Vigil vs Trigger Point: As BBC and ITV's dramas go head-to-head which show should YOU tune in for tonight?

Sunday night marks the return of two beloved British dramas. 

Over on BBC One, season three of Vigil is finally being released, with Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) and Detective Sergeant Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) heading to a new location to take on a new case. 

While on ITV, season four of Trigger Point is out, with bomb disposal expert Lana Washington (Vicky McClure) again risking her life to save the public. 

Both series have a strong following and rave reviews, with Vigil offering a slow-burn investigative mystery, while Trigger Point churns out high-octane drama. 

The only problem is, they're going head-to-head, and are both airing at 9pm tonight and Monday. 

So which drama should you tune into first? The Daily Mail weighs up both series. 

What do you need to know about Vigil? 

As each season of Vigil follows a different investigation you won't need to remember specific plot points. 

However, it's worth noting that Amy Silva and Kirsten Longacre are now a couple, which means both their relationship and their careers could be on the line. 

Series three takes the pair to a remote Arctic research station, where a member of a covert British special forces mission has been murdered.

Amy and Kirsten need to catch the killer and defuse a potential international confrontation, as different nations compete for control of the Arctic and its resources in the changing polar climate, with both their careers and relationship on the line. 

Discussing the show's premise, Tom Edge, Vigil's creator, writer and executive producer, shared: 'The overarching theme for Vigil across all three series is the question of loyalty. 

'Are you loyal to your own self, with a moral code, to your partner, the institution you work for, your country, or a global sense of the "greater good"? How do you manage your integrity when your loyalties are divided or tested?'

He added: 'I hope they [viewers] enjoy the ride! Heightened twists and turns, anchored by some showstopping performances.'

Vigil seasons one and two can be streamed on iPlayer 

What do you need to know about Trigger Point? 

If you haven't seen the first three seasons of Trigger Point you'll need to binge them before starting series four – which is set to feature several references to Lana Washington's past. 

Lana is back on the beat with her fellow bomb disposal officers – known as EXPOs – Danny (Eric Shango) and Hass (Nabil Elouahabi) while DS Helen Morgan (Natalie Simpson) and DCI Batra (Maanuv Thiara) and Commander Nia Quentin (Julie Graham) oversee things from Police HQ. 

Sonya Reeves (Kerry Godliman) also makes her return as the civilian specialist working for the Bomb Data Centre.

The plot for series four has been kept tightly under wraps, but teaser trailers suggest it will see the team tackle a different bomb set-up as they attempt to stop the biggest terror attack the UK has ever seen. 

Executive producer Jed Mercurio teased: 'This is the most dangerous bomb threat that the team has faced. We raised the stakes as high as we possibly could.

'We also made a conscious decision at the start of series three to give ourselves a bigger canvas and use the characters around Lana much more. 

'We’re incredibly fortunate that we have a great ensemble – everybody is lovely and very talented, so we have spent time carving out those characters and opening a door on their personal lives, which has been a very exciting part of the process. 

'We’ll delve more into the lives of the team, and their personal relationships this series.'

Trigger Point seasons one to three can be streamed on ITVX

Vigil and Trigger Point air on Sunday, August 30 at 9pm on BBC1 and ITV respectively