NOW FEATURING...THE POSTMAN COMETH

[lm]

What the (heck)? (I will keep this free of obscenities as the boards will most likely prefer.) Although cute and somewhat interesting in itself, I feel this episode is perhaps the most incongruous with the rest of the series. It is in the category of "Erika" in terms of being weird. All of a sudden, Maryann supposedly has a "boyfriend" that everyone knows about on the island. When did this (even though fake) happen? She seemed to act like a free agent to me, especially with Gilligan. And what happened to the whole MAG thing we see in so many other episodes? Although there is some of it here on Gilligan's part, did Maryann suddenly forget that she is interested in him and Gilligan is now merely a "suitor" vying for her attention. Yeah. I know many have cited the little glitches in GI: does Lovey speak French or not, does Ginger know how to swim or not, does Gilligan like spinach or not? But this one seems to be on a different level of incongruity. Help me out, fans, is there a possible way this can fit in with the rest?

Now, remember, Maryann has admitted to not having any boyfriend back home, even here. There is no Horace Higgenbotham who is her fiance--that guy Herbert in the Rescue movie is not the same person and is COMPLETELY incongruous with this episode. Herbert may have existed if Maryann had kept her mouth shut about him throughout the series, after all, there was Gilligan on the island but there is no way he can exist in harmony with THIS episode.

It's also odd that Maryann, who always seems so at peace with Ginger's beauty, fame, male adoration, etc. is secretly so upset at this and feels inferior? Do you think this presentation of Maryann is actually valid or an inconsistency with other episodes?

I like Ginger for her compassion in devising a plan to help Maryann and I also like the scene where she is in the Howells' hut merely having casual discussion with them about clothes, as is implied.

The Skipper? I know that is necessary just to wrap up the whole thing with the complete 3 comically and artistically but do you think it sort of takes away from any sense of reality of the thing to include him? Do you think this episode would have worked better if, say, they focused on just one of the guys wooing Maryann--well, maybe then she wouldn't have gotten scared.

Good job, Professor, why the (heck) tell poor Maryann the mushrooms are poisonous and potentially scare the (heck) out of her--the actual source of the whole trauma through which she goes. Also, in the scene where the Professor tries to tell her about Horace, she is already crying because of her soap opera. Why do they include this? It seems as if it is supposed to be one of those sitcom misunderstandings where she's crying for that and the Professor mistakes it for something else. But the Professor doesn't note or react to her crying at all, at least not in anyway we can tell. Then why have her cry then?

[callensensei]

Originally Posted by lm

Maryann supposedly has a "boyfriend" that everyone knows about on the island. When did this (even though fake) happen?

Exactly. Even though it turns out that Horace is a face-saving falsehood on Mary Ann's part, nobody seems to have suspected this, even though Mary Ann certainly hasn't mentioned him by the "Matchmaker" episode, and in "A Nose by Any Other Name" she coyly tells Gilligan, "I have always liked you."

I notice nobody defends Horace by pointing out that Mary Ann has been presumed dead for two years!

Horace married an heiress, Sybil Wentworth. How ironic if she were related to Mrs. Howell!

Originally Posted by lm

It's also odd that Maryann, who always seems so at peace with Ginger's beauty, fame, male adoration, etc. is secretly so upset at this and feels inferior? Do you think this presentation of Maryann is actually valid or an inconsistency with other episodes?

She occasionally displays a bit of insecurity, though this seemed a bit extreme. I did find her confession at the end rather poignant, though.

Originally Posted by lm

I like Ginger for her compassion in devising a plan to help Maryann

Ginger's heart certainly is in the right place, but the plan is awfully risky. What if Mary Ann had returned one of the men's advances? Wouldn't she have been mortified to find out it was all an act?

Originally Posted by lm

Do you think this episode would have worked better if, say, they focused on just one of the guys wooing Maryann--well, maybe then she wouldn't have gotten scared.

The guys are hilarious in their impersonations: that scene, and the men getting "love lessons" are about the only things that save this episode.

But I agree: having only one suitor could have made for quite a comical, and more believable episode. Perhaps they didn't want to duplicate the Matchmaker plot, where Mary Ann believes Gilligan has romantic feelings for her and is willing to reciprocate.

And what do MAP fans make of the Professor's calm declaration, "I have never shown the slightest romantic interest in Mary Ann?"

Originally Posted by lm

Good job, Professor, why the (heck) tell poor Maryann the mushrooms are poisonous and potentially scare the (heck) out of her--the actual source of the whole trauma through which she goes.

Yet another example of the Professor boobing royally, and nobody calling him on it.

One final note: I find Mary Ann's hospital dream ties with the Jekyll and Hyde offering as the most bizarre and disjointed of the dream sequences. It doesn't even make sense, let alone evoke laughter. Yep, I'm with you in generally finding this episode hard to swallow.