All About Eva

All About Eva is the 82nd episode of Gilligan's Island and the fourteenth episode of the third season. It first aired December 12, 1966. It is best known as the episode where Tina Louise plays two characters.

Synopsis
A Plain Jane named Eva Grubb comes to the Island to escape society and live by herself without being bothered. However, Gilligan and Ginger discover her boat and believe they're being rescued. However, the Professor deduces something else is up and everyone searches for Eva on the island. Gilligan discovers her, and Eva runs out to be caught by the Skipper. She surrenders the boat willingly. The Professor later reveals that when they reach civilization, they'll send someone back for Eva because she is distraught and shouldn't be alone. Gilligan, however, accidentally reveals this to Eva, who decides to keep everyone prisoner on the island by hiding the spark plugs to her boat.

Ginger and Mary Ann decide to give Eva a beauty makeover to buoy her spirits, but it results in Eva looking exactly like Ginger. Eva tests this similarity by coming on to Gilligan, and she returns the spark plugs. The Howells decide to throw a party to thank Eva, but Eva overhears Ginger comment that looking like her might not be enough to help her get dates. Eva later knocks Ginger out with a coconut and gags and ties her up. Eva tells Ginger about her evil plan to replace her and leave the island with the castaways, leaving her alone on the island.

Eva tries to fool everyone by pretending to be Ginger at the Howell's party by changing clothes several times. The Professor soon begins to get suspicious, and Eva breaks her glasses while dancing with Gilligan.

The real Ginger returns and reveals Eva's evil plan. Eva is apologizes and asks to be forgiven, but the fact that she fooled everyone leaves her believing she could get away with stealing Ginger's career. She secretly leaves with the boat and leaves behind a note to the stunned Castaways, signing it "The New Ginger Grant."

Ginger is devastated, and when Gilligan mentions having some grub, Ginger said: "Don't you ever mention that girl's name again!"

Message

 * "Sometimes the reward you get for giving someone a pat on the back is a kick in the pants."

Highlights

 * Eva racing back and fourth as herself and Ginger

Credits
Main Cast
 * Bob Denver as Gilligan
 * Alan Hale Jr. as The Skipper
 * Jim Backus as Mr. Howell
 * Natalie Schafer as Mrs. Howell
 * Tina Louise as Ginger
 * Dawn Wells as Mary Ann
 * Russell Johnson as The Professor

Guest Cast
 * Tina Louise as Eva Grubb

Trivia

 * The title of this episode is an homage to the Academy Award-winning 1950 movie "All About Eve" which starred Bette Davis, Anne Baxter and a young Marilyn Monroe.
 * Tina Louise gets an extra opening credit for playing Eva Grubb.
 * Gilligan mentions that they've been on the island for "years, months and days," suggesting the castaways have been on the island longer than the broadcast history of the series, but he could have just been exaggerating.
 * It is unclear in this episode if Eva legitimately resembled Ginger or just ended up looking like her after her makeover.
 * The Professor could have used psychology to let Eva know how hard it would be for her to live alone by herself on the island.
 * Gilligan and the Skipper should have just left in Eva's boat for help and left the others to talk Eva into going back with them.
 * Even if the Castaways had left Eva on the island, ownership of the boat would have been traced back to her by the authorities.
 * Mrs. Howell claims she doesn't know French, but she claims she knows it in Quick Before It Sinks.
 * Eva could have saved a lot of running by claiming as Ginger that "Eva was off exploring the other side of the island."
 * It's unrevealed as to how Eva got the keys for her boat back from the Skipper.
 * Considering how bad her eyesight was, it is debatable that Eva even made it home without her glasses.
 * The identity of the actress playing Tina Louise's body double is unrevealed.
 * It's unlikely Eva could have pulled off impersonating Ginger as her vision, hand-writing and Ginger's sister (mentioned in Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow) would have exposed her.
 * Considering all the other visitors to the island, why the Skipper or Professor didn't tamper with the boat to keep Eva from leaving without them is unrevealed.
 * This is the last of the three episodes featuring the Castaways meeting their "doubles," unless one includes Santa Claus as the Skipper's double in Birds Gotta Fly, Fish Gotta Talk.
 * This is one of the few episodes where the tag scene is left intact in syndication.

Quotes
Mrs. Howell - "Anyone who says money doesn't buy happiness doesn't know where to shop."
 * Professor - "Well, I'm sorry folks, but money doesn't buy happiness!"

Gilligan - "I'd go down to the draft board and get reclassified."
 * Ginger - "Well, Gilligan, what would you do if you looked like Eva?"

Skipper - "She can really turn it on, huh?" Gilligan - "I could barely turn her off!"
 * Gilligan - "Everybody, you should see Eva. Wow, what a change in her!"