Crusoe is a television adventure drama based loosely on the novel Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The series' 13 episodes aired on NBC during the first half of the 2008–2009 television season. It follows the adventures of Robinson Crusoe: a man who has been shipwrecked on an island for six years and is desperate to return home to his wife and children. His lone companion is Friday, a native whom Crusoe rescued and taught English.
Stranded on his island, hoping for rescue to civilization, Robinson Crusoe starts recalling how it all started. But he has to concentrate all his attention on an arriving ship, which alas proves not help but captain Lynch's pirates. The traps he set for savages probe useful, but he still ends up captured, unlike trusty native companion Friday. He's expected to help them find a golden canon, using a map tattooed on an old prate's back.
Crusoe leaves his family to head out to the new world in hopes of finding new riches and getting out of debt. However, when an assassin gets aboard the ship, Crusoe wakes up to find himself stranded on a deserted island. There saves a native man from a band of cannibals and makes a friend for life. Together they must struggle to survive the harsh terrain.
After attempting to fix the water source to the tree house, Crusoe loses his wedding ring. Meanwhile, Friday has an unusual dream about a young woman who is lost and yearning for the sea. Crusoe and Friday attempt to discover the truth and set her spirit free.
Crusoe and Friday need to find a way to outsmart a group of mutineers, who have landed on their island in search of supplies. Crusoe contemplates forming an alliance with the ship's trapped captain in hopes that he can lead Crusoe and Friday back home.
Crusoe and Friday find hope on the deserted island, when they stumble upon an old abandoned boat that is stuck up in a tree. As they begin to repair it, they find a compass, which they believe will aid them on their finding their way home.
Crusoe is racked with guilt as he contemplates stealing the boat of cannibals that have arrived on the island because of the two surprising captives that they would be leaving behind with them.
Friday has become severly ill and insane, and it's up to Olivia and Crusoe to find the rare plant that will cure him.
Now that the mutineers' ship has been fixed, he must think of a new plan to get on it and off the island, once someone discloses his plan to the ship's captain.
Crusoe helps Friday by trying to bring back some of the bad things from his past, so he can help Friday get through them. Friday's past helps him in making the treehouse safer from intruders.
Crusoe is overjoyed--and somewhat mystified--when Susannah appears on the island. Later, while searching for Friday, Crusoe and Susannah's lives are endangered after coming across someone else on the island.
A mysterious warrior steals a lock of Crusoe's hair and he later finds out that people are looking for him. Friday has to decide to save Crusoe or himself after he is defeated by three warriors.
Friday and Crusoe help rescue men from the water after another boat sinks their tiny ship. Crusoe is puzzled to find Mr. Blackthorn among the men, and Friday wonders what he is up to.
Crusoe and Friday struggle to fend off the men from the sunken boat, once they realize that Mr. Blackthorn and his men are there to harm them and steal their belongings from the treehouse. Crusoe finds out what Mr. Blackthorn is up to from an unwilling Samuel Tuffley.
