Gregory Creel: "I can't go to prison. My father died in prison."

When we start school or go on a job interview, we are told to wear clean clothes, comb our hair, and be polite because the first impression we make on our teacher or on the potential new boss is critical to our future success. These first impressions create perceptions that we are expected to meet and it will take a long-time and much hard work to change those perceptions. The same can be said for the premiere of a new television series. If the first episode is sluggish and boring, the viewer is tempted to believe that the rest of the stories will follow suit. If the viewer assumes future dull stories will follow, it is highly unlikely that the viewer will return. So, ratings fall and the series is cancelled, again showing that first impressions are critical to success.

I had a good first impression of the WB's "Tarzan." My perception of future stories is that of dark drama with complete stories in single episodes. Upon seeing the first episode, of "Tarzan," I am looking forward to seeing the coming episodes. Although, the WB has only ordered 13 episodes to start with, I expect some good stories in the next few weeks.

Since the episode worked on so many different levels, they are worth briefly mentioning. The first of these, and perhaps the most noticeable, is casting and characterization. The casting, especially of the main characters, seems to have been impeccable. Travis Fimmel makes a fine modern day Tarzan. His piercing blue eyes framed by his golden mane speak volumes, which works well since Tarzan doesn't say much. Tarzan's diminished amount of dialogue was a good move. Since this is Mr. Fimmel's first acting job, I wondered if his lines would be stilted or if he would be believable. The story makes use of his limited acting experience by saying he doesn't talk much and apparently hasn't spoken much since his family was lost. So, in those rare moments, when speech is slightly stilted, the hesitation works. Sarah Wayne Callies is very strong as Jane Porter. Her performance is very believable as a woman living in a conflicted world. Mitch Pileggi is playing the ultimate villain as Richard Clayton. Sure he is holding his nephew in a prison under the guise of keeping him safe, and sure he has the DA on his payroll, but he is so delicious to watch--even in his diabolical-ness. The supporting police characters do not stand out as much, so, though they are all distinct characters, I am witholding comment for the time being. The producers made a wise move in not introducing Lucy Lawless as Kathleen Clayton until the second episode. There was enough information for the viewer to process in the premiere.

Speaking of processing information, let us move on to story/plot/and unifying symbol. The use of flashbacks of information discovered by the characters as the story progressed, allowed the producers to explain Tarzan's history and current plight with his Uncle Richard Clayton. A pendant worn around Tarzan's neck containing a photo of him as a six year old with his parents ties together the stories of his parent's plane crash in the Republic of Congo, his identification when his Uncle Richard shoots him in the Congo, and Jane's identification of him as she tries to figure out who the Greystoke commandos tranquilizing and capturing Tarzan on a roof top were. Though the pendant was the obvious unifying symbol, the deeper, more complete symbol was that of "Freedom." The idea of freedom ties Tarzan, Jane, and arsonist Gregory Creel (the police problem of the week) together. Tarzan is trying to break free of the jail in which his uncle is keeping him while Jane is imprisoned by her conflicted feelings for police-boyfriend Michael and Tarzan. The arsonist explains the entire theme of freedom just before he burns a building and commits suicide by exclaiming "I can't go to prison. My father died in prison." If Tarzan or Jane stay in their prisons, they too will die. The plots tied nicely together and made sense. I was not left with the feeling of not "getting it" nor with the thought "What was that about?" Sadly, that is a rare treat for the television and movie viewer these days.

The cinematography was beautiful. The scenic shots of Central Park and the New York skyline at night were breath-taking. The play of flashing police car lights, used even when they weren't really required, always signaled danger for Tarzan. Searchlights in the dark signaled danger for all the characters.

I appreciated the producers' nod to their recent hit film "Spider-man." Rather than requiring Tarzan to find citified vines in order to swing through Manhattan, he was allowed to leap from one building to another with a single bound. With his bare feet he can cling to the sides of buildings and trees and with phenomenal upper body strength he is able to propel himself anywhere he wants to go while saving a damsel in distress.

I give this episode 10 out of a possible 10 skyscraper jungles for an excellent beginning to the Tarzan and Jane in modern Manhattan story.

Taram (from TVtome.com)