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tropiaveraSo you have heard me telling you that you should watch The Hour and thought one of a series of things:
- but what the hell is that, anyway?
- isn't that just a Mad Men knock-off?
- dude, I tried, but it's like The fucking Wire in there with the characters already.
In order: an excellent show that just concluded its first season examining journalistic ethics and ideals of democracy and espionage in 1950s England, featuring an superb cast; I THINK I JUST ANSWERED YOU, and also, just because it's a period piece doesn't make it Mad Men ffs; OH HERE I MADE YOU A PRESENT:
Main Characters
Bel Rowley: THE ACTUAL GREATEST, but you probably knew that. Recently named producer of a new news program(me) for the BBC.
Freddie Lyon: a deeply earnest newsman. Wants to be a lead presenter, but his knack for self-sabotage and poor interpersonal skills have made that a difficult task.
Hector Madden: The face of "The Hour". War hero, society boy. Has society/government connections through family. Kind of a smarmosaur sometimes.
Supporting Characters
Lix Storm: War journalist, professional badass. Foreign correspondent.
Thomas Kish a.k.a. Guppy a.k.a. Nightmare Face: professional creepbag. Fluent in Arabic and nightmares.
Isaac Wengrow: Professional doofus. Not an astronaut. Junior reporter, or something along those lines.
Sissy Cooper: Staff assistant. Doesn't want to be a secretary anymore.
Clarence Fendley: Boss man. If you're thinking, wow, he looks kind of disappointed and sour here, that will help you identify him in the future.
Douglas Owen: Clarence's boss with the BBC. Chums with Angus.
Ron: The news show equivalent of a stage manager, as far as I can tell. He mostly manages the cameras and gets directions from Bel. Big fan of the sweater vest.
Angus McCain: Truly unfortunate name for an unfortunate man with unfortunate hair. It cannot be captured in words. Works for the government; liaises between the government and the BBC to discuss what is/is not permissible to air.
Marnie Madden née Marnie Sherwin: Hector's wife; all-around rad lady.
Wallace Sherwin: Marnie's father. Important ~society man, has government connections.
Ralph Sherwin a.k.a. Jesus Christ: not actually all that important, but he super enjoys answering the phone shirtless.
Ruth Elms: Debutante, recently engaged to Adam. She and Freddie were friends as children.
Lord & Lady Elms: Ruth's parents. Lord Elms is in the House of Lords and an important peer. They're Very Important People.
Adam Le Ray: Actor, recently engaged to Ruth.
Peter Darrall: Professor of Middle Eastern Studies; occasional builder of newspaper crossword puzzles.
Verda Rowley: Bel's mother.
Malcolm Lyon: Freddie's father. Sweet man, likes Bel.
Professor Beckett: Colleague of Peter Darrall's.
It's only six episodes and they're all excellently plotted, so if you don't have anything else going on this weekend (vacation, a hurricane) it's a good way to spend an afternoon. Go forth and enjoy!
- but what the hell is that, anyway?
- isn't that just a Mad Men knock-off?
- dude, I tried, but it's like The fucking Wire in there with the characters already.
In order: an excellent show that just concluded its first season examining journalistic ethics and ideals of democracy and espionage in 1950s England, featuring an superb cast; I THINK I JUST ANSWERED YOU, and also, just because it's a period piece doesn't make it Mad Men ffs; OH HERE I MADE YOU A PRESENT:
Main Characters
Bel Rowley: THE ACTUAL GREATEST, but you probably knew that. Recently named producer of a new news program(me) for the BBC.
Freddie Lyon: a deeply earnest newsman. Wants to be a lead presenter, but his knack for self-sabotage and poor interpersonal skills have made that a difficult task.
Hector Madden: The face of "The Hour". War hero, society boy. Has society/government connections through family. Kind of a smarmosaur sometimes.
Supporting Characters
Lix Storm: War journalist, professional badass. Foreign correspondent.
Thomas Kish a.k.a. Guppy a.k.a. Nightmare Face: professional creepbag. Fluent in Arabic and nightmares.
Isaac Wengrow: Professional doofus. Not an astronaut. Junior reporter, or something along those lines.
Sissy Cooper: Staff assistant. Doesn't want to be a secretary anymore.
Clarence Fendley: Boss man. If you're thinking, wow, he looks kind of disappointed and sour here, that will help you identify him in the future.
Douglas Owen: Clarence's boss with the BBC. Chums with Angus.
Ron: The news show equivalent of a stage manager, as far as I can tell. He mostly manages the cameras and gets directions from Bel. Big fan of the sweater vest.
Angus McCain: Truly unfortunate name for an unfortunate man with unfortunate hair. It cannot be captured in words. Works for the government; liaises between the government and the BBC to discuss what is/is not permissible to air.
Marnie Madden née Marnie Sherwin: Hector's wife; all-around rad lady.
Wallace Sherwin: Marnie's father. Important ~society man, has government connections.
Ralph Sherwin a.k.a. Jesus Christ: not actually all that important, but he super enjoys answering the phone shirtless.
Ruth Elms: Debutante, recently engaged to Adam. She and Freddie were friends as children.
Lord & Lady Elms: Ruth's parents. Lord Elms is in the House of Lords and an important peer. They're Very Important People.
Adam Le Ray: Actor, recently engaged to Ruth.
Peter Darrall: Professor of Middle Eastern Studies; occasional builder of newspaper crossword puzzles.
Verda Rowley: Bel's mother.
Malcolm Lyon: Freddie's father. Sweet man, likes Bel.
Professor Beckett: Colleague of Peter Darrall's.
It's only six episodes and they're all excellently plotted, so if you don't have anything else going on this weekend (vacation, a hurricane) it's a good way to spend an afternoon. Go forth and enjoy!
no subject
on 2011-08-27 12:43 pm (UTC)Also a) the BBC is not a "network" (it's just "the BBC") and b) "peer" does not usually have to be capitalised and c) IDEK, BEL'S FACE.
no subject
on 2011-08-27 12:54 pm (UTC)BEL'S FAAAACE. Why I don't have an icon of it is a mystery for SEASON TWO to address!!
no subject
on 2011-08-27 07:08 pm (UTC)I think you should add that Peter is a crossword constructor. That was very helpful for me to catch on rewatch.
no subject
on 2011-08-27 07:30 pm (UTC)Oh, good call! That makes sense.
no subject
on 2011-08-27 09:55 pm (UTC)