Most critics like The Hour, and the praise gathers in the same places. The 1950s BBC newsroom setting is admired almost everywhere, both for its period detail and for the premise it gives the writers. The performances are the other constant, with Ben Whishaw and Romola Garai singled out most often, Dominic West close behind, and Julian Rhind-Tutt noted among the supporting cast. Several reviews find the dialogue smart and the mix of newsroom drama and conspiracy thriller engaging enough to hook them.
The reservations are about pace and script. Critics describe the opening as slow and deliberate, holding plot back longer than it needs to, and more than one finds the writing uneven and the spy material predictable. The spread is narrow: nobody is negative, and the American reviews run warmer than the British ones. The Guardian is the most guarded, calling the first episode a mix of parts that does not yet feel fully formed or gripping.