The Hour Blog 1

Title: The Hour

Subject: Reporter Freddie Lyon desperate to get onto television

Season: 1

Episode: 1

Source BBC two

“They… they are everywhere. Here in this building, out in the street, in your own office. They even control what you write.” The Hour is about the BBC newsreels reporter Freddie Lyon who is desperate to get onto television.  His friend Bel Rowley (who he calls Honey Penny) has been selected to produce a new news magazine: “The Hour”. Freddie was reporting the engagement of a 21-year-old debutante, who is a childhood friend. One day she came to him at his office and told him about the murder on an academic, which the newspapers made it seem as a robbery, though the murder is about political scheming and conspiracies. Freddie wants to write about the story of the Duchess, and wants to solve the mystery.  In order to write about the murders he needs freedom to pursue the story, and this is only possible if he joins the new program The Hour.

My opinion

At the beginning of the episode I did not expect it to be so mysterious, the good thing about these series is that they know how to balance the tension throughout the episodes. The moment you watch the first scenes you are in the ambiance of the setting, 1956. There is also a lot of history about the controversy between men and women, with the cafés where in some areas women were not allowed; they show it in delicate way with simple lines or by acting. The characters of The Hour are very interesting and well casted. There is a reason I have quoted the first line in my Summary, the line structure throughout the series are brilliant, it is a perfect mix of drama, reality and history, but the odd thing is this all goes by without even noticing.