Was "Gilligan's Island" LOL Funny Or Just A Happy Childhood Memory? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 04-15-2011, 10:33 PM

Yes, Gilligan's Island is a tv classic. However, watching it now or remembering it now, was this really a laugh out loud sitcom? Does it still give you belly laughs or is it just a classic sitcom that gives you pleasant memories of years gone by?

Mr. Television · 04-15-2011, 10:54 PM

To tell you the truth, I haven't watched Gilligan's Island in quite some time. In the 1970's I couldn't get enough of it. I guess I was one of the kids that made the show such a hit in syndication. lol I remember my parents used to laugh at me for liking the show. lol The last few times I did watch it, I couldn't get into it as much so for me it would probably be the later. I still have very fond memories of watching it though and like many, I had a crush on Mary Ann. The show did it's job though and it was a big part of my childhood. I remember I even watched Bob Denver's Far Out Space Nuts on Saturday mornings because I was such a fan.

callensensei · 04-16-2011, 09:56 PM

I find it really is still LOL funny. The wit, the timing, the inventiveness, the clever musical cues, and most of all, the brilliant cast all serve to make GI still funny, even after all these years. I've shown it to my high school classes and they're on the floor - particularly the academic classes. Slow or troubled kids sometimes have trouble getting the humour, though.

old grouch · 04-17-2011, 10:35 AM

I would say a little of both. Bob Denver and Alan Hale were the Laurel and Hardy of 1960's sitcoms, and some of their antics still crack me up. And yet I still have those childhood memories and coming home from a hard day of school and sitting in front of the TV and watching 'Gilligan's Island.'

Teebs · 04-18-2011, 04:50 AM

I'm a brand new GI fan. I don't have childhood memories of the show. I was born in the UK but lived abroad for most of my childhood where they actually showed Dusty's Trail on kids' TV almost every weekend, which is why I'm such a DT fan. I didn't see GI until last year when I finally bought all the DVDs from Amazon.

I'm sure I would have adored it as a child, but as an adult I agree with callensensei, I see so many layers of inventiveness. Clever people wrote this show and clever people performed it. The sets and props are fantastic. I do laugh out loud at some of the comedy such as the hammock routine in Home Sweet Hut, and all the silly little things Gilligan does like his flying saucer impression and the way he tries to get attention from Skipper and Proffy in Agonized Labor. ("I fall down a lot!") The Skipper does some of the best, most natural Oliver Hardy impressions ever. ("Go outside and count to ten!") And Bob Denver, well, words aren't enough.

So, as a new, adult fan, yes, GI does make me laugh out loud frequently. It's also given me a brand new world where I can escape to when I need it, and new friends I can discuss it with.

For which I'm very grateful.

Gilligan's Island

Torgo · 04-20-2011, 07:04 PM

Both- loved it as a kid never missed a rerun. So watching it now I'm reminded of sitting on the living room floor watching it on TV.

As an adult, it still makes me laugh out loud, from the great slapstick, to the hilarious dialogue. It's a rare sitcom that can perfectly blend silly and smart humor.

The Flying Dutchmans · 08-21-2011, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old grouch

I would say a little of both. Bob Denver and Alan Hale were the Laurel and Hardy of 1960's sitcoms, and some of their antics still crack me up. And yet I still have those childhood memories and coming home from a hard day of school and sitting in front of the TV and watching 'Gilligan's Island.'

It's ironic that you should compare Denver and Hale JR to Laural and Hardy because it was Oliver Hardy's comedy and manorisms that the Skipper drew from. If you look at the way the Skipper taps his fingers together, that's what Oliver Hardy used to do. And some of his facial expressions also mimic Olver Hardy's

gopyle · 10-23-2011, 02:53 PM

It absolutely is an all-time classic funny show.

born2late · 10-23-2011, 08:16 PM

It's a funny show, but after watching it as an adult, I don't find it as funny as when I was a kid. It's not just GI, there are other old comedies I found funnier as a child, like Mr. Ed. I think it's because the story lines seemed more believable to me then.

PartyOfOne · 10-26-2011, 09:52 PM

I would say both. This show could also hit or miss depending on the episode. Anything with a guest star is totally worthless IMO. There is a certain "everybody loves each other" sort of feeling in this show that is sorely lacking from today's sitcoms IMO.

Rich3 · 10-28-2011, 08:15 PM

Both. Bob Denver was quite a good comedic actor for the show. Alan Hale was a great straight man to him. There was also a lot of funny dialogue from the Professor and Mr Howell on occasion.

The humor I'm referring to was something I didn't always catch onto as a child, but more likely when I started watching it again around the time I was in college.

04-15-2011, 10:33 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Was "Gilligan's Island" LOL Funny Or Just A Happy Childhood Memory? Yes, Gilligan's Island is a tv classic. However, watching it now or remembering it now, was this really a laugh out loud sitcom? Does it still give you belly laughs or is it just a classic sitcom that gives you pleasant memories of years gone by?
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04-15-2011, 10:54 PM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	To tell you the truth, I haven't watched Gilligan's Island in quite some time. In the 1970's I couldn't get enough of it. I guess I was one of the kids that made the show such a hit in syndication. lol I remember my parents used to laugh at me for liking the show. lol The last few times I did watch it, I couldn't get into it as much so for me it would probably be the later. I still have very fond memories of watching it though and like many, I had a crush on Mary Ann. The show did it's job though and it was a big part of my childhood. I remember I even watched Bob Denver's Far Out Space Nuts on Saturday mornings because I was such a fan.
	__________________ Sonny

04-18-2011, 04:50 AM	#5
Teebs Dusty nut Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 30, 2011 Location: Are we there yet? Posts: 454	GI is LOL I'm a brand new GI fan. I don't have childhood memories of the show. I was born in the UK but lived abroad for most of my childhood where they actually showed Dusty's Trail on kids' TV almost every weekend, which is why I'm such a DT fan. I didn't see GI until last year when I finally bought all the DVDs from Amazon. I'm sure I would have adored it as a child, but as an adult I agree with callensensei, I see so many layers of inventiveness. Clever people wrote this show and clever people performed it. The sets and props are fantastic. I do laugh out loud at some of the comedy such as the hammock routine in Home Sweet Hut, and all the silly little things Gilligan does like his flying saucer impression and the way he tries to get attention from Skipper and Proffy in Agonized Labor. ("I fall down a lot!") The Skipper does some of the best, most natural Oliver Hardy impressions ever. ("Go outside and count to ten!") And Bob Denver, well, words aren't enough. So, as a new, adult fan, yes, GI does make me laugh out loud frequently. It's also given me a brand new world where I can escape to when I need it, and new friends I can discuss it with. For which I'm very grateful. Gilligan's Island

04-20-2011, 07:04 PM	#6
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,033	Both- loved it as a kid never missed a rerun. So watching it now I'm reminded of sitting on the living room floor watching it on TV. As an adult, it still makes me laugh out loud, from the great slapstick, to the hilarious dialogue. It's a rare sitcom that can perfectly blend silly and smart humor.
	__________________ "I'm going to go do something productive. I'm gonna go watch television." - Ray Peterson, The 'burbs "I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries." - Stephen King "There's nothing wrong with G-rated movies, as long as there's lots of sex and violence." - Elvira

04-16-2011, 09:56 PM	#3
callensensei Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 31, 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 233	I find it really is still LOL funny. The wit, the timing, the inventiveness, the clever musical cues, and most of all, the brilliant cast all serve to make GI still funny, even after all these years. I've shown it to my high school classes and they're on the floor - particularly the academic classes. Slow or troubled kids sometimes have trouble getting the humour, though.

04-17-2011, 10:35 AM	#4
old grouch Member Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2010 Location: montana Posts: 1,877	I would say a little of both. Bob Denver and Alan Hale were the Laurel and Hardy of 1960's sitcoms, and some of their antics still crack me up. And yet I still have those childhood memories and coming home from a hard day of school and sitting in front of the TV and watching 'Gilligan's Island.'

10-23-2011, 02:53 PM	#8
gopyle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2011 Posts: 235	It absolutely is an all-time classic funny show.

10-23-2011, 08:16 PM	#9
born2late Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2011 Location: Tn Posts: 360	It's a funny show, but after watching it as an adult, I don't find it as funny as when I was a kid. It's not just GI, there are other old comedies I found funnier as a child, like Mr. Ed. I think it's because the story lines seemed more believable to me then.

10-26-2011, 09:52 PM	#10
PartyOfOne Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 24, 2005 Posts: 162	I would say both. This show could also hit or miss depending on the episode. Anything with a guest star is totally worthless IMO. There is a certain "everybody loves each other" sort of feeling in this show that is sorely lacking from today's sitcoms IMO.

10-28-2011, 08:15 PM	#11
Rich3 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 10, 2005 Posts: 696	Both. Bob Denver was quite a good comedic actor for the show. Alan Hale was a great straight man to him. There was also a lot of funny dialogue from the Professor and Mr Howell on occasion. The humor I'm referring to was something I didn't always catch onto as a child, but more likely when I started watching it again around the time I was in college.