The Hour

retro ruth

retro ruth

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Staff member
I've just watched the first episode of The Hour, and am hooked.

It's a new BBC drama set in a 1956 BBC newsroom, and is inevitably drawing comparisons to Mad Men, but is really a very different animal. It's got a great cast. Unfortunately I don't think you'll be able to watch it outside the UK right now, but no doubt it'll reach further shores eventually.

In the meantime here's some stills. I love the subdued tones.

Ruth

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I was wondering if there might be imitations of Mad Men crop up. Bring them on! It's going to be hard to be as good as Mad Men but if they can pull out that blend of excellent writing and high production values it should work! I saw a movie over the weekend called Funkytown that could have been a great Canadian version of Mad Men - set in a disco in Montreal in the late 70s, but they crammed it (unsuccessfully) into a 2 1/2 hour movie instead. I look forward to 'The Hour' I am sure they will play it over here in a few months.

Actually, ensemble period dramas are kind of an English specialty - starting with Upstairs Downstairs, but when I tried watching that again last year it was just too much of a soap opera - maybe Mad Men will push the writers to develop character over plot.
 
It's true they are an English speciality - I enjoyed Downton Abbey, set just before WWI, recently, though it wasn't as intelligent as some, but still very watchable.

The writers of The Hour are are a bit sick of the Mad Men comparisons! Saying it's a different kind of programme, and I agree. It's quite noir / thrillerish so far.

Did you see the recent remake of Upstairs Downstairs? They did a three parter with a new cast set in the 30s, last year I think.
 
This looks good! I LOVE Mad Men and am looking forward to viewing this later today.

For those not in the UK, this can be viewed HERE on IceFilms

(IceFilms is free and apparently easy to set up on your computer - my daughter did it for me in a couple of minutes several months ago)

Thanks for the heads up on this show!

Sue:)
 
Actually, it was the Upstairs Downstairs remake I was thinking of... I got half way through the first episode and had to turn it off - it reeked of soap opera to me. I always hoped they would do a follow up to the Duchess of Duke Street. The writers developed the characters brilliantly in that series, and the costuming was done well. Unfortunately, the cheap video production and obvious stage sets kind of spoiled the overall production.

I wonder why they would be upset about being compared to Mad Men - I would take that as a compliment! ALthough not a thriller, it started off as a mystery regarding Don Draper's identity.
 
On the piece I read, the writer definitely took it as a compliment, she was a fan of Mad Men. Just didn't want to be seen as a copycat I think, which is understandable, wanted it to be viewed on its own merits. I suppose it's like an actor being constantly called the new James Dean (or whoever), it's very flattering but eventually you want to be seen as yourself.

I don't remember the Duchess of Duke Street, will have to look that one up.

Sue that's great you've found a site for it outside the UK!
 
You'll LOVE Duchess of DUke Street. Gemma Jones plays the lead - Louisa Trotter, a cockney cook who ends up owning a hotel in the Edwardian era. Some episodes are better than others but overall its a good story, and loosely based on a real character.
 
I LOVED the Duchess of Duke Street. Also highly recommend "The House of Elliot" - and dating myself I was addicted to "Upstairs Downstairs" the first time around.

All of the above are available on Netflix.
 
Just noticed that one of the characters in the first still is wearing a pants suit. Definitely not 1956. The dark green dress looks 1960 to me; the light blue dress looks correct for 1956.

JMHO - of course!
 
Actually that character in the pant suit, seemed to me to be dressing with 40s influences, I noticed that in other scenes too. And she's an older character. I did wonder if it was deliberate, part of her character, ie not everyone is up to the minute. There's lots of 1930s locations in it as well. Though if the green dress is later, that can only be sloppiness.

But no doubt they don't have Mad Men's costume or research budget!
 
Those were all great shows mentioned here, I have seen them all.

I really look forward to this new series, we hopefully will get it through the CBC network here in Canada soon.

I had another come to mind that I had enjoyed, it was called Love for Lydia and another series that was great was called Danger UXB.
 
Awwww, I programmed my digital recorder yesterday, but it had one if it's rare malfunctions when recording "The Hour", so I missed the first episode. Just the one night that I wasn't at home (and travel industry events with Australians never end early :bouncy: ). Well, maybe my mom still has it, she often records all episodes and watches it all at once...

Is that Anna Chancellor in the pant suit?

I get all four BBC & all four ITV channels here, plus Film 4, Channel 4 etc. thanks to digital TV.
Loved "Downton Abbey" and can't wait to see more of it and have seen the "new" "Upstairs Downstairs" - not bad either. I remember "House of Eliot" too - that I think was one of the first TV series I ever watched in English, when we first got BBC Prime here on cable.
Some weeks I watch more English TV than German TV (and Swiss TV almost never)... so much more interesting and better stuff to see, and I prefer to watch English and American films in the original. I love the ITV Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple series too. David Suchet just looks exactly like Poirot is always described in the books.

Karin
 
Hi,

Oh that looks good...I want to see "The Hour"...I hope we pick it up here in the USA.

I loved House of Eliot...IMP, the costumers did an excellent job....I drooled over the exquisite hats of course.....and the fabrics......as it was about 2 dressmaking sisters who began an English "couture" house. Too bad it ended after only 3 seasons.

Downton Abbey I enjoyed, and look forward to the next season, although the costuming was disappointing and the story predictable....most of the costuming was sub par to me, inaccurate in quite a few garments, of course that may have been a budget thing, but still. I especially thought the hats were (sorry) AWFUL overall, (there were 1 or 2 exceptions of course) most hats were really not period correct, not well made and did not fit the class rank of the characters, but I know others liked them as they got a lot of media attention. I hope they do better with the costuming and hats next season.

I saw the first episode of the new "Upstairs Downstairs", and part of the 2nd. The story did not grab me, I agree it was soap opera but still engaging, but I did enjoy most of the costumes. Although I was expecting more extravagance in the evening attire. The hats were spot on and well done overall if I recall. will they be filming more? It sort of disappeared from our local TV station. Overall I liked it.

I have not had the opportunity to see "Duchess of Duke Street" but have heard all good things.

Have you heard about the new show coming to ABC titled "Pan Am"..takes place in 1963....Hunky airline pilots, sexy and cute stewardesses and living the high life with the jet set crowd. So this will pick up on the Mad Men fashions again.

I hope to see "The Hour". I like the backdrop of a news setting.

Am I the only one who thinks that 1 guy's hair is WAY to wrong for 1956? I know the Teddy Boys and Elvis and all that were on the way in a few years.....but his thick mop in front is extreme and not worn by a man working in an office setting in 1956.

B
 
Agree with you Barbara about the hair. Most of the women's hair is wrong, as well. The couple in the second photo look straight out of the '80's not the '50's! I don't think any of the hair or makeup is accurate -even the two women in the evening gowns are not as groomed as they would have been.
 
Hi,

I just saw an ad on my cable station saying that this show is NOW coming to channel BBC America ....we have a show date of Aug 17th here in California.

Check your local listings! If you get BBC America it should be showing in your area.

I am eager to see this one.

B
 
Thanks Barbara, I'll check it out. It would be nice to finally catch a series from the beginning. It's not the same when you watch a season's worth of episodes in a week, takes away the anticipation. I always wished I had started watching Mad Men. Maybe one day I'll catch it from the beginning in reruns.

I hate to admit it, I haven't seen any of the shows mentioned here. The only British show I watched faithfully was the outrageously hysterical Absolutely Fabulous. Great clothes too, Patsy with her trademark 60s style and the eclectic bohemian Edina. Last produced in 1996, 3 more episodes are in the works this month. :clapping:

Rita
 
Did anyone catch Glorious 39 on the BBC last night? Stephen Poliakoff does Hitchcock-lite, same leading lady as The Hour. A few marvellous outfits and Julie Christie being brilliant. Keep an eye out for it.

Sarah
 
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