Les nouvelles aventures des Robinson suisses

New to DVD, you can find the complete series set of this fun family adventure series at your local Best Buy. Based on the classic novel, Richard Thomas (John Boy of The Waltons) heads a cast of unknowns in this castaway adventure, playing the patriarch to the Robinson clan as they struggle to survive pirates, wildlife, weather, disease and each other on their mysterious island. Their adventures are simple enough yet fun to watch. It's obvious that the show was made on a low budget for syndication purposes, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment. If anything, I found it enhanced the viewing as kind of a pure guilty pleasure. Basically, it's good wholesome family entertainment, just don't look for Shakespeare here.

The only other actor American audiences might recognize is Kieren Hutchison, who plays oldest son Ernst. Hutchison had a recurring guest role on One Tree Hill as the Australian boyfriend to the mother of Chad Michael Murray's character. However, my favorite character ended up being Ben, played by Gareth Howells, the reluctant accomplice of the series' main villain. I found myself really falling in love with this lost soul, who is caught between following the wrong path while longing to do what's right. Howells was a revelation, and I hope to see him in other productions in the future.

The show plays out in ten separate story arcs of three episodes each, for a total of 30 episodes, and wraps up nicely in the end. Not sure if that was planned from the start, but appreciated it for its nice overall story. Oh, and the settings are absolutely breath-taking. I'd love to be trapped on this island with the Robinsons...

-Dane Hill