"Take a Dare" actually anticipates the SURVIVOR reality series decades away, with a game show contestant dropped on the island, forced to make do alone for an entire week if he hopes to secure the $10,000 grand prize. A rash of disappearances have the castaways mystified, with the Professor's hammock, Mary Ann's plates, Ginger's frying pans, and the Howells' silver knives and forks all missing. Before long the presence of the Take a Dare contestant, George Barkley, is revealed, relaxing with all the stolen items and unwilling to allow the castaways to ruin his chance at $10,000. For once, Mr. Howell with his many millions would seem to have the answer, but Barkley doesn't believe his cash and jewels to be real. Not only does he last the entire week he appears to have gotten away with cheating, but for a simple mistake that renders him speechless. The great Strother Martin is in typical scene stealing form, as shifty and smarmy as the role calls for, one of the series' finest guest performers.
3 Reviews
I WANT MY 10,000 DOLLARS!
tcchelsey5 November 2023
An outrageous 10 STAR episode with none other than funny man Strother Martin, playing a guy named George who gets onto a game show, requiring him to stay on a deserted island for one week --to win ten thousand bucks!
Problem is, the island is NOT deserted, right? There's another frustrating problem. George refuses the castaways to use his transmitter to the studio to call for help! If they do, he would forfeit the ten grand. OMG.
This is very clever and fun stuff that only the gang can get into, and watch their reactions, especially Mr. Howell with the mention of money! Top direction by Stanley Z. Cherry (and love that name!), who directed many top episodes of DOBIE GILLIS (with Bob Denver) and FLIPPER.
By the way... the $10,000 in 1966 would equal about $93,000! A nice weeks pay. Also note some beautiful color island shots in this one.
Strother Martin not too long after this episode would appear in his most famous role, as the prison guard in COOL HAND LUKE. Unforgettable.
One question. George steals many of the crew's belongings, including Mrs. Howell's prize silverware? Where did that come from? And what about Ginger's frying pans? Huh?
Recommended for all us devout Gilligan and game show fans.
SEASON 3 EPISODE 16 remastered color dvd box set.
Problem is, the island is NOT deserted, right? There's another frustrating problem. George refuses the castaways to use his transmitter to the studio to call for help! If they do, he would forfeit the ten grand. OMG.
This is very clever and fun stuff that only the gang can get into, and watch their reactions, especially Mr. Howell with the mention of money! Top direction by Stanley Z. Cherry (and love that name!), who directed many top episodes of DOBIE GILLIS (with Bob Denver) and FLIPPER.
By the way... the $10,000 in 1966 would equal about $93,000! A nice weeks pay. Also note some beautiful color island shots in this one.
Strother Martin not too long after this episode would appear in his most famous role, as the prison guard in COOL HAND LUKE. Unforgettable.
One question. George steals many of the crew's belongings, including Mrs. Howell's prize silverware? Where did that come from? And what about Ginger's frying pans? Huh?
Recommended for all us devout Gilligan and game show fans.
SEASON 3 EPISODE 16 remastered color dvd box set.
Gilligan is less than daring.
Ralphkram27 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
It's difficult to think of any positives when it comes to this formulaic snooze fest. Many of the scenes are tedious; the plot strains credibility; the laughs are scattered; and the guest star fails to elevate or excite the rest of the cast, who go dully through their paces. And they are dull; arguably they are dumber here than in any previous entry.
Gilligan is listening to his favorite radio program, Take a Dare, in the cold open. This week's contestant, one George Barkley, has to spend a week alone on a deserted island without assistance. If he survives the week, Barkley wins a ten thousand dollar grand prize. By pure coincidence, Barkley shows up on our favorite island. Soon, the castaways discover that many of their foodstuffs and supplies are missing. They briefly turn on each other before Gilligan and the Skipper stumble upon Barkley with all of their finery.
Barkley's most valuable possession, though, is his transmitter, which he uses to give the glib Take a Dare host updates on his status. The castaways spend the majority of the episode trying to get Barkley to share it through various means, including bribery, chicanery, and bullying, but he doesn't want to lose the grand prize. He outsmarts the poor saps at every turn, going so far as to pull an Eva Grubb and hide part of the transmitter so it can't be repaired. And, each time he fools them, it becomes more predictable and less fun.
Barkley goes through the usual rounds with the Howells and Ginger. He dumbly believes the Howells are fakes and planted on the isle to fool him. The movie star's typical seduction attempt works well enough to steam up his forehead, but, before things get too interesting, she abruptly gives up when he won't bring the transmitter along on their date.
If at first you don't succeed, Ginger...
Eventually, writer Roland MacLane, who has done better, runs out of these transmitter gags and has Barkley destroy the thing. He keeps a low profile for the next forty-eight hours and waits to be picked up. The castaways figure a boat will return for him and devise 'assigned stations' to keep an eye on the lagoon. Wouldn't you know it, though, that Barkley leaves by another method. Only Gilligan picks this moment to be literal and lets him depart, a fittingly dumb moment for this mainly dumb entry. About the only clever moment is how Barkley gets his comeuppance in the epilogue.
COCONOTES:
Barkley is played by Strother Martin, a veteran character actor who performed in many westerns and tv series as the heavy. Here he portrays his typical slimy, obnoxious villain without leaving much of an impression.
Like how irked Gilligan is at how much loot Barkley would get for surviving a week on the island.
Writer MacLane really doesn't care anymore when it comes to the castaways' supplies. In the first season they eat out of coconut bowls and cups. Here they have silverware and plates. Guess they got them from the same place where the Skipper got his detective magazine and Gilligan his comic books. Just how large was the Minnow anyway?
Best of all, Ginger has a frying pan. Yes, she brought a single frying pan on a three hour boat tour. Yes, she did.
Bob Denver really looks as if he's going through the motions. The only time he perks up is when he describes the weapons they can use on Barkley.
Easy to blame Gilligan for that incredibly dumb helicopter gag, of course, but none of the castaways see or hear it approaching the island.
Gilligan is listening to his favorite radio program, Take a Dare, in the cold open. This week's contestant, one George Barkley, has to spend a week alone on a deserted island without assistance. If he survives the week, Barkley wins a ten thousand dollar grand prize. By pure coincidence, Barkley shows up on our favorite island. Soon, the castaways discover that many of their foodstuffs and supplies are missing. They briefly turn on each other before Gilligan and the Skipper stumble upon Barkley with all of their finery.
Barkley's most valuable possession, though, is his transmitter, which he uses to give the glib Take a Dare host updates on his status. The castaways spend the majority of the episode trying to get Barkley to share it through various means, including bribery, chicanery, and bullying, but he doesn't want to lose the grand prize. He outsmarts the poor saps at every turn, going so far as to pull an Eva Grubb and hide part of the transmitter so it can't be repaired. And, each time he fools them, it becomes more predictable and less fun.
Barkley goes through the usual rounds with the Howells and Ginger. He dumbly believes the Howells are fakes and planted on the isle to fool him. The movie star's typical seduction attempt works well enough to steam up his forehead, but, before things get too interesting, she abruptly gives up when he won't bring the transmitter along on their date.
If at first you don't succeed, Ginger...
Eventually, writer Roland MacLane, who has done better, runs out of these transmitter gags and has Barkley destroy the thing. He keeps a low profile for the next forty-eight hours and waits to be picked up. The castaways figure a boat will return for him and devise 'assigned stations' to keep an eye on the lagoon. Wouldn't you know it, though, that Barkley leaves by another method. Only Gilligan picks this moment to be literal and lets him depart, a fittingly dumb moment for this mainly dumb entry. About the only clever moment is how Barkley gets his comeuppance in the epilogue.
COCONOTES:
Barkley is played by Strother Martin, a veteran character actor who performed in many westerns and tv series as the heavy. Here he portrays his typical slimy, obnoxious villain without leaving much of an impression.
Like how irked Gilligan is at how much loot Barkley would get for surviving a week on the island.
Writer MacLane really doesn't care anymore when it comes to the castaways' supplies. In the first season they eat out of coconut bowls and cups. Here they have silverware and plates. Guess they got them from the same place where the Skipper got his detective magazine and Gilligan his comic books. Just how large was the Minnow anyway?
Best of all, Ginger has a frying pan. Yes, she brought a single frying pan on a three hour boat tour. Yes, she did.
Bob Denver really looks as if he's going through the motions. The only time he perks up is when he describes the weapons they can use on Barkley.
Easy to blame Gilligan for that incredibly dumb helicopter gag, of course, but none of the castaways see or hear it approaching the island.
See also
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