Skip to content
MovieCove
The Hour

The Hour

2011–2012Ended2 seasons12 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

A behind-the-scenes drama and espionage thriller in Cold War-era England that centers on a journalist, a producer, and an anchorman for an investigative news programme.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Hour?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Hour streaming on Acorn TV via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about The Hour?

The Hour earns 4 badges, led by Top 10% in Drama and Standout acting.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Hour worth watching?

The Hour's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all shows, from 13K ratings across 2 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of shows

90th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)91st

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

78 /100

83rd percentile of all shows

85th percentile among Drama81st percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

89% liked it

91st percentile of all shows

91st percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2010s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 58% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors acknowledge the show's lavish period production and ambitious genre-mixing, but they disagree on whether this makes for compelling drama or a muddled bore.

Fans praised

  • stellar ensemble cast with convincing chemistry
  • exquisitely mounted 1950s period detail and production design
  • clever genre-blending of spy thriller, mystery, and romance

Detractors panned

  • confusing, slow-burn start that wastes the first episode on setup
  • anachronistic dialogue and behavior that undermine period authenticity
  • intrusive incidental music and self-indulgent direction

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

strong ensemble praised by fans; detractors find it stiff or bland

CharactersDivisive75

vivid, layered characters fans love; detractors see as thinly drawn

AtmosphereDivisive75

rich 1950s BBC world-building impresses most, but some find it over-indulgent

DialogueDivisive65

witty banter wins fans; anachronistic phrasing draws detractors' ire

Plot and storyDivisive60

convoluted conspiracy thriller with slow start; fans praise twists, detractors call it messy

OriginalityDivisive55

genre mashup feels fresh to fans; detractors see Mad Men-lite formula

TensionDivisive55

thriller aspects engage fans; detractors feel stakes never land

PacingDivisive40

slow start and uneven rhythm; fans say it picks up, detractors find it tedious

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2012 · 6 episodes

  • S2E1

    Episode 1

    Nov 14, 201260 min
  • S2E2

    Episode 2

    Nov 21, 201260 min
  • S2E3

    Episode 3

    Nov 28, 201260 min
  • S2E4

    Episode 4

    Dec 5, 201260 min
  • S2E5

    Episode 5

    Dec 12, 201260 min
  • S2E6

    Episode 6

    Dec 13, 201260 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Hour like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe series treats its period and characters with earnest gravity, but maintains a brisk, intelligent pace.
The rideThe series builds tension through investigations and espionage, with melancholy over personal sacrifices, and its emotional weight peaks as the storylines resolve.
StructureThe series unfolds linearly, following the team's investigation across episodes.
Episode formatEach episode involves a specific news investigation or incident, but builds a season-long serialized arc around a larger story (e.g., a government cover-up).
Season formatEach of the two seasons features a self-contained investigative storyline with the same core cast.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves you pondering the cost of truth and the compromises of power.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% (this title) · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

8% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEach episode follows the news team digging into a conspiracy, exposing hidden power and government manipulation.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfTruthIdeas
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5% (this title): Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% (this title) · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Ideas

Truth · 6% of showsAmbition · 14% of showsJustice · 14% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the cost and necessity of pursuing truth in journalism, while ambition and justice drive the characters' conflicts.
StanceThe series interrogates the pursuit of truth in journalism and its cost, seeing it as both noble and dangerous, without celebrating or condemning.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingBBC newsroom and London during the Cold War

Content guide

Is The Hour okay for kids?

TV-14

The Hour is rated TV-14. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (50/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at intense (75/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (100/100) and frightening material at severe (100/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • Brazil16
  • Belgium16
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands16
  • Spain16
Overall
Severe · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (18 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Hour have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Hour?

Cast

Romola Garai
as Bel Rowley
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ben Whishaw
as Freddie Lyon
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dominic West
as Hector Madden
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anna Chancellor
as Lix Storm
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Supporting Actress
Joshua McGuire
as Isaac Wengrow
Lisa Greenwood
as Sissy Cooper
Oona Chaplin
as Marnie Madden
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Julian Rhind-Tutt
as Angus McCain
Paul Chahidi
as Ron
Anton Lesser
as Clarence Fendley

More like this

What are shows like The Hour?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Hour include Traitors (2019), The Ipcress File (2022) and Five Days (2007).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with The Hour?

191 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.