THE Hour (NetFlix)

What is the drama ‘The Hour about’?

Super investigative journalist Freddie Lyon, Ben Whishaw, and his partner in crime Bel Mooney, Romola Garai, are moved from their previous journalistic posts within the BBC to work on a new show called The Hour in the 1950s in the BBC.

The BBC was the primary broadcaster in the UK in the 1950s and was very much in the government’s pocket.

What is the Hour?

The Hour is a show that provides 60 minutes of informative stories about the day’s issues. Freddie would have liked to have been more senior in creating the show. His previous junior partner, the Belle, is the producer, and the host is the dashing upper-class, privileged, screen-friendly Hector Madden, not Freddie.

Freddie is one of the senior reporters, though, and his one elusive story provides the constant backbone of the story. The story is fleshed out by the central characters, Hector, Freddie, and Belle. Of course, there are many others in the office, but the central triangle of the drama revolves around those three.

Why should I watch The Hour?

The show features romance, unrequited love, sleuthing, and Government interference in journalism during the Cold War. It all starts when an old friend in need turns to Freddie to stop ‘Them’ from harassing her. I am deliberately avoiding spoilers here as this happens at the beginning.

Throughout the story, we learn that ‘them’ were real.

It is unpredictable and atmospheric, and there are plenty of mini-stories in each episode, threading through the main plot to keep you occupied throughout the six episodes.

Would I watch The Hour second season 2?

I have reservations about doing this. I loved the first season so much that I have reservations about the writer doing a second season that is as wonderful as the first one.

That is all down to personal taste though.