There is only one Christmas on Gilligan’s Island episode

Holiday episodes have long been a staple of television series. Almost every long-running series does at least one Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas episode, while some shows (Like “The Big Bang Theory”) Turn it into an imitation. When they do this well, they can reveal more about the main characters through reflections on past holidays in their lives or just the spectacle of watching them deal with the pressures of, say, finding the perfect outfit or preparing an unforgettable feast. With Christmas, there is often a touch of sadness mixed with the festive spirit. Some people feel lonely or regretful at Christmas, so it’s comforting to see one or more of our favorite characters doing some soul-searching.

If you’re looking for characters who deal with life’s ups and downs in a meaningful way, you’re probably not looking for “Gilligan’s Island.” Sherwood Schwartz, about seven castaways stranded on a deserted island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, is one of the most popular sitcoms in television history. The characters were the shallow type who did their narrative duty in completely predictable ways in each episode. And because “Gilligan’s Island” was built over the long term (which unexpectedly stopped when it was It was canceled to keep the less popular “Gunsmoke” on the air), you followed each episode knowing that no matter how successful the plan the characters conjured up was, they would be stuck on the island by the time the credits rolled.

However, when Schwartz and his writers crafted their only Christmas episode during the first season, they managed to tone down the cheer with just a touch of heart.

The show’s twelfth episode, “Birds Gotta Fly, Fish Gotta Talk,” begins with the outcasts decorating a bamboo tree for Christmas. Gilligan hopes to be rescued, but they hear on the radio that a US Navy destroyer has spotted a group of people stranded on an island. While waiting for the ship to arrive, the group shares memories of their first day on the island. Since the series’ pilot never aired, this means viewers get a glimpse of at least one character (the Professor) before they are recast (Russell Johnson comes on for Jon Gabrielwhich lacked the gravitas needed to strike the right group dynamic).

The big twist in this episode comes after the characters learn that the Destroyer saved a different group of outcasts. As they are about to prepare for a sad Christmas, the skipper appears dressed as Santa Claus. After cheering up his companions, he went out into the woods to return to his sleigh. But as soon as he leaves, the skipper comes out from the opposite direction. There was no way he would give up his costume and come back so quickly. As the outcasts try to understand what just happened, they hear sleigh bells passing overhead.

Again, “Gilligan’s Island” wasn’t complicated at all, but this was a rare case where the show actually hit an emotional tone that felt real.