History Series / GilligansIsland

* AmnesiaEpisode: There were actually two of these, one with the Skipper and the other with Mary Ann, who thinks she's Ginger. When the Professor tries to snap her out of it with hypnosis, Gilligan ends up thinking he's Mary Ann. Obviously Played for Laughs.

* AmnesiaEpisode: There were actually two of these, one with the Skipper and the other with Mary Ann, who thinks she's Ginger. When the Professor tries to snap her out of it with hypnosis, Gilligan ends up thinking he's Mary Ann. Obviously Played forLaughs.

* AmnesiaEpisode: There were actually two of these, one with the Skipper and the other with Mary Ann, who thinks she's Ginger. When the Professor tries to snap her out of it with hypnosis, Gilligan ends up thinking he's Mary Ann. Obviously PlayedforLaughs.

** The syndicated 1970s sitcom ''[[Dusty's Trail]]'' was essentially ''Gilligan's Island'' on an Old West wagon train. It even starred Bob Denver with [[CounterpartComparison a burly wagonmaster as his boss, a millionaire and his wife, a saloon-girl dancer, a "book-smarts" Easterner, and a farmer's daughter]].

** The syndicated 1970s sitcom ''Dusty's Trail'' was essentially ''Gilligan's Island'' on an Old West wagon train. It even starred Bob Denver with [[CounterpartComparison a burly wagonmaster as his boss, a millionaire and his wife, a saloon-girl dancer, a "book-smarts" Easterner, and a farmer's daughter]].

** When Russell Johnson was asked why the Professor couldn't seem to repair the Minnow, he replied [[HarsherInHindsight "If you were living on a tropical island with Ginger and Mary-Ann, would you be in a hurry to fix the boat?"]]

** When Russell Johnson was asked why the Professor couldn't seem to repair the Minnow, he replied "If you were living on a tropical island with Ginger and Mary-Ann, would you be in a hurry to fix the boat?"

* {{Pilot}}: the originally unaired pilot has different theme music, different actors playing slightly different versions of the Professor and Ginger, and an entirely different character in the Mary Ann role. A small amount of footage from the pilot was used in the first broadcast episode "Two on a Raft", and later on in the Christmas episode "Birds Gotta Fly, Fish Gotta Talk" with scenes featuring the original actors re-shot with the series regulars.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: The Skipper's brief look to the camera after Gilligan does something stupid again.

* {{Pilot}}: the originally unaired pilot has different theme music, different actors playing slightly different versions of the Professor and Ginger, and an entirely different character in the Mary Ann role. Footage from the pilot was used in the first broadcast episode, and later on in a Christmas episode with scenes featuring the original actors re-shot with the series regulars.

* OlderThanTheyLook: A real-life example in the form of Natalie Schafer, who was in her ''late sixties'' by the time of the series. She kept her true age a secret, and it only became known after she died. The other cast members subsequently expressed surprise.

* TheOtherDarrin: Ginger in the reunion movies was recast with Judith Baldwin. She was played by Jane Webb on ''The New Adventures of Gilligan'' and Dawn Wells in ''Gilligan's Planet''.
* {{Pilot}}

''Gilligan's Island'' was created in 1963 by veteran TV writer/producer SherwoodSchwartz (who would later make a career out of ''TheBradyBunch''). Schwartz was an academic with degrees in zoology and psychology, and originally intended for the program to be a meaningful examination of American life. Inspired by ''RobinsonCrusoe'', Schwartz intended to create a microcosm of American society by stranding representative members of different subcultures and seeing how they interact. He chose his representatives carefully, claiming later that "Anybody who is watching can identify with someone." How this ostensibly academic and rather intriguing concept turned into the show that actually aired is anyone's guess. It lasted three years on {{CBS}} (1964-67), then became a perennial favorite in daily syndication.

Perhaps inevitably, a [[TheFilmOfTheSeries big-screen adaptation]] is tentatively planned for 2011. It now being 2012, it has obviously been delayed.

* HollywoodHomely: Mary Ann. Even {{lampshaded}} on ''TheSimpsons'' when the network executive wanted someone "ugly" like Mary Ann, not "ugly ugly" like Moe. (Even though none of the other ''Gilligan'' characters ever referred to Mary Ann as homely; more the shy, GirlNextDoor type.)

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: Why someone thought this would make a good video game is one of history's great unsolved mysteries, but a NES game was made. It's generally considered one of that console's worst titles.
* TheProfessor

[[quoteright:315:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gilligans_island.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:315:It's not ''really'' Gilligan's island, but don't tell him that.]]

Perhaps inevitably, a [[TheFilmOfTheSeries big-screen adaptation]] is tentatively planned for 2011.

[[quoteright:250:''Just sit right back'' \\

Iconic "stupid sitcom" from the 1960s, filled with [[IdiotPlot Idiot Plots]], WhatAnIdiot moments, a LaughTrack and a great cast of actors. The show featured seven stereotyped characters -- a millionaire, his snobby wife, a famous actress, a farm girl, a college professor, an innocent misfit klutz, and the captain of the charter boat on which all of them had sailed -- trapped on a DesertedIsland. Their little colony of survivors was usually awash in schemes, alliances, betrayals and petty manipulations, usually over the most minor of things. Their own foibles and blind spots frequently sabotaged any chance of rescue or escape, and no one ever seemed to learn anything from their mistakes.

Wait. Did we get mixed up with the article on ''{{Survivor}}''? No? Okay, just checking.

''Gilligan's Island'' was created in 1963 by veteran TV writer/producer SherwoodSchwartz (who would later make a career out of ''TheBradyBunch''). Schwartz was an academic with degrees in zoology and psychology, and originally intended for the program to be a meaningful examination of American life. Inspired by ''RobinsonCrusoe'', Schwartz intended to create a microcosm of American society by stranding representative members of different subcultures, and then see how they interact. He chose his representatives carefully, claiming later that "Anybody who is watching can identify with someone." How this ostensibly academic idea turned into the show that actually aired is anyone's guess. It lasted three years on {{CBS}} (1964-67), then became a perennial favorite in daily syndication.

At least four TV movies and two cartoon series followed ''Gilligan's Island'', first rescuing, then re-stranding, then re-rescuing the castaways, who then turned the island into a resort. In the strangest twist, though[[hottip:*:although the cartoon where they built a spaceship and escaped from the ''planet'' to wind up on another planet entirely has to take some beating]], 2004 saw ''Gilligan's Island'' become the first (and maybe only) SitCom ever revived as a RealityShow, with the broadcast of ''The Real Gilligan's Island'' on TBS -- a show which combined the original series with ''{{Survivor}}'' in a bizarre blend.

Some of the cast reportedly disliked the show. The actress that portrayed Ginger (Tina Louise) refused to appear in any of the three [[ReunionShow Reunion]] movies (or to lend her voice to the cartoons) considering the show "silly" and the concept ridiculous while also resenting that she'd ended up being typecast.

!!This show presents examples of:

* AnimatedAdaptation - ''The New Adventures of Gilligan'' (1974-1977) and ''Gilligan's Planet'' (1982-1983).
* TheBadGuyWins - Harold Hecuba and Eva Grubb not only get the usual KarmaHoudini, but also successfully steal the Castaways' idea for a musical ''{{Hamlet}}'' and Ginger Grant's identiy and movie carerr, respectively.
* BagOfHolding and GreatBigBookOfEverything hybrid - TheOtherWiki says the Professor always had the facts he needed in a book that was conveniently at the top of his backpack.
* BambooTechnology - Trope Codifier. The Professor was able to create some kind of battery substitute for their radio, build a fully functioning hot air balloon, and also could fill Gilligan's cavities. It's been frequently lampshaded in almost every parody there is about how he can do all this, but can't fix a hole in a boat.
** That last sentence is in fact a MemeticMutation, in that there were at least two separate occasions where the Professor concocted a means to repair the Minnow using material available on the island. In both cases, the repairs not only failed but left the boat worse off (needless to say, because of Gilligan).

* BettyAndVeronica - Mary-Ann the former, Ginger the latter. A well-known enough example that "GingerOrMaryAnn" is an alternative title for that trope

* BrokenAesop - The show was supposed to show the need to work together. But who gets off the island? The guest stars, by betraying the regulars. (Among said guest stars: [[ThePhilSilversShow Phil Silvers]] - his production company Gladasya co-produced the series.)

* CatchPhrase - "D'OH!" (predating [[TheSimpsons Homer Simpson]] [[OlderThanTheyThink by over two decades]].)

* {{Costumer}} - The dream episodes tended to be these.
* CriminalDoppelganger: Happened not once, not twice, but three times. Gilligan had a Russian spy double, Mr. Howell had a freeloader double, and Ginger had a... well, OK, she wasn't a criminal, until she went back and started using Ginger's fame.

* DisasterDemocracy - "President Gilligan"

* DreamSequence - Often the most imaginative part of the series, and the cast loved doing them.
* DruggedLipstick - in one of Gilligan's dream sequences, Ginger wears it.
* EditedForSyndication - In syndication runs of the 70s and 80s the end theme song had the words 'each week' edited out leaving "So join us here ---- my friends, you're sure to get a smile..." Supposedly people would be fooled into not knowing the show would be on again the next day, otherwise. In the late 80s Ted Turner colorized the black and white first season for airing on TBS. Both versions are shown in syndication and cable.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep - The Skipper and the Professor.

* ExecutiveMeddling: One documentary made about the show reveals that the higher ups had no idea why the show was popular and kept making changes, at one stage they wanted Gilligan to gain a pet dinosaur.

* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: carried over into the first reunion movie, but subverted for good in the second.

* GilliganCut - The TropeNamer.
* GirlNextDoor- Mary Ann. Although in real life, Dawn Wells was in the Miss America Pageant. Yet another case of, if she's the girl next door, I want to live on that block.
* TheGreatRepair - Averted.

* [[HeyItsThatGuy Hey It's That Lagoon!]]: Schwartz used the lagoon set and the space capsule prop for his series ''ItsAboutTime''.
* HollywoodHomely - Mary Ann. Even {{lampshaded}} on ''TheSimpsons'' when the network executive wanted someone "ugly" like Mary Ann, not "ugly ugly" like Moe. (Even though none of the other characters on Gilligan's Island ever referred to Mary Ann as homely, more the shy, GirlNextDoor type.)
* HotScientist - TheProfessor -- just ask the EstrogenBrigade
* IAmNotSpock - It happened to many of the regulars, but Tina Louise (Ginger) never got over it. To this day, she pretty much refuses to speak about the show.
* IOweYouMyLife - A final-season episode has a native girl offering herself as Gilligan's slave after he rescues her from drowning in the lagoon.

* JustEatGilligan - Another TropeNamer, by way of ''{{MST3K}}''.
* KarmaHoudini - For such a seemingly innocent kids' show, ''Gilligan's Island'' was '''loaded''' with these. Of all the many, many guest stars who would show up on the island and meet the Castaways, nearly ''all'' of whom would deliberately, maliciously choose to not only leave the Castaways on the island, but also tell ''no one'' about them. Sometimes, the Castaways would hear over their radio that some of these jerks faced some LaserGuidedKarma. But not that often.

* LeftHanging - The original series was summarily cancelled; two of the reunion movies are about the gang finally getting off the island.
* LimitedWardrobe - Gilligan, the Skipper, and the Professor pretty much always wore the same outfits outside of the "dream" episodes. And yet the ladies all seem to have a never ending supply of clean and fashionable outfits to wear.
* LotteryTicket: In one episode Gilligan claims to have a winning lottery ticket.
* MacGyvering - The Professor
* MadScientist - Dr. Boris Balinkoff in "The Friendly Physician".
* MeaningfulName - In interviews, Sherwood Schwartz has (perhaps jokingly) said that the S.S. Minnow was named as a TakeThat to Newton N. Minow, famous for his vast wasteland speech.

* TheMusical - Adapted as a stage musical by Sherwood Schwartz and his son Lloyd.
* NoNameGiven - It was never established whether "Gilligan" was the character's first or last name, or what his other name was. Pre-production materials for the {{pilot}} indicate that the character was to be called Willy Gilligan, but the name never appeared in canon.

* OmnidisciplinaryScientist - The Professor.
* TheOtherDarrin - Ginger in the reunion movies was recast with Judith Baldwin in the role, as the original actress, Tina Louise, felt the role ruined her career and refused to be {{Type Cast|ing}}. Ginger was played by Jane Webb on a short-lived Saturday morning {{spinoff}} called ''The New Adventures of Gilligan'' and by Dawn Wells in ''Gilligan's Planet''.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames - Why someone thought this would make a good video game is one of history's great unsolved mysteries, but a NES game was made. It's generally considered one of that console's worst titles.

* PoorlyDisguisedPilot - The second reunion movie, ''The Castaways on Gilligan's Island'', was an obvious [[AfterShow attempt to turn the show into]] a combination ''TheLoveBoat''/''FantasyIsland'' with Mr Howell building a resort on the island so random Special Guest Stars can experience the Castaway life.
* RecycledINSPACE - The 1980s animated show ''Gilligan's Planet''.
** The syndicated '70s sitcom ''Dusty's Trail'' was essentially ''Gilligan's Island'' on an Old West wagon train. It even starred Bob Denver.
** It starred Bob Denver, ''and'' had [[CounterpartComparison a burly wagonmaster as his boss, a millionaire and his wife, a saloon-girl dancer, a "book-smarts" Easterner, and a farmer's daughter]].
* RealityShow - A very ''strange'' case. A reality show was made where they would round up several millionaires, movie stars, sailors, idiots, professors, and what have you, and do a Gilligan's Island version of Survivor to see who best represented the original characters. It had two seasons.
* ReedRichardsIsUseless - TheProfessor can do miracles with BambooTechnology, but he can't build a raft or fix the ''Minnow'', which would solve the single most pressing problem in that little microcosmic society. {{Lampshaded}} in the movie ''Back to the Beach'', when Bob Denver (playing an {{Expy}} of Gilligan) laughed that he knew "a guy who could build a nuclear reactor out of coconuts but couldn't fix a two-foot hole in a boat."
* ReunionShow - The TV movies ''Rescue from Gilligan's Island'' (1978), ''The Castaways on Gilligan's Island'' (1979), and ''The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island'' (1981).
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney - The Howells, even when ''their wealth is meaningless on a deserted island''.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork - Originally intended to have a fourth season, the show was cancelled at the last minute to make room for ''{{Gunsmoke}}'', which was the favorite program of then CBS chairman William S. Paley and his wife, Barbara Mortimer.
* TheSixties - This show could only have been made in that decade.

* StatusQuoIsGod - No matter what situation they are in or who visits the island, every episode will end the same way, the castaways still stranded and nobody learning a thing.
* StrangerInAFamiliarLand - In the first reunion movie, ''Rescue from Gilligan's Island'', the characters suffered from this somewhat.

* [[TalkingToHimself Talking To Herself]] - Dawn Wells voicing both Mary Ann and Ginger in ''Gilligan's Planet''.
* TakeThat - The Minnow was not named after the fish, but after then FCC chairman Newton N. Minow, who had described television as a "vast wasteland."

* ThisIsMySide. Between Gilligan and the Skipper in one episode.
* TwoRightsMakeAWrong: In one episode, a homing pigeon lands on the island, and the gang realizes they could send a note home with it. The Professor says the pigeon is too thin to make the trip home, however, and needs to fatten up with a proper diet and exercise. But the rest of the gang, impatient to leave, overfeeds the bird, and the next morning the bird is too fat to make the trip.
* UnlimitedWardrobe - The Howells, Ginger, and Mary Ann. Induces lots of FridgeLogic. In the alternate theme song for the unaired (until 1992) pilot, it is revealed that the Howells brought "just enough bags for a six-hour ride (six hours?)". Why they felt it necessary to bring these things is never mentioned but they both had lots of clothes, and apparently Ginger and Mary-Ann are the same size as Mrs. Howell.
* VoicesAreMental - As a result of MadScientist Dr. Boris Balinkoff's mind-transfer experiments.
* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl - Ginger in the animated adaptions.
* WorldOfHam - Even for TheSixties, this was one hammy show.
* YouCantGoHomeAgain. They finally escape... and find they'd rather be back on the Island. Thankfully, they retain contact with the mainland and turn it into a resort. Then invite the HarlemGlobetrotters with [[MissionImpossible Rolland Hand and Cinnamon Carter]] coming along for the ride.

* [=~Recycled IN SPACE!~=] - The 1980s animated show ''Gilligan's Planet''.