The Devil's Hour - Season 1

The Devil's Hour delivers a chilling mystery that makes good use of excellent protagonists and an unpredictable storyline.

Some time ago I got to see the first two episodes of The Devil's Hour and it was a pleasure. The fact that I then had to wait three weeks to see how things went was a bit of a punishment, because this series grabs you by the throat and definitely won't let go. The mystery of the brutal murders, the nightmares of single mother Lucy (Jessica Raine, Call the Midwife) and her visions with an intimidating stranger (Peter Capaldi, Doctor Who) is a puzzle that skillfully scatters pieces and then neatly arranges them all in their place.

The Devil's Hour is a series that is extremely good to binge. The episodes are packed with information. A lot happens and the series relies heavily on unpredictability. It is therefore not a series to watch while you are doing something else. You have to constantly pay attention and keep focused. Blink twice and you're missing something.

The Devil's Hour grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.

Fortunately, the series manages to hold the attention well, partly due to the creepy atmosphere and the acting performances of the protagonists. Jessica Raine's acting is magnetic and Peter Capaldi knows how to be incredibly scary in every scene he's in. Other actors such as Nikesh Patel (Starstruck) and Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso) also do well. I was also positively surprised by the acting performance of Benjamin Chivers, who plays Lucy's son Isaac. Child actors are often difficult to cast, but Chivers does a great job.

Furthermore, the atmosphere is also suitable. With sometimes minimal resources, the creators know how to set up a creepy decor. The series also navigates effortlessly between different genres. One moment it's supernatural horror, the next it's a classic detective and the next it's philosophizing about what it means to be human. As a Doctor Who fan, I also loved the references to that series hidden here. Makes sense since Peter Capaldi, Jessica Raine and producer Steven Moffat were all heavily involved in that series. The suggestion that Capaldi's character would be a time traveler is an obvious reference, but I certainly got a grin on my face when someone was busy with a bag of Jelly Babies.

The ending is unlikely, but fits well into the story.

Basically the mystery has been solved and the explanation of Lucy's visions I find very creative. Yes, it's unlikely and it seems to come out of the blue, but the solution fits well into the story. In story writing, 'show, don't tell' is often a guiding rule. Don't spend long dialogues explaining, just show it. The Devil's Hour goes against this in the last episode. The whole episode is one big exposition in which the answers to almost all questions are spelled out quite literally. But it does work in this case, partly due to the appeal of the actors and the atmosphere. However, some questions remain open at the end. But to make a second season, especially for this? I don't know if that will work.

The Devil's Hour is one of the better series of 2022 for me. It's wonderfully atmospheric, presents an interesting mystery and has some excellent protagonists.