Gilligan's Island: They're Off and Running

Gilligan's Island: They're Off and Running
CBS
April 10, 1965
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This is one of the few episodes that doesn't have co-writers, in this case the first of two by Walter Black.  Interestingly, it has everyone, including Mr. Howell himself, trying to have Mr. H do the right thing and lose a bet to the Skipper, so that Gilligan's services as "houseboy" are revoked.  It also has what is easily the most successful "seduction" by Ginger so far, with her finding a place on his back that really likes her scratching, and thus spilling the secrets about the Skipper's racing turtle, for Mr. Howell's benefit  (before he reforms).  I also like that Mr. Howell reads the same edition of The Wall St. Journal every day (until Gilligan destroys it), and that Ginger is carrying around an astrology magazine and neither Mary Ann nor the Skipper points out that it must be hopelessly out of date by now.  Note, she describes the Skipper as "handsome" to Mary Ann, but neither really reacts.  And she tricks Skipper with a pseudo-science, to build up his confidence, foreshadowing the episode (the title escapes me at the moment and I don't want to look it up) where the Professor has Ginger pretend to predict a boat arriving, in order to raise the spirits of the others.  Oh, and the Skipper is a Taurus, born on May 5th.