It’s an oft-observed phenomenon that it’s not until they leave politics that politicians reveal themselves as actual human beings and that’s both proven and not in this excellent edition of You Can’t Ask That. Some of these people were disastrously honest when they were in parliament; some can’t quite shake old habits once the cameras are turned on; others give wonderfully lucid explanations of why they were one person in parliament and another outside of it – and why they’re so very happy to be out of it for good.

TALKIN’ ‘BOUT YOUR GENERATION

Series return ****

TX TBC, Nine

One of the really enjoyable things about Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation is seeing how much everyone involved loves Shaun Micallef. The affection is palpable – although, fortunately, that doesn’t stop everyone from taking the mickey. It’s bright, it’s bouncy, it’s absurd and it’s wonderful family viewing but without the noisy try-hard vibe of newer entrants in the genre. The episodes also conclude tidily within an hour. In the current, bloated TV environment, you have to love that.

24 HOURS IN EMERGENCY

***1/2

9.35pm, SBS

Just when you think the entire human race is utterly despicable, this show restores our faith. Not just the doctors and nurses but the patients, their family and friends demonstrate that even in the most catastrophic situations decency can prevail. Case in point: the middle-aged gent who’s run over by a dump truck. Twice. Then has the truck’s contents fall on him. But whose chief concern - despite what looks like every bone in his body being broken - is his ill wife.