Tarzan (2003 TV series)


Tarzan is an American adventure-drama television series that premiered on The WB on October 5, 2003, and ended on November 23, 2003. Based on the Tarzan series by Edgar Rice Burroughs and developed by Eric Kripke, Mike Werb and Michael Colleary, the show was set in New York City and depicted modern-day adaptations of Burroughs' characters. In December 2003, the series was canceled after eight episodes.

Synopsis and creator commentary

NYPD detective Jane Porter's ordinary life is disrupted when a routine case unexpectedly leads her to John Clayton, who prefers to be called Tarzan. After being proclaimed dead for 20 years, John Clayton was found in the jungles of Africa by his billionaire uncle, Richard Clayton, who is the CEO of powerful Greystoke Industries. Held against his will at his uncle's home, Tarzan escapes and prowls all over the city, helping others in need. Upon meeting Jane, he begins to follow her from her home to crime scenes, simultaneously assisting her with her police cases.
Kripke was critical of the show, calling it "a piece of crap" and saying: "I'll stand behind the pilot. It has a beginning, middle, and -- the problem -- it ends. I was hungry to have anything in production, so I wrote a 50-page story that ended. Then it got made and I had something in production, and it was all my dreams come true. They said to me, 'Let's do 12 more.' I said, 'Uh, wait! What's the story?' So, Tarzan was a hell ride in every way, and we only did eight before they wisely put us out of our misery."

Cast

Main

List of songs used

The opening theme song is "Try" by Paloalto.
#EpisodeSongs
1.Pilot
2.Secrets and Lies
  • "Fly Away" by Kristin Mainhart
  • "Fallen" by Sarah McLachlan
    • 3.Wages of Sin
  • "Recall" by Luckytown
  • "I Saw" by Matt Nathanson
  • "Forever" by The Red West
    • 4.Rules of Engagement
  • "If You Asked" by Longview
  • "Hollow" by Casey Stratton
  • "New York City" by The Peter Malick Group featuring Norah Jones
    • 5.Emotional Rescue
  • "Give It Up" by Fefe Dobson
  • "Supermoves" by Overseer
  • "Breathe In" by Paloalto
  • "Ghosts" by Sleeping At Last
    • 6.Surrender
  • "White Flag" by Dido
  • "So Are You to Me" by Eastmountainsouth
  • "Freetime by Kenna
    • 7.For Love of Country
  • "It's You" by Michelle Branch
  • "Falling For You " by Longview
  • "All My Life" by Rosie Thomas
    • 8.The End of the Beginning
  • "Burn" by Sense Field
  • "Show Me The River" by Eastmountainsouth

    • Crew

  • Eric Kripke - developer, story, teleplay and co-executive producer
  • Michael Colleary - developer and story
  • Mike Werb - developer and story
  • Leonard Dick - writer and producer
  • David Gerber - executive producer
  • Lynne Litt - writer
  • Peter McIntosh - producer
  • Molly Newman - co-executive producer
  • David Nutter - executive producer
  • P.K. Simonds - writer and executive producer
  • Mere Smith - writer and co-producer
  • Pamela Oas Williams - producer
  • Laura Ziskin - executive producer
  • Jason Derlatka - music composer
  • Jon Ehrlich - music composer

    Reception

    • On Metacritic the show has a score of 45% based on reviews from 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".