#offline campaign

My reasons are three-fold. The first is quite simple. The story is not finished. It was designed to carry on through three series, and it is now at a terribly unsatisfying point where all of the posed questions remain unanswered. I do not mind the occasional “open ending”. However, this is not what has happened here. The job is simply unfinished. 

I assume that it is quite problematic to convince other television channels to buy a product that has no ending. Recently, Arte has aired series one of The Hour in German and French (both my mother and my son immensely enjoyed it, as the plot would have been too difficult for them to follow in the English version, and they both would have been very interested in a continuation that I had to tell them is unlikely to come), and I have not heard of any plans to air series two. And, quite frankly, I would not buy an unfinished product, either. Thankfully, series one, at least, works quite well on its own. I am convinced that you could sell more, internationally, if you were to finish the story.

My second reason is that there is not enough quality television today. All day long, “reality soaps” and the likes are taking over hours upon hours that are supposedly entertaining. And while I understand that they are cheaper to produce than a series with excellent writing, an outstanding cast and a set design that pays attention to every minute detail, I refuse to believe that it can be in your best interest to “dumb-down” your program. I am incredibly difficult to please when it comes to the quality of television series. I am currently – or was, really – watching two series. You axed one.

Which brings me to reason three. I do know that the powers that be were unhappy with the lack of viewing numbers of series two. To which I can only respond that I was even unhappier with the complete lack of proper promotion that one of your own productions apparently warranted. If there is a quality program that is being showered in award nominations, that fact needs to be promoted. If one of the stars of the series has been cast as a regular in one of the biggest franchises in the world, with there even being references to said franchise in the series, and the premiere of the 50 year anniversary of said franchise being set to take place at nearly the same time as series two, that absolutely needs to be made use of in both timing and promotion. Sadly, neither has been done. The timing was too early, and potential new viewers who have become interested in Ben Whishaw due to his rapidly growing popularity completely missed the airing because they simply did not know of the series’ existence.

I am certain that with the appropriate promotion, the commission of a series three could be lucrative as well as bring more critical acclaim. Surely, the fan actions to save the series could be made use of in such a promotion? The petition to save The Hour, for example, is at nearly 19,000 signatures at the time of my posting this letter. (That must have some promotional value...) You do, after all, wish your viewers to be heard and know that they are being heard.