Could They Have? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

lm · 02-14-2013, 12:21 PM

Someone I know brought this up recently in reference to the "Dragon" episode (Happy Chinese New Year, by the way!). At the end, Gilligan has supposedly ruined the Professor's efforts to patch up the weather balloon by chopping it up into clothing material. This person challenged the idea that that would hinder the original plan because the Professor could sew the pieces together. Any thoughts?

Sterling Holobyte · 02-14-2013, 04:04 PM

I've thought of that, too. You'd think that if they could use the pieces to make clothes, that they would be able to re-make a balloon out of them.
But... I would think that it might be kind of hard to "sew" pieces of the rubber/latex balloon together and make it airtight. But they could possibly use some of that glue that they would make out of tree sap to cover the seams. That might work.

That reminds me of another time where they "gave up" when they didn't have to. Or maybe the rest of them didn't give up, but Gilligan either wasn't thinking(surprise), or actually wanted them to stay on the island. And that was when Gilligan found the "eye of the idol".
He knew that the wishes came true, but at the end he pretended to throw it but actually kept it for himself even though he had used up his three wishes. If he had actually thrown it so that one of the others could find it, they would have had so many more wishes to get off the island(and back to Hawaii).

Teebs · 02-15-2013, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sterling Holobyte

I've thought of that, too. You'd think that if they could use the pieces to make clothes, that they would be able to re-make a balloon out of them.
But... I would think that it might be kind of hard to "sew" pieces of the rubber/latex balloon together and make it airtight. But they could possibly use some of that glue that they would make out of tree sap to cover the seams. That might work.

That reminds me of another time where they "gave up" when they didn't have to. Or maybe the rest of them didn't give up, but Gilligan either wasn't thinking(surprise), or actually wanted them to stay on the island. And that was when Gilligan found the "eye of the idol".
He knew that the wishes came true, but at the end he pretended to throw it but actually kept it for himself even though he had used up his three wishes. If he had actually thrown it so that one of the others could find it, they would have had so many more wishes to get off the island(and back to Hawaii).

I've always thought that Gilligan was the happiest on the island and didn't really want to be rescued. He adapted right away, he had lots of animal friends and was always exploring around, doing chores and eating bananas and making strange discoveries, like Wrongway Feldman's airplane.

What I want to know is, why did they always send Gilligan in to do the dirty work, knowing it was likely to end in disaster? None of them knew it was a weather balloon, and yet when Gilligan burst it they all got mad. Why didn't the Skipper go first? Isn't he meant to be in charge?

Sterling Holobyte · 02-16-2013, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teebs

I've always thought that Gilligan was the happiest on the island and didn't really want to be rescued. He adapted right away, he had lots of animal friends and was always exploring around, doing chores and eating bananas and making strange discoveries, like Wrongway Feldman's airplane.

What I want to know is, why did they always send Gilligan in to do the dirty work, knowing it was likely to end in disaster? None of them knew it was a weather balloon, and yet when Gilligan burst it they all got mad. Why didn't the Skipper go first? Isn't he meant to be in charge?

True!
Hmmm, maybe the rest of them didn't really want to leave the island either.

bookandfilmnut · 03-03-2013, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lm

Someone I know brought this up recently in reference to the "Dragon" episode (Happy Chinese New Year, by the way!). At the end, Gilligan has supposedly ruined the Professor's efforts to patch up the weather balloon by chopping it up into clothing material. This person challenged the idea that that would hinder the original plan because the Professor could sew the pieces together. Any thoughts?

Earlier in the same episode, the professor couldn't even sew his torn shirt!!

Teebs · 03-06-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookandfilmnut

Earlier in the same episode, the professor couldn't even sew his torn shirt!!

Good point!

SneakerBoom · 03-10-2013, 09:50 PM

That reminds me of another time where they "gave up" when they didn't have to. Or maybe the rest of them didn't give up, but Gilligan either wasn't thinking(surprise), or actually wanted them to stay on the island. And that was when Gilligan found the "eye of the idol".
He knew that the wishes came true, but at the end he pretended to throw it but actually kept it for himself even though he had used up his three wishes. If he had actually thrown it so that one of the others could find it, they would have had so many more wishes to get off the island(and back to Hawaii).[/QUOTE]

Isn't that considered "breaking the 4th wall?

SneakerBoom · 03-10-2013, 09:51 PM

What I want to know is, why did they always send Gilligan in to do the dirty work, knowing it was likely to end in disaster?

There are really only two explanations here. 1) They really didn't want to get rescued or 2) bad script writing.

Teebs · 03-11-2013, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakerBoom

That reminds me of another time where they "gave up" when they didn't have to. Or maybe the rest of them didn't give up, but Gilligan either wasn't thinking(surprise), or actually wanted them to stay on the island. And that was when Gilligan found the "eye of the idol".
He knew that the wishes came true, but at the end he pretended to throw it but actually kept it for himself even though he had used up his three wishes. If he had actually thrown it so that one of the others could find it, they would have had so many more wishes to get off the island(and back to Hawaii).

Isn't that considered "breaking the 4th wall?[/QUOTE]
.)

Skipper was always breaking the fourth wall, in the same way that Oliver Hardy used to. "Look what I have to put up with!"

Whereas Gilligan rarely broke the fourth wall- he did it in 'The Friendly Physician' when he thought Skipper couldn't reach him to whack him with the hat, but with intances like the Idol, he's more subtle. (He does this a few times throughout the whole run of the show- almost, but not quite, breaking the wall.)

Bob Denver always made sure he kept Gilligan as a self-contained bubble, his character not so easily accessible to us as the Skipper's. If that makes sense.

Teebs · 03-11-2013, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakerBoom

What I want to know is, why did they always send Gilligan in to do the dirty work, knowing it was likely to end in disaster?

There are really only two explanations here. 1) They really didn't want to get rescued or 2) bad script writing.

Or 3) If they HAD got rescued, it would have been the end of the show

02-14-2013, 12:21 PM	#1
lm Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 29, 2006 Location: New York Posts: 469	Could They Have? Someone I know brought this up recently in reference to the "Dragon" episode (Happy Chinese New Year, by the way!). At the end, Gilligan has supposedly ruined the Professor's efforts to patch up the weather balloon by chopping it up into clothing material. This person challenged the idea that that would hinder the original plan because the Professor could sew the pieces together. Any thoughts?

02-14-2013, 04:04 PM	#2
Sterling Holobyte Harper House Senior Member Join Date: Nov 07, 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,896	I've thought of that, too. You'd think that if they could use the pieces to make clothes, that they would be able to re-make a balloon out of them. But... I would think that it might be kind of hard to "sew" pieces of the rubber/latex balloon together and make it airtight. But they could possibly use some of that glue that they would make out of tree sap to cover the seams. That might work. That reminds me of another time where they "gave up" when they didn't have to. Or maybe the rest of them didn't give up, but Gilligan either wasn't thinking(surprise), or actually wanted them to stay on the island. And that was when Gilligan found the "eye of the idol". He knew that the wishes came true, but at the end he pretended to throw it but actually kept it for himself even though he had used up his three wishes. If he had actually thrown it so that one of the others could find it, they would have had so many more wishes to get off the island(and back to Hawaii).
	__________________ "Let it go. Forget about it. Try smiling." -Michael Harris WPIV studio producer/shoe salesman/grocery store employee/Ex-sanitarium patient/Stephanie's boyfriend-then husband --------------------------------------------------- My 2nd First Blog:http://saturdaymorningfunnies.wordpress.com/

03-10-2013, 09:50 PM	#7
SneakerBoom Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 11, 2012 Posts: 37	That reminds me of another time where they "gave up" when they didn't have to. Or maybe the rest of them didn't give up, but Gilligan either wasn't thinking(surprise), or actually wanted them to stay on the island. And that was when Gilligan found the "eye of the idol". He knew that the wishes came true, but at the end he pretended to throw it but actually kept it for himself even though he had used up his three wishes. If he had actually thrown it so that one of the others could find it, they would have had so many more wishes to get off the island(and back to Hawaii).[/QUOTE] Isn't that considered "breaking the 4th wall?

03-10-2013, 09:51 PM	#8
SneakerBoom Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 11, 2012 Posts: 37	What I want to know is, why did they always send Gilligan in to do the dirty work, knowing it was likely to end in disaster? There are really only two explanations here. 1) They really didn't want to get rescued or 2) bad script writing.