Nostalgia

Gilligan's biggest blunders on the island

We love him, but Gilligan might be one of the unluckiest people on the planet!

Jan 9, 2017, 11:41AM By MeTV Staff

Every castaway on Gilligan's Island has a skill at which they excel. There's no denying the Professor has a wealth of knowledge and a way with coconut, while the Millionaire is, well, good at making money.

Gilligan is a sweetheart, but he certainly has a knack for being unlucky. No matter what happens, you can count on his misfortunes unintentionally stirring up trouble for the other castaways. Despite being a nuisance, his troubles make for great entertainment.

Here's a look at Gilligan's biggest blunders on the island. Can you think of any more?

1. He accidentally declares war on other tribes.

In the season one episode "Music Hath Charms," all Gilligan wanted to do was have some fun by making a drum and banging on it. The castaways are delighted and decide to form an orchestra, but natives on another island interpret the drums as a declaration of war. Whoops!

2. Gilligan's "deadly" bug bit causes panic.

In the season two episode "Gilligan Gets Bugged," the castaways are shaken when they find out that a deadly bug has bitten Gilligan and he only has 24 hours to live. Unaware of his fate, Gilligan unwittingly shows symptoms of his demise, to the dismay of the other castaways. But the grief turns into panic when the bug bites everyone else, creating a frenzy.

3. Gilligan unearths a bomb.

What doesn't Gilligan find when he goes fishing? In the season two episode "Mine Hero," Gilligan finds a WWII mine in the lagoon. Once again, panic strikes the island when the castaways hear the explosive ticking. Gilligan decides to take the mine out to sea, only to have it wash ashore and explode.

4. Gilligan almost gets eaten by a lion.

In this classic moment from the season two episode "Feed the Kitty," Gilligan locks himself in the Howell's hut while trying to run away from a lion that's loose on the island. As it turns out, Gilligan doesn't check the hut when he barricades himself, and the lion is waiting for him inside.

5. Gilligan feeds the castaways radioactive vegetables.

One of Gilligan's more unusual finds happens in the season three episode "Pass the Vegetables, Please." While fishing at the lagoon, Gilligan reels in a box of vegetable seeds. It doesn't seem too bizarre until we find out they're radioactive, causing everyone to temporarily have super powers.

6. Gilligan becomes invisible.

This one's not really Gilligan's fault, but it exemplifies how unlucky he is. In the season three episode "Gilligan's Personal Magnetism," Gilligan develops a magnetic attraction after he's struck by lightning. Despite the odds, lightning strikes Gilligan again and he becomes invisible. There's no way around it, Gilligan just can't escape his bad luck.

7. He's basically to blame for the shipwreck.

Well, at least according to the season three episode "Court Martial." The castaways reenact the fateful three-hour tour and figure out Gilligan is actually responsible for the shipwreck, not the Skipper, because he threw the anchor overboard without attaching it to the ship.