Monday, November 10, 2008

The Test of Friendship on 'Crusoe'

NBC's New Action Adventure Series 'Crusoe'By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


I'm starting to think we all could use a Crusoe in our lives.

Loyalty. Honor. Decency. Courage. Intelligence. Humor.

And one heck of a friend.

As in, the guy you want to count on when there is NO ONE, who will put aside his own wants to make sure YOU are okay.

They really don't make 'em like they used to.

And this was beautifully on display in Crusoe last week.

One of the things I have come to really enjoy about this show (aside from the mini-adventures each week) is the deep friendship that has been established between Crusoe and Friday and of which is fantastically portrayed by Philip Winchester and Tongayi Chirisa. It is as good as Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter's bro/sis chemistry on Dexter. As such, you believe these two really are best friends and would stop at nothing for the other.

They are true equals in a world that would otherwise see one as inferior. Their plight is shared, one never blaming the other for any given predicament. They continue to learn from one another irregardless of whether they agree or disagree on any given issue. This episode was filled with fine moments that further explored the Friday/Crusoe camaraderie.

Never mind that Friday drops the ONLY working compass into the fire (which they found in a boat that happened to be lodged in a tree no doubt thanks to a storm from some time ago), or that he doesn't really want to break into the mutineers camp to steal another one ('cause we remember the gang is still lampooned on the island, trying to fix their ship which ran aground in the previous ep), or that he fears any escape from the island and subsequent return to England alongside Crusoe will lead to slavery.

When he ends up at the bottom of a well, nearly crushed under the weight of a log that fell in after him, Crusoe stops at nothing to rescue him - even forgoing the saving of the newly repaired boat they were going to use (along with said compass) to try and make their way off island.

The dogged determination and frustration of Crusoe juxtaposed against the surrender on the part of Friday to his fate was fantastic. Both were willing to put the other before their own self - even if that meant losing a life in the process.

We should all be such a good friend, eh?

On the flashback tip this week, we learned that Crusoe got into a bit of a shady deal with Susannah's brother. Even though Susannah swore her brother was upstanding and trustworthy, it turns out Crusoe ends up investing in a legalized version of piracy.

Bummer.

Another bummer turns out to be Blackthorn, the cryptic supposedly looking after Crusoe character played nicely by Sam Neill. Looks as though he aims to set-up Crusoe to be arrested (or not?) for participating in the rebellion being planned by the Duke of Monmouth to overthrow the king, even though Crusoe does NOT support it.

Hmmmm ... it looks as though our loyal, decent, honorable, courageous and intelligent castaway has got a better friend in Friday than he ever had in England.

New episodes of Crusoe air Fridays at 9 p.m. on NBC. Visit NBC's Official Crusoe Web site for the inside scoop on the series. The site is awfully cool - and that's not just the Pirates fangirl in me talking.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I really liked this episode! Probably for all the reasons you talked about and more. It really touched on Crusoe's and Friday's humanity. And you are right. We all need such a friendship in our lives like these two have. What a blessing that would be.