NOW FEATURING...THE CASTAWAYS ON GILLIAN'S ISLAND

[lm]

Ok. Yes, I'll still watch it because it is GI and I like some things in it but, come on! I love watching Mr. C on "Happy Days" and Carol the secretary on "Bob Newhart" but this is not GI but "The Love Boat." Even "Love Boat" had more content about the main stars/crew. GI fans want to see the 7 castaways. In this film, the focus is really on the guest stars. Bosley's character is kind of funny but the characters are largely one-dimensional--the dentist couple is a pure "straight man" thing. At least "Rescue" was about the castaways, while this film focuses upon people about whom we really do not care too much, and if we do care, it does not seem much like GI. Gilligan's whole purpose is to help the gymnast boy; he is hardly the star anymore.

Do you think the castaways, partners in Howell's lush island resort business now, would really want to stay and work on the island (Yes, I recall their misgivings about civilization in "Rescue") like that? For all of Ginger's ambition in the series, she is satisfied with this one gig here? And the Skipper and Gilligan have perfectly menial jobs--the Skipper who was always so proud of being a captain and Gilligan who at least had his free time on the island to goof off sometimes.

I thought no one could fly a plane? Wow, I wouldn't want to be on that plane the Professor is flying.

I like the little clever touches in how they made it into the resort; the phone in the tree, the hula lessons, etc. I like the receptionist character also--she fits in great!

What is it with Maryann's exercise lessons? I know that Dawn Wells has been associated with being into health and wellness but Maryann??? Why didn't they have Maryann be the chef--that would have been more believable and consistent with the series.

I am glad that Schwartz never expanded this into an ongoing series---although it would have been our only way to get some continuation of GI and I would have probably watched it for that reason (at least for awhile). The problem is, though, that it only gives a smattering of GI--island trappings and very little of the original characters and diehard fans, I think, would be disappointed with this Love Boat/Fantasy Island type motif that focused on the new "guests" every week. The 7 castaways are too great to take a backseat like that, I think.

OK--this is not the official review; please add your own observations!

[Steve Carras]

Originally Posted by lm

Ok. Yes, I'll still watch it because it is GI and I like some things in it but, come on! I love watching Mr. C on "Happy Days" and Carol the secretary on "Bob Newhart" but this is not GI but "The Love Boat." Even "Love Boat" had more content about the main stars/crew. GI fans want to see the 7 castaways. In this film, the focus is really on the guest stars. Bosley's character is kind of funny but the characters are largely one-dimensional--the dentist couple is a pure "straight man" thing. At least "Rescue" was about the castaways, while this film focuses upon people about whom we really do not care too much, and if we do care, it does not seem much like GI. Gilligan's whole purpose is to help the gymnast boy; he is hardly the star anymore.

Do you think the castaways, partners in Howell's lush island resort business now, would really want to stay and work on the island (Yes, I recall their misgivings about civilization in "Rescue") like that? For all of Ginger's ambition in the series, she is satisfied with this one gig here? And the Skipper and Gilligan have perfectly menial jobs--the Skipper who was always so proud of being a captain and Gilligan who at least had his free time on the island to goof off sometimes.

I thought no one could fly a plane? Wow, I wouldn't want to be on that plane the Professor is flying.

I like the little clever touches in how they made it into the resort; the phone in the tree, the hula lessons, etc. I like the receptionist character also--she fits in great!

What is it with Maryann's exercise lessons? I know that Dawn Wells has been associated with being into health and wellness but Maryann??? Why didn't they have Maryann be the chef--that would have been more believable and consistent with the series.

I am glad that Schwartz never expanded this into an ongoing series---although it would have been our only way to get some continuation of GI and I would have probably watched it for that reason (at least for awhile). The problem is, though, that it only gives a smattering of GI--island trappings and very little of the original characters and diehard fans, I think, would be disappointed with this Love Boat/Fantasy Island type motif that focused on the new "guests" every week. The 7 castaways are too great to take a backseat like that, I think.

OK--this is not the official review; please add your own observations!

The whole idea to do this combinatiuon "Love Boat"/"Fatnasy Island"[Obvious involufnece] was expected..ACFTER they got BACK there, but they shouldn't evne have had those movies..didn't even use any of the iconic cues fro m the origin al show (some compased by Billy May and John Williams, among others!)

[comedyfreak]

It could have worked if the focus were on the castaways. Maryann would have made a great baker with her coconut and banana cream pies.

[Teebs]

I haven't seen this one so I can't comment, except to say that I can't comment

[Prince Michael]

Originally Posted by lm

Do you think the castaways, partners in Howell's lush island resort business now, would really want to stay and work on the island like that ?

I always thought they would . I know they wanted to be rescued so bad, but they never realized that being rescued would mean that they had to go their separate ways . Once Mr . Howell established a resort on the island, Gilligan and his friends were free to go wherever they wanted, but they decided to stay there and work at the resort . That way they could all stay together .

[edplattfan]

I haven't seen it in a while and I have it on dvd somewhere in my vast collection. You make some spot-on observations Im. I agree with you, it kinds of sucks seeing the castaways play second fiddle to these other stars. At least in Rescue it still focused on the 7 while THEY interacted with other people. I too am glad this didn't become a series. The premise worked on Love Boat and Fantasy Island but those shows were created as-is. It would NOT have worked by creating such a theme for a show that had already aired for 3 years! Although, if it DID happen, of course I would have watched it to see my favorite castaway.

[sandmountainslim]

Is a DVD of Castaways available anywhere?