User Reviews

Growing up, this was my favorite for some reason. Today, the episode is a bit frantic and predictable for me, but it still entertains as Gilligan's new drum is heard by "savages" on a nearby island and mistaken for "war drums". The tribe launches an invasion as the castaways form a symphony orchestra.

The highlights include the duel between the Skipper and Mr. Howell as to who conducts the orchestra. Mrs. Howell (Natalie Schafer) has a lot of fun creating and running the orchestra. The various attempts at scaring away the "savages" which Gilligan keeps screwing up and the climactic scene of just how the castaways get out of this mess. Perhaps the star of the episode is the prop department for creating a number of great "instruments" that the castaways perform.

This episode has not aged as well as some others, perhaps because of the "savages" which seem straight out of a 1930's movie serial. Still, the episode is certainly fun, harmless and occasionally funny, making it a typical Gilligan's Island episode.

• Lots of stock footage was used in this episode of the tribe approaching from all direction to the island. In some of the footage, you can see larger islands behind the outriggers as they approach the shore. Which mean's that Gilligan's Island is not as isolated as it appears ;)

• When the "enemy scout" reports to the chief about the castaways, the subtitles indicate he's talking about the "music" that they were playing. Yet his physical actions seem to be describing the castaways themselves, in particular the Skipper and Gilligan.

Russ Grieve is back as the chief of a group of headhunters, organizing an attack on the island after hearing the drumbeat of Gilligan which has set up Mrs. Howell to organize an island band. After the skipper and Thurston argue over who will be conductor, it's very obvious as to who is really in charge.

During their first rehearsal, the skipper notices a native scout watching them, and they realize after capturing him that they are in great danger. The professor must use his wit to fool the natives, and it is here that it looks like it's the end of the radio which of course it is not.

While the music that the castaways play could never make it at Huntz Hall let alone Carnegie Hall, it could also be enough to scare them off the island, but of course because of Gilligan's incompetence, the others are captured so it's another opportunity for Gilligan to rescue everyone by accident, except there's a silly twist that is somehow sweet. Funny but juvenile, another memorable cartoonish episode.

The first season does a nice job with balancing episodes where the castaways plot to escape the island with those where they try to make it feel more like home. In this offering, that means putting together an orchestra. This is an enjoyable romp with a simple plot, a nice dose of physical humor, and a strong, zany finish.

For the second straight episode, Mrs. Howell serves as the catalyst who sets the plot in motion. This time, her longing for home is triggered by Gilligan's drum playing. She is reminded of the beautiful opera recitals she is missing; what the island needs is the cultural refinement of a great orchestra. Her idea is to form a castaway band with improvised instruments.

What they don't know is that Gilligan's drumming has attracted natives on neighboring islands. They interpret his beats as a signal for war, and, in a crazy, over-the-top response, launch a veritable flotilla of canoes to investigate.

The castaways respond to Mrs. Howell's suggestion in their usual over-the-top manner as well. They not only create instruments from a flute to a xylophone, but they build a stand for a conductor and a stage for the band. (This makes two stages on the isle and one observation tower. Priorities, priorities).

A pointless argument ensues between Mr. Howell and the Skipper over just who should conduct, which leads to a silly 'dueling conductors' scene just in there to pad the run time, then the band settles in for their first rehearsal. Our lead gets a random extended drum solo at the end to remind the audience that the flotilla is still on the way.

The first wave of natives reach shore and send out a scout to investigate. The scout is so befuddled by the strange sounds coming from the stage that he allows himself to get captured, but it's not long before his friends have the band surrounded.

The castaways are hemmed in on all directions and hide out in their usual cave. The Professor believes the only way to fend off certain starvation is to convince the superstitious natives that they are gods. They will use an object from the Minnow to demonstrate their power and scare them off the island. It's a routine that feels like it's straight out of vaudeville, but, like most everything else in the episode, it works because it's big, goofy, and over-the-top.

Of course, Gilligan's Charlie Brown-style luck rubs off on the other three men, and they all get captured in scenes that get sillier and more frenetic as they go on. Our exhausted lead and the girls make one last dash to rescue them, and the episode nicely circles back to the idea that music is indeed universal.

COCONOTES:

Kudos to the prop department for developing very creative instruments, especially Ginger's xylophone. It's too bad none of them are seen or mentioned ever again.

Rare adult joke between Mary Ann and Gilligan with that 'twang' sound effect of her saw used for his reaction to her kiss.

The Professor's expression during the dueling conductor's scene is unintentionally hilarious.

Actor Russ Grieve makes his second appearance as one of the native's landing party.

The scout's pained expression when he hears the band is also chuckle-worthy.

Ginger loses yet more ground to Mary Ann in their popularity contest by ridiculing Gilligan in the cave.