Rescue from Gilligan's Island

Fanservice hadn't changed
 much in a decade or so.

Rescue from Gilligan's Island
NBC
October 14, 1978
TV-Movie
DVD
C

First of all, I have to say, this was a big deal in '78, and not just to me.  It was a ratings smash, since a lot of people wanted closure for the castaways.  Unfortunately, the script in particular-- written by the three Schwartz brothers with five-time GI contributor David Harmon-- has not aged well.  There's too much emphasis on the slapstick side of GI, which feels weird with an older cast and no laugh track.  There are literally dozens of continuity errors from the original series, and that's not even counting 32-year-old Judith Baldwin as Ginger Grant.  The weakest aspect of the writing though is probably the totally unneeded thread about the Russian spies, Dimitri (Vincent Schiavelli, who'd make a memorable appearance as a creepy Motel Manager in a Who's the Boss? two-parter) and Ivan (Art LaFleur, who'd be an MP on M*A*S*H), which is wrapped up in seconds by previously unmentioned FBI men.  (Or was it CIA?)

There are moments when the cast, notably Johnson, rise above the material, and there's definitely warmth and camaraderie among the characters even after all this time.  It is good to see them.  But I almost wish that, since they were going to make this corny anyway, they'd gone full out into camp, like have Gilligan accidentally win a disco contest or something.  As it is, there are topical references but only the most obvious ones, like Watergate and R2D2.  Completists should watch and even own this, but others should probably stay away.

Snag Werris, who was on That Girl as well as four episodes of The Brady Bunch, is a Cameraman here.  Mario Machado, who played himself on BBunch, is an unnamed Reporter here, while Studio Guard John Wheeler had three roles on BBunch.  Barbara Mallory was Helen on What's Happening!!  and is Cindy Smith here.  Marcus K. Mukai is a Hawaiian Man here and would be on both M*A*S*H and Soap.

Note, this counts as the 100th tag for Gilligan's Island, although it's not an episode per se, and it's also Alan Hale's 100th credit on this blog.  I've seen but don't currently own the second movie, where they actually escape the island for good but then open a resort.  I do have the third and best/worst movie, Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Horshack and Madame X

Welcome Back, Kotter: Horshack and Madame X
ABC
February 23, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Barrie & Meyerson episode doesn't quite live up to its farcical potential, I think partly because I can't buy that Arnold, who looks up to Mr. Kotter, would want Mrs. Kotter to toss him aside, no matter how much Arnold thinks he's in love with her.  Still, it is nice to see Strassman have more to work with than usual.  And, yes, she was only a year older than Palillo in real life.  Note, Angie's reaction to the idea of dating Arnold seems especially cruel considering he was the first to befriend her.

Sally Hightower returns as Laura Stevens.  Al Schwartz, yes, Sherwood's brother, does one of his rare directing gigs.

Gilligan's Island: Smile, You're on Mars Camera

Gilligan's Island: Smile, You're on Mars Camera
CBS
October 7, 1965
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Going back and forth between Cape Kennedy and the island, this episode by Al Schwartz and Bruce Howard, who did "It's Magic," takes awhile to get going but it does have what I've always remembered as one of the silliest images I've ever seen on television: the castaways as feather-covered, Martian chicken-people.  And this is the episode where we find out that Gilligan has been wearing his brother's shirt all this time.  Arthur Peterson, who plays the more absent-minded scientist (he has to check his badge to remember his name) would be the Major on Soap.

Gilligan's Island: It's Magic

Gilligan's Island: It's Magic
CBS
May 15, 1965
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This is one of the Gilligan-gets-his-feelings-hurt-and-runs-away episodes, this one co-written by Al Schwartz and Bruce Howard.  There are some cute bits with the various magic tricks, and I like how the castaways regret speaking harshly of Gilligan.  ("Even Mary Ann," he notes.)  The last scene has no logical explanation, as Gilligan is able to make a table rise.  Then again, he did appear in the food locker in the previous episode, when there's no way he could've gotten there without the Skipper seeing him.  Note, this is the second episode in which one of the Howells makes a joke about the Beatles.

Gilligan's Island: Music Hath Charms

Gilligan's Island: Music Hath Charms
CBS
March 27, 1965
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Mrs. Howell, who in the previous episode missed high society events, here starts an orchestra among the castaways.  Unfortunately, natives at two of the neighboring islands think Gilligan is playing war drums.  Not as racist as it could be, the episode, written by Al Schwartz and Howard Harris, has some funny moments*, and I like the band.  Russ Grieve again plays a native, not necessarily the same one as before, while Frank Corsentino, who's also a native, would be a tailor on Soap.  (I'm not tagging them though.)

*I must note that there's a suggestive moment when Mary Ann kisses Gilligan on the cheek and the musical saw twangs, like a proto-schwing, although I'm not sure how much of this was intentional.

Gilligan's Island: Gilligan Meets Jungle Boy

Gilligan's Island: Gilligan Meets Jungle Boy
CBS
February 6, 1965
Sitcom
DVD
C+

I'm sorry, even for Gilligan's Island, I'm not able to suspend this much disbelief.  When blond 13-year-old Kurt Russell shows up as Jungle Boy, we never get answers to any of the following questions:

1. How long has he been on the island and how did he arrive?
2. Who and where are his parents?
3. Why is he able to mimic but not understand English?

Until I'm told otherwise, I'm just going to assume his father is Wrongway Feldman, and his native mother sent him to live with his father when he reached puberty, unaware that Feldman had left the island months ago.

I do like that we're starting to see more of the Professor's inventions, here a bicycle-powered washing machine that gets converted to a sewing machine.  (I'm assuming he and the Skipper collaborated on the balloon.)  And, yes, Al Schwartz is another of Sherwood's brothers.  One of his co-writers, Howard Harris, wrote the 1947 movie Copacabana, which I reviewed on my movie blog, and he worked on You Bet Your Life and would do a That Girl episode.  Lawrence Dobkin also directed "Plant You Now, Dig You Later."