EDITION: U.S.
philip maidstone
The Philanthropist - An early look
by Kona Gallagher, posted Jun 24th 2009 2:02PM

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.
TV Squad Hot Topics
Most Popular Articles
From Our Partners
- TV ratings: 'Grimm' and 'Shark Tank' rise, CBS stays on top Friday
- John Goodman, Roseanne Barr reunite in NBC pilot 'Downwardly Mobile'
- 'The Vampire Diaries' recap: In which Elena is starting to get on our nerves
- 'Fringe': 'Lost's Henry Ian Cusick cast
- 'Bones' will (finally!) return to FOX on April 5
- More From Zap2it
- James Wolk Enters Political Fray, Joins USA Network's D.C.-Based Drama Series
- Ratings: Shark Tank Makes a Splash, Fringe Matches Low, Supernatural Dips and Grimm Gains
- Shameless' Justin Chatwin Previews Steve's Quest to Win Back Fiona and His 'Sticky' Mess
- Pilot Scoop: Michael B. Jordan Reunites with Friday Night Lights Boss on NBC's County
- Pilot Scoop: Shonda Rhimes' Gilded Lilys Period Drama for ABC Casts Blythe Danner, Others
- More From TVLine
