Sunday, August 16, 2026

Flopcast 745: TV Reunion Movies Part 2 - Gilligan's Robots

Our American Sci-Fi Classics buddy Joe Crowe is still here, and we're still exploring the odd world of made-for-TV reunion movies. In this week's batch of ratings-grabbing silliness: The Duke boys go to Hollywood, the Facts of Life girls get back together (except for Jo!), a Gabor sister (still not sure which one) returns to Green Acres, the Eight is Enough dad has multiple 50th birthdays, somebody wants to murder Dobie Gillis... and yeah, the Harlem Globetrotters face a team of evil robots on Gilligan's Island. (This was easily the greatest thing that ever happened.) And yikes, we still have a bunch of TV reunion movies to get through, but that'll have to wait. Dragon Con coverage starts next week. You've been warned.

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Show Notes

The Facts of Life Renunion aired in 2001, and was notably missing Nancy McKeon.

If you want to see all four Eastland girls together (barely), the Lifetime holiday movie You Light Up My Christmas is charming in its own way.

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Bob Denver starred in two franchises discussed in this episode. We don't have much to say about Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis, other than praising the title. However, the third Gilligan's Island reunion movie is arguably the crown jewel of the entire genre.

 

Of course there was an evil robot basketball team. Why wouldn't there be?

Jim Backus was only able to manage a cameo, so Thurston Howell IV (David Ruprecht) kept Lovey company.

Ginger Grant, the role originated by Tina Louise, was played by Judith Baldwin in the first two movies. Constance Forslund was Ginger for the third go-round, but the Mayor couldn't find a decent photo of her in character, so here's the next best thing.