Set in 1956, against the backdrop of the Suez Canal crisis, The Hour follows three brash employees of the titular news show. Asked to create a unique 60-minute investigative news program, wunderkind producer Bel Rowley (Romola Garai), calls on her smart and mercurial best friend, journalist Freddie Lyon, to instill in Hector (Dominic West), the suave, but shallow anchor, some integrity. Of course, the relationships aren’t as clear cut as they might seem; Freddie is-not-so-secretly in love with Bel, while Hector would love a shot at winning her affections.
At the same time, Freddie might just be a bit miffed that Bel (and the BBC), didn’t consider him for the job of host, a job he undoubtedly believes he should have based on his journalistic tenacity but also, secretly, his desire to use it as a soap box.
Though Freddie is ultimately pleased to finally be working on a real news show—he had been working on newsreels—he finds himself distracted by a mysterious murder a friend told him about before her “suicide.” The murder comes complete with secret messages hidden in crossword puzzles and a trick cigarette; it’s like something out of a James Bond novel. Freddie decides to dig deeper. What he turns up makes the murder mystery into a spy story as well. Creator/writer Abi Morgan (Sex Traffic, White Girl) deftly handles both strands of the story, but doesn’t allow the cloak and dagger elements to get in the way of the romantic entanglements and tough life choices at the heart of the story. She’s done a particularly good job making Freddie both utterly annoying and likeable, while keeping the close bond between him and Bel believable, yet always a bit out of sync. They’re perfect for each other—but somehow not.
The Hour takes its time getting started. However, if you can make it through the first episode, your patience will be rewarded. Things are built up in such a way that you get the feeling that the BBC is full of spies—every action by each character is suspicious; the dialogue is smart and witty, and there’s very little extra nonsense. Everything that happens moves the plot forward.
Ben Whishaw and Romola Garai are outstanding, and Dominic West nails the difficult task of playing someone who hasn’t earned his role while being reminded of it constantly by Freddie. If you like British drama, The Hour is well worth checking out.
Presented in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, this 1080i transfer is better than several BBC titles I’ve seen. The colors of the mid-50’s sets and surroundings come through nicely. Blacks aren’t as inky as one might like, but contrast is pretty good. Fine detail isn’t on par with reference quality discs, but it’s ten times better than anything you’ll find on DVD,
The LPCM 2.0 stereo track makes for clearly audible dialogue and fine balance with the series’ use of vintage music.
English SDH subtitles are included.
The following special features in standard definition are included:
- Creating The Hour: (10 min.) A discussion about the set design.
- Behind the Scenes of The Hour (20 min.) Interspersed with clips from the series, the cast reflects on the making of the show.
