Gilligan was spending another long lazy day sunbathing by the lagoon and listening to the radio, with his jeans and signature red rugby shirt on of course.
"Eh, yuck, I hate commercials." Gilligan moved to turn the dial to off when The Mosquitoes song ended but stopped abruptly at the announcer's command.
"Don't touch that dial!"
"Okay, okay I won't touch it, I won't touch it." He promised.
"Remember to tune in tonight to the Gilligan Show, staring those seven misfit castaways of the SS Minnow."
"The Minnow?" Gilligan questioned.
"Yes The Minnow!" The radio announcer repeated.
"Hey that's us! Hey everybody!" Gilligan called, picking up the radio and running back to camp as fast as he could. "Hey everybody, we're on the radio, hey we're on the radio!" Gilligan was totally out of breath and his message was jumbled by the time he'd reached camp where everyone else was seated around the dining r table.
"Oh dear, I do believe the boy is having some kind of seizure." Mrs. Howell observed.
"What's wrong little Buddy?" The Skipper asked.
"Gilligan calm down, speak slowly and tell us what's going on." The Professor added, rushing to Gilligan's side.
"And turn off the radio!" The Skipper was angry and tried to take the radio back from Gilligan, he resisted, pulling it back.
"Uh-uh! The announcer said not to touch the dial, when he was talking about us!"
"He was talking about us!" The other six exclaimed, practically jumping down Gilligan's throat with curiosity.
"Oh we're going to be rescued!" Mary Ann squealed.
"And in time for the Oscar awards!" Ginger was excited too.
"Oh Lovey isn't it marvelous?"
"Yes, but I don't have a thing to wear."
"You're so right Lovey. One can't wear a tuxedo when there's an "R" in the month!" The millionaire exclaimed.
"Shu! Calm down, Gilligan what did he say?" The Skipper wanted him to clarify, even knowing that clarification wasn't exactly Gilligan's strong point.
"Remember, watch The Gilligan Show, staring those seven misfit castaways of the SS Minnow, tonight on…!" The announcer's voice suddenly died out when the Professor swiftly turned off the switch.
"Why'd you turn it off Professor?" Gilligan was upset.
"That's just what I was afraid of."
"What?" The other six asked almost in unison.
"Ladies, gentlemen…I think we're on candid camera."
"For three years Professor? I think that sun's starting to get to you." Mary Ann laughed.
"No…it's called reality television. And it's the wave of the future. I believe we've been had."
"Reality television? Echh!" Mrs. Howell cringed. "You mean to say, we've been on television, marooned like this all this time?"
"In short, yes Mrs. Howell."
"We'll be drummed out of the social register!"
"Who ever heard such a thing…Teddy." Mr. Howell commented, hugging his teddy bear tightly. "Ha Teddy! Now the world will know Thurston Howell the III, the Wolf of Wall Street snuggles a Teddy bear!"
"Oh Thurston dear it's not that bad!" Mrs. Howell soothed, baby-talking to him.
"Forget teddy bears and the social register I'll never be taken seriously as an actress again!" Ginger cried tragically.
"Are you saying that people know we're here and stranded us here for their own financial gain?" The idea of this sent a chill up the Skipper's spine.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm surmising. That might be why we've encountered so many strangers on the island: Wrongway, the Japanese sailor, the Hunter…" He seemed saddened for a moment.
"Yeah, that's all real good stuff to put on TV!" Gilligan exclaimed.
"Wait, that's brilliant. Gilligan you've just given me food for thought."
"I'm glad Professor, I didn't know you were even hungry."
"Don't you all see this is our rescue?"
"Huh? How do we get people who want to keep us here to rescue us?" The Skipped wondered out loud.
"Simple. We give em something they can't show on TV, then they're bound to cancel our show and rescue us! Come on, let's go look for the cameras. Mr. and Mrs. Howell you go down by the Lagoon, Gilligan, you the Skipper and Mary Ann head that way, and Ginger, come with me! And remember, don't break a camera!"