UN-MEMORABLE HUMOR
Here are some facts and opinions (mine) about Gilligan’s Island:
It was on for three seasons. A total of 98 episodes were made.
Before the last episode was aired, the show was put into global syndication.
It has been re-run more times than any show in history.
It has been seen in more countries than any show in history.
Yes, even more than I Love Lucy or My Mother the Car.
Gilligan and The Skipper are one of the best comedy teams in history.
Why was it cancelled after only 3 seasons?
For one thing the critics hated it. (Critics are elitists who must always dislike low-brow shows. They must always prove they are better than you, which is the only reason they are critics. Even after the low-brow show is a huge success, they will not admit they are wrong. They will insist you are wrong.)
Network heads, also elitists and probably influenced by the critics, were contemptuous of the show. They changed the time and day of the broadcast every season.
The show never cracked the top 10 in the ratings although it always did well. In its last season it won its time slot.
I was a big fan of the show.
So why did I title this essay UN-MEMORABLE HUMOR?
Because, although I have probably seen every episode multiple times, they are always like new to me. I can never remember a single episode. That can be partly explained by my habit of reading or writing while I’m watching TV. I’ve been ridiculed for reading, playing a video game and watching TV at the same time. But that’s what I do.
The light, friendly, pleasant, humorous tone they achieved on that show is better than almost any background music I can think of. That is not a knock. It is a huge compliment. There is some great background music around.
But it was certainly un-memorable humor.
It was on for three seasons. A total of 98 episodes were made.
Before the last episode was aired, the show was put into global syndication.
It has been re-run more times than any show in history.
It has been seen in more countries than any show in history.
Yes, even more than I Love Lucy or My Mother the Car.
Gilligan and The Skipper are one of the best comedy teams in history.
Why was it cancelled after only 3 seasons?
For one thing the critics hated it. (Critics are elitists who must always dislike low-brow shows. They must always prove they are better than you, which is the only reason they are critics. Even after the low-brow show is a huge success, they will not admit they are wrong. They will insist you are wrong.)
Network heads, also elitists and probably influenced by the critics, were contemptuous of the show. They changed the time and day of the broadcast every season.
The show never cracked the top 10 in the ratings although it always did well. In its last season it won its time slot.
I was a big fan of the show.
So why did I title this essay UN-MEMORABLE HUMOR?
Because, although I have probably seen every episode multiple times, they are always like new to me. I can never remember a single episode. That can be partly explained by my habit of reading or writing while I’m watching TV. I’ve been ridiculed for reading, playing a video game and watching TV at the same time. But that’s what I do.
The light, friendly, pleasant, humorous tone they achieved on that show is better than almost any background music I can think of. That is not a knock. It is a huge compliment. There is some great background music around.
But it was certainly un-memorable humor.
posted by Walter Guest at 6:24 PM
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