TV viewers longing for a period drama after "Downton Abbey" might find the new British drama "The Halcyon" interesting. Set in the 1940s, the series will debut on the small screen on Monday, Jan. 2, via ITV. But what is "The Halcyon" about and will U.S. viewers be able to watch it too?
"The Halcyon" is an eight-episode drama about on a bustling London five-star hotel and its staff at the height of an impending World War II. Created by Charlotte Jones, the show was developed in 2015 and started production in the city in April 2016.
"It was an extraordinary time in our country's history, and London was a transforming city," ITV executive Steve November said in a press release. "'The Halcyon' takes us right to the heart of this as the hotel is busy, energetic, and vibrant which reflects how people carried on with their lives with defiance in the air," he added.
The show stars Kara Tointon as hotel bar singer Betsey Day and Steven Mackintosh as Mr. Garland, the hotel manager. The Halcyon hotel is owned by Lord Hamilton (Alex Jennings) and Lady Hamilton (Olivia Williams), while their sons Freddie (Jamie Blackley) and Toby (Edward Bluemel) are also involved in the family business.
Matt Ryan, best known to American viewers for his role in "Constantine," is in the show as the journalist Joe O'Hara. "The Halcyon" will also include up and coming actress Hermionie Corfield as Emma Garland, Radio Times reports.
Here's a first look from @ITV inside the delights at The Halcyon hotel. You're sure to have a swell time. https://t.co/eGMJgB6GPg
— The Halcyon (@TheHalcyon) December 29, 2016
Kara Tointon is counting on "Downton Abbey" fans to embrace "The Halcyon." Although it is a period drama, it will have a different tone and feel. "You have characters from all walks of life, and you get the feeling that this was a time when people really would live for the moment," the actress said, according to The Telegraph.
But Daily Mail breaks down the similarities of "The Halcyon" to "Downton Abbey." In many ways, apart from the fantastic setting, the show is about the working class and the upper class. The hotel manager might also remind viewers of the "Downton Abbey" butler Mr. Carson.
No word yet on when "The Halcyon" will air across the pond for American viewers. It has yet to establish the series among U.K. watchers beginning Monday, Jan. 2, at 9:00 p.m. on ITV.
