Television series
Tarzan
Other titles called Tarzan: the 1999 film.
- Survival adventure
- Dip in and out
Ron Ely's Tarzan ditches civilization for the jungle, where he and a ragtag family of orphans and animals wage righteous war against poachers and criminals. It's earnest, physically ambitious adventure television: genuinely thrilling action sequences anchored by a charismatic lead who does much of his own stunt work. Exactly what Saturday nights were made for.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love old-fashioned adventure serials where the hero is a plain-spoken moral anchor, the jungle is a character, and a sunburnt hour of fistfights and animal companionship feels like a treat.
Skip it if you want modern pacing or grounded realism; this is a 1960s network hour with stagey dialogue, broad villains, and a hero who rarely doubts himself.
What it asks of you: Each episode runs about an hour and builds on episodic, self-contained trouble, so settle in for a long run of weekly adventures rather than one tight story.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Rawhide1959
Gritty, episodic western about cattle drives and the men who run them. Clint Eastwood before he was famous, learning his trade on a show that knows how to build genuine tension and character across hundreds of miles.
But Slow by modern standards, and the plotting is often secondary to exploring the crew's dynamics. Some episodes feel like they're just people riding.
The Virginian1962
Hour-long western that proved TV could do serious drama in that format. James Drury anchors a show about ranching, justice, and the moral compromises of frontier life with real intelligence and restraint.
But Deliberately paced and thoughtful where you might want more action. The philosophical talk can outlast the shoot-outs.
The Mod Squad1968
Young undercover cops tackling counterculture crime with style and genuine social awareness. Action-driven, fast-moving, and surprisingly sympathetic to the world it's policing. Pure, propulsive entertainment.
But The counterculture elements now read as dated and somewhat patronizing. Episodic plots wrap up fast and cleanly, which is satisfying but doesn't build the way serialized drama does.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Tarzan
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Jungle Book1942
Both are orphan-raised-by-animals stories where the human protagonist must choose between civilization and wild life, told through action and adventure rather than introspection.
Hungarian adventure film that predates Disney's cartoon by a quarter-century. Actual jungle footage, real animals, and a surprisingly dark edge—this is Mowgli as a genuinely feral orphan, not a Disney orphan. Exotic and genuinely thrilling.
But Pacing is glacial by modern standards, and the print quality is rough. Some animal sequences will disturb viewers uncomfortable with how they were filmed in that era.
More like this (8)
The Adventures of Robin Hood1955
Swashbuckling adventure in glorious color with stunt work and swordplay that feels genuinely dangerous. Ian Hunter brings intelligence and charm to a hero who outwits as often as he fights. Endlessly inventive week to week.
But Very of its era in pacing and dialogue. The morality tales can feel slight, and the low budget sometimes shows in the sets and effects.
Laredo1965
Three Texas Rangers handling the border, mixing action, humor, and genuine camaraderie. James Naughton, Peter Brown, and William Smith have real chemistry. Episodes rocket between gunfights, chases, and genuine character moments.
But Tonal shifts can feel jarring; it's never quite sure if it's comedy or adventure. Some episodes disappear into meandering plot threads that lead nowhere satisfying.
The Saint1962
Roger Moore's Simon Templar is a gentleman thief and adventurer tackling crime across Europe with style, humor, and improvised cleverness. Stylish, exciting, and funny—Moore perfects the role he'd return to as Bond.
But Uneven writing; some episodes are forgettable filler between the gems. The formula can feel repetitive if you watch too many in sequence.
SurfSide 61960
Private detectives working from a Miami houseboat, mixing mystery, action, and beach adventure. High energy, colorful, and genuinely fun. The setting and chemistry between leads make every case feel like a vacation you're solving crimes on.
But Plots are often thin and predictable. The reliance on Miami beach scenery and party atmosphere can feel hollow if you're looking for real stakes or character depth.
Bonanza1959
Massive family western that defined the hour-long TV drama. Lorne Greene's authority anchors stories about land, family, and frontier morality. Reliably entertaining and genuinely moving when it needs to be.
But Extremely uneven in quality; brilliant episodes sit next to forgettable ones. Tone shifts wildly depending on the writer, and some storylines rely on dated racial attitudes.
The Rifleman1958
Chuck Connors as a widowed rancher raising his son in the Old West. Action-packed but focused on the relationship at its core. Fast-moving, beautifully shot on location, with real heart under the gunplay.
But Domestic storylines can overshadow the action some viewers came for. Dialogue occasionally tips toward sentimentality, and the moral lessons can feel heavy-handed.
Planet of the Apes1968
Both explore what happens when civilization collides with a radically different social order, and whether the 'civilized' person can or should adapt to survive.
Charlton Heston captured on an alien world where apes rule and humans are hunted animals. Flips every perspective Tarzan offers: instead of the white man conquering the jungle, he's the hunted, the prisoner, the one struggling to prove his humanity.
But Dated gender politics and racial subtext that doesn't always land well. Long stretches of exposition feel stagy, and the twist ending is famous enough that it might not surprise you.
The Leopard Man1943
Like Tarzan, it's about the fragile boundary between civilization and the wild, but told from the perspective of people terrified of what lies outside their ordered world rather than someone who's mastered it.
Jacques Tourneur's noir-horror masterpiece about a killer leopard loose in a New Mexico town. Luminous black-and-white cinematography, genuine dread, and an intelligent script that treats the jungle (and the animal world) as genuinely dangerous and unknowable.
But Very slow-burn; if you want action, this will frustrate you. The leopard appears less than you'd expect, and much of the film is mundane police work and paranoia rather than spectacle.
