NOW FEATURING...OPERATION STEAM HEAT

[lm]

I was always curious about why the Professor, instead of panicking, thought Gilligan might have drunk the water rather than the nitroglycerin. How did he know--wasn't it a 50/50 chance?

I love the joke with Lovey and the "mixed drinks"!

Why are both girls vamping Gilligan in this one? Isn't that usually Ginger's role?

Do you think Gilligan actually believes Ginger loves him more than anyone in the world when he asks if it is true? I thought he was often on to her.

I wonder why the Skipper's alternative instead of the hot shower was to swim in the lagoon--didn't they have a non-hot water shower as well?

It's unfortunate that when Ginger has to do some acrobatics getting out of a volcano that she's wearing a fur stole and carrying flowers. A bit cumbersome.

Wow--they really made it in the nick of time.

I felt for the girls with the bad dishwashing situation. Ouch!

You would think that Thirston would have arranged to have a hot bath by now--all they had to do was have some (well, alot of) water boiled.

What would have happened by the way if Gilligan had drunk the nitroglycerin--any scientists out there? I guess it would have been pretty bad?

[callensensei]

Originally Posted by lm

I was always curious about why the Professor, instead of panicking, thought Gilligan might have drunk the water rather than the nitroglycerin. How did he know--wasn't it a 50/50 chance?

In this case, since Gilligan specifically mentioned the coconut cup, perhaps the Professor already knew he had transferred the nitroglycerin to another vessel.

As to your question about the girls, it is odd to see Mary Ann also vamping Gilligan, though I guess both girls really wanted the water for the dishes. Actually, I think the fairest option would have been to give them the hot water, since they were using it for chores and the others wanted it for personal convenience. I always thought Gilligan should have called the girls' bluff, though, and asked them just how much they wanted that water! And where was the Skipper throughout all this? Having a midnight snack??

Originally Posted by lm

I wonder why the Skipper's alternative instead of the hot shower was to swim in the lagoon--didn't they have a non-hot water shower as well?

I think he was just trying to lay a guilt trip on Gilligan, but Gilligan was on to him. "And if you can't trust your best friend, who can you trust?"

Originally Posted by lm

What would have happened by the way if Gilligan had drunk the nitroglycerin--any scientists out there? I guess it would have been pretty bad?

Nitroglycerin is used in heart medication, so I guess it doesn't make people blow up. It can, however, be very dangerous if taken in overdose. I think it paralyzes the respiratory system.

My story "Blue Fire" at ff.net takes on a simliar situation from "Physical Fatness." (Apologies for the shameless plug!)

I do love the idea of a volcano; it makes the island very "south seas." It also makes sense, as that's also the way the Hawaiian islands were formed, and explains why there are a number of islands near Gilligan's island. They are all the tops of underwater mountain ranges.

[Steve Carras]

The sound effects when Gilligan's working the bamboo makeshift plumbing are taken from Gumby.