Gilligan’s Island was one of those shows that always seemed to be on in afternoon syndication when I was a kid, but the Season 1 episodes were the ones I tended to avoid because they were in black and white. However, going back to the beginning (and now colorized on MeTV), I’m finding that the ridiculous plots, physical comedy, and banter between Gilligan, the Skipper, and the rest of the crew were already in place. The island didn’t need color to be a comedy classic.

The show aired for just three seasons, from 1964 to 1967, but still produced a whopping 98 episodes. When the S.S. Minnow is shipwrecked on an uncharted Pacific island, its two crew members and five passengers try to survive long enough to be rescued, only to have their escape plans repeatedly fall apart. These seven people, and The Brady Bunch’s creator and screenwriter Sherwood Schwartz, find an impressive number of ways to make it funny, over and over again.

The theme song is one of the greatest of all time, if only because it tells you everything you need to know about the plot no matter which episode you tune into. The cast is also introduced in the intro: the temperamental Skipper, played by Alan Hale Jr.; incompetent first mate Gilligan, played by Bob Denver; the Professor, played by Russell Johnson; movie star Ginger, played by Tina Louise; Mary Ann, played by Dawn Wells; and wealthy couple Thurston and Lovey Howell, played by Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer.

I decided to go back and watch the introductory episodes.

Episode 1: “Two on a Raft”

After leaving Honolulu for that famously ill-fated three-hour tour, the group is already stranded when we meet them. The Skipper is calling Gilligan his “little buddy” from the start, along with constantly being up in arms about whatever his little buddy is doing.

This episode centers on the raft they build to sail out and find help. They finally get it to sea, but sharks, a storm, and Gilligan’s habit of eating the supplies make for a very short-lived voyage.

The Skipper is already proving to be a man of a million exasperated looks. The overall rhythm is still taking shape, and the actors seem to be getting their bearings, but the hijinks are already running high. The promise of the show is evident.

★★★★☆ 4/5

Episode 2: “Home Sweet Hut”

With a tropical storm bearing down on the island, the gang launches into hut-building mode. The Skipper wants everyone working together, but his meticulous approach and the others’ competing demands soon lead them to build separate quarters instead.

While Gilligan and the Skipper pratfall through practically every move, Thurston Howell III and his wife plan a housewarming party, and Ginger whispers sweet nothings in Gilligan’s ear to borrow the hut-rebuilding tools.

The silliness is cranked up to 11 here. These people have barely settled into being stranded, and they’re already finding ways to turn shelter construction into a social competition.

★★★★☆ 4/5

Episode 3: “Voodoo Something to Me”

By the third episode, the pattern is becoming clear: this was set to be one of the wackier sitcoms of the 1960s, a decade when wackiness on TV was in no short supply.

When supplies disappear, the Skipper fears that voodoo is at work. He even becomes convinced that Gilligan has been turned into a chimpanzee, despite the Professor’s attempts to offer a rational explanation.

The show touches on social issues, with Skipper making a pretty good representative of those segments of society that dabble in conspiracy theories and unscientific beliefs. Luckily the Professor is there to help hold the insanity of conspiracy mania at bay for a few more years.

★★★★☆ 4/5

Episode 4: “Good Night, Sweet Skipper”

The next rescue scheme involves turning the castaways’ radio into a transmitter. The catch is that the Skipper remembers how he made a similar repair during World War II, but he only rememebers it when he’s sleepwalking. Getting him to reproduce the feat becomes the gang’s latest project. It’s such a nutso premise that it’s borderline genius.

That said, this one isn’t as funny as the first three, but it certainly sets the stage for many more misadventures, and it seems pretty clear we’re going to get some creative missteps to keep a rescue from happening.

★★★½☆ 3.5/5

I should mention that, before I sunk my teeth into the first four episodes, I watched Episode 13 from Season 1. “Three Million Dollars More or Less,” in which Gilligan and Howell stumble into a golf-putting wager that nets Gilligan $3 million. The banter between Gilligan, Howell, and the Skipper is the stuff of comedy legend, in the tradition of Abbott and Costello and the Three Stooges. It’s no wonder America has been hooked on this show over the years. This episode is ★★★★★ 5/5 classic.

https://popculturelunchbox.substack.com/p/my-gilligans-island-rewatch-confirms

Who do you like of the guys?

Teddy bear Skipper

Mr Wizard The Professor

Boy Next Door Gilligan

Monopoly Man Mr. Howell

I’ll take Mr. Wizard!

The first season is kind of boring. I usually skip it unless I’m watching the Christmas episode.

So what are yours?

(90 Second Clip)

In the pilot, John Gabriel played a high school teacher. Once the more familiar Russell Johnson came aboard as Professor, he was portrayed having a background as a scientist and scoutmaster.

Gabriel would later go on to play the character Seneca Beaulac on “Ryan’s Hope.” His daughter Andrea later starred as Nadia in “Lost.”

Neither Mary Ann or Ginger appeared in the pilot; more to come on that subject in a future post.

"Coconut Shell Molasses"

magazine was published by The Washington Post.

People for some reason tend to hate this animated revival of GI but it's actually a good show and in some aspects even better than the original

Good things:

Gilligan isn't portrayed as a complete dumbass who always causes trouble. The original show tends to make Gilligan a complete dumbass in NA he is still a silly goofball but he sometimes says and does clever things and it isn't just him who is responsible for a lot of troubles .

The chemistry is still there . The iconic chemistry between the castaways is still fully presented thanks to the most of the original cast reprising their roles. I especially love the Howells

Weird stuff is gone. Remember when I said that TNAOG is better than the original show in some aspects ? Well here it comes. The original show has too much jokes based in racial stereotypes like the natives and the Japanese admiral. New Adventures got rid of those the island is now inhabited only with animals and the stereotypical Japanese admiral is gone too .

Snubby. I know people tend to hate cute animal sidekicks but tbh I like Snubby. He works well with Gilligan and he isn't annoying ( maybe the fact that he doesn't talk helps)

Some bad things

Cheap animation. It's Filmation and that's all you need to know. They were known as the kings of cheap animation

Moral lessons. Oh yeah that thing at the end of the episodes can be annoying but somehow Bob Denver's and Alan Hale Jr's chemistry still makes those segments bearable.

There were a handful of scenes, or shots, anyway, that were real-world, but not on the island. One that comes to mind is the opening scene of "It's a Bird, It's a Plane", with scientists talking about the jet pack. And in "You've Been Disconnected", there's the telephone operator, and the kissing couple who pick up without answering. And I *think* in "Smile, You're On Mars Camera" we get a partial shot of the control room. What else?

More photos in comments, I couldn’t add them to the original post.

Cast members from Gilligan’s Island guest starred on Rosanne (May 17, 1995) in the episode “A Loving Tribute to Sherwood Schwartz.”

Roseanne cast dressed as Gilligan characters; Gilligan’s cast dressed as Roseanne characters.

Bob Denver as Gilligan/Jackie Connor, Tina Louise as Ginger/Roseanne Connor,
Dawn Wells as Mary Ann/Darlene Connor,
Russell Johnson as The Professor/Mark Healey. Season 7 Episode 26.

Pretty funny w/ some obscure references. Danny Davito as Mr. Howell is ridiculous and absurd!! but pretty damn hilarious

Full show: https://youtu.be/X2PJSgZQG_w?is=MnmPOnP4gvUjmLAG

Dr Balinkoff tries his first big test of his cloning machine.

Hundreds of clones of Ginger heading this way.

(A.I. Made using Gemini. More to follow.)

Sauce: YouTube “GiTheBand”

Not my favorite place in the area to get clam shack seafood, but I was surprised to see this mural when I last visited. It is extremely well done!