Review of Crusoe

As you may recall, I promised to review the new NBC series Crusoe when it came out. A few weeks later I did write a review for Indian Country Today, but the newspaper didn't publish it until the end of January.

Anyway, here it finally is:

‘Crusoe’ deserts indigenous islanders

Review:  Friday, yes; Indians, noThe most noteworthy trait of this Crusoe is his inventiveness. Like MacGyver or the Professor in “Gilligan’s Island,” he’s devised a contraption or gizmo for every situation. About the only thing missing is a pedal-powered car.

Indigenous islanders probably would shake their heads at this silliness. A pulley-operated elevator when a wooden or rope ladder would work just as well? Metal throwing stars when a blowgun and darts would be much easier to make? A ton of water hauled from the nearest river and into the treetops?

Why booby-trap one path to his bower when every other route is unguarded? If attackers were foolish enough to approach in plain sight, they’d quickly learn to come through the jungle instead. And why build a bridge that resembles a wheel-operated device in a hamster cage? The Inca crossed deeper gorges with greater loads using simple, well-engineered suspension bridges.
Comment:  The initial 13 episodes have aired and NBC is now calling Crusoe a 13-part series. Translation: It did poorly in the ratings and is probably being canceled.

For more on the subject, see Robinson Crusoe and Friday.

Below:  The "hamster wheel" that Crusoe's creators think is clever and cool and I think is stupid and ridiculous.