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Gilligan's Island - The Complete First and Second Seasons
Actors: Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise
Directors: Abner Biberman, Alan Crosland Jr., Anton Leader, Christian Nyby, Gary Nelson
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family, Television

UR 2005 28hr 47min

Despite critical barbs as sharp as a Maroobi spear, Gilligan's Island has proven unsinkable. Its first season was 1964's top-rated show. The expository theme song is one of television's most quoted, and its characters--the... more » Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.), first mate Gilligan (Bob Denver), the millionaire (Jim Backus) and his wife (Natalie Schaefer), a movie star (Tina Louise), "and the rest" (Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells, as the Professor and Mary Ann, wouldn't get their opening credit props until season two)--are pop culture icons. Revisiting the first season's 36 episodes is a not-guilty-at-all pleasure. Some sure and surprising hands piloted these inaugural episodes, including Ida Lupino, Jack Arnold (The Creature from the Black Lagoon), Christian Nyby (The Thing), and Richard Donner (who went on to direct Superman and Lethal Weapon). The "seven stranded castaways" from the ill-fated S.S. Minnow (slyly named for former Federal Communications Commission head Newton "vast wasteland" Minow) received memorable visits from the likes of Hans Conreid as errant pilot Wrong Way Feldman, a young Kurt Russell as Jungle Boy, and Larry Storch as a Cagney-esque bank robber. But these were mere diversions from the heart of the series; the no-man-is-an-island social microcosm that creator Sherwood Schwartz conceived as an anti-war parable (this courtesy of his optional commentary during the fabled unaired series pilot). In the Christmas episode "Birds Gotta Fly, Fish Gotta Talk," Santa Claus himself drops in to lift the disheartened castaways' spirits. "You could have been enemies," he tells them, "instead of a family group who all learned to get along." This is they key to this series' enduring popularity. That, and the unending debate: Ginger or Mary Ann? --Donald Liebenson Forget about a three-hour tour--Gilligan's Island fans can sit right back and enjoy all 32 episodes of the second season and even a few extras with this three-disc set. GI aficionados will probably argue which episode deserves to be called the best in the series' three-year history until the end of time, but few will disagree that its sophomore season (1965-66) contains some of its funniest and best-remembered episodes. For starters, season 2 marks the show's debut in color, as well as the first time the Professor and Mary Ann were mentioned in the opening theme song (all of this occurs in the season opener, "Gilligan's Mother-in-Law"). But it also includes such classic episodes as "Hi Fi Gilligan" (Gilligan picks up radio signals in his mouth), "Don't Bug the Mosquitos" (faux Brit rockers land on the island), "Mine Hero" (a WWII mine washes up on the beach), "Meet The Meteor" (space debris makes the castaways age prematurely), and "The Friendly Physician" (a mad scientist's experiments cause the castaways to swap bodies), all of which have lost none of their laughs or pure entertainment value. The supplemental features, though slight, include an introduction by Johnson and series creator Sherwood Schwartz, as well as commentary by Schwartz on his favorite episode, "The Little Dictator." --Paul Gaita

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Movie Details

Actors: Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise
Directors: Abner Biberman, Alan Crosland Jr., Anton Leader, Christian Nyby, Gary Nelson
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family, Television
Sub-Genres: Comedy, Classics, Family Films, Comedy, Classic TV
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Format: DVD - Color - Closed-captioned
DVD Release Date: 01/11/2005
Original Release Date: 09/26/1964
Theatrical Release Date: 09/26/1964
Release Year: 2005
Run Time: 28hr 47min
Screens: Color
Number of Discs: 6
SwapaDVD Credits: 6
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 3
Edition: Box set
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Languages: English

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Movie Reviews

Classic TV At Its Best

T. Felumlee | 08/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Gilligan's Island series is a must-have for collectors of classic television shows. Although I could find nothing to indicate that they've been remastered, the quality is quite possibly too good. Small details that were invisible on the small screens of years past are quite evident with today's technology; especially the make-up. I'd never really noticed it before, but we're talking full-throttle "drag queen" make-up here. Nevertheless, it does not distract from the great writing (especially those lines spoken by the Howells), clean comedy, and pleasant experience of watching these episodes commercial-free. Grab it while you can!"

Gilligan's Island 1&2

RWC | Weatherford, TX USA | 04/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Classical Gilligan, funny, clean and entertaining. Something the whole family can watch and enjoy together. Unlike the garbage that's on TV today.

I can't wait for season III to be available."

Wonderful show, horrible packaging

Kevin Monceaux | 05/23/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The rating I gave this item is solely for the show. I wish Amazon would let one rate the packaging separately. This set would get zero stars for packaging. First of all, someone really needs to outlaw double sided DVDs. Double sided DVDs would be tolerable but the case design makes it worse. Each time I try to get one of the disks out of the case I'm afraid I'm going to break the disk. The release mechanism doesn't release the disks. One has to wiggle and maneuver them to get them out. There are four indentations for the purpose of grabbing the disks but their's a ridge around the bottom two making them unusable."

Best Show Ever!

Bonnie Ngu | Illinois United States | 02/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are a fan of classic sitcoms you've got to own this series! There is nothing more funny than Gilligan's Island. IF you dont like watching black and white...dont worry...season 2 and 3 are in color! Enjoy!"