360 Staff Pick: The Hour

Sick of waiting for Mad Men to return? Want a dose of cool murder mystery with that late August heat? Look no further than The Hour, a slick new British drama premiering Wednesday on BBC America.

Set in mid-1950’s London, The Hour follows the creation of a current affairs television program. Dominic West — known for his role as Jimmy McNalty on The Wire — stars as lead anchor Hector Madden. Romola Garai is the level-headed lead producer Bel Rowley.

But the standout performance is by Ben Whishaw, whose role as the sharp-tongued reporter Freddie Lyon keeps the pulse of the show racing through would-be clunky plot points. As The Hour develops, a political assassination links the lives of the program’s newsroom with government spooks, and mysterious forces begin to threaten the news program itself.

Though Mad Men comparisons can be expected with any show set before Watergate, The Hour delivers on the attention to detail we’ve come to expect post-Don Draper, while offering a unique take on the serial historic drama. The Hour is part thriller, part witty drama — and with only six episodes lined up for its first season, it’s perfect for a late summer television treat.

The cast of the BBC series The Hour ( Kudos Film & Television Ltd)