'Crusoe's' Survivor Impression - Redux

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Clearly, I spoke too soon.

A few weeks back, I joked that super-duper-uber-producer Mark Burnett surely served as a consultant ('kay, not really) on an episode of Crusoe given it seemed to be some sort of cross between the Survivor and American Gladiators reality shows. (For the record, Mr. MB produces only ONE of those ... and if I have to tell you which one, I guess you don't really watch much TV, do ya'?).

This week, we again seemed to take a page out of the Survivor playbook - complete with some sort of timed series of go-go-get Crusoe challenges, and a tribal council delivering a final verdict of who gets what fate.

And, truth be told, there wasn't a whole lot else to this episode. Most of the action centered on a thought to be long lost tribe called the Caciques, who pull into port ('kay, not really) on the island in search of Crusoe to hunt him down purely for the sport.

Sooooo, we have three warriors racing against the makeshift sand hour glass trying to bring Crusoe back to the warrior king. Eventually one does, and Crusoe is pinned up like some sort of crucifix, read the riot act by said warrior king and held responsible for just about every horrible thing the European white man is guilty of in the 1600s.

Namely: slavery.

Not surprisingly, Crusoe and Friday eventually get the better of the king and the tribe, yet are still left to their own devices. As in, no brokered deal to have the warriors boat them away.

But ... tune in next week to see whether Friday votes Crusoe of the island!

No, seriously ... I wasn't feeling this episode much from the Crusoe side of things.

BUT ... HUGE development on the Susannah side of things.

We remember Captain Santana's promise to come back for Crusoe? Well, he has arrived back in England, though not fit for a return voyage to our island in the sun (bummer). But, he does meet Susannah to offer proof Crusoe is alive (namely his knowledge of Crusoe's time as a planter in Brazil). He also meets Blackthorn, who is still looking for any conceivable way to prevent Susannah from learning Crusoe is alive. Blackthorn agrees ('kay, not really) to prepare a ship to go after Crusoe only so that he can trick her into signing the kids away!

Nooooooo!

But never fear. Remember Olivia? She's on the lookout for Susannah now, too. The fact she's got to go to the mad house to find her, well ... not so good.

But hey, wouldn't it be funny to have two women set out to rescue our castaways?

Not going to happen, I know.

I'd settle for the two of them getting the better of Blackthorn, though.

New episodes of Crusoe air Saturdays at 8 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.