TVSquad

NBC has been promoting the crap out of their new summer adventure series, The Philanthropist, for weeks now. Starring James Purefoy as Teddy Rist, a billionaire playboy who decides to save the world, The previews held absolutely no interest for me. Now, after having seen the pilot, I realize that my first impression was the correct one.

Premiering tonight at 10 PM, The Philanthropist is basically an hour of an insufferable rich dude talking about how awesome he is. We watch the premise of the show unfold through the eyes of Rist himself, as he tells his tale of heroism (saving a Nigerian boy from drowning; surviving a shoot-out and a snake bite in order to deliver some Cholera vaccines to a village) to a bored bartender.

Hello! The Saint is rising again. The venerable character, who was created by writer Leslie Chareris in novels in the 1920's, will be back on television in a contemporary setting, and actor James Purefoy (Rome) has been in talks to play Simon Templar, the suave, British "good guy" thief. Aside from Purefoy, the Hollywood Reporter writes that the production team includes first class talent: Homicide's Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana (Oz), writer Jorge Zamacona, Bill Macdonald, and the original TV Saint himself, Roger Moore, and his son Geoffrey Moore.

The Showtime pilot based on the British hit Manchild has its four leads now. Julia reported that John Corbett (Lucky, Northern Exposure) had been cast. Now comes word that he will be joined by Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, etc.), James Purefoy (Rome), and Paul Hipp (Carnivale). According to the Hollywood Reporter, Smith will play Paul, an angry, divorced, 40 something guy who hates his ex-wife and her new husband. I can totally see that working out perfectly. Purefoy is cast as Joe, the leader of the group. He's a good looking rich guy who revels in his single lifestyle.

It's still just a pilot project, but that is some serious casting. I'm always a little leery when someone decides to adapt a British show for a U.S. audience. The track record for doing that isn't exactly stellar. But given this cast, I'm certainly interested to see their take on the story.