I talked about the show concept, and influences, and the whole issue of adapted formats, in an interview with Tom Green for the Writers' Guild newsletter a few weeks ago.
Tom asked,
Did producers/commissioners consider Eleventh Hour to be sci-fi? Is it a genre they worry might put people off?
And I said,
When I sold Eleventh Hour I pushed it as the Prime Suspect of science – a pro-science procedural with today's Bad Science in its sights, grounded entirely in the current state of technology. So no, it was never meant to be science fiction. Although I’d have been happy to see sf writers involved, because they tend to know where the line between actual science and speculation lies. Most arts-background people are far more ignorant of science than professional scientists are of culture. What I wanted for Eleventh Hour was the same kind of probity that you’d apply without question in a legal drama or a medical show. The last thing I wanted was a pasting from the Government’s chief scientific advisor.
If you want to see the full interview, you can find it here.
Next Friday on NBC: Crusoe.
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6 comments:
Every time I've been on the New York Times website in the past week I've seen HUGE ads for Eleventh Hour.
Hope it goes well.
By a weird twist of scheduling it's running against the American version of LIFE ON MARS on ABC, which I wish well. See both. Life may be short, but it's not that short.
Hi Steve,
Great to hear that Eleventh Hour has been picked up in the States. I was wondering whether you'd seen Fringe and, if so, what you think of it. Fringe seems to be in the same territory as Eleventh Hour, although it's much more "relaxed" about the science, of course.
All the best,
Phil Widdows
I'm a big fan of JJ Abrams and naturally I'm following Fringe -- I love its style but I'd be happier to see a little more rigour in the working-through of those SF tropes.
I love the TV series and was hoping to get the book(s?), but can't seem to find it. Is this a U.S. problem or is it out of print or what?
An early version of the character first appeared in a short novella titled DOCTOR HOOD in Ellen Datlow's anthology THE DARK, but otherwise there's nothing show-related in print yet.
There is an active discussion about a possible series of ELEVENTH HOUR novels, but much will depend on whether there's a decision to go to a second season.
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