Two Russian cosmonauts accidently land on the island in their space capsule.

They tell the castaways a Russian submarine is coming for them. This makes everyone believe they have a good chance of being rescued.

The Professor thinks the Russians may have landed there on purpose and plan to use the island as a spy base. They attempt to get the Russians drunk on vodka and use their communication equipment to get a message back to the U.S but things don’t go according to plan.

The next morning the castaways awaken to find the cosmonauts gone, the rescue submarine to pick them up having arrived ‘early’ due to Gilligan setting his watch to the wrong time.

The castaways hear on the radio that Howell Industries has collapsed and its assets have been sold to cover debt.

Coming to terms with the fact he is no longer a wealthy man, Mr Howell tries to develop some survival skills on the island but soon realizes he is sadly lacking.

The others try to teach Mr and Mrs Howell basic life skills but things don’t go well. Mr Howell becomes depressed and he and ‘Lovey’ leave a suicide note before deciding to run away.

While poised on the edge of a clifftop, they hear on the radio that it was in fact POWELL INDUSTRIES, not HOWELL INDUSTRIES, that collapsed.

Gilligan discovers the wreck of a sunken ship in the lagoon. He salvages a collection of items from the wreck, including an old trunk that contains movie props and a film camera.

The castaways decide to make a silent movie about being stranded on the island, in the hope that someone will see it and rescue them. When the movie is completed, they package it in a waterproof container then float it out to sea on a raft.

A few weeks later they hear on the radio their movie has won 1st prize at the Cannes Film Festival and that the judges are waiting for the movie’s director to come forward and claim their prize (which obviously they are unable to do).

Based on the rising water level recorded by a measuring stick in the lagoon, the Professor warns the island is sinking. He estimates it will be five days before they are all completely under water.

The men decide not to panic the woman with the bad news but instead start secretly building at night more huts on higher ground on the other side of the island.

Eventually the men believe the time is right to tell the women the truth. Gilligan is elected the person to break the bad news to Ginger but she misunderstands and instead thinks they are ‘getting off the island’.

Eventually the truth comes to light. The island is not sinking. Gilligan has been using the Professor’s measuring stick to help him catch crabs in the lagoon and placing the stick in gradually deeper water each day.

Gilligan hears on the radio he has the winning ticket in the $1 million (1960’s value) Argentinian Sweepstakes.

The Howells invite Gilligan to join their Island Millionaires club. At the same time they try to develop an interest in the finer things in life in him. Gilligan confesses he finds his new life boring. Mr Howell tells Gilligan he has yet to develop the knack for being ‘idly rich’.

With the cost of entry to Mr Howell’s exclusive Millionaires Club priced at $50 000, Gilligan writes I.O.U’s for that amount to everyone else on the island. When the Howell’s find out their club is now much less ‘exclusive’, they demand to see Gilligan’s winning lottery ticket.

After a long search the ticket is eventually found. Later they hear on the radio the ticket is no longer valid as the sweepstakes have been declared bogus. Mr Howell decides to let everyone stay in the Island Millionaires club anyway.

A space satellite launched from Cape Kennedy and headed for Mars veers off course and lands on the island.

When images of palm trees and primitive huts are beamed back to the U.S, scientists believe they have found evidence for life on Mars. The castaways organize signs to indicate they need rescuing; however, they then notice the camera lens on the satellite has fallen off and is missing.

By the time they have found the lens and reattached it, due to a separate misadventure, they have all become covered in colorful duck feathers.

Resembling strange and fearsome-looking Mars creatures, the Cape Kennedy team conclude they are an alien hostile species best left alone.

Dressed in military uniform, ousted Republic of Eurico President Rodriquez is thrown ashore by two accompanying soldiers who promptly depart in a boat.

Rodriquez wastes little time taking control of the island and all its inhabitants by gunpoint. One of his first orders of business is to instill Gilligan as his puppet leader of the island.

Later, the soldiers in the boat return to collect Rodriquez, announcing he has been returned to power in his country. The colorful dictator departs, promising to send back a ship to collect the stranded castaways.

Listening a few days later to the radio, they learn Rodriquez has once again been ousted from office, bringing another cruel end to their hopes of rescue.

Ginger hears on the island radio news that the winner of the MISS GLOBE BEAUTY PAGEANT is a person she once knew. This triggers debate amongst the men about who is the most beautiful woman on the island.

In order to settle the debate, they decide to stage an island beauty contest. During the talent section, the Skipper – who is supporting Ginger, the Professor – who is supporting Mary Anne and Mr Howell who is cheering on his wife – each try to sabotage the other contestants when it is their turn to take to the stage.

Gilligan, who has been appointed the judge, eventually declares the ‘4th candidate’ (an ape) the winner, pointing out she is the correct choice, being the only female actually born on the island.

A native chief and his wife and daughter arrive on the island by boat. They are looking for a suitable groom to marry their daughter and choose Gilligan.

Gilligan is reluctant but is convinced by the Skipper that it may lead to a chance to get off the island and eventually be rescued.

By tribal custom, Gilligan is first required to pass a series of physical challenges known as THE MARRIAGE TEST.

In a twist, a fearsome-looking warrior named Harooki then also arrives on the island and wishes to challenge Gilligan for the right to marry the chief’s daughter.

Against all odds Gilligan somehow wins the contest but the chief’s daughter ends up picking Harooki as her groom anyway.

In 2026 Gilligan returns!

Which Gilligan? There was only ever one.

Stay tuned for the launch of GILLIGAN’S ISLAND: THE COLOR YEARS.