod Squad followed the adventures of Irish football manager Roddy Collins at the helm of English club, Carlisle United.

The story ended in tears but the documentary series was warmly received and won an IFTA award later that year.

Ten years later, the sequel was finally filmed, as ‘Return Of The Rod Squad’ picks up Roddy’s story on this side of the Irish Sea in a four-part documentary series.

The manager’s job at Monaghan Utd represented for Roddy a welcome break after seven long years in the footballing wilderness.

‘Return Of The Rod Squad’ secured access all areas to Gortakeegan, witnessing an unexpectedly truncated season and many dramatic twists and intriguing turns.