RAKE - ABC1, 8.30pm
The twisted world of Cleaver Greene (Richard Roxburgh) makes its triumphant and much anticipated return on Sunday for the third series of critically-acclaimed black comedy Rake. On Sunday's episode, the Sydney barrister is still behind bars after being accused of murdering Lane Hole's (Phil Lloyd) elderly neighbour. And while there are many in the lock-up who would love to have Cleaver killed, cellmate Malcolm (Dan Wyllie) is turning out to be an invaluable bodyguard, despite his amorous advances. While Cleaver prepares for his appeal, a grisly turn of events make his situation even more complicated. A stellar start to the season.
MY KITCHEN RULES - SEVEN, 6.30pm
Season five of this staggeringly popular cooking competition has kicked off, sating the appetites of millions around the country. Fittingly, the series - which has a knack for finding larger-than-life characters - is brimming with a bunch of new contestants, who have specifically been picked to get under each other's skin and make dishing up that delicious entree just that little bit more stressful. When you have a group of competitive strangers eating your food in your home, even the friendly faces of hosts and judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans can't offer much reassurance. After all, the contestants' hopes rest on their judgment. Dramatic stuff.
SOCHI TONIGHT - TEN, 6.00pm
If the heat of summer is making you a bit hot under the collar, tuning in to the Winter Olympic Games might prove to be a welcoming breath of cool air. As athletes from around the world strut their stuff in their chosen sports in snow-covered Sochi, here we are with our togs at hand and a cool drink not far away. In fact, it's something of a novelty as hosts Stephen Quartermain and former gold-medal skier Alisa Camplin give us their ultimate guide to the Winter Games. Featuring previews of the upcoming events and competitors, with live coverage of the qualifying rounds, you'll marvel at the talent on show - and how small our world really has become.
MANNEQUIN (1987) - ABC2, 12.25am
This is a cheesy romantic-comedy variation of Pinocchio that stars Andrew McCarthy (in a follow-up role to Pretty in Pink) as a young, unemployed artist and mannequin-maker, who builds a dummy so lifelike that he falls in love with it. Via some strange occurrence, the mannequin comes to life in the form of Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall. There's as much fun to be had in mocking the fashions of the time as there is in the story.
SHANGHAI NOON (2000) - 7MATE, 6.30pm
The absolute antithesis of Wild, Wild West, this western-comedy makes no bones about the fact that it's played purely for laughs. The plot, which could have been written on the back of a can of beans, may be a take-off of the classic Vera Cruz, but no matter, it's still harmless fun all the way. As Chon Wang (John Wayne, get it?), Jackie Chan gets to display far more of his martial arts skills in a Hollywood context than he could in the Rush Hour films, while his partner in spurs, Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris), knows precisely when to quip one-liners and when to let Chan steal the show.
AMERICAN PIE (1999) - 7MATE, 8.50pm
An undeniably crude but extremely funny flick that follows the fortunes of four high school friends who make a pact to lose their virginity by prom night. Forget the pastry antics of central protagonist Jason Biggs, the real laughs come from his painfully understanding father (Eugene Levy) and the vulgar interjections of his jock buddy Stifler (Seann William Scott). What sets it apart from 90 per cent of other teen comedies is that the brotherly directorial team Paul and Chris Weitz actually make you care for the characters, no matter how stereotyped or outlandish they might be. A prime example of success with stupidity.
SCARY MOVIE 2 (2001) (MA15+) - 7MATE, 10.50pm
Unashamedly gratuitous, gleefully incoherent and occasionally funny, this film wedges countless crass jokes and cinematic parodies into the disjointed story of seven university students (led by Anna Faris), who are enticed into a dubious paranormal experiment in a haunted house. Once there, they meet up with the caretaker (Chris Elliott), a frisky ghost with commitment phobia, and a possessed toy clown who probably wishes he had stayed in the toy box. However, the highlight of this lacklustre effort is a reputation-staining cameo from James Woods as a twisted priest.
CROCODILE DUNDEE (1986) - GO!, 6.00pm
Australia's biggest overseas success can still give viewers a buzz thanks to Paul Hogan's extremely funny slice of outback character. Linda Kozlowski is a visiting Yank reporter doing a piece on life Down Under, teaming up with Hogan's croc hunter, "Mick" Dundee, who shows her an otherworldliness of adventure and romance. When she returns to the Big Apple with Mick, he gets a bit of culture shock too, but thankfully he can rely on his outback skills in any situation. A beaut.
SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003) - ELEVEN, 8.30pm
Jack Black's inspired and energetic performance, a razor-sharp script from Mike White and the astute direction of Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise, A Scanner Darkly) ensures this is a winner. As a rock-obsessed slacker, Black drums up plenty of laughs as he assumes the identity of his teacher roommate and decides to shape a class of private school kids into rock gods. Funny, without being gross, sweet without resorting to sentimentality, this will strike a chord with the whole family, and the AC/DC-led closing credits sequence is fantastic.
