"Voodoo" is an entry acclaimed for its memorable eye popping hula courtesy sexy Tina Louise, and the second appearance from Eddie Little Sky, first seen in "Gilligan's Mother-in-Law," a last time only five episodes later in "Topsy-Turvy." The Skipper is convinced that the artifacts discovered in a cave by Gilligan are tainted by voodoo, explaining that a witch doctor would need to steal a personal item belonging to the victim in order to enchant the intended into a mindless zombie. The witch doctor makes voodoo dolls of all seven castaways and begins to cast his spells by making Gilligan spin against his will, then everyone suffering a hot foot. The Professor naturally scoffs at the notion of voodoo, but his lost pen knife enables the witch doctor to transform him into a zombie, which meets with Mr. Howell's approval, as he describes a zombie to his wife: "you take five jiggers of rum and then some cooling ice!" Ginger remembers seeing such wide staring eyes before: "I was entertaining a bunch of GIs in an army camp!" When she tries to free him by recreating her hula from NATIVE DANCERS FROM BALI-BALI all eyes are glued to her sinuous form, only to succeed in doing THE RAIN DANCERS FROM RANGO-RANGO, a downpour soaking the unmoving zombie (at one point bongo drummer Gilligan nearly loses his place watching her shimmy and shake). Gilligan breaks the spell by recovering all the stolen items, making his own doll in the unseen witch doctor's image, and for once sticks it to him!
3 Reviews
Gilligan gets dolled up.
Ralphkram3 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This is the third straight above average episode. It may not be as hilarious as it can be, but it contains an amusing, straightforward plot; clever, funny lines; the second straight quality guest star; and an exotic dance. As in every episode by this point in the series, there are also bits that fall flat and the occasional groaner, but overall it sticks (or pins) the landing.
Gilligan has been hanging out in one of the larger caves collecting native bric-a-brac. The Skipper is spooked by the cave, nicely reminding us of his long history of believing in evil spirits, and thinks it has been hexed. Hidden from their view is our guest star, a witch doctor, who may as well be another Watubi. The doctor immediately proves the Skip's point by creating a little Gilligan doll on the spot and pricking it in the neck. Gilligan feels the sharp pain and jumps to the same conclusion as his big buddy.
They take their concerns to the Professor. The customary fault lines between science and superstition going back to Watubi open up for the remainder of the outing. The Skip believes his little buddy has been hexed by evil spirits. They have something personal of his in their possession and can now control him through voodoo. The isle's resident Scully isn't buying.
The witch doctor stealthily obtains a personal article from the other oblivious castaways, finishing with a lock of the Skipper's hair. In no time he has amassed his own doll collection. In a coincidence only found in sitcoms, the castaways all decide to explore the cave at the same time the doctor is in. Gilligan doesn't want to explore for obvious reasons, but Mr. Howell is working on a museum of native artifacts and he meets the Skipper's price for the two to dig for him. The others are just there, so our guest witch doctor takes the opportunity to play with his collection.
Goofy hijinks ensue. He spins our lead around like a top, then mischievously gives all the castaways a hotfoot. The half comes to a sizzling end as the group hi-tails it to the beach and, in a nice sight gag, turn the lagoon into a steam bath.
The Professor serves as an excellent source of comic relief in the second act, still refusing to believe in the supernatural and insisting there is a logical explanation based on scientific fact for the strange occurrences in the cave. The witch doctor overhears him and zaps him into a zombie. He spends most of the rest of the act frozen in a trance. At first, the usual shtick is attempted to snap him out of it; he is impervious, though, to Mrs. Howell's calls and a Ginger kiss. So the movie star ramps up her game with a steamy native dance to reverse the spell. Only, in a nice capper, she gets her dances mixed up and causes a rainstorm instead.
The Skipper's solution is for our lead to return all of the native artifacts to the cave. It's an excuse for the accidental hero to stumble upon the castaways' stolen personal effects, including the Professor's pocket knife, which brings him out of his zombified state.
In an inspired closing bit, Gilligan uses the witch doctor's own voodoo against him and gets the pin for the win.
COCONOTES:
Eddie Little Sky, our guest witch doctor, makes his second of three appearances, after playing Gilligan's formidable brother-in-law Haruki. His boyish enthusiasm and glee over playing with the hapless castaways is part of what makes the episode so enjoyable. He deservedly receives many of the laughs.
Just wondering how many rabbits foots Gilligan has, since he slipped the last one into the robot the season before in Gilligan's Living Doll.
Notice how the Professor, who doesn't believe in voodoo, races past the others into the lagoon to cool off his hot foot.
Mr. Howell's explanation of what a zombie is is chuckle-worthy.
Gilligan has been hanging out in one of the larger caves collecting native bric-a-brac. The Skipper is spooked by the cave, nicely reminding us of his long history of believing in evil spirits, and thinks it has been hexed. Hidden from their view is our guest star, a witch doctor, who may as well be another Watubi. The doctor immediately proves the Skip's point by creating a little Gilligan doll on the spot and pricking it in the neck. Gilligan feels the sharp pain and jumps to the same conclusion as his big buddy.
They take their concerns to the Professor. The customary fault lines between science and superstition going back to Watubi open up for the remainder of the outing. The Skip believes his little buddy has been hexed by evil spirits. They have something personal of his in their possession and can now control him through voodoo. The isle's resident Scully isn't buying.
The witch doctor stealthily obtains a personal article from the other oblivious castaways, finishing with a lock of the Skipper's hair. In no time he has amassed his own doll collection. In a coincidence only found in sitcoms, the castaways all decide to explore the cave at the same time the doctor is in. Gilligan doesn't want to explore for obvious reasons, but Mr. Howell is working on a museum of native artifacts and he meets the Skipper's price for the two to dig for him. The others are just there, so our guest witch doctor takes the opportunity to play with his collection.
Goofy hijinks ensue. He spins our lead around like a top, then mischievously gives all the castaways a hotfoot. The half comes to a sizzling end as the group hi-tails it to the beach and, in a nice sight gag, turn the lagoon into a steam bath.
The Professor serves as an excellent source of comic relief in the second act, still refusing to believe in the supernatural and insisting there is a logical explanation based on scientific fact for the strange occurrences in the cave. The witch doctor overhears him and zaps him into a zombie. He spends most of the rest of the act frozen in a trance. At first, the usual shtick is attempted to snap him out of it; he is impervious, though, to Mrs. Howell's calls and a Ginger kiss. So the movie star ramps up her game with a steamy native dance to reverse the spell. Only, in a nice capper, she gets her dances mixed up and causes a rainstorm instead.
The Skipper's solution is for our lead to return all of the native artifacts to the cave. It's an excuse for the accidental hero to stumble upon the castaways' stolen personal effects, including the Professor's pocket knife, which brings him out of his zombified state.
In an inspired closing bit, Gilligan uses the witch doctor's own voodoo against him and gets the pin for the win.
COCONOTES:
Eddie Little Sky, our guest witch doctor, makes his second of three appearances, after playing Gilligan's formidable brother-in-law Haruki. His boyish enthusiasm and glee over playing with the hapless castaways is part of what makes the episode so enjoyable. He deservedly receives many of the laughs.
Just wondering how many rabbits foots Gilligan has, since he slipped the last one into the robot the season before in Gilligan's Living Doll.
Notice how the Professor, who doesn't believe in voodoo, races past the others into the lagoon to cool off his hot foot.
Mr. Howell's explanation of what a zombie is is chuckle-worthy.
THE WITCH DOCTOR IS GONNA' GET YOU!
tcchelsey24 September 2023
Another real, real campy episode, so well written for all of us big kids. This one had imigination-PLUS, leading Gilligan into yet another unexplored island cave and discovering scared artifacts. The problem is these ancient relics have "the power"?
Yes, we are talking voodoo spells and zombies!
There's also a strange visitor on the island, such as a painted up witch doctor, thank you. Long time western actor Eddie Little plays the sneaking, snarling mad doc. Little was born on an Indian reservation in South Dakota, later becoming a bull and horseback rider, which lead to many opportunities in western films.
You have to love the witch doctor's costume --and all the colors in this one. The professor, who always has a learned opinion and sane deduction for all the chaos, is turned ito a zombie himself! Do not miss Ginger's "creative" native dance, replete with pink bikini top and the little voodoo doll collection of the castaways. A MUST SEE.
Catch the Skipper (Alan Hale) really laughing at the bewildered professor at the end... It again shows you the cast had a blast doing this story and how much they were a family. I think Bob Denver also had an off camera snicker or two that was left in. Director George Cahan just let the camera roll, and good for him. That's the way you do it. Sometimes the first take or out-takes capture the moment.
Best of SEASON 3 remastered in beautiful color dvd box set.
Yes, we are talking voodoo spells and zombies!
There's also a strange visitor on the island, such as a painted up witch doctor, thank you. Long time western actor Eddie Little plays the sneaking, snarling mad doc. Little was born on an Indian reservation in South Dakota, later becoming a bull and horseback rider, which lead to many opportunities in western films.
You have to love the witch doctor's costume --and all the colors in this one. The professor, who always has a learned opinion and sane deduction for all the chaos, is turned ito a zombie himself! Do not miss Ginger's "creative" native dance, replete with pink bikini top and the little voodoo doll collection of the castaways. A MUST SEE.
Catch the Skipper (Alan Hale) really laughing at the bewildered professor at the end... It again shows you the cast had a blast doing this story and how much they were a family. I think Bob Denver also had an off camera snicker or two that was left in. Director George Cahan just let the camera roll, and good for him. That's the way you do it. Sometimes the first take or out-takes capture the moment.
Best of SEASON 3 remastered in beautiful color dvd box set.
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