By Madeline Sidgwick– Editor-In-Chief
‘The Hour’ is one of those TV series that has you intrigued immediately; combining a Russian spy mystery, romance, and the impeccable aesthetic of journalism in the 1950s.The shows two seasons revolve around a fictional current affairs program, The Hour, at the BBC in the 1950s-60s. Journalists aspiring for more, Bel (Romola Garai) and Freddie (Ben Whishaw) work with the smooth talking Hector Madden (Domonic West) to expose alleged government corruption and, as they argue, essential censorship that the BBC is under at the hands of government. The show also follows the mystery of a professor stabbed on the London Underground, but I will allow you to watch the series for yourself to find out where that leads.
Despite facing negative reviews for being slow paced or incomplete in plot, ‘The Hour’ presents the traditional trajectories of the struggles of being a woman in a male dominated field, or the feeling that you cannot express your opinion on an issue because of the social group or institution that you belong to.
In addition to being easy on the eye, the two seasons of the show introduces audiences to the pressing current affairs issues of the time period: the 1956 Suez Crisis, The Hungarian Revolution and the rise of the far right and race riots in the 1960s. In making the series historical in these aspects, although not always accurate, ‘The Hour’ also makes clear to audiences social issues that are still relevant today. Thus, I argue that the BBC’s ‘The Hour’ is more than a television series that revolves around a fictional current affairs programme; it raises questions on have we really developed as a society as much as we think since the 1950s.
When relating the 50s to 2025, it is important to think about how much we REALLY know about government actions,specifically from a media perspective. Take the role and rise of Elon Musk as a political figure in the past year; the richest man in the world suddenly gains a voice over political discourse, and this voice seems to be becoming more omnipresent by the day. The role of ‘X’ as media platform plays a significant role in Musk being capable of controlling political conversation. Returning to ‘The Hour’, Freddie fights to have the Ruth Elms case, that is tainted by suspected Soviet involvement. In a dramatic episode 6 monologue Freddie attempts to uncover government corruption before being taken off air. The issue of media control has therefore not been left in the 1950s, or isolated in only ‘un-democratic’ countries, it is an issue that affects us all in 2025—specifically X users. This example of symmetry can be extended to the race riots that arose out of far-right populism in the 1950s. Reflecting on the race riots that occurred in summer 2024, it cannot be denied that the shock factor far-right discourse perpetuates has, regrettably, remained timeless. In the hour, Freddie invites a supporter of the British Union of Fascists (BUF) onto the program in an attempt to put such ideas under media scrutiny when coming from a member of the public rather than an established political leader. Throughout last summer, an amalgamation of voices were put on display and analyzed by journalists and the public. However, the modern world has succumbed to isolationism, especially in the media. Specific voices and ideas are heard in specific areas, often where they will receive the most views or support or even cause the largest media storm. This issue becomes apparent throughout the television show, when ‘The Hour’ falls victim to censorship at the hands of corporate schemes.
Despite revolving around a fictional current affairs program, ‘The Hour’ very much so addresses issues that are relevant today. So, whether ‘The Hour’ is your next Netflix binge or not, I encourage you to pay attention to the media you consume, how relevant it is, and how it relates to the world that exists outside of your screens.
Illustration By Lucy Griffiths