So I was watching an episode of Truth behind the Sitcom Scandals about Gilligan’s Island and it said that the show got good ratings even though it was hated by critics, and that the real reason it didn’t get a fourth season was because the president of CBS’ wife loved Gunsmoke. There wasn’t room on the fall schedule for both so GI got the axe. When I heard that I immediately thought that GI has wound up remaining much more relevant some 50 years after it premiered (1963). But then I remembered that I don’t like westerns and not only never watched reruns of Gunsmoke but that I wasn’t even aware of them existing (although I know that they did). And obviously Gunsmoke was huge in its day (ran for like 25 years or something).
So my question is which of the two do you think has remained more relevant over time? *Gunsmoke *ran almost ten times longer but it was still just kind of a generic western. Gilligan’s Island only ran for three seasons but it was one of those ‘high-concept’ 60s shows (like *I Dream of Jeanie *or The Munsters) so it stands out more in your memory. I also think it was more popular in reruns with us Gen-X’ers for this reason (and because it was more ‘kid friendly’). In terms of pop culture today which do you think ranks higher? Which do people recognize more? I still think its GI.
Gilligan’s Island is about the eternal struggles of civilization.
Yes, it would be easier to beat Gilligan to death, roast him and eat him.
No, you can’t do that, as much as it would simplify things. Ongoing relevance.
I voted for*** Gunsmoke***, but honestly, I haven’t watched an episode of either show in well over 20 years. I don’t think either of them is iconic in any way.
Gilligan, all the way. It is an existential microcosm of the human struggle, encapsulating all our archetypes and foibles.
ETA: two of the most politically incorrect words nowadays? “Gun” and “Smoke.” I’m surprised the show hasn’t been banned!
If I made a reference to Miss Kitty today, everybody would assume it was a Muppet Show reference. If I said something about Ginger, the Professor or Maryanne, everybody would get it.
Samantha was the hottest TV wife/mother ever to grace the small screen bar none. Derwood was an asshole just like Endora said. Let’s just say I wouldn’t have handled the revelation that my extremely hot wife was also a witch that could make anything happen the same way he did.
Gilligan’s Island was a much better show than Gunsmoke and infinitely more memorable. I have no idea why Gunsmoke ran for so long. I remember it coming on late night when I was a kid in the 70’s and I never got why anyone would watch that crap. I don’t think I ever made it through a single episode without falling asleep. If I wanted to see a TV Western, The Rifleman was my go-to choice. None of them beat the Andy Griffith show for old-school TV though.
It’s a little more complicated than that. *Gunsmoke *had been canceled and CBS had already locked down most of its (1969?) schedule. When *Gunsmoke *was given a last-minute (almost day-after) reprieve, they were short a half hour in schedule… and so Gilligan was axed without warning and without any better reason. It certainly wasn’t ratings.
I’ve heard it was James Arness who didn’t want to continue and was talked into it, perhaps by his bank account, at the last minute.
Gunsmoke was not “a generic western.” It was one of TV’s first “adult” westerns and in terms of content was a major groundbreaker during the 1950s as this recent article from the AV Club points out. In fact, it was with that article in mind that I cast my vote for Gunsmoke even though Gilligan’s Island, in terms of pop culture recognition, is exponentially more relevant today. This has a lot to do with their respective fates as syndicated reruns. By their nature, 30-minute sitcoms like Gilligan’s Island do much better in reruns than 60-minute dramas like Gunsmoke (which, while starting as a 30-minute show, was an hour long during most of its 20 year run). Also, Gilligan’s Island, with its simple plots and silly humor, was a kid-friendly show that TV stations could easily slip into the mid-afternoon schedule along with the cartoons. You couldn’t do that with an hour-long “adult” western like Gunsmoke.
A s a kid, GI of course stands out (as did My Favorite Martian.) There were too many westerns at that time and people in my part of the world focused mainly on Wyatt Earp and The Rifleman.
I’m not sure if anyone else mentioned upthread that Dawn Wells was notably above average in the looks department. In the true beauty department, Mary Ann Summers wins by a landslide.
Oh, wait…
We were discussing the relative merits of Gunsmoke and Gilligan’s Island.
From my perspective as a young man of the time?
May I direct your attention to my first paragraph?
Which is more relevant? It’s hard for me to say. I didn’t watch Gunsmoke when I was a kid. I guess it was a little too adult for my tastes. On the other hand, I loved Gilligan’s Island. I always watched to see how Gilligan would screw up the rescue this week. And I knew Jim Backus as Mr. Magoo.
As for reruns, Gunsmoke is on daily on more than one channel. I watch it four or five times a week on MeTV. Gilligan’s Island has rarely been seen in recent years. MeTV has just begun to show it again last week.
I’d say it’s a tossup. Most people have heard of Marshall Dillon and heard the expression “Get out of Dodge.” And most people recognize Gilligan’s theme (No phone, no lights, no motorcars.). And most guys have a preference between Ginger and Mary Ann, although I’d pick Bailey Quarters over either of them. I guess my tastes have changed since I was a kid. To me, Gilligan is just a way to pass 30 minutes without really engaging my brain, wheras I’m more likely to get involved in a good Gunsmoke episode.