This Week's Must-See TV: Five Shows You Shouldn't Miss

We've got a veritable TV pick 'n' mix for you this week, folks. If you're a comedy fan then there's some great stuff in Channel 4's 'Funny Fortnight' and Charlie Brooker's exhaustingly witty A Touch of Cloth, while those who prefer period dramas or a bit of fantasy will be well served with Parade's End and the epic Once Upon a Time finale. Read on for more details...

Mount Pleasant: Wednesday (August 22) at 9pm on Sky Living
We're heading back up to Manchester this week for the second series of foul-mouthed but fun comedy drama Mount Pleasant, which has found a new home on Sky Living. Northern treasures Sally Lindsay, Daniel Ryan, Bobby Ball and Angela Griffin are all back on board, while the episode also welcomes Casualty's Claire Goose (remember her?) as a troublesome new friend of Lisa's (Lindsay) and Britain's Got Talent imp George Sampson as Bianca's (Sian Reeves) stepson Gary. If you've got nowt to do on Wednesday, stick on a brew, get in some scran and have a buzz to Mount Pleasant (did we get that right, Manchester?).

Watch a preview of Mount Pleasant series two below:



Vic and Bob's Lucky Sexy Winners: Thursday (August 23) at 10pm on Channel 4
Channel 4 is really spoiling comedy lovers with its 'Funny Fortnight'. In addition to airing great stand-up from Peter Kay, Lee Evans and Micky Flanagan, as well as some chucklesome countdown shows (Channel 4's 30 Greatest Comedy Shows, Best Episodes Ever), the broadcaster is showcasing a ton of new comedy projects from established comedians and up-and-comers alike.

We'll be tuning in for Toast of London, which stars IT Crowd's Matt Berry as washed-up actor Steven Toast, and we're looking forward to Channel 4 favourites Blake Harrison, Kayvan Novak, Sally Phillips and Morgana Robinson uniting for sketch show Them From That Thing. But personally we're most excited to see Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer ripping up the panel show rulebook once again for Lucky Sexy Winners, which hopefully will be a cool and capable successor to their much-missed BBC programme Shooting Stars. With original sketches, new characters and a dash of sheer insanity, their clowning around is not to be missed.

Watch comedians discuss Channel 4's 'Funny Fortnight' below:



Parade's End: Friday (August 24) at 9pm on BBC Two
It's not Downton Abbey. Don't you dare call it Downton Abbey. Benedict Cumberbatch hates Downton Abbey (allegedly). No, Parade's End is, according to Sherlock himself, a much more sophisticated take on the trials of the upper class in the run-up to WWI.

Based on Ford Madox Ford's novels and featuring a screenplay by Tom Stoppard, the opening episode of this five-part series introduces the nation's 'last Tory' Christopher Tietjens (Cumberbatch), whose troubled marriage to sly socialite Sylvia (Rebecca Hall) looks set to fall apart when he meets suffragette Valentine Wannop (Adelaide Clemens). Parade's End is a stunning looking series and if the coolest man in TV, or possibly the world, thinks it's worth a watch, then it probably is.

Watch a trailer for Parade's End below:



Once Upon a Time: Sunday (August 26) at 8pm on Channel 5
Gather round one and all for the final chapter of Once Upon a Time. If, like us, you've been feeling a little let down by the fairytale drama's formulaic premise, don't worry - the finale is an absolute nail-biter, as Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Regina (Lana Parrilla) form an uneasy alliance and one of Rumpelstiltskin's (Robert Carlyle) greatest acts of sorcery changes Storybrooke forever. Oh, and a few people may remember their lives in the Enchanted Forest - but will they get a happy ending?

Watch a preview of the Once Upon a Time finale below:



A Touch of Cloth: Sunday (August 26) at 9pm on Sky1
Charlie Brooker is back and this time he's sent up your favourite detective series in two-part spoof A Touch of Cloth, which we here at Digital Spy already consider to be one of the funniest shows of the year.

John Hannah and Suranne Jones play DCIs Jack Cloth and Anne Oldman respectively, two coppers trying to connect the dots as series of murders take place in their alien world of c**k jokes, cringeworthy puns and incestuous corpse romancing. It's silly, silly stuff - maybe too silly for some - but the gags per-min rate is far above anything else on television right now. We promise you, something in A Touch of Cloth is bound to make you smile, even if you hate yourself for doing so.

Watch the trailer for A Touch of Cloth below:



What are you looking forward to watching this week? Let us know below!