TV highlights 21/07/2011

Torchwood: Miracle Day 9pm, BBC1 Perhaps as a comment on the distance between the UK and the US, a distance that is bugging the hell out of Torchwood fans who have to wait about a week for the episodes to cross the pond, tonight's action is mostly set on a cross-Atlantic air journey. Gwen and Jack are being transported to US soil by gormless CIA agent Rex, but their flight isn't without a few dangerous obstacles. Meanwhile, on the ground, child murderer Oswald Danes gets an opportunistic PR (Six Feet Under's Lauren Ambrose). Still, Captain Jack gets to loosen up but the most interesting aspects of the story are still confined to off-camera events. Come on, Torchwood . . . show, don't just tell. Phelim O'Neill The Killing 9pm, Channel 4 "I'm just so ready to start living," says teenager Rosie Larsen, in a video filmed of her just before her abduction and murder. It's leaden, thumpingly obvious lines like this that will raise the simmering ire of fans of the Danish original, but the US version appears to be a very different beast. Right now, it's more One Tree Hill than Forbrydelsen, with its angsty teens and piercings. Each and every transposed scene uses a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Ben Arnold John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show 11.05pm, Channel 4 Misleading title alert! Those tuning in for an extended set from the Daily Show star, be warned: John Oliver's role here is firmly that of compere, with a rather laboured skit on US excesses his sole foray into standup. Instead we are presented with sets from a series of established and up-and-coming American comics. There's some real talent on display here, from Kristen Schaal and Eugene Mirman to Janeane Garofalo. Gwilym Mumford BBC Proms 2011: Mark Elder Conducts The Hallé 7.30pm, BBC4 Sixteen Proms will be broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall this summer. This is the first, in which Sir Mark Elder conducts The Hallé, Britain's longest-established professional symphony orchestra, through a programme including Sibelius's 7th Symphony, Janacek's Sinfonietta, and Bartók's 3rd piano concerto, in which the lead instrument will be played by Bartók's compatriot Andras Schiff. Elder and Schiff will spend the interval talking to hosts Suzy Klein and Zeb Soanes, and further merriment is provided by the red button Maestrocam option. Andrew Mueller Art Of Survival 9pm, Sky Arts 1 Once upon a time, there was an amazing Channel 4 show called Lost (no, not that one), in which teams were dumped, blindfolded, in exotic places and obliged to make their way back to London by hook, crook or improvised coracle. This is sort of like that, except this time, these artists and musicians must journey back to the Edinburgh festival from Greece, using only the proceeds from their busking or painting. The pacing's weirdly off, so it never quite grips as it should, but it's early days . . . Ali Catterall Shameless US 10pm, More4 Frank (William H Macy) is at the benefits office having his health checked when they find an extra bollock. Veronica calls off her wedding to Kev until news arrives of a matrimony-dependent windfall from her dad. And everyone drops their trousers and sits on the toilet a lot, because that means these crazy Americans are embracing European rudeness and they're fine with it, OK? There's still a general feeling that this is all wrong because Americans on TV just don't act this way. You can imagine them saying, "And scene," then reaching for the antibacterial gel after every take. Julia Raeside