I think it could have lasted a good 2-4 more years.

I think it could have lasted a good 2-4 more years.

It was unexpectedly cancelled by the network after the third season. At the end of the third season, the cast and crew was expecting to be around for a 4th (except Tina Louise, who was planning on jumping ship - no pun intended).

I don't remember the details, but executives at the network (who had been wanting to axe the show from the very start) made a decision to cancel, which, as I remember reading somewhere, caught the actors completely by surprise. Perhaps the fact that TL was not planning to renew her contract gave them an excuse they had been looking for, because of course a whole new character would have to be written in, or a new actress located to play Ginger (a la Dick Sargent on Bewitched).

I think it was best that it ended when it did, because if Tina Louise really did leave the series, I think it would have required a (probably) shark-jumping change in the cast. Since my childhood, I've been pretty happy with the 97 episodes we have!

My memory on this is vague, but didn't Bob Denver say that Gilligan's Island got cancelled because some network exec's wife wanted to watch Gunsmoke at a certain time or something of that sort?

My memory on this is vague, but didn't Bob Denver say that Gilligan's Island got cancelled because some network exec's wife wanted to watch Gunsmoke at a certain time or something of that sort?
They had a half hour of prime time space on the schedule and Gunsmoke was a one hour show. So in order to keep Gunsmoke on the schedule another half hour show had to be cancelled to make room and Gilligan's Island was chosen to get the chop!

They had a half hour of prime time space on the schedule and Gunsmoke was a one hour show. So in order to keep Gunsmoke on the schedule another half hour show had to be cancelled to make room and Gilligan's Island was chosen to get the chop!

Yes, I remember that now, they talked about it on the documentary they made about Gilligan's Island around 15 years ago or so.

I think it's funny that it only ran three seasons because it's such a classic now that it seems like it was on for a lot longer than that!

I think it's funny that it only ran three seasons because it's such a classic now that it seems like it was on for a lot longer than that!

It ran back in the days where there were a lot more episodes per season. In only 3 seasons, they produced 97 episodes. With the current practice of producing 22 episodes per season, it would take 4 and half seasons for a current show to reach that number. That may be one reason why it surprises people that the show only lasted for 3 years.

^ Kind of like how the '66 Batman show had 120 episodes in 3 seasons because the first two seasons had double the episodes, it would've been neat had Gilligan's Island done that too.

Maybe CBS just wanted to mess with the cast who, on the word that we’re coming back, had bought houses.
Or maybe CBS wanted to mess with Sherwood Schwartz, who had even planned 4th season episodes. Gilligan gets miniaturized. Gilligan adopts a baby dinosaur. Gilligan thinks he’s Dick Tracy. Visits from pirates, aliens and guest stars like Paul Lynde and Tab Hunter.
Maybe CBS just thought the best way to end with was Gilligan the Goddess where Gilligan fights becoming a native chief’s wife.

CBS never liked Gilligan's Island, even though it did well in the ratings.

Maybe CBS just wanted to mess with the cast who, on the word that we’re coming back, had bought houses.
Or maybe CBS wanted to mess with Sherwood Schwartz, who had even planned 4th season episodes. Gilligan gets miniaturized. Gilligan adopts a baby dinosaur. Gilligan thinks he’s Dick Tracy. Visits from pirates, aliens and guest stars like Paul Lynde and Tab Hunter.
Maybe CBS just thought the best way to end with was Gilligan the Goddess where Gilligan fights becoming a native chief’s wife.


Hmm. I think it's probably a good thing they stopped when they did. Gilligan turning invisible in one of the last dozen or so episodes was on the borderline of being too far fetched for me, as was the 6 foot spider in one another of the last few episodes. I no you are not supposed to take it serious, but I draw the line when they go into the area of the physically and scientifically impossible. Miniaturized Gilligan would have been a step too far for me!

Hmm. I think it's probably a good thing they stopped when they did. Gilligan turning invisible in one of the last dozen or so episodes was on the borderline of being too far fetched for me, as was the 6 foot spider in one another of the last few episodes. I no you are not supposed to take it serious, but I draw the line when they go into the area of the physically and scientifically impossible. Miniaturized Gilligan would have been a step too far for me!

But that giant spider was so realistic looking!

I read somewhere that after pitching various impossible ideas, Sherwood Schwartz told CBS if ratings slip, he'd consider having a couple on Gilligan's Island marry and have a baby.

This shows how imaginative the show was. As a last resort, we'll consider what might actually happen!

Realistic premises on Gilligan's Island were as rare as Lovey closeups.

That's why I love the show.

Maybe CBS just wanted to mess with the cast who, on the word that we’re coming back, had bought houses.
Or maybe CBS wanted to mess with Sherwood Schwartz, who had even planned 4th season episodes. Gilligan gets miniaturized. Gilligan adopts a baby dinosaur. Gilligan thinks he’s Dick Tracy. Visits from pirates, aliens and guest stars like Paul Lynde and Tab Hunter.
Maybe CBS just thought the best way to end with was Gilligan the Goddess where Gilligan fights becoming a native chief’s wife.
That would've been neat the more bizarre the better, Gilligan's Island wasn't known for it's clever writing but was way better than other shows of the time like I Dream Of Jeanie.

What's also strange is it seemed like more episodes than that and the reruns usually skipped the episodes from the first season. But it was a good cast and a fun show. And better than other shows that didn't get knocked as much.
I think CBS was looking for a reason to get rid of it. Seems it could've lasted a couple more seasons, but if Tina was gonna leave it was probably better it didn't. But she might have been talked out of that with more money or the promise of being featured in more episodes. In those days, people who left shows were often seen as ungrateful troublemakers.
And in this case, it might have been seen as an attempt to ruin the show. Whatever, the show did deserve more seasons.
It was a good fun show and has withstood the test of time.

What's also strange is it seemed like more episodes than that and the reruns usually skipped the episodes from the first season. But it was a good cast and a fun show. And better than other shows that didn't get knocked as much.
I think CBS was looking for a reason to get rid of it. Seems it could've lasted a couple more seasons, but if Tina was gonna leave it was probably better it didn't. But she might have been talked out of that with more money or the promise of being featured in more episodes. In those days, people who left shows were often seen as ungrateful troublemakers.
And in this case, it might have been seen as an attempt to ruin the show. Whatever, the show did deserve more seasons.
It was a good fun show and has withstood the test of time.
I thought it funny the story that she was enticed to take the part because she would be the star.... Hello Tina, it wasn't called Ginger's Island :p

it was cancelled because Bill Paley-the CBS president in the 50s and 60s-found out that they had cancelled GUNSMOKE so he had them renew it. That meant 2 half-hour shows had to get the axe so they picked GI and another show called RUN BUDDY, RUN.

As much as GI fans hate the idea, and I'm certainly no Gunsmoke fan myself, renewing Gunsmoke at the expense of GI was probably a good programming move on the part of CBS, since it lifted Gunsmoke back into the Nielsen Top 20, where it remained another 6 years. GI had fallen to #49 by the end of S3, which was probably borderline for cancellation back then. GI had a total of 98 episodes in 3 seasons, S1 (B&W) had 36, S2 32, and S3 30.

GI also had to contend with being broadcast 3 different nights of the week, Saturday (S1), Thursday (S2), & Monday (S3), so it did ok considering that the network moved it around so much. M*A*S*H was another show that CBS moved around a lot, as it was regularly broadcast on 5 different nights of the week, all except Wednesday (and it aired there once) and Thursday.

How many more seasons would Gilligan's Island have realistically lasted for if Gunsmoke had stayed cancelled after 1967?

I think most good sitcoms can comfortably run five seasons before they start running short of good ideas. So, they probably had had lots of workable ideas left. They only thing that would have messed that up was if Tina insisted they write her out of the show. Then it starts to feel like its run is over.

IMHO, Gilligan's Island's original run probably wouldn't have gotten past 1969 or 1970. Sorry if it meant Tina having to leave, but how would they have written Tina off the show?

I agree with the show ending in '69 or '70. It was a '60s show. The supposed idea was for Ginger to climb aboard a rowboat (Titanic Jr.) and get rescued in the second episode of the fourth season. Though I wonder if Tina would've stayed if they offered her a nice raise and a few more stories. Wish someone would ask her, if she'd now answer even a few questions about the show.

In response to Sherwood Schwartz saying he'd consider having a couple on Gilligan's Island marry and have a baby if the ratings slipped,

I would have loved seeing the Professor and Ginger marry and have a baby! Now THAT would have made for great TV!! Maybe that would have enticed Tina to stay! lol

I read somewhere, it could be Bob Denver's book, I'll have to check- that Sherwood had an idea for a TV movie where the Professor and Ginger and also Mary Ann and Gilligan would get married and have kids. Bob was keen on the idea. "Let Gilligan's son fall in the lagoon for a change!" :lol:

I read somewhere, it could be Bob Denver's book, I'll have to check- that Sherwood had an idea for a TV movie where the Professor and Ginger and also Mary Ann and Gilligan would get married and have kids. Bob was keen on the idea. "Let Gilligan's son fall in the lagoon for a change!" :lol:

I would have loved it if that movie had been made! I would think all the fans of GI would have loved that! I found myself wishing something like that would have happened on the series. Always thought the Prof & Ginger made such a beautiful couple, and seemed to have great chemistry on the show.

I would have loved it if that movie had been made! I would think all the fans of GI would have loved that! I found myself wishing something like that would have happened on the series. Always thought the Prof & Ginger made such a beautiful couple, and seemed to have great chemistry on the show.
Prof and Ginger had great chemistry. You can see in season one that Sherwood intended to pair Prof/Ginger, and Mary Ann/Gilligan. But the censors wouldn't allow it. Unchaperoned young couples cavorting around on an island. Mary Ann couldn't even show her navel! Even the Howells slept in separate beds.

I do wish the TV movies hadn't been so dumbed down!

Sidebar: I also read a quote from Russell Johnson somewhere, that whenever Ginger had to kiss the Professor, Tina Louise would try to stick her tongue in his mouth!

Prof and Ginger had great chemistry. You can see in season one that Sherwood intended to pair Prof/Ginger, and Mary Ann/Gilligan. But the censors wouldn't allow it. Unchaperoned young couples cavorting around on an island. Mary Ann couldn't even show her navel! Even the Howells slept in separate beds.

I do wish the TV movies hadn't been so dumbed down!

Sidebar: I also read a quote from Russell Johnson somewhere, that whenever Ginger had to kiss the Professor, Tina Louise would try to stick her tongue in his mouth!


I totally agree with you about the TV movies being so dumbed down! They could have been SO much better!

Your sidebar comment is HYSTERICAL! Just wondering how Russell Johnson felt about Tina doing that! lol I always thought that they're kissing scenes were pretty intense for that show! Remember the "silent movie" kiss between them that lasted forever? So funny!

Makes me wonder about the comments supposedly made by Bob Denver in his book about hearing Tina having "loud sex" with someone in her dressing room during a lunch break(s), (I have not read the book); and I've seen Russell Johnson's name mentioned on some sites as the guy she was with. Even Howard Stern asked Tina about her and the Professor and the dressing room story on his show quite a few years ago...and they DID bring up Bob's book, so that must have been their source...I don't know.

IMHO, Gilligan's Island's original run probably wouldn't have gotten past 1969 or 1970. Sorry if it meant Tina having to leave, but how would they have written Tina off the show?

Ginger would have been rescured by a TV producer who got shipwrecked on the island. She promised to send a rescue ship, but of course she was lying. :lol:

I totally agree with you about the TV movies being so dumbed down! They could have been SO much better!

Your sidebar comment is HYSTERICAL! Just wondering how Russell Johnson felt about Tina doing that! lol I always thought that they're kissing scenes were pretty intense for that show! Remember the "silent movie" kiss between them that lasted forever? So funny!

Makes me wonder about the comments supposedly made by Bob Denver in his book about hearing Tina having "loud sex" with someone in her dressing room during a lunch break(s), (I have not read the book); and I've seen Russell Johnson's name mentioned on some sites as the guy she was with. Even Howard Stern asked Tina about her and the Professor and the dressing room story on his show quite a few years ago...and they DID bring up Bob's book, so that must have been their source...I don't know.
Oh my Gosh! Scandal! I have Bob's book but he doesn't mention who she was with. He says that she had the dressing room next to his and she was having loud sex while he was trying to take a nap so he banged on the wall to get her to pipe down but she just carried on :lol:

I have never heard the rumour that she was with RJ, but OMG! Imagine if it was true! I mean, there have been rumours over the years, there were rumours about Bob and Dawn, but I stress these were rumours, and they've always been strongly denied. They were all married at some point so it would not be good for any of them to have hooked up while they were wed to other people.

Apparently Russell 'hated it' when TL tried to put her tongue in his mouth- or so he said. :wink: Maybe she shoved it in like a big slug :lol:

Oh my Gosh! Scandal! I have Bob's book but he doesn't mention who she was with. He says that she had the dressing room next to his and she was having loud sex while he was trying to take a nap so he banged on the wall to get her to pipe down but she just carried on :lol:

I have never heard the rumour that she was with RJ, but OMG! Imagine if it was true! I mean, there have been rumours over the years, there were rumours about Bob and Dawn, but I stress these were rumours, and they've always been strongly denied. They were all married at some point so it would not be good for any of them to have hooked up while they were wed to other people.

Apparently Russell 'hated it' when TL tried to put her tongue in his mouth- or so he said. :wink: Maybe she shoved it in like a big slug :lol:


Teebs: This is part of the archives of the day Tina was on Howard Stern. Thought you might be interested in reading it. Yep, it WAS several years ago! lol

Tina Louise Comes In. 12/11/97. 8:50am

Tina Louise is probably best known for her role as Ginger on ''Gilligan's Island''. She came in today to plug her book ''Sunday, A Memoir''. It's not a big book and Howard said that you can read it in about 20 minutes or so. It's written from a child's point of view so even idiots can understand it. Surprisingly, Tina is into Howard. She said that she thinks they're ''kindred spirits''. She saw ''Private Parts'' and could relate to the way Howard was treated by his father. Her childhood sucked and that's basically what her book is about. She and Howard talked about her strange life and about ''Gilligan's Island''. She said that the stories written by Bob Denver (Gilligan) about hearing her having sex with co-star Russell Johnson in her dressing room were false. She said that Bob must have a very vivid imagination."

I've read a few times that Bob always stood by what he said about Tina regarding this story. I guess we will really never know the truth!

If Tina did leave the show in season four, all I can think of how they could have address her leaving, would be to have her somehow get rescued. She goes back to Hollywood and forget all about her 6 friends. Or they might have done alright with a replacement. Dick Sargent seemed to do all right in Bewitched.

Teebs: This is part of the archives of the day Tina was on Howard Stern. Thought you might be interested in reading it. Yep, it WAS several years ago! lol

Tina Louise Comes In. 12/11/97. 8:50am

Tina Louise is probably best known for her role as Ginger on ''Gilligan's Island''. She came in today to plug her book ''Sunday, A Memoir''. It's not a big book and Howard said that you can read it in about 20 minutes or so. It's written from a child's point of view so even idiots can understand it. Surprisingly, Tina is into Howard. She said that she thinks they're ''kindred spirits''. She saw ''Private Parts'' and could relate to the way Howard was treated by his father. Her childhood sucked and that's basically what her book is about. She and Howard talked about her strange life and about ''Gilligan's Island''. She said that the stories written by Bob Denver (Gilligan) about hearing her having sex with co-star Russell Johnson in her dressing room were false. She said that Bob must have a very vivid imagination."

I've read a few times that Bob always stood by what he said about Tina regarding this story. I guess we will really never know the truth!
She's being crafty because she's saying he was wrong about her being with Russell, but he never said that. Here's the passage from Bob's book, 'Gilligan, Maynard and Me' (p.79) - 'I still remember the time I was trying to grab a nap at lunchtime when Tina was having sex with her boyfriend next door. Her groans and screams were so loud I pounded on the wall and told her to hold it down. She never heard me.'

Tina has maintained in TV interviews that Ginger never kissed anyone but we know she did. So I think she's just trying to play down the fact that she might have had a bit of a reputation. Bob takes a few swipes at her in his book, things like her attitude and the fact she didn't get along with the rest of them but I doubt he was an angel either, it seems Bob and Tina were always in the office about something or other. :)

She's being crafty because she's saying he was wrong about her being with Russell, but he never said that. Here's the passage from Bob's book, 'Gilligan, Maynard and Me' (p.79) - 'I still remember the time I was trying to grab a nap at lunchtime when Tina was having sex with her boyfriend next door. Her groans and screams were so loud I pounded on the wall and told her to hold it down. She never heard me.'

Tina has maintained in TV interviews that Ginger never kissed anyone but we know she did. So I think she's just trying to play down the fact that she might have had a bit of a reputation. Bob takes a few swipes at her in his book, things like her attitude and the fact she didn't get along with the rest of them but I doubt he was an angel either, it seems Bob and Tina were always in the office about something or other. :)


The crazy thing about this story is there have been other people on the internet who have mentioned Russell Johnson as the guy in her dressing room, and they bring up Tina and Bob not getting along because of what he put in his book. I just don't get why other people are saying it was Russell...in other words, it's not just Tina that mentioned him. Makes no sense at all where these other people got THEIR info, unless Bob said this somewhere else besides in his book.

I thought it was interesting that in an interview Russell did, he said "I loved everyone on that show," and he said he really didn't remember really hearing any cross words. This surprised me after some of the things I had read. He said "yeah, people had bad days and would get in bad moods at times, that type of thing," but he didn't remember anyone really not getting along. And I've heard and read it was a pretty happy set to be on and they had a lot of fun. So again, I don't know. We hear and read SO many different things.

I think Russell probably really did love all of the people on the show. I think he was that kind of person. I notice now when I watch the show that Russell and Tina look at each other A LOT during group scenes. If they didn't like each other, I don't think we would be seeing a lot of that.

And yes, I've heard Tina say in interviews too that she never kissed anyone on the show. What the heck does she call all those kissing scenes with Russell Johnson?! lol What the heck is she talking about! It was SO weird to hear her say that. I agree with you; I think she did have a reputation, and she said this stuff to try to clean up her image a bit.

I've read Jim Backus and Alan Hale Jr. really liked Tina and they remained friends after the show. I've also read several times that Tina and Dawn did not get along well...that's because they both had a crush on the same man! :lol:

Lordy imagine if everything we heard was true :lol: :eek:

Bob and Tina didn't get along from the start. They would argue over how much time she spent in makeup and their quarrels would end up with them both in the office complaining about each other. When they did the photoshoot for the cover of TV Guide he was upset they only wanted him and Tina so he used his clout as the star of the show to get Dawn involved too. They did the photoshoot with the three of them, but when the TV Guide came out they had cropped Dawn out of the picture. (That info is from the drama/documentary 'Surviving Gilligan's Island'.) He wasn't happy about that. You read things in his book like, "she played a dumb actress - sometimes what you see is what you get." I think their feud was kind of like a Beatles vs Stones thing, professional rivalry with a large helping of ego thrown in from both sides :)

Russell strikes me as someone so laid back he would get along with anyone. Jim and Tina knew each other from some project they did before GI. They all remained friends for years afterwards, except for Tina. Alan and Jim would goof around and Bob and the crew pulled pranks on each other and of course Dawn was everyone's darling. It must have been a great set to work on.

But the thing about Russell being in Tina's dressing room, I never would have pegged him as the type. He seems the kind of guy who went to work, did his job, was perfectly friendly and then went home. Not someone who would get involved with 'office politics'. Plus, wasn't he already married??

Mind you if I was an actress working on that show I would have been torn between Bob and Russell because I think they're both gorgeous! :crazy: :D

(And now I'm going to be watching for all the times R and T look at each other during group scenes, lol)

Lordy imagine if everything we heard was true :lol: :eek:

Bob and Tina didn't get along from the start. They would argue over how much time she spent in makeup and their quarrels would end up with them both in the office complaining about each other. When they did the photoshoot for the cover of TV Guide he was upset they only wanted him and Tina so he used his clout as the star of the show to get Dawn involved too. They did the photoshoot with the three of them, but when the TV Guide came out they had cropped Dawn out of the picture. (That info is from the drama/documentary 'Surviving Gilligan's Island'.) He wasn't happy about that. You read things in his book like, "she played a dumb actress - sometimes what you see is what you get." I think their feud was kind of like a Beatles vs Stones thing, professional rivalry with a large helping of ego thrown in from both sides :)

Russell strikes me as someone so laid back he would get along with anyone. Jim and Tina knew each other from some project they did before GI. They all remained friends for years afterwards, except for Tina. Alan and Jim would goof around and Bob and the crew pulled pranks on each other and of course Dawn was everyone's darling. It must have been a great set to work on.

But the thing about Russell being in Tina's dressing room, I never would have pegged him as the type. He seems the kind of guy who went to work, did his job, was perfectly friendly and then went home. Not someone who would get involved with 'office politics'. Plus, wasn't he already married??

Mind you if I was an actress working on that show I would have been torn between Bob and Russell because I think they're both gorgeous! :crazy: :D

(And now I'm going to be watching for all the times R and T look at each other during group scenes, lol)

This conversation could go on forever! lol I've also always heard that Tina and Bob really never got along. I did read somewhere Tina stayed friends with Jim and Alan, and that was about it. She never got involved in the group appearances that Bob, Russell, and Dawn did a few times a year for several years after the show was over.

I found it hard to believe Russell and Tina would be "messing around" too, but like I said, I heard and read his name mentioned several times re: that story. Like I said before, we will never know.

I was really never attracted to Bob Denver (although I thought he was cute), but I thought Russell Johnson was such a hunk! I could totally understand if Tina or Dawn had a little crush going on there! lol

In an interview with the Huffington Post about a year ago, Dawn Wells admitted in the interview that she and Russell had a special connection, but never acted on it because they were both married, and she thought it would show on the screen if they did! lol I remember being shocked by this when I read it! She also admitted she had a crush on him in an interview with Marie Osmond!

It's always been interesting to me that Dawn got divorced not too long after the show was cancelled. From what I've read, she never remarried again.

Here's the website address if you want to read the whole interview:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/dawn-wells-gilligans-island_n_1279792.html

And back on the topic of my "observation" (lol) that R & T looked at each other a lot, I think if you watch, you will see it too. Like I said, this conversation could go on forever!! I'm sure we are the only two that are even interested in this! :wave:

I think Dawn had crushes on everyone, and everyone certainly had a crush on her! Some of the things guys come out with make my hair curl :lol:

Yep, this conversation has been a doozy and I've enjoyed it, but maybe it's time to quit while we're ahead... :p

:bighug: Happy thoughts!

I think Dawn had crushes on everyone, and everyone certainly had a crush on her! Some of the things guys come out with make my hair curl :lol:

Yep, this conversation has been a doozy and I've enjoyed it, but maybe it's time to quit while we're ahead... :p

:bighug: Happy thoughts!


I agree Teebs! Take Care! It's been fun!

I don't know how much longer they could have been on that Island. With a Professor who could make a ton of things out of bamboo and coconuts, but couldn't fix a hole in the side of a boat.:lol:

As much as GI fans hate the idea, and I'm certainly no Gunsmoke fan myself, renewing Gunsmoke at the expense of GI was probably a good programming move on the part of CBS, since it lifted Gunsmoke back into the Nielsen Top 20, where it remained another 6 years. GI had fallen to #49 by the end of S3, which was probably borderline for cancellation back then. GI had a total of 98 episodes in 3 seasons, S1 (B&W) had 36, S2 32, and S3 30.

GI also had to contend with being broadcast 3 different nights of the week, Saturday (S1), Thursday (S2), & Monday (S3), so it did ok considering that the network moved it around so much. M*A*S*H was another show that CBS moved around a lot, as it was regularly broadcast on 5 different nights of the week, all except Wednesday (and it aired there once) and Thursday.

According to Wikipedia, “Gunsmoke”, which debuted in 1955, ranked number one in the ratings from 1957 to 1961. It was then expanded from 30 minutes to an hour in running time, but the ratings began to drop. By 1967, “Gunsmoke”’s ratings had declined to the point where CBS programmers decided the series had run its course and planned to cancel it. But network Chairman William S. Paley intervened to save the series, allegedly on behalf of his wife Babe, who was a fan of the show. And Paley was no fan of “Gilligan’s Island”. A yet-to-be-aired sitcom titled “Doc” was also cancelled to make room for “Gunsmoke”.

If Tina did leave the show in season four, all I can think of how they could have address her leaving, would be to have her somehow get rescued. She goes back to Hollywood and forget all about her 6 friends. Or they might have done alright with a replacement. Dick Sargent seemed to do all right in Bewitched.

Sherwood Schwartz had already decided on bringing 2 girls to replace Tina because she only has a 3 year contract. I think they were supposed to end up on the island by mistake. IIRC one of their names was Betty.

This is the most tragic cancellation in the HISTORY of Hollywood because there has never and will never be another show about castaways on a deserted island. Society is too politically correct for it to ever happen again & Hollywood has gone INSANELY far liberal for it to ever happen!

Just IMAGINE a season 4 of Gilligan's Island! Episodes like the "Incredible Shrinking Gilligan" were already planned! :lol:

When I said "tragic" I meant it only in Hollywood terms not real life terms.

It’s best to cancel a series leaving the audience wanting more rather than staying on too long and wearing out its welcome. If GI did an extra season without Tina Louise, it likely would have suffered a decline in ratings because regardless of her low opinion of the series, she was popular with viewers.

This is the most tragic cancellation in the HISTORY of Hollywood because there has never and will never be another show about castaways on a deserted island. Society is too politically correct for it to ever happen again & Hollywood has gone INSANELY far liberal for it to ever happen!


I don't understand how any of that would prevent another show about castaways on a deserted island being made. :confused:

I do think that if there were ever another show made with a similar premise that the producers would likely insist on making it sleazy. And of course the castaways would all have to lose their cellphones somehow.

I don't understand how any of that would prevent another show about castaways on a deserted island being made. :confused:

I do think that if there were ever another show made with a similar premise that the producers would likely insist on making it sleazy. And of course the castaways would all have to lose their cellphones somehow.

It would be ruined because you'd have black, Hispanic, LGBTQAEIOU, etc. castaways in an attempt to DESTROY the original show!

As Gilligan Island fans we all KNOW the castaways were NOT racist! Plus no other deserted island show could have the original charm of the 1960s Gilligan's Island!

I originally posted the following back in 2007 when a discussion of a 4th season without Tina Louise came up:

Here's a couple of thoughts regarding the 4th season without Tina Louise.

The easiest way from a logistical standpoint is for the character to be turned over to another actress; I personally don't think that it would've worked because Tina Louise made that part her own. No matter how talented the replacement actress, it wouldn't be the same.

The other alternative is to write out her character in a way so it would appear that she had not shafted the other castaways buy not coming back for them; and to do this without using the old amnesia ploy.

Here are a couple of ideas:

The first episode of the fourth season, deals with the return of Wrongway Feldman. It seems that Wrongway's paradise didn't last too long when he ran afoul of some of the male natives on the island where he landed. He managed to leave just in time and was able to find his way back to the island.

However, before taking off, one of the native girls had been curious about the plane and had crawled into the tail section out of curiosity. Wrongway and the other castaways discover her after Wrongway arrives.

Wrongway now feels obligated to take her back but then to look for another island paradise. Mr. Howell convinces Wrongway that if he reports to the authorities about the castaways and gets them off the island, he'll buy the island and turn it over to Wrongway for his very own, and he can live out his life in peaceful solitude. Wrongway agrees and all the castaway pitch in to help get the plane ready for the trip. As take-off time approaches, Ginger, who is anxious to return to her career decides to not take any chances this time. She has a talk with the native girl and convinces her to switch places at the last minute. So Ginger, disguised as the native girl manages to take off with Wrongway.

So now, both Ginger and Wrongway are gone and a new face is on the island.
The season would then deal with the native girl and the rest of the castaways learning each other's customs and behavior and becoming friends. There will be times when her knowledge of survival and other tribes, comes in handy.


Now, the other idea is that if the fouth season had been planned as the last season, the final 90 minute series conclusion would have dealt with the volcano coming out of it's dormancy and getting ready for a major eruption, which the Professor has determined will destroy the entire island.

The castaways scramble to complete a giant raft to hopefully flee the island. Although it's completed in time, Gilligan staying true to form, manages to launch it before anyone climbs aboard. Before the volcano is about to erupt, the US Navy arrives and rescues the castaways. Once on board the navy battleship, the Skipper asks how they found them. At that moment, Ginger appears and explains that although they intially got lost, and wound up on another island, it was an island that was in the shipping lanes. Then it was simply a matter of waiting for a ship to arrive and then alert the Navy about the castaways from the Minnow. As a final scene the volcano erupts with a violent explosion and all seven of the castaways watch their island sink into the ocean.

Over at the "Why was Gunsmoke Cancelled?" (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showpost.php?p=5637987&postcount=25) thread, I mentioned that seasons 13 to 20 of Gunsmoke not existing would mean another season or two of Gilligan's Island. After GI ends a five-season run, there would have to be another sitcom to run on CBS between 1969 and 1975. In other words, Gunsmoke ending after season 12 would also result in significant butterfly effects.

For example, if the producers didn't want to get rid of the Ginger Grant character, any re-cast of her for seasons 4 and 5 of GI would be out of necessity after Tina Louise's departure.

Plus, the "Rescue from Gilligan's Island" event would essentially happen nine years earlier for the Gilligan's Island series finale, except that the castaways do not end up back on the titular island at the end. I think that would have to be saved for a potential reunion movie.

I also asked if the "Rural Purge" have been any different under any "Gunsmoke ending at Season 12" timeline.

Season one was 36 episodes; season 2 was 32, and the last season 30 episodes. These days, shows don't run so many episodes per season. That's why it seems like it ran longer than it actually did.

Season one was 36 episodes; season 2 was 32, and the last season 30 episodes. These days, shows don't run so many episodes per season. That's why it seems like it ran longer than it actually did.

That's about 4 seasons today right?

If seasons four and five of Gilligan's Island had come to fruition, GI's run would be at a parallel with Gomer Pyle, USMC, with each having 150 episodes over five seasons (Fall 1964 - Spring 1969). At the end, they would be at opposite ends of the ratings spectrum: Gomer Pyle, USMC ended as the top show on CBS, while Gilligan's Island would see its ratings decline over its last two years because people had gotten bored with it. Both the un-produced fourth and fifth seasons of Gilligan's Island would need to each have 26 episodes to reach that 150-episode milestone.

If seasons four and five of Gilligan's Island had come to fruition, GI's run would be at a parallel with Gomer Pyle, USMC, with each having 150 episodes over five seasons (Fall 1964 - Spring 1969). At the end, they would be at opposite ends of the ratings spectrum: Gomer Pyle, USMC ended as the top show on CBS, while Gilligan's Island would see its ratings decline over its last two years because people had gotten bored with it. Both the un-produced fourth and fifth seasons of Gilligan's Island would need to each have 26 episodes to reach that 150-episode milestone.

Then how do you explain Gilligan's Island is such a MASSIVE hit in syndication for 50+ years? Bigger than Gomer Pyle!

Then how do you explain Gilligan's Island is such a MASSIVE hit in syndication for 50+ years? Bigger than Gomer Pyle!

Also, under this alternate timeline, I would have the decision to end Gilligan's Island be entirely the cast's, crew's, and/or creator's rather than the network's. Sherwood Schwartz would make the decision to end Gilligan's Island after five seasons before its ratings got too low and CBS has no choice but to cancel it anyway, period, and he would still go on to create The Brady Bunch for ABC that same year (1969). And then Mr. Schwartz wouldn't have any resentment toward CBS whatsoever.

Then how do you explain Gilligan's Island is such a MASSIVE hit in syndication for 50+ years? Bigger than Gomer Pyle!

When I was a kid in the 1970s and early 1980s, GI was a staple of weekday afternoon television. Perhaps the series had an appeal to kids that wasn’t noticed during its original run. I don’t know if today’s children watch it, though.

Also, under this alternate timeline, I would have the decision to end Gilligan's Island be entirely the cast's, crew's, and/or creator's rather than the network's. Sherwood Schwartz would make the decision to end Gilligan's Island after five seasons before its ratings got too low and CBS has no choice but to cancel it anyway, period, and he would still go on to create The Brady Bunch for ABC that same year (1969). And then Mr. Schwartz wouldn't have any resentment toward CBS whatsoever.

The Brady Bunch wasn’t a hit during its original run. Like GI, it became a pop culture fixture only after it went into syndication.

Is the general consensus here that GI was a more sublime and intelligent sitcom than CBS programmers thought at the time?

I think this article sums up the situation nicely.
http://mercurie.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-gunsmoke-gunned-down-gilligans.html

The Brady Bunch wasn’t a hit during its original run. Like GI, it became a pop culture fixture only after it went into syndication.

Yet the Brady Bunch lasted 5 seasons while Gilligan only 3! Gilligan should've gotten 5 seasons too!

You want to know what happens after the end of Gilligan's Island under the alternate timeline?

In 1979, ten years after the (fictional) series finale of Gilligan's Island, the first GI reunion movie airs. But instead of "Rescue from Gilligan's Island", we have a "Return to Gilligan's Island". A couple of years after that (around 1981), there would be a second TV movie in which the castaways decide to develop a hotel and resort on the island. (A pilot for a potential "Gilligan's Resort" series, which would be an effort to compete with The Love Boat on ABC?) Also in the early 80s, the distribution rights to Gilligan's Island and its franchise (including the two Filmation-produced animated series) are sold to MCA/Universal Television, because they produced the TV movies. And unlike in real life, both the GI animated series as well as reunion movies would all air on CBS.

Is the general consensus here that GI was a more sublime and intelligent sitcom than CBS programmers thought at the time?

CBS and the critics. In the E! documentary, one of the CBS execs refers to it as a "kids show," when he says that three seasons was a good run for a "kids show."

Certainly at the time it appears many adults who considered themselves elite or sophisticated looked down at the program as a "kids show." The ratings weren't terrible though, so it seems like more than kids were watching it. Wikipedia says the ratings slipped quite a bit in season 3 when it moved to 7:30, which seems like it shouldn't have hurt that much if kids were the primary audience.

Gilligan's seems to have done something similar in building its fan-base as the 1985 movie The Goonies did. Goonies had some expectations it would be the next E.T. and appeal to both adults and kids, but many adults at the time ended up perceiving it as just a kids' movie. Kids loved it. But as those kids grew up, most of them didn't outgrow it even though they became adults. They still enjoyed watching it. And new generations of kids also continued to like it. It was fantasy-oriented enough and without too much to date it that it held up for future generations. Gilligan's seemed to follow the same pattern in that it lost many people who were already adults at the time it debuted, but everyone who was a kid at that time continued liking it after they became adults as well as each new generation of kids.

So there may be a generation gap factor there. But it also may be cross-referenced with the conflict between the elites/establishment vs. Joe Q. Public/middle America. Gilligan's wasn't rejected by the general public. But far more of the elite critics today appreciate it and have better things to say about it than the ones operating at the time did. And the networks would likely be happy to air it again if anyone could come up with a plausible continuation of the series. That breakthrough with the networks basically happened in 1978 when the reunion movie was a hit.

It's a little confusing to me how Get Smart, a similarly silly show that also appealed to kids in reruns later, was received so much better by the establishment at the time, especially being a darling of the Emmy awards. Its ratings appear to be similar to Gilligan's, top 30 for 2 seasons then falling out of it after that. Get Smart seems to have lost appeal to newer generations faster than Gilligan's did though. Maybe because it has more dated elements including being a parody of Bond films and the '60s spy genre which no longer exists in quite the same form it did then. I'm not sure how Gilligan's is holding up with the younger generations now. It seems like when they see it, they like it, but it's harder to just come across it by accident now than it was for its first 40 years. Looking at some of the top 100 TV shows of all-time lists put out by major publications, I can't find either Get Smart or Gilligan's Island appearing on any of those lists. Get Smart is rated almost a full rating point higher on IMDB though.

Speaking of Get Smart, it had 86 episodes in its first 3 seasons (no pun intended to Agent 86). So GI even made a lot more episodes in 3 seasons than a similar show from that time. Nothing compared to Batman though, which essentially ran as an hour show for a season and a half, doubling its half-hour episode count during that time.

I have been watching gilligans Island episodes and it seems to me they were running out of ideas . they were having more fantasy sequences that took you away from the island. and you could only do so many episodes where someone lands on the island and always end up leaving without them and not telling people they are there. would they have been able to do even 2 more seasons of that?

If they had known it would be a hit in syndication, I imagine they would've done at least one more season so they would be close to 100 color episodes. When I watched it in syndication in the early '80s, I don't think they ever ran the black-and-white episodes. So they must have been only cycling through 62 episodes.

I believe Sherwood said if the show had continued and the ratings declined, he would have married off someone on the island and had them have a baby. He also said in his book that the idea of turning the island into a resort that was used in the last two reunion movies was an idea he had back in 1966 that he would've used in the event of a decline in ratings.

If they had known it would be a hit in syndication, I imagine they would've done at least one more season so they would be close to 100 color episodes. When I watched it in syndication in the early '80s, I don't think they ever ran the black-and-white episodes. So they must have been only cycling through 62 episodes.

I believe Sherwood said if the show had continued and the ratings declined, he would have married off someone on the island and had them have a baby. He also said in his book that the idea of turning the island into a resort that was used in the last two reunion movies was an idea he had back in 1966 that he would've used in the event of a decline in ratings.

Yeah it would only be natural if they paired some of the cast up. Likely Gilligan and Mary Anne or The Professor and Ginger. You are on a deserted Island for 3 years with 2 pretty women. Something's got to give. Lol It would be very wholesome of course given it's Sherwood Schwartz's world.

In a way it's nice those things didn't happen because I like that the show is mostly a closed loop storyline. You can almost watch the episodes in any order (barring a few exceptions like the return of Wrongway Feldman) because every episode ends the same way it begins. It's another one of those qualities that cartoons usually have, even The Simpsons, because the characters don't age and the creators don't expect kids to catch every episode.

A marriage and baby could've been interesting, as long as they kept everything comedic and didn't focus on too much romance or cutesy close-ups of the baby. You could see some Three Men and a Baby-style comedy with Gilligan trying to make diapers out of palm leaves and stuff like that.

I think Gilligan would've had to remain an innocent so I don't see him getting married. You also don't want to take him out of the hut with Skipper and mess up the comedy team antics they always had in there. Mary Ann is a much more natural maternal figure than Ginger so I think the couple you'd have to have is the Professor and Mary Ann. Fitting since they're paired in the opening credits already. You could get away from the marriage though and just have a baby get stranded on the island, Tarzan-style. That would make it easier to have Gilligan get involved with antics raising the baby since the Professor wouldn't be expected to be spending more time with him.

The island resort idea proved to be iffy in the TV movies. Taking away the idea of being stranded on the island changed the core premise of the show. So almost every episode would have the burden of coming up with a plot that was at least as interesting as being stranded on an island. Although if Sherwood had gotten the vacation resort idea going before The Love Boat and Fantasy Island came out, it might've been popular. And it could've seriously affected whether those shows, especially Fantasy Island, ever got made at all.

I think this article sums up the situation nicely.
http://mercurie.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-gunsmoke-gunned-down-gilligans.html

'Gilligan’s Island' Was Cancelled to Make Room for This Classic Western Series (https://collider.com/gilligans-island-cancelled-gunsmoke/)

Man, who asked for another Western?

'Gilligan’s Island' Was Cancelled to Make Room for This Classic Western Series (https://collider.com/gilligans-island-cancelled-gunsmoke/)

Man, who asked for another Western?

Bill Paley didn’t ask. He demanded “Gunsmoke” be brought back. And audiences agreed with him.

I don't know how much longer they could have been on that Island. With a Professor who could make a ton of things out of bamboo and coconuts, but couldn't fix a hole in the side of a boat.:lol:

He couldn't fix the hole in the boat because 1)There was more than one hole, and 2)Said boat FELL APART!!!

'Gilligan’s Island' Was Cancelled to Make Room for This Classic Western Series (https://collider.com/gilligans-island-cancelled-gunsmoke/)

Man, who asked for another Western?

"Gunsmoke" already existed at the time of "Gilligan's Island", so it's not like they cancelled "Gilligan" to make room for a new Western series. Nothing was cancelled to make room for another Western.

On the final episode, they should have secured that headhunters' boat and then tied them up and taken the boat. They could have sent somebody back for the headhunters. Such a missed opportunity. The boat was right there. Seven could overpower three. :rolleyes: