pgooden I find myself looking forward to seeing this each week. I like the costumes and of course, the glimpses of the grand hotel. Some say too predictable - maybe but best to sit back and watch it unfold from the intrigue of the Nazi spies to the boxed gas masks they all wear when going outside - I do find it hard to believe , however that all of that huge hotel's guests fit in the bomb shelter with beds for all and staff .

bshaef I liked this from the very beginning. The acting is great, the characters seem real and the story is interesting. An average English series beats anything on network TV. Thank God for the cable channels, Netflix, Amazon, and PBS. I think I watch one network show. The new ones always sound so good but most are complete duds about halfway through the first episode.

racheloj 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.

Film-Slave This is supposed to be ITV's "replacement" for DOWNTON ABBEY, but it's an elaborate game of dress-up.That was a poor marketing ploy, because by comparison THE HALCYON is tarted-up run-of-the-mill soap. On its own, the show is fancy, sometimes fun, and often unbelievable. The writers have packed in as much trauma as possible -- every A and B-list character has something tearing at them.THe characters are written as graphs: no actual realization possible. Those in charge of the plot and characters seem to be making it up as they go along, because the characters don't arrive fully formed and ready for discovery. Back story details feel tacked on.It was believable that DOWNTON characters prized their positions and sacrificed a great deal. At THE HALCYON, a senior staffer is nearly axed, has had three precious days off in a decade, but decides to take off the day when a major social reception is booked. Not the day after, but the day of. Sorry, but that disservices the character and the story.