| "Slave Girl" | |
|---|---|
| Season 3, Episode 26 | |
| |
| Gilligan rescues a Native girl in the lagoon who offers to be his slave with results in dire consequences. | |
| Basic Info | |
| Air Date: | March 20, 1967 |
| Written By: | Michael Fessier |
| Directed By: | Wilbur D'Arcy |
| Guest Cast: | Michael Forest and Midori |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous | Next |
| The Secret of Gilligan's Island | It's a Bird, It's a Plane |
Slave Girl is the 94th episode of Gilligan's Island and the 26th episode of the third season. It first aired on March 20, 1967.
Synopsis[]
When Gilligan saves a native woman named Kilani from drowning in the Lagoon, she vows to be his slave for life, a tradition in her tribe. When Gilligan tries to do his chores himself, she comes and does them for him. Despite the fact Gilligan feels guilty over having her as a slave, the Girls and the Howells are intrigued. Mr. Howell wants the slave girl, but in order for him to claim her, Gilligan would have to be dead. He soon realizes he has to fence Gilligan for her hand, faking his death before Kilani as three more natives come looking for her. The Professor translates that they are present to take back Kilani, and Ugundi, Kilani's suitor, will fight Mr. Howell to claim her. However, since Gilligan is still alive, she still belongs to him. The Skipper and the Professor once more try to fake Gilligan's death with curare, a native suppressant from the local plants, but the Howells briefly misunderstand their intentions and try saving him. By the time they realize what's going on, Gilligan is administered a safe amount of the curare to simulate a coma. The returning natives become convinced that Gilligan is dead, but decide to cremate his remains as per their customs. This leaves Ginger to stall for time with a dance until Gilligan can awaken, but the natives grow restless and stop the delay. As they start the cremation, Gillian awakens atop the blaze, which surprises the Natives. The Professor encourages Gilligan to exploit their superstitions by pretending to be a fire-god. This act terrifies the Natives into fleeing the island despite the fact that Gilligan's godly screaming are actually caused by the seat of his pants caught on fire.
Message[]
- "Slavery anywhere has always caused problems."
Highlights[]
- Ginger, Mary-Ann and the Howells trying to hire Kilani to do their work.
- Kilani doing Gilligan's work and his remorse over it
- The Howell's mistaken belief that the Skipper and the Professor are plotting to kill Gilligan.
- Mr. Howell punching Gilligan out twice.
- Gilligan running away from Mary-Ann when she calls him "master".
- Ginger dancing
- Gilligan pretending to be dead.
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
- Midori as Kilani
- Michael Forest as Ugundi
- Mike Reece as Native Warrior #1
- Bill Hart as Native Warrior #2
Trivia[]
- Gilligan must have learned to swim since How to Be a Hero when he tried to rescue Mary Ann.
- By time the Skipper reaches the lagoon, both Gilligan and Kalani are dry from the lagoon.
- Ginger calls herself an "international film star" to Kalani, but in Angel on the Island, she confesses to just being a struggling actress still trying to make her mark.
- The shot of the Supply Hut shows crates of fruits and vegetables.
- When Mr. Howell "wins" Kalani from Gilligan, he exclaims "How sweet it is," which is a catchphrase of comedian Jackie Gleason.
- Mr. Howell claims he was captain of the boxing team at Vassar, but in other episodes, he said he attended Harvard. Vassar was an all-women's school until 1969, four years after he ended up on the island.
- This episode makes a bit more effort in creating a native language than previous episodes. When the Professor first meets Kalani, their conversation suggests "ohopo" means "husband" while Ugundi's return suggests "owowa" is Matoba for "greetings" or "hello."
- Since the Professor went through the trouble of inventing Bamboo Hypodermic Needles in Allergy Time, the presence of a plastic needle on the island is unexplained.
- Ugundi and his companions seem to create the funeral pyre remarkably quick.
- In The Kidnapper, the Professor's calendar watch (described in Man With a Net) is stolen by Norbert Wiley, but the Howells may have had another because he's wearing another one in this episode. Chronologically, the episodes could have happened in reverse order.
- This is the second time Ginger dances outside, she previously did this in Voodoo.
Quotes[]
- (The Professor is explaining to Ugundi that Mr. Howell is too easy to kill in Matoba.)
Mr. Howell - "What'd he say?"
Professor - "Good."
- Kilani - "Gilligan is master. He is good to Kalani."
Gilligan - (disdainly) "Thank you very much....."
- Mr. Howell - "Lovey, I struck another man!"
Mrs. Howell - "Oh, Thurston! Isn't it wonderful! You knocked him out!"
Mr. Howell - "But I bruised my little pinkie!"
- Mr. Howell - "Here they come... What am I going to do?"
Mrs. Howell - "Oh, you knocked out Gilligan; you can certainly take care of them."
- Mr. Howell - "How long before Gilligan revives?"
Professor - "About twenty-five minutes."
Mr. Howell - "I hope Ginger has a lot of veils..."
- Gilligan - "What's going on here?" (The Matoba natives turn around at Gilligan having woken up from the fire.) "You're having a barbecue, and you didn't invite me?" (Flames rise up between Gilligan's legs.) "Because I'm the barbecue!"
