Welcome GI fans!
Welcome, to what I like to call the Diary Chronicles. This is the entire 98 episodes all watched and observed by a young twenty-two year old woman who is a big fan of this silly show. I, Alison, invite you back to the gay little island. Back to the seven stranded people and into the diary of the young first mate.
The pilot is about the only exception as I wanted to write out my version of how this show began. The tags you read are sometimes short and simple as all you need is a good short wrap up. The others are longer because I feel the need to give it justice.
I do not and never will own this show. All credit goes forever to the brilliant mind of Sherwood Schwartz for taking the leap and creating a good family show. To me, the plots may have been silly but the lessons are not. In this, I believe you learn all you need to truly be a good human being.
Now, just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, The mate was a mighty sailing man, The weather started getting rough, The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port
Aboard this tiny ship.
The skipper brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day
For a three hour tour, a three hour tour.
The tiny ship was tossed,
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The minnow would be lost, the minnow would be lost.
With Gilligan
The Skipper too,
The millionaire and his wife,
The movie star
The professor and Mary Ann,
Here on Gilligans Isle.
It was a beautiful day, a day where you believe nothing can go wrong. Of course, it was one of those days where naturally everything went wrong.
A young man in his early twenties was smiling at his reflection. His alarm clock rang loudly at seven a.m., as he planned, and he jumped up and into the shower without wasting a second and then dressed.
"I wish you had showed this much enthusiasm when you went to school." A pretty woman in her forties (not that you could tell) stood in the man's doorway minutes later.
He grinned in response. "My teachers weren't as exciting as Mr. Grumby, Mom," he said.
Shelly Gilligan could only roll her eyes. She was a proud mother of both her smart, handsome and very strong boys.
"I can't believe Doofus, here, gets to go sailing with Dad's old friend," Mark Gilligan grumbled as he joined his mother in his brother's doorway.
"You're just jealous," Willy Gilligan said. His grin became wider as his pride showed through his red rosy cheeks.
"Whatever; Don't think you're taking any of my stuff. You do, and you die, Willy!" Mark threatened his younger sibling, and left. Though only a year apart in age, Willy still winced at his brothers tone. He was wearing a red shirt that belonged to his brother, already underneath the new clothes his mother had given him.
"Oh, Willy — You're going to be late, son," Shelly said, noticing the time. He was to report to dock at eight thirty, and the time was nearly that.
"Oh, thanks, Mom. I'll be back for dinner. I can't wait to meet our passengers! I think one of them is a millionaire!" Gilligan responded, glancing at his alarm clock. He rushed downstairs and stopped to shake hands with his brother.
"Don't die, twerp," Mark said. Gilligan grinned, knowing that was the closest thing to an "I love you" from his brother.
"I'll miss you, too," he answered sarcastically, and went to the front door. His dad honked for him to hurry up.
Just before he left, his mother handed him a package.
"It's a journal, son. I want to hear all about your adventures," she told him, kissing his cheek.
"Mom, it's only a three-hour tour; not much to write, but I'll see if I can get the millionaire's signature," Gilligan answered. He took the book and placed it in a small backpack.
"You never know, Willy. I have a very strong feeling your journal will fill up," she whispered to him.
Willy smiled. His mother always had strong feelings.
"Okay, Mom. I'll see you later!" He bid her goodbye again and kissed her cheek a second time.
"Be careful, wear a life jacket, listen to the Skipper and mind your manners, son!" Shelly yelled to her boy.
Gilligan waved as his dad pulled out of their driveway. The ten-minute drive was silent. It was when Wallace Gilligan parked and got out, did he meet his boy's eyes.
"Willy, I'm not going keep you long; I just wanted to wish you luck, son," he said. Gilligan smiled and gave his dad a strong hug.
"Thanks, Dad. I'll make you proud."
"You always do," Wallace answered, and then Gilligan was alone.
"Gilligan! There you are — help the passengers into the boat!" the Skipper bellowed, and Gilligan raced up the walkway.
"Allow me," he quickly said to the two young women passengers. He took the four large suitcases and grunted at the weight. "You know, this is only a three-hour tour," he said through gritted teeth.
"You can't expect us not to bring our necessities Gilligan," the smaller one said. Her light brown hair was pulled up in two pigtails.
"I did the same; I need the break to memorize my new script," the other one replied. She was pretty, like the brunette. Her long red hair fell over her lean thin figure — she looked very good in the gown she wore.
"You must be Ginger Grant and Mary Ann Summers," the Skipper bounded over. "Gilligan, get that stuff on board already," he instructed, as he shook both women's hands. Gilligan grunted as he managed to get all the stuff on the small boat. The girls followed him as two more passengers arrived.
"Thurston, this doesn't look like a cruise ship; I hope we're at least in first class," the woman spoke looking a bit disappointed. She wore a soft peach-colored outfit, including a large hat. Her husband looked very rich in his expensive hat and suit.
"How else would they treat a Howell, Lovey, dear?" he responded.
"Wow, Skipper, he really IS rich," Gilligan said coming back out. More luggage was thrust upon him and he grunted.
"Be careful with that, boy, or you'll get no tip," Thurston Howell instructed.
"Now see here, Howell!" the Skipper started, but was ignored as the rich couple climbed aboard.
"I guess I'm last, then," a young man said.
"Professor — glad you made it. Gilligan, get ready to sail!" The Skipper took the professor's bag and climbed aboard.
XXX
The seven hit the seas, and for a while everything was smooth. Gilligan kept the passengers happy with beverages and some cakes his mother had made for him. Then:
"GILLIGAN!"
Gilligan was met with a wave as he climbed up top. "Skipper, what's going on?" he yelled out. The Skipper threw him a raincoat in response.
"Were in trouble, that's what? Follow my orders, now!" The Skipper had to yell as well, the ocean's roar was very loud . . .
XXX
Somehow, Gilligan wasn't sure how, the Minnow beached. They were all alive. At first he was confused as he woke up to the Skippers yelling.
"Skipper, were in trouble aren't we?" he asked. The Skipper didn't reply.
The others soon awoke, and it took only a few minutes to see the heavy damage on the boat to see the trouble they were in. The radio revealed they were being searched for, but that didn't seem to calm Jonas Grumby.
XXX
"Skipper, this is far too dangerous, do you realize the chances of this raft even making it to the shipping lanes is very slim?" The Professor tried to talk them out of it, but the Skipper just waved him away.
"I'm in charge here, Professor. We'll send the coast guard to you when we land. Come on, Gilligan," Skipper stubbornly answered. Gilligan followed obediently as the Skipper finished the raft. The girls had sewn clothes together for a mast, and even made an SOS sign with socks.
They shouldn't have even bothered, Gilligan realized, as the hungry sharks forced them back.
XXX
Hours later, Willy Gilligan now sat in a tree. He looked down at the group, still filthy from his stupidity. The group was reunited again, but it didn't seem to make them any more cheerful. Gilligan watched and listened as the Skipper blamed him.
"You really think it was him, Professor?" he asked the smart man.
The Professor nodded. "I wish I could tell you where he is hiding, or what to do even more, Skipper," he said, slightly depressed.
"You shouldn't have yelled at him, Skipper. Gilligan didn't mean to trip the trap," Mary Ann spoke up. She liked the first mate.
"Thank you, Mary Poppins!" Ginger was rolling her eyes at her. Mary Ann glared back. "My name is Mary Ann, Ginger, and I think we should be looking for him, I'm grateful you both are alive — Who cares about a little dirt?" she answered.
"Not all of us grew up digging in it, farm-girl," Ginger cut in.
"I think we should focus on what to do next, ladies," The Skipper cut in, stopping the fight. "The point is, folks, despite Gilligan's blunder, we know we need protection, and fast."
"I vote Gilligan builds us a hut," Mr. Howell cut interrupted. He was still brushing off dirt from his and Lovey's expensive clothing. "This suit cost me a fortune — that boy is a disaster on legs," he went on.
His wife nodded, sulking. "See what happens when you travel with the second class Thurston? Honestly!"
"Calm down everyone, Skipper is right, we all need to pitch in and build us a home. We better go look for Gilligan, Skipper," the Professor said.
Gilligan was still sitting in his tree. He was making his first real entry in his new diary.
Dear Diary,
mom is amazene, she was rite about my adventar. were stuck on some isle not on any map. no luck off ran into sharks and they ated the raft we bilt. if that wasnt bad, i dont think im gonna liv much lunger. Prafesar bilt a trap in some cav. we gotted back to the ile and I tripped over it. were all real filthy diary, i hope the others for give me.
Gilligan had been so preoccupied with writing, he barely looked over in time to see everyone stand.
"We should split up and find him," Skipper said.
Gilligan gulped. He started to try and get down, but leaned too far over.
"Wait — I heard something!" Mary Ann stopped them as Gilligan screamed "HELP" and fell into the sand.
"It's Gilligan! He must have been listening to us," the Professor said, reaching him first. The Skipper carried him back to their fire where Gilligan soon awoke, and clutched his head.
"Ohhh, my head!" He winced as the Skipper helped him sit up. Gilligan looked at the group. "Ohhhh no, look if you all want to kill me, just get it over quick," he said with a little whimper. He shut his eyes and wait for his death.
"Gilligan, you're a walking disaster, but we'll let you live," Skipper answered. Gilligan opened his eyes to see everyone smiling at him. "Come on everyone, its getting late. We should get some sleep. Gilligan you get to sleep too — you need it the most," Skipper then told everyone.
Gilligan nodded but when everyone was asleep he opened his diary once more.
'Diary, I'm in BIG truble now, I hav no clu what skipper had planned. He's a great leader tho and only reason were alive. the others seem okay they havent killed me yet. prafeser is really smart. then thers the girls Mary Ann and Ginger and the Howells. I hav a feeling this is gonna be a long but fun adventar.
your friend
Gilligan
Only then, did the young first mate fall fast asleep.
So this is the talel of the castways,
They're here for a long, long time,
They'll have to make the best of things,
It's an uphill climb.
The first mate and the Skipper too,
Will do their very best,
To make the others comfortable,
In the tropic island nest.
No phone, no lights no motor cars,
Not a single luxury,
Like Robinson Crusoe,
As primative as can be.
So join us here each week my freinds,
You're sure to get a smile,
From seven stranded castways,
Here on "Gilligan's Isle."