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October 13, 2008
"Crusoe" doesn't quite float
In a season when so many freshman TV series are junk, it seems churlish and mean-spirited to chide something as handsomely mounted as NBC's "Crusoe," which debuts Friday at 8 p.m. with a two-hour pilot.
As the title would suggest, it's an adaptation of Daniel Defoe's classic novel "Robinson Crusoe." Like the book, it tells the story of Crusoe (Philip Winchester), a castaway on a desert island. Along with his companion Friday (Tongayi Chirisa), he attempts to survive on the island's resources and their own intelligence.
The show's pedigree is high, with a well-respected literary source, and a cast that includes Sam Neill as a mysterious figure in Crusoe's past. There are also some decent action scenes, a wealth of beautiful scenery and a bunch of mildly amusing set pieces, most involving Crusoe's Rube Goldberg-ish contraptions, built to help make life on the island easier.
Then why does it feel so flat?
This is one of those productions that mistakes stodginess for intelligence; that replaces solid storytelling with handsome images. As a result, it's mildly entertaining, but I have no desire to watch it again. It's a shame, because, in a season that's brought us the likes of "Kath & Kim" and "Valentine," I was hoping "Crusoe" would provide a much-needed shot of class. Alas, it's a bit of a dud, though, admittedly, a very pretty one.
Posted by amanda on October 13, 2008 5:22 PM
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