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The Hour (UK): Season 1
The Hour (UK) Image
Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 37 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: This British drama is set in the BBC's newsroom during the mid-1950s where journalist Freddie Lyon (Ben Whishaw) and Hector Madden (Dominic West) battle for the affections of a producer, Bel Rowley (Romola Garai), who works on their investigative news program.
  • Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Drama

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: David Wiegand
    Aug 17, 2011
    100
    The Hour stands perfectly well on its own merits. It's so good that other shows should start looking to it as something to emulate.
  2. Uncle Barky
    Reviewed by: Ed Bark
    Aug 15, 2011
    100
    Viewers craving a satisfying gourmet meal rather than another summertime "reality" Moon Pie are urged to make The Hour a Wednesday night ritual for the next six weeks.
  3. PopMatters
    Reviewed by: Renee Scolaro Mora
    Aug 17, 2011
    50
    Freddie's stereotypically hard-hitting reporter's persona is soon tiring and irksome. Still, Freddie isn't so tedious as the show's "villains."

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. MarcDoyle
    9
    I've only seen the first episode, but I'm absolutely going to keep watching. The cast is excellent (Ben Winshaw & Dominic West in particular), but it's the sense of impending danger that keeps thing especially intriguing. I'm fired up to see the rest. It's a perfect stopgap before the fall season begins.… Expand
    • 4 of 4 users said yes
  2. jjolla88a
    5
    Enticing ... but by the last episode you feel like you have just finished a meal made up of more sauce than meat. The show has the potential to be great, but it runs at far too slow a pace ... and, more importantly, the conspiracy is simply lacking in impact.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  3. dsrs
    0
    Over-hyped, but thankfully not yet over here [in the USA]. All the worst features of the BBC committee-style, commissar-style production are on view here. Some great actors, appalling script and no feel whatsoever for the ers. Almost every scene is drowned in anachronistic political correctness...race, women, health issue. Some Brit critics have complained but with the BBc few dare to challenge the monopoly. They have rallied around the flag to praise this but it does not stand up, especially to the trite comparisons to Mad Men.… Expand
    • 1 of 9 users said yes

See all 10 User Reviews