Eleventh Hour (US Version)
Here is What You Need To Know:
Eleventh Hour is yet another remake of a British show, and there is more of that than you might think. It should stop. Regardless, Eleventh Hour isn’t too much to get excited about. This review, could in fact, be really short. I could just write, “X-Files Wanna Be” and be done with the whole affair, but that wouldn’t cut it.
Rufus Sewell plays Dr. Jacob Hood who is a quirky scientist who the FBI brings in to investigate odd happenings. He has a beautiful agent, Rachel Young, played by Marley Shelton, who baby-sits him. Does this sound familiar to you? In the series pilot “Resurrection” Dr. Hood is trying to get the bottom of a cloning operation gone wrong. The angle with Eleventh Hour isn’t science-fiction, but “science-fact” at the edge of what is currently possible. It is also arguable as to how “science-fact” Eleventh Hour really happens to be. It is likely that Eleventh Hour would have been a way better show, if they would have worried less about appealing to old folks and just went for a bit of a science-fiction edge. You know, weird science-fictionish things are happening in the background. This would have given the show a bit of an edge and not cost too much more, as the science-fiction intrigue could be mostly low-budget cloak and dagger with a three second visual effect shot thrown in every now and then. A good example would be the failed science-fiction program Threshold, also on CBS. Something with a slight Threshold edge could have really helped Eleventh Hour, sort of.
What Was Cool:
-The direction by Danny Cannon of CSI fame is really good. The show has a cool look at points.
What Was Stupid:
-Eleventh Hour is airing after CSI and obviously Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Jerry Bruckheimer is hoping to keep some of that delicious CSI audience. End result, the show feels like it’s for old people trying to be hip. Never a good thing.
The Film’s Real Genius or Geniuses:
Marley Shelton, is beautiful and she can act. Hiring her was a good idea and she helps the show.
Story D+ (X-Files, why did you have to go and fall apart like that?)
Use of Science B (At least Eleventh Hour deals with concepts about science and attempts to get viewers thinking about these topics. I wonder if the old people can handle it.)
Acting B- (The acting is okay, the problem is the concept itself.)
Portrayal of Women A
Style/Sex Appeal B
Enjoyability Grade C-
Home Theater/HD Factor B
Gut Check (Level of Studio Executive Guts) C (It is a new show, but it’s not exactly a new idea.)
Overall Innovation D
Overall Grade D+ (I would like to love Eleventh Hour, but what can I tell you, if you are in desperate need of an X-Files clone, stick with Fringe, its way better.)
A Little Fact About Cherie:
I didn’t always like science-fiction, it had to grow on me, and did it ever.
|
