The Philanthropist is an American action drama television series that aired on NBC from June 24 to August 12, 2009. The program was a limited summer series, principally filmed in South Africa. It opened to strong ratings, but saw a drop in viewers in subsequent weeks. The Philanthropist is a Carnival Films production in association with The Levinson/Fontana Company and Original Media. Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson, Peter Horton, Charlie Corwin, Gareth Neame, and Teri Weinberg served as executive producers. On October 21, 2009, NBC canceled the series after one season.

Synopsis

The title character, Teddy Rist (portrayed by James Purefoy), is a billionaire playboy haunted by the death of his only child. His life changes when he rescues a young boy during a hurricane in Nigeria. As a result, Rist begins using his fortune to personally change the lives of others. The Philanthropist is based loosely on the life of Bobby Sager.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Episodes

Reception

U.S. ratings

Critical reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 61% based on 23 reviews, with an average score of 6.5/10; the critical consensus reads: "Though it stumbles on its James Bond-esque premise, The Philanthropist is saved by its beautiful cinematography and the enigmatic charisma of its main star, James Purefoy." On Metacritic, the first season has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Non-US showings and re-airings

In December 2010 and January 2011, the show was aired in Australia on 7Two, a Seven Network digital channel. In August 2013 started on Polish TVP1.

Home media releases

The complete series was released on January 5, 2010 on DVD in Region 1. It was released as a two-disc set, with a total running time of 300 minutes.

Inspiration

The Philanthropist is inspired by the hands-on philanthropy of Bobby Sager.