TV tonight: a terrifying prequel series to Stephen King’s It | television

Him: Welcome to Derry

9pm, Sky Atlantic
“Do you think someone could kidnap a child and keep him underground… in the sewers?” For those of us who were too terrified by Stephen King’s Pennywise to watch the It series, this original series is best watched through the fingers (or with eyes closed the entire time). Developed by the team behind the latest blockbuster, the supernatural horror film is set in 1960s America, following the events of a small town with missing locals, brave children, horrific events and suspicious new residents. Bill Skarsgård reprises his role as the evil clown, but he’s not just doing scary things. You won’t want to turn on your lamp tonight… Holly Richardson

Once upon a time in space

9pm on BBC Two
As we approach the era of a new alien race, here’s a series from the team behind Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland. The film uses archival footage and extraordinary narratives to tell the human story of astronomical exploration — starting with Anna Lee Fisher, the first mother in space, and brother of Ronald McNair, one of the first black astronauts, who says his family went “from slavery to space in four generations.” Human resources

Panorama: The King of Jordan and the children of Gaza

8pm, BBC One
Because his country borders Israel and the occupied West Bank, Jordanian King Abdullah II has long sought to push for peace in the region. Is there reason for optimism? Fergal Keane accompanies the King as he oversees the evacuation of sick children from Gaza and attends UN meetings as the latest ceasefire plans are drawn up. Graeme Virtue

8pm on Channel 4
“We got chicken tikka masala coming out of our ears,” says Wayne Kirsch (thankfully, he doesn’t mean literally). Surplus food company Discount Dragon is one of the stars of this new series, which offers a nice amount of free advertising while also pointing viewers in the direction of potential deals. Hannah J. Davis

Blue lights

9pm, BBC One
The penultimate episode is as tense as ever. The Huskers learn first-hand how devastating drug enforcement is in the city: Grace is in danger after George is brought in for questioning, and Shane clashes with a woman high on cocaine. However, there are lighter moments, as questionable music is played in the brass cars. Human resources

Behind bars: sex, bribes and murder

10pm on BBC Three
Mubeen Azhar’s two-part investigation begins with a 2024 video of a female prison officer at HMP Wandsworth having sex with a prisoner, then becomes an increasingly disturbing revelation about how coercion, corruption and organized crime run rampant in an underfunded penal system. What Al-Azhar found was deeply disturbing. Jack Seale

Choose a movie

Shabu (Shamira Rafaela, 2021), 2.45am, Channel 4
In a world of documentaries that strive to change the state of things, Chapeau may feel like a bit of a risk. The subject of Rafaela’s film is a 14-year-old Dutch boy who lives in a notoriously problematic apartment complex in Rotterdam. Sharonya “Shabu” Abisuenya has been hit by his grandmother’s car and has to spend the summer trying to earn enough money to pay for the repairs, until he finally finds his purpose in life. That’s all it really is, but Raphaëla manages to fill every frame with immediate vitality. As magical as filmmaking is. Stuart Heritage