The second season comes to an inauspicious end with this dry, lackluster episode. Yes, a glowing meteorite does land on the island, but it proves less exciting than the probe, space capsule, and talking robot that came before it. Even though the premise is silly and fantastic, the episode takes itself far too seriously, and is weighed down with a lot of exposition and dull, scientific jargon. Interestingly, the best part of it is the special effects, not what the cheap-looking series is ordinarily known for. Even the dream sequence, the saving grace of many an episode, doesn't keep this one from cratering out.
Our guest meteorite makes its grand appearance in the cold open. Gilligan and the Skipper are all set to investigate when the Professor stops them in their tracks. There may be cosmic rays around it, so he and the Skip devise a bamboo Geiger counter to read it.
The Geiger counter doesn't read any radiation, so the trio spend time building a protective shield and develop a line of radiation suits. These scenes move slowly and are accompanied by only the occasional chuckle. In a rare misstep, the Professor underestimates the strength of the meteor; it reduces the shield to sawdust. Somehow it also causes a sapling to age into a full grown tree in a matter of hours. This instant aging causes the Professor to calculate that the castaways will age fifty years by the end of the week.
How did he calculate that? No idea.
Wait, though. An electrical storm just happens to be passing their way. The Professor explains the storm will have enough power to destroy the meteor (and somehow spare the island). He whips up a lightning rod out of the lead mix to attach to the rock and attract the storm.
Then he makes one of his dumber decisions, leaving Gilligan outside with the finished rod by himself, the others safely in their huts, and the storm fast approaching. Naturally, our lead falls asleep so we can pad the drama with a dream sequence.
The dream sequence is arguably the weakest and most somber of the series. The castaways decide to throw a party to celebrate being stranded on the island for half a century. The men all have long beards; the women grey hair; and everyone speaks in a Maude Frickert-like voice. Outside of the Professor, no one is particularly lively; everyone seems to be going through the motions...just more slowly. Their subdued party is interrupted by a storm similar to the one that awakens our lead, and we're back in the present.
Gilligan does get an accidental heroic moment to close out the second season. Unlike the episode, at least he sticks the landing.
COCONOTES:
The radiation suits make the Skipper, Gilligan, and the Professor look vaguely like Devo.
All three dip their clothes into the lead mix. In the next scenes their clothes are dry and spotless.
The meteorite explodes and doesn't take the island with it.
Our guest meteorite makes its grand appearance in the cold open. Gilligan and the Skipper are all set to investigate when the Professor stops them in their tracks. There may be cosmic rays around it, so he and the Skip devise a bamboo Geiger counter to read it.
The Geiger counter doesn't read any radiation, so the trio spend time building a protective shield and develop a line of radiation suits. These scenes move slowly and are accompanied by only the occasional chuckle. In a rare misstep, the Professor underestimates the strength of the meteor; it reduces the shield to sawdust. Somehow it also causes a sapling to age into a full grown tree in a matter of hours. This instant aging causes the Professor to calculate that the castaways will age fifty years by the end of the week.
How did he calculate that? No idea.
Wait, though. An electrical storm just happens to be passing their way. The Professor explains the storm will have enough power to destroy the meteor (and somehow spare the island). He whips up a lightning rod out of the lead mix to attach to the rock and attract the storm.
Then he makes one of his dumber decisions, leaving Gilligan outside with the finished rod by himself, the others safely in their huts, and the storm fast approaching. Naturally, our lead falls asleep so we can pad the drama with a dream sequence.
The dream sequence is arguably the weakest and most somber of the series. The castaways decide to throw a party to celebrate being stranded on the island for half a century. The men all have long beards; the women grey hair; and everyone speaks in a Maude Frickert-like voice. Outside of the Professor, no one is particularly lively; everyone seems to be going through the motions...just more slowly. Their subdued party is interrupted by a storm similar to the one that awakens our lead, and we're back in the present.
Gilligan does get an accidental heroic moment to close out the second season. Unlike the episode, at least he sticks the landing.
COCONOTES:
The radiation suits make the Skipper, Gilligan, and the Professor look vaguely like Devo.
All three dip their clothes into the lead mix. In the next scenes their clothes are dry and spotless.
The meteorite explodes and doesn't take the island with it.