Crusoe on NBC

By Ally Matteodo

The Saturday, January 31^st episode NBC’s adventure series Crusoe (8:00 p.m. ET) was the Best TV Show of the Week. Based on the novel by Daniel Defoe, the series follows the adventures of Crusoe and his faithful friend Friday as they battle to survive while marooned on a tropical island.  In this episode, Crusoe and Friday must work together to escape Jeremiah Blackthorn, Crusoe’s former benefactor in England, and his henchmen Nathan and Tuffley.  Crusoe cannot understand why Blackthorn would want to kill him, but learns that he is actually Blackthorn’s older brother.  Under British law, Crusoe stands to inherit the entire Blackthorn estate. Documents proving that Crusoe is the heir to the Blackthorn fortune are kept in a Bible in Crusoe’s tree house, and Jeremiah is furious when he cannot find them.  He orders Nathan and Tuffley to burn down the tree house.  Crusoe engages in an exciting swordfight with Nathan, then uses Tuffley to find out the truth about his family back in England.  Crusoe demands that Blackthorn give him safe passage back to England in exchange for the family tree documents.  Blackthorn agrees, but in a sinister machination provokes Crusoe by dumping Friday off of the ship.  Crusoe jumps off the ship and rescues his friend.  Back on shore, Friday is disappointed for Crusoe, who missed another chance to return home; but Crusoe feels that money is less important that loyalty to his friend. 

One of the best things about the program Crusoe is the friendship between Crusoe and Friday.  .  Unlike Blackthorn, who proved a false friend, Friday is completely devoted to Crusoe.  Crusoe is also loyal to Friday and never sells him down the river, even when his freedom and a chance to see his beloved family are the bartering chips.  The two have been companions to each other for six years, and their friendship shows.  The island life also works as a reference point for values.  Crusoe asks Tuffley point-blank why they are enemies, and Tuffley replies because of greed and money, things that don’t matter on the island.  In this respect, the island is a kind of utopia, representing a simpler world where some of the nastier human emotions are not as present.  Time and time again we as viewers see the negative effect of the motives behind the villains such as Blackthorn -- motives quite often ones of greed.  This program illuminates the deleterious effects of greed, and in turn the enduring components of faith, love, and family.  At the end of the episode Crusoe is not embittered by another failure to return home; he instead tells Friday he knows that there must be some reason for these trials and tribulations.  It is his faith and love that keep him going, and is a lesson to all of us to follow his lead.