The Hour
I watched the second season of The Hour over the course of three days. The writing unfortunately still lets the show down, which is such a shame because it does have one of the absolute best casts on television and the production design is amazing. It's not that the writing is bad, it's just a bit, well, mediocre sometimes. It's like watching a bright kid get Bs when it should if they really bothered to apply themselves, they should be getting straight As.
However, it was a lot better than the first season mostly because unlike the first season, this season felt thematically cohesive. I loved the focus on vice - from prostitution, blackmail and corruption in the main plot, to Hector and Freddie's self destructive behaviour, McCain and Randall who have to cover-up their 'vices' because of the 1950s attitudes to homosexuality and mental health issues (that it was Randall who handed the olive branch to McCain was absolutely perfect and one of the small moments this season that I loved).
Plus there were two side-plots that I absolutely loved. Firstly being Marnie's character development as she stops being a doormat to her husband and goes out and gets her own successful career. The other was the Lix/Randall sub-plot, which was absolutely sublime. It was only a couple of scenes per episode but every single one of those scenes was perfect and it's the kind of love story that I adore - one that's not about falling in love and more about two heartbreakingly damaged people with a past reconnecting after one of them decides to try and revisit and make up past mistakes made - and also Anna Chancellor and Peter Capaldi just knocking it out of the park, particularly in the big wrenching scene in the final episode which was just amazing - I demand that every award out there be given to them.
I really hope the show gets a third series with all of its season two cast intact (which is my thoughts on the cliffhanger). Yes, it's still frustratingly not as good as it could be (although it is improving), but I do love the cast and the characters and the show is gorgeous.
Also, I may have just sat at my computer for seven plus hours today and knocked out a Lix/Randall vid. Still needs a bit of work before posting, but watch this spot.
However, it was a lot better than the first season mostly because unlike the first season, this season felt thematically cohesive. I loved the focus on vice - from prostitution, blackmail and corruption in the main plot, to Hector and Freddie's self destructive behaviour, McCain and Randall who have to cover-up their 'vices' because of the 1950s attitudes to homosexuality and mental health issues (that it was Randall who handed the olive branch to McCain was absolutely perfect and one of the small moments this season that I loved).
Plus there were two side-plots that I absolutely loved. Firstly being Marnie's character development as she stops being a doormat to her husband and goes out and gets her own successful career. The other was the Lix/Randall sub-plot, which was absolutely sublime. It was only a couple of scenes per episode but every single one of those scenes was perfect and it's the kind of love story that I adore - one that's not about falling in love and more about two heartbreakingly damaged people with a past reconnecting after one of them decides to try and revisit and make up past mistakes made - and also Anna Chancellor and Peter Capaldi just knocking it out of the park, particularly in the big wrenching scene in the final episode which was just amazing - I demand that every award out there be given to them.
I really hope the show gets a third series with all of its season two cast intact (which is my thoughts on the cliffhanger). Yes, it's still frustratingly not as good as it could be (although it is improving), but I do love the cast and the characters and the show is gorgeous.
Also, I may have just sat at my computer for seven plus hours today and knocked out a Lix/Randall vid. Still needs a bit of work before posting, but watch this spot.