Joanna Lee wrote this imaginative episode, behind many classic sitcoms in the 60s, though her claim to fame was playing one of the aliens in Ed Wood's cult classic, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. That story alone is sitcom material.
Gilligan has a twin, but not an ordinary twin -- a Russian spy? One thing about the series, and it may have been influenced by the times, Russians seemed to make the best bad guys and always stepped onto the island to start some sort of trouble. Their thick accents were fun and the Russian version of Gilligan is always shouting orders! Of course, this all gets the real Gilligan in a mess as he now has a kooky twin strutting around the island. The story goes that the agent underwent plastic surgery to spy on the castwaways, begging the question WHY them???
The highlight, as noted by other reviewers, is a classic MARX BROTHERS mirror routine between Gilligan and his double. The only debit is its too short.
Behind the scenes notes indicate Bob Denver, during filming, had a bad case of the flu. You can notice that in some early scenes as he looks a bit tired and worn. In fact, he would wrap himself in blankets between takes and keep active so he would not pass out. In the final scene, Gilligan is resting in his hammock, and I think it was done that way to get him off his feet.
Well directed by old pro Jerry Hopper, who was a WWII hero, awarded the Purple Heart. Hopper did a ton of tv shows, also dramas, such as PERRY MASON and the FUGITIVE. He was the cousin of movie star Glenda Farrell.
Best prop slash invention is the spoon and fork combo transmitter the professor discovers that belonged to the Russian spy.
SEASON 3, EPISODE 2 remastered dvd box set.