Entertainment

FATAL ‘HOUR’

IS it Dr. House or Dr. Hood? Is it Gil Grissom or the Grim Reaper?

Welcome to the life and crimes of Dr. Jacob Hood, (Rufus Sewell), FBI crime scene scientist/doctor/biophysicist and cranky lead character of CBS’ newest what-done-it, “Eleventh Hour.” The series is from Jerry Bruckheimer, the brains behind all 6,000 versions of “CSI,” as well as “Cold Case and “Without a Trace,” a guy who believes that too much trace DNA is never enough trace DNA.

Taken from a British series (although there is enough cribbing off American shows to make it seem all too familiar), this less-than-compelling knock-off follows Hood, who like House makes house calls – or in this case, crime calls. But unlike House, who doesn’t need to leave pustule-riddled Princeton, Hood must travel around the country to medical crime scenes where only he can unravel medical/scientific mysteries. Like House, he’s eccentric and not especially pleasant. Unlike House, he’s devoid of personality.

Hood’s sidekick, or more accurately his handler/babe, is Marley Shelton (Rachel Young), who follows him everywhere as though he were under surveillance. She only takes time out from being exasperated to bust down doors, gun out, arms extended.

Tonight’s pilot is a far-fetched yarn about human cloning complete with the evil lady scientist in health shoes. Next week’s show, somewhat better, concerns a town where all the 11-year-old boys are dying. Think: toad licking. Or don’t.