User Reviews

While trying to enjoy his freshly picked banana, Gilligan runs into a Jungle Boy (Kurt Russell). Gilligan tries to tell the other castaways to no avail until they see the boy for themselves. In addition to discovering the boy, they also discover a natural deposit of helium and construct a balloon out of raincoats to float to civilization.

Will our castaways get rescued this time? Well...since it's only the first season of the show...

This is one of the most recognizable episodes of the series, in large part due to Kurt Russell who went on to enjoy a career far more prominent than the seven castaways he left behind. Kurt's performance is natural and takes advantage of his athleticism, even though the tougher stunts were clearly done by an adult.

Highlights include Gilligan and the Jungle Boy swinging on the vines, Mr. Howell "turning on the charm" to entice the Jungle Boy to come over, the ladies of Gilligan's Island trying to teach the boy to speak and manners, and Gilligan floating inside and outside the balloon.

Overall, this is still a very entertaining episode that features a young actor on his way up. In a way, it's actually kinda neat that there is absolutely no explanation given about how the boy got there, which makes the episode even more interesting. Featuring some funny scenes, this is one of the better episodes of the season.

• The stock footage of the island used at the beginning of the episode as the writer/director credits are running is somewhat different than what we've seen before and appears to be from Hawaii. I would think if Gilligan's Island had that kind of mountainous land, a ship or plane would have spotted it easy... :)

• Funny that the Professor should sound so confident about there being no one else on the island considering how long it took them to discover Wrongway Feldman.

• The tree that Gilligan found the Jungle Boy in sure looks like the same tree that the Japanese sailor used in "So Sorry, My Island Now".

• A rather obvious question is where did the boy get his loincloth...but I suppose for network TV he had to wear something. Of course, it's interesting that they found clothes that fit him well, also.

• They certainly get a lot out of the bicycle power system which runs a fan, washing machine and sewing machine.

• Admittedly, this may sound a little crude, but if Mary Ann's shorts were any shorter, you could prep her for surgery. :)

• When Gilligan hops back to the huts, the Skipper says, "Alright Frank Buck, stand up straight." Frank Buck was a famous hunter, writer, producer and even starred in many of his hunting-oriented films.

• In the scenes where the Skipper, Mr. Howell and the Professor are shown the helium by Gilligan and when the balloon is first revealed, it's pretty clear that they used the earlier footage of the Jungle Boy and cut that into the scene. That's probably because Kurt was 13 or so, meaning he could only work a limited time.

• So, the seams of the balloon are made airtight thanks to a glue made from tree sap...gee, how did that work out for them before in "Goodbye Island" when they used it on the Minnow?

• It seems rather weird that the castaways would even be discussing sending the Jungle Boy up in the balloon in the first place. Putting aside his age for the moment, he can't speak any English other than, "Boy Boy, Girl Girl, No No".

Once again, our favorite island yields another surprise castaway. This time it is a little boy in a loincloth that Gilligan discovers in the jungle. (Gilligan's discovery abilities should rank him up there with Columbus and Magellan). Though the episode does have its silly rough spots, our guest child star does just enough to push it past average.

The jungle boy directs our lead to a pocket of helium in a base of rock. Gilligan reports his findings to the others, but they are typically dubious of his story. The boy soon pops up, though, and the rest of the first act features the castaways attempting to integrate him into their island society.

His integration scenes are the most fun in the episode, certainly more entertaining and less goofy than the padded ones of Gilligan floating around. The Howells try to teach him proper manners and the girls work on his wardrobe. His limited vocabulary proves to be a sticking point, however, as he's only able to repeat a few words and doesn't know what they mean.

The Professor, in the meantime, has examined the helium pocket and concluded he can use it to get off the island. The castaways will build a balloon made out of raincoats, use the pocket to lift off from, and float their way back to civilization.

The second act is less enjoyable, weighed down by too much bickering and not enough guest star. The question of leadership returns as the men argue over who is best suited to make the journey. It's settled that the Skipper will go up and away, but the big guy has too much ballast to get off the ground. The Professor calculates that only a ninety-pound weakling can make the trip.

His calculation opens to door to the jungle boy to lift off. It also opens the door to more needless arguing over whether he should lift off. Our lead is the only one clever enough to think outside the box and put a note in the balloon in place of the boy. Of course, the castaways being the castaways, not only does the note writing turn into a group effort, but they leave the balloon unattended as well, so the spunky jungle boy takes off into the wild blue yonder with his three words of English.

In other words, it's Escape From Gilligan's Island.

COCONOTES

Young Kurt Russell may be in a limited number of scenes, but, with his charisma and screen presence, he steals every one of them. His scream when he sees himself in the mirror is priceless.

Too bad Mary Ann's ability to attract the Jungle Boy doesn't extend to any of the bachelors on the island.

Major blooper: The Minnow can be seen once again in a quick establishing shot, eleven episodes after it was disintegrated in Goodbye, Island.

Major blooper: The twin wires suspending Gilligan are visible in his cringe worthy floating scenes.

It's certainly convenient that the Howells happened to bring along a pint-sized jacket. Or did they sew him one?

This episode is a real gas, and we're not even sure if it's helium or hydrogen. It's not the debut of Veteran actor Kurt Russell (he had already worked with Elvis in a movie and appeared on other TV series), but it is probably the earliest appearance that most people remember of his. He is an absolute charmer as a jungle boy that Gilligan be friends and plays with before bringing him home to meet the others.

The jungle boy has a secret that he shows to Gilligan, a giant mound that when capped hides various gases is that the professor is certain they can use to make a balloon and get off the island. Barely saying a word, Russell is obviously a star in the making, and his smile and enthusiasm is radiant. Of course, the Skipper and Mr. Howell frightened him but it is Marianne who charms him enough to make him adapt to the other humans around him.

It's ironic that Wrongway Feldman hadn't discovered him first since they were obviously on the island at the same time, but knowing Wrongway, he had obviously forgotten that the boy existed. Of course things don't go exactly as planned with the gases, but for some reason, everybody forgets it's there and it's never brought up again. Gilligan gets to float around when he gets too much of the gas in his system which leads to some very funny visuals. This indeed ends up being one of the most iconic episodes of the series and pleasing to adults and children for many reasons, especially those of us who followed Russell from this to Disney movies to adult stardom.