The Halcyon

Loved it. Gets better each episode. Intrigue a plenty, and some wonderful relationships developed as the show went on. Worth watching.

The Halcyon has certainly delivered, it's cleverly written and has brilliant actors - how ANYONE can say that the homosexuality in it is pointless is beyond me when we are talking about an era when it was still illegal! It was beautifully and sensitively written. The characters are brilliant and have great chemistry - here's hoping for a second series!

The first episode of THE HALCYON feels as though it was created for an American audience -- it feels obvious, not nuanced. As far as origin episodes go, it's packed with characters and sets many balls in motion. A few actors establish with strength, but others seem to be modeling wardrobe. --- There bit of tension and a nice jolt in direction, but the production doesn't achieve the velocity suggested by the music. Although the project is beautifully dressed, it feels very familiar. What might be run-of-the-mill sibling rivalry still has a chance to become much more: sibling teamwork. --- Although THE HALCYON has been compared to DOWNTON ABBEY, the pecking order and their relationships are less precise. A missed opportunity with THE HALCYON was establishing it as an actual functioning hotel before igniting fuses.

I find it interesting that, while the overall rating for this series is near 7, almost everyone who bothered to review it didn't like it.

I, on the other hand, enjoyed the series. The sets are nice, the characters are appealing, and it's all briskly paced.

Certainly, I could pick at things. The plotting is at times not quite logical and at others unrealistically tidy. The band music is not especially true to the period; they sound more like a neo-Swing band from the '90s. Characters are likable enough, but there wasn't anyone I liked to the level of almost any character from Downton Abbey.

But I (and my girlfriend) enjoyed it all the same.

It appeared in episode one, to be a war time soap but it's growing up into a sophisticated viewing option. The Halcyon is getting better and better each week. It's a glamorous reminder of how far we have come. The story lines fit snugly together with a smart script and beautifully worked scenery. A real treat on a dark winter night. Roll on commissioning series 2.