Robert N EmersonThoughts on CBS's Eleventh Hour
October 12th 2008 23:14
I recently watched CBS's remake of the British ITV (via Granada Television) four-part series of the same name with Patrick Stewart in the lead, however I've not seen the ITV Original, although I plan to, so I won't be making any comparisons to it. Personally I'm all for the concept of taking a British series and adapting it to American TV, so long as the concepts that make those shows good come along with it, which includes solid casting, smart writing, and enjoyable production values.
The Eleventh Hour follows Dr. Jacob Hood, played by Rufus Sewell, and his executive protection agent, FBI Special Agent Rachel Young, played by Marley Shelton, as they investigate who investigate unethical and abhorrent scientific crimes, such as illegal cloning experiments, unwarranted medical treatments, unethical experiments, so as to save the lives of those whom are effected by these acts. Now on the surface this may seem similar to Fox's Fringe, however that is only at first blush, as the show is more along the lines of a Hard Science take on the concepts, while Fringe is more Soft Science, taking lager leaps with the suspension of disbelief than Eleventh Hour asks of the viewer.
While I've enjoyed the first offerings of Eleventh Hour, it is not to the same degree that I enjoyed Fringe's pilot, however that may be due to the more procedural aspect of the show. Dr. Hood chases individual criminal scientists who work in smaller groups or cells without an overlying organization to it, however he does appear to have a foe in Geppetto, an unethical doctor who is performing clandestine cloning activities that Hood has been following and trying to stop. In an interesting moment, which was a fairly blatant twist, Hood comes face to face with Geppetto, but cannot stop his foe, as he would have to sacrifice the life of an innocent woman to do so. Although the twist was blatant, the moment that we see the person who will be revealed as Geppetto, you scream it in your head, I feel, as we've come to expect such twists.
The premiere episode, however, is not the high priced pilot that was filmed, the pilot, Argo, will air third, as the show went with the episode Resurrection, which may have been a nod to the ITV original, which was titled the same and followed a very similar, if not identical plot, from what I've read. The show appears to apply some of the same camera filtering and aspect light changes that the CSI shows have had in the past, which lends a different, almost dusk look to the show, and does help, somewhat, add to the mood and ambiance of the show. It is pretty obvious that CBS is trying to go with the same format as CSI, which is unusual circumstances based in a more realistic science, gritty interaction, with the occasional light or comedic moments.
The casting of the show seems on target, with Sewell a good substitution for Patrick Stewart, although I would have loved to see Stewart back on television, in that you buy his presence and accept him as a scientific authority. Marley Shelton, however takes more of a sell, which is why I think some of her early moments are a bit of a hard sell, forcing you to accept her as a tough, skilled, and sharp FBI agent. It is easy, I feel, to cast a woman in such a role, so much so that we see it all of the time, however I think Shelton is trying to stretch her range a bit with Special Agent Young and it is going to take some time to gain the audience trust with her in the tough, no nonsense role of Hood's protector.
While I don't feel that the Eleventh Hour is as good as Fox's Fringe, I do feel that it has the potential to be similar, yet different. Neither of the shows will pull at the same audience 100%, so there may be some crossover, thankfully the shows are not in direct competition with one and other. Plus, Eleventh Hour has a lead in from the popular CSI, which can only help the show gain an audience.
The Eleventh Hour follows Dr. Jacob Hood, played by Rufus Sewell, and his executive protection agent, FBI Special Agent Rachel Young, played by Marley Shelton, as they investigate who investigate unethical and abhorrent scientific crimes, such as illegal cloning experiments, unwarranted medical treatments, unethical experiments, so as to save the lives of those whom are effected by these acts. Now on the surface this may seem similar to Fox's Fringe, however that is only at first blush, as the show is more along the lines of a Hard Science take on the concepts, while Fringe is more Soft Science, taking lager leaps with the suspension of disbelief than Eleventh Hour asks of the viewer.
While I've enjoyed the first offerings of Eleventh Hour, it is not to the same degree that I enjoyed Fringe's pilot, however that may be due to the more procedural aspect of the show. Dr. Hood chases individual criminal scientists who work in smaller groups or cells without an overlying organization to it, however he does appear to have a foe in Geppetto, an unethical doctor who is performing clandestine cloning activities that Hood has been following and trying to stop. In an interesting moment, which was a fairly blatant twist, Hood comes face to face with Geppetto, but cannot stop his foe, as he would have to sacrifice the life of an innocent woman to do so. Although the twist was blatant, the moment that we see the person who will be revealed as Geppetto, you scream it in your head, I feel, as we've come to expect such twists.
The premiere episode, however, is not the high priced pilot that was filmed, the pilot, Argo, will air third, as the show went with the episode Resurrection, which may have been a nod to the ITV original, which was titled the same and followed a very similar, if not identical plot, from what I've read. The show appears to apply some of the same camera filtering and aspect light changes that the CSI shows have had in the past, which lends a different, almost dusk look to the show, and does help, somewhat, add to the mood and ambiance of the show. It is pretty obvious that CBS is trying to go with the same format as CSI, which is unusual circumstances based in a more realistic science, gritty interaction, with the occasional light or comedic moments.
The casting of the show seems on target, with Sewell a good substitution for Patrick Stewart, although I would have loved to see Stewart back on television, in that you buy his presence and accept him as a scientific authority. Marley Shelton, however takes more of a sell, which is why I think some of her early moments are a bit of a hard sell, forcing you to accept her as a tough, skilled, and sharp FBI agent. It is easy, I feel, to cast a woman in such a role, so much so that we see it all of the time, however I think Shelton is trying to stretch her range a bit with Special Agent Young and it is going to take some time to gain the audience trust with her in the tough, no nonsense role of Hood's protector.
While I don't feel that the Eleventh Hour is as good as Fox's Fringe, I do feel that it has the potential to be similar, yet different. Neither of the shows will pull at the same audience 100%, so there may be some crossover, thankfully the shows are not in direct competition with one and other. Plus, Eleventh Hour has a lead in from the popular CSI, which can only help the show gain an audience.
| 44 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
