'DOCTORS' LACKING ADRENALIN.

Byline: David Kronke TV Critic

IN THE SEASON finale of ``ER,'' Noah Wyle's Dr. Carter trekked to Africa as part of the Doctors Without Borders program. Oddly enough, that wrenching episode seemed to present a grittier, more authentic and dramatic portrait of the challenges facing the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization than the National Geographic Channel's new documentary series, ``Doctors Without Borders: Life in the Field.''

Narrated by Kiefer Sutherland, ``Doctors Without Borders: Life in the Field'' presents thumbnail sketches of some of the group's volunteers scattered across the planet. Tonight's episode is a little like the forgotten ABC reality series ``Stories From the Front Lines,'' about U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. If one critiques the program strictly on the basis of the nobility of those depicted, then, of course, it's wonderful. The series' actual execution, however, is another thing altogether.

Tonight, producers resort to all manner of narrative gambits to get viewers to stay tuned, apparently unconvinced that the good works of their subjects is enough. And based on some of the portraits (particularly that of a soccer-obsessed volunteer), that may be true.

``Doctors Without Borders'' features breathless editing - including pointless cross-cutting back and forth between blandly hagiographic profiles - underscored by electronica music. (It's a little disorienting to hear Sutherland convince us of the saintly works of these selfless individuals while what sounds like Prodigy's ``Smack My Bitch Up'' pulsates on the soundtrack.)

Of those profiled tonight, only Luc Legrand, a grumpy, chain-smoking French nurse who has dedicated his life to the cause and spends as much time yelling at his patients as he does healing them, emerges as memorable. (To be fair, however, Legrand's caustic tough-love would be worthy of a series unto itself; unfortunately, ``DWB'' abandons him to move to other volunteers in future episodes.)

The other stories lack Legrand's vitality, which is understandable - those profiled are utterly decent people, just not people TV shows should be built around. ``Doctors Without Borders'' is a commendable exercise that fails to emerge as compelling television because it largely deifies its subjects and sanitizes the situations they find themselves in. There's something beyond just the idea of doing good works that compels well-off doctors to thrust themselves into such desperate situations, something that ``ER'' episode (and the debut episode of the quickly canceled CBS series ``Presidio Med'') hinted at, and that crucial insight into their subjects is what's missing here.

David Kronke, [phone]

david.kronke(at)dailynews.com

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: LIFE IN THE FIELD - Two and one half stars

What: Documentary series on members of the group dedicated to getting medical services to impoverished areas and war zones.

Where: National Geographic Channel.

When: 9 tonight.

In a nutshell: Legitimately compelling stories, overhyped.