Amazon.com
Looks can be deceiving. Often compared to Mad Men, Abi Morgan's stylish, smoke-filled series plays more like a cross between the BBC's State of Play and Broadcast News. Instead of an ad agency, the 1956 debut of a Panorama-like show called The Hour provides the hub around which the action revolves. Working-class Freddie (Bright Star's Ben Whishaw, wiry and intense), the journalist, prefers hard news to society fluff, and enjoys a snappy rapport with comely producer Bel (Atonement's Romola Garai, looking much like a Hitchcock heroine), but her heart belongs to Hector (The Wire's Dominic West), the well-connected anchor, who doesn't let his marriage to Oona Chaplin's socialite stand in his way. When a friend informs Freddie that there's more to a subway murder than meets the eye, he becomes as obsessed with the case as with his new job. As Freddie's inquiry catches the attention of MI-6, other characters come to light, like an anxious actor (Sherlock's Andrew Scott), a weasely watchdog (Julian Rhind-Tutt), and a shady translator (Torchwood's Burn Gorman, chilling). While the battle for Egypt becomes the top story, two more Londoners die under mysterious circumstances. These seemingly disparate developments will converge in the surprising finale. In the featurette, Morgan describes the show as a look at the decline of the British Empire. Adds West, "There's a nice sort of chemistry between us all." It comes across onscreen, and Anton Lesser and Anna Chancellor, who play two of his colleagues, also deserve praise for their stellar support. With its Saul Bass-inspired credits, finger-snapping theme, and amazing outfits, The Hour feels like Masterpiece Theatre by way of Ian Fleming. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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