User Reviews

This is only a 7/10 but I feel the need to up it to an 8/10 because today is Halloween and this aired and I am grateful for good enough Mr. Roarke content with the Halloween theme. Setting the macabre mood is a mansion (or was that a castle?) where Tina Louise's fantasy takes place. I should say her character's. (I'd say, Tina rather got her fantasy fulfilled: to pass as a 29 year old, albeit on the verge or eve rather, of her 30th birthday, at the mature age of 47. And she looked every bit in her 40's, albeit she looked very good, but not 29, considering that most 29 year old women could pass for 18!)

I recently watched an early F. I. episode (or possibly a TV movie?) where Roarke said of his guests, with his customary air of superiority: "they are so mortal!" Well, here we learn that Roarke is at least 400 (was it?) years old. Wowsers for the old geezer! The castle set up is pretty enough, though I would have enjoyed a bit more Halloweenish decor, but that'll do. Props for the jump scare of the decrepit woman rising in bed, from under cobwebs. Taken aback a bit to see Roarke loose his customary poise as he runs around minus his customary elegance. Slightly off-putting to me, but we can't expect him to look like a statue 24/7, I suppose. (I might need therapy for that one, but not because of the ghosts!)

Tina Louise gets to suck face with him, although, so I've noticed, Mr. Roarke always rejects women who suck face with him. (A true Latin lover never allows the woman to make the first move: she will always be rejected by a real man!) In real life, and in sheer contrast to both Tattoo AND Herve Villechaize, Ricardo Montalban spoke very highly of his (first and only) wife, to whom he was married for some 65 years, until she passed before him, and he spoke of being faithful to her and proud to remain so. (So keep your lips to yourselves, ladies!)

All in all, super cool to have my 2 favorite elements for Fantasy Island rolled into one: the Halloween theme (or a spooky story, if you would) and Mr. Roarke as the protagonist. So the story could have been much better, is only a 7/10 but because of this double treat, I'm upping it to an 8.

The other story was very predictable to me, once I saw the blonde, I knew how that story was gonna end. The actress who played the platinum blonde was super gorgeous and with a very sweet personality. I'll have to check out her name and see if she hasn't played the same part in a recent F. I. episode, seems familiar, come to think about it. Otherwise not a remarkable story and I've never seen a "Partridge" episode, so I'm not sure what all the hoopla was about this dude, as that was before my time.

I've seen this one on syndication and I know they've cut a lot of scenes, so maybe (and hopefully) the scary story has more creepy scenes and fully deserves its 8, though I have a feeling they probably cut mostly the couple's boring story. All in all, a good episode that further cements Mr. Roarke's character background. Now! If only they'd made Fantasy Island trading cards, but not even in the 90s. Maybe it's not too late..? Because this is info right there that belongs at back of said card.

This was a terrific episode, and maybe the best one I've seen so far, and it had the elements I prefer regarding this show. That would be horror, or to be more exact, sinister. Many familiar faces include Tina Louise(a 46 year old playing a 30 year old), Michael Ansara, David Cassidy, Misty Rowe, and Eddie Mekka. Louise did a commendable job as both Lisa Corday AND the evil Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who's famous for killing several young women hundreds of years ago. A few aspects worth mentioning is the eerie candlelit castle where the ghost resides, and the same ghost rising from an old bed covered with cobwebs; these tidbits really added to the creepiness of this story. Obviously, I feel this is the better story of the two, but the other one was still pretty good too, after a slow start. Cassidy was decent as a man looking to actually marry his fiancé, who we never see, but every time he tries going through with the marriage, a weird accident befalls him to prevent it from happening, as he explains to Mr. Roarke. The first half of this story is fairly routine, but things take a quick turn, and this is where Rowe shined a bit, and I didn't expect the story to lead where it finally did. It was a welcome surprise, especially the cameo by Ansara. It's rare when I find both stories to be solid, but that's certainly the case here, especially when my horror need is satisfied.