This is true, for reasons that have been mentioned (e.g. things that stick in the mind, like the theme song). See especially NDP’s post:
My exposure to Gilligan’s Island as a kid growing up in the 70s was watching the syndicated reruns after school (plus I seem to recall a Saturday morning cartoon version). My exposure to Gunsmoke is practically nil up until I discovered and started listening to the old radio show a few years ago; I still haven’t seen any episodes the TV version. So if my experience is at all typical, I’d expect people of my generation to be far more familiar with Gilligan’s Island, irrespective of the relative quality or “relevance” of the two shows.
As has been said previously, when someone says “Ginger or Maryanne”, everyone knows what that means. My kids are watching the show now…50 years later and I was watching it with them.
When I was kid, I thought Mary anne, but now that I’m older…I have to say Ginger. She’s nice and tall and leggy.
Gunsmoke by a large margin, and it was a show I rarely watched.
Gunsmoke invented the adult TV western, and was the first to tackle adult characters and themes. (This carries over from the radio show, which holds up quite well even today.) It started the boom in TV westerns and outlived it by several years, simply because it continued to feature well-rounded characters and situations. I think it would still be relevant today.
I watched Gilligan a lot, and it’s nothing but dumb comdy. I didn’t think it was particularly good even when it was on (my brothers liked it so I had to sit through it). Much as I like Bob Denver, it’s at best nostalgie de la boue.
I voted “Gunsmoke” because it fits the traditional definition of “relevant” which meant dealing with social issues and adult emotions. Of course the shows of that era that tried to keep up to date with society dated far far more than silly shows like “Gilligan”. Ever watch an episode of the “Mod Squad” lately?
I nevre heard the radio version, but I understand they were a little more honest about Miss Kitty’s profession and her relationship with Marshall Dillon than the TV version.
Old joke:
Chester: Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon! You better get yore ass down tuh th’ Long Branch!
Dillon: Whereinhell do you think I been gettin’ it?
The first season or so of radio Gunsmoke was very, very dark and bleak. The endings weren’t always, or even often, happy. It was some pretty edgey stuff for the time and holds up well. Later seasons were lighter in tone. There were even comedy episodes. TV Gunsmoke resembles this era of the radio show. Still some great storytelling on radio and TV both.
Gilligan’s Island didn’t vary much. Almost every episode was a variation on the Gilligan fucks up another rescue theme. A handful of episodes, like the musical version of Hamlet, stand out in memory for being clever and really funny. Most were just formulaic and kind of dumb.
I don’t know if either is really relevant, but Gunsmoke is still entertaining. Gilligan’s Island, not so much.
True, but she’s too full of herself- she knows she’s a bombshell, which imho makes her come-on’s too whorish. If she either played it a little smarter (like Loni Anderson on WKRP), or was dumb-bunny enough to be un-selfconscious about her looks, I’d rate her higher.
Anyway, I voted for Gilligan’s Island simply because I’m more familiar with it, but in fairness I have to admit I’d have to have watched more Gunsmoke to judge it fairly.
on radio the saloon and bar girls more upfront about what they did. Marshall Dillon was also a mean son of a bitch at times. violence, and not just a clean shooting, was much more common.
radio had this focused as an adult western. with the fewer tv stations and visual presentation all tv cleaned up compared to the radio, prime time shows got viewed by families…
Partly, I just have a higher level of exposure to it. If I was home sick in the 80’s and 90’s, I could count on finding Gilligan somewhere. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every episode at one time or another. It’s a little silly for my tastes overall, but it’s still genuinely funny and it seems like people of all ages can enjoy it.
Gunsmoke, on the other hand was not running regularly like Gilligan. I’ve only seen a couple of episodes and didn’t really care for it. Of course, I’m not a fan of Westerns in general, but the fact that Gilligan was getting more airplay 30 years after its run tells me that I’m not alone in my assessment here.
Zombie or no, I add my vote to the Gunsmoke column. Saturday nights I went to read after Have Gun Will Travel was over before Gunsmoke came on, but the ones I saw were much better than Gilligan’s Island which I did watch. I’m not too fond of "will they escape/get off the island/return to the present/ type shows. I suspect I’d get a lot more out of Gunsmoke if I watched some as an adult. I did rewatch all of Have Gun Will Travel and was quite impressed.