Eleventh Hour

I LOVE Eleventh Hour. This is, in fact, the only CBS show that I actually watch. Before Eleventh Hour came on, I always referred to CBS as the "CSI Channel". I'm also not into reality TV. BUT THEN CAME DR. HOOD! Eleventh Hour is SMART! It's engaging. It shows genuine human concern and compassion. It grapples with the very real possibilities of when science and technology go too far and what that means. IT MAKES YOU THINK! I have always thought Rufus Sewell was an excellent actor, and he has been a joy and pleasure to follow in this series. The chemistry between him and Rachel, and now Felix, is AWESOME. I DVR'd every episode so I wouldn't have to sit through commercials--I hated breaking up the story with ads, I was always on the edge of my seat. I'd very much like to see some reruns of Season 1 this summer and am definitely planning on getting the first season on DVD when it's available. This show has great potential for several continuing seasons. I'm eagerly (and slightly impatiently) waiting for the fall so that I can see new episodes of Eleventh Hour and Dr. Hood.

'Eleventh Hour' is a new show to UK screens but, so far, I'm liking what I'm seeing. Based on the same premise as a British show of the same name, this show centres around Doctor Jacob Hood, a gifted science adviser to the FBI who investigates cases with heavy science implications. Assigned as his bodyguard is FBI Special Agent Rachel Young, who ensures Hood's safety and also has to reel him in when he goes off on a tangent.

Part of what makes this such an interesting show is that it offers a mix of detective action drama and science fact with a dabble of science fiction. 'Eleventh Hour' deals with Hood and Young becoming involved in cases which sound like science fiction only to have a real science origin to them and, in come ways, can be described as a detective/FBI version of 'House' (with the male lead being far more amiable than House!). Rufus Sewell and Marley Shelton, as Hood and Young respectively, do well in their roles and have a great chemistry together even from the first episode. They give the characters a likable edge that compliment each other well.

I've not seen the British version of the show but I imagine there are quite a few moans that this show exists. I agree that there are some instances where American remakes are pointless and mediocre, however, I don't feel this is one example. I have to admit that when it comes to cop shows, I do prefer my US imports as they are not so dour-natured. American shows tend to offer a more positive outcome with characters who actually smile and, yes, they do tend to be flashier which I like.

'Eleventh Hour' has proved itself to be a promising show so far and certainly deserves a chance (not least to be judged on its own merit, without being compared to it's British processor). I do hope that it is given a second season because I'm getting sick and tired of seeing good shows being cancelled before a proper run.

First, it's true that this is a US version of a Brit TV series. But since Brit TV usually has only 4-8 episodes per season as compared to the 13-20 in the US, the stories have to supplemented to stretch out the season. And the characters have to grow more, also. It works for some shows and not for others.

But this show mostly makes it. Sewell comes across as smart but not smarmy, complex but accessible. Shelton is pretty, bright and brave. This doesn't feel like a show where they are going to fall for each other and jump into bed (or over the shark, for that matter). Adding Omar Benson Miller has added another foil and gives some teeth to the kick-ass FBI. He's got the enthusiasm and really plays well with the two leads.

As for the stories, it's partly X-Files with some CSI tossed in. It's a bit lighter than both but genuinely has some sense of impending doom. Some stories work better than others but this show seems to have found a pretty good balance in the last several episodes.

It's worth watching a couple of episodes. I think it could get better with a little more time to develop. I hope it gets a second season because it could develop into a really neat show with more than a cult following. It gets a 7 for now but there is room for an upwards adjustment.

I love this show because it is similar to the CSI shows, yet it has a scientific twist to it. Everything is explained scientifically, as on my other favorites, Bones. It's very refreshing to divert from the good guy/ bad guy routine, and concentrate more on the scientific side of how they solved the crime.

If you can't follow the "squint talk" then you probably won't like this show. It's geared towards the more intelligent society. Regardless of that, there is still enough action and comedy (if you get the jokes)

Both the main character could use some "tuning", but that will come with more seasons. The acting and story lines are very realistic, introducing crime scenarios that most of us had not thought possible.

I enjoyed the combination of shows wrapped up into this one. This show is a blend of odd mysteries like House without the harsh character that I find hard to watch too often. It adds in CSI type investigations looking at microscopic details. The amount of science trivia adds interesting information about everyday things. There is puzzle solving similar to Monk or The Psychic where the main character uses his memory to piece together obscure information into the solution. I have not seen the episodes with Patrick Stewart, but the episodes with Rufus Sewell and I like the way he plays the character in a calm and cool, lost in thought manner. I think the time slot the show has is its biggest problem in gaining more popularity. 10:00PM is after many working people have shut off the TV and gone to bed. I think if this show was given the 8:00PM time slot in place of trashy shows like "How I met your mother", it would do much better in the ratings.