# Help me ID Gilligan's Island episode (everybody tells their version of the same story) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443 "2016-08-29T23:41:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/1 "2016-08-29T23:41:59Z")
In school today a 4th grade teacher was talking about Point Of View. It reminded of one of my favorite episodes of Gilligan’s Island (and several other shows that have this same plot): Something happened, and everybody tells their version. The current teller of the story acts brave and debonair while everyone else acts stupid and selfish. Then someone else tells what happened and it’s completely different (because the narrator is over-the-top awesome and everyone else acts like complete doofuses). So I’m trying to find this episode… The good news is that there are only 3 seasons to go through. The bad news is that there are ~30+ episodes per season. The good news is that [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Gilligan%27s_Island_episodes) has a list of all episodes. The bad news is that I don’t remember enough of the details for that list to do me much good. I do recall that the episode was mostly set off the island, like in a real-world location. 'm pretty sure it was in color and think it had to do with some cloak-and-dagger, James Bond, jewel thievery type stuff, but this is my ~30 year old memory of a half-century show. My memory can’t be counted on. I would appreciate any help, including episodes of other shows that had the same plot (different characters telling vastly differently versions of the same events.) TIA ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/2 "2016-08-29T23:48:52Z")
Without working my way through the whole list, I seem to recall an episode where they flashback to how they all got on the boat. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/3 "2016-08-29T23:50:33Z")
I think you’re referring to the one where they’re trying to figure out which of them is a murderer. They eventually reenact the crime and find out it was an accident (a spear gun went off when a door was slammed), which was confirmed by a radio broadcast at the end. So none of them were guilty, even though they all knew and hated the victim. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/4 "2016-08-29T23:52:19Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Without working my way through the whole list, I seem to recall an episode where they flashback to how they all got on the boat. Wasn’t that the Christmas episode in the first season? They used a lot of footage from the unaired pilot. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/5 "2016-08-29T23:54:35Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I think you’re referring to the one where they’re trying to figure out which of them is a murderer. They eventually reenact the crime and find out it was an accident (a spear gun went off when a door was slammed), which was confirmed by a radio broadcast at the end. So none of them were guilty, even though they all knew and hated the victim. Season 2, Episode 52 “Not Guilty” The episode I was initially thinking of was Season 3, Episode 85 “Court Martial”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/6 "2016-08-30T00:01:04Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > some cloak-and-dagger, James Bond, jewel thievery type stuff, but this is my ~30 year old memory of a half-century show. My memory can’t be counted on. DIOGENES, WON’T YOU PLEASE GO HOME threw in a whole angle about a fabulous jewel – is it a diamond? A ruby? An emerald? – before they got down to the serious business of dueling retellings complete with self-serving bravery. > [@](#): > > I would appreciate any help, including episodes of other shows that had the same plot (different characters telling vastly differently versions of the same events) Try “Rashomon Style” on TVTropes. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/7 "2016-08-30T00:02:04Z")
The Rashomon episode was Season 1 "[Diogenes, Won’t You Please Go Home](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0588071/)? ". Inn it everyone tells their own version of the Japanese soldier on the island. There was a James Bond one, but that was a dream (Gilligan was 014 - twice as good as 007). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/8 "2016-08-30T00:03:38Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I think you’re referring to the one where they’re trying to figure out which of them is a murderer. They eventually reenact the crime and find out it was an accident (a spear gun went off when a door was slammed), which was confirmed by a radio broadcast at the end. So none of them were guilty, even though they all knew and hated the victim. > [@silenus](#): > > Season 2, Episode 52 “Not Guilty” There’s also S1E31 “Diogenes, Won’t You Please Go Home?” > [@](#): > > Gilligan is keeping a diary, and everyone wants to know what he has to say. When he refuses everyone writes their own diary. Everyone remembers the day the Japanese sailor came differently. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/9 "2016-08-30T00:04:20Z")
So I searched TVTropes for this and found out that there is a term for this: [Rashomon](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RashomonStyle) > [@](#): > > Gilligan’s Island had the characters writing memoirs of their lives on the island. There were flashbacks to previous episodes, retold as self-serving memories. I’ll see if I can find S2E52 on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/10 "2016-08-30T00:11:00Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > So I searched TVTropes for this and found out that there is a term for this: [Rashomon](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RashomonStyle) > > > [@](#): > > > > Gilligan’s Island had the characters writing memoirs of their lives on the island. There were flashbacks to previous episodes, retold as self-serving memories. That’s got to be S1E31 they’re referring to. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/11 "2016-08-30T00:22:10Z")
That’s not how I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/12 "2016-08-30T00:29:22Z")
Oh, right, it’s the episode with the Rio dream sequence. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/13 "2016-08-30T00:44:43Z")
A lot of sitcoms use the Rashomon device. I remember it being used on All in the Family, Maude, M_A_S\*H, Everybody Loves Raymond. I can probably pick out some others if I think for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/14 "2016-08-30T01:00:28Z")
I have every episode on my server 😃 S1E31 was the diary/re-telling of the Japanese sailor, but we’ve already figured that out. S2 only has 32 episodes, so no S2E52 The 014 Spy episode was S3E11, a locked briefcase with handcuffs attached washes up, top secrets ensue. I can quick scan them all. If it’s color, that rules out S1. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/15 "2016-08-30T01:03:24Z")
Even the Simpsons: Marge: But you _loved_ Rashomon! Homer: That’s not the way I remember it! ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/16 "2016-08-30T01:12:18Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > A lot of sitcoms use the Rashomon device. I remember it being used on All in the Family, Maude, M_A_S\*H, Everybody Loves Raymond. I can probably pick out some others if I think for awhile. Leverage did one also. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/17 "2016-08-30T01:24:03Z")
I watched “Not Guilty” and that wasn’t it. Can’t find “Diogenes, Won’t You Please Go Home?” on YouTube for free. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/18 "2016-08-30T01:28:56Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > I have every episode on my server 😃 > > S1E31 was the diary/re-telling of the Japanese sailor, but we’ve already figured that out. > > S2 only has 32 episodes, so no S2E52 > > The 014 Spy episode was S3E11, a locked briefcase with handcuffs attached washes up, top secrets ensue. > > I can quick scan them all. If it’s color, that rules out S1. S1 E52 “Not Guilty” is AKA S1 E16 (it’s the 52nd total episode.) It’s not the one I was thinking of, because it’s all set on the island, and their versions of what happened are not embellished like the episode I’m thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/19 "2016-08-30T01:35:27Z")
Dick van Dyke did a Roshomon episode. It was a fight with Laura and Rob, and Rob and Laura and the goldfish had different versions. > **["The Dick Van Dyke Show" The Night the Roof Fell In (TV Episode 1962) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0559836/)** > > The Night the Roof Fell In: Directed by Hal Cooper. With Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Larry Mathews. Having each had a rough day, Laura and Rob argue, but only their goldfish can report the truth as Laura and Rob later tell colorful,... ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443/20 "2016-08-30T01:43:43Z")
The X-Files had one of my favorite Rashomon episodes ever. It involved vampires and Luke Wilson… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-gilligans-island-episode-everybody-tells-their-version-of-the-same-story/764443.md?page=2)