#52. Gilligan's Island (1966) "The Producer."

Episode 52 – Phil Silvers Takes the Island: Hecuba and Hamlet on Gilligan’s Island

We’re marshalling right along to number 56 with a back-to-back Phil Silvers double feature! This week, Silvers swaps out his stripes from The Phil Silvers Show to guest star as egotistical Hollywood producer Harold Hecuba on Gilligan’s Island.

After Hecuba’s plane crash-lands on the most conveniently hard-to-find island in the Pacific, he’s not exactly impressed. Not with the survivors (a tour group straight out of central casting), not with their luxurious-for-a-three-hour-cruise wardrobes, and definitely not with the acting chops of the island’s resident movie star. The solution? The castaways stage a musical version of Hamlet, because… obviously.

Take a fun detour back to 1966 when TV didn’t have to be prestige to be perfect. Nobody tuned in to Gilligan’s Island for gravitas—we tuned in because it was pure, campy joy. So hit play and join our hosts as they break down why this episode made the cut for TV Guide’s 100 Greatest and whether they think it deserves the honor.

And hey—while you're reliving the coconut-fueled chaos, don’t forget to leave us five stars and a review. It helps more than a bamboo transmitter!

Visit raisedontelevision.com to learn more about the legendary Sherwood Schwartz, the mastermind behind the mayhem!

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