Nagging TV Show Mysteries

[firepoint525]

Brady Bunch related TV mysteries (and my apologies if anyone has posted something similar to this earlier):

How did they justify the outdoor shot of the (one-story) house shown at the beginning of most episodes and scenes with the two-story house that we know that they lived in?

And

On The Bradys (short-lived drama series, circa 1990), how did Alice NOT notice that the house was no longer there until she went to put the key in the door? Could she NOT see the house from the street? ???

 

[azumanga]

Brady Bunch related TV mysteries (and my apologies if anyone has posted something similar to this earlier):

How did they justify the outdoor shot of the (one-story) house shown at the beginning of most episodes and scenes with the two-story house that we know that they lived in?

They had a fake second floor window added, to make it appear that it had two floors.

 

[firepoint525]

Brady Bunch related TV mysteries (and my apologies if anyone has posted something similar to this earlier):

How did they justify the outdoor shot of the (one-story) house shown at the beginning of most episodes and scenes with the two-story house that we know that they lived in?

They had a fake second floor window added, to make it appear that it had two floors.

True, but it appears to be to the left of the front door (as you enter the house), while the stairway seems to be on your right, coming in the front door.

 

[LKellerIII]

An ongoing sit-com "mystery" - especially in the 3 camera sitcoms filmed in front of a live audience: there are 3 or 4 characters on an interior set - generally a fairly small "living room" type set. Two of the characters decide to talk in "private" - often to share some secret bit of information out of the others' hearing range. So they move 5 feet away from the other characters - upstage toward the camera. They don't whisper, but talk in a regular conversational voice.

Somehow, the characters 5 feet in the back don't hear it? How is that possible?

 

[radioman148]

An ongoing sit-com "mystery" - especially in the 3 camera sitcoms filmed in front of a live audience: there are 3 or 4 characters on an interior set - generally a fairly small "living room" type set. Two of the characters decide to talk in "private" - often to share some secret bit of information out of the others' hearing range. So they move 5 feet away from the other characters - upstage toward the camera. They don't whisper, but talk in a regular conversational voice.

Somehow, the characters 5 feet in the back don't hear it? How is that possible?

Poor hearing? ;D

 

[Stanislav]

An ongoing sit-com "mystery" - especially in the 3 camera sitcoms filmed in front of a live audience: there are 3 or 4 characters on an interior set - generally a fairly small "living room" type set. Two of the characters decide to talk in "private" - often to share some secret bit of information out of the others' hearing range. So they move 5 feet away from the other characters - upstage toward the camera. They don't whisper, but talk in a regular conversational voice.

Somehow, the characters 5 feet in the back don't hear it? How is that possible?

Poor hearing? ;D

Bad acoustics on the soundstage? ;D ;D

 

[Braves2005]

Another Gilligan's Island mystery: How did Ginger's, Mary Ann's and Mrs. Howell's dresses get washed in salt water when salt water effectively ruins clothes? Same goes for the others especially Mr. Howell's suits. I'm surprised that they didn't get ruined along with the dresses.

How did Mary Ann bake those coconut cream pies? There wasn't any oven or anything that resembled something to bake them in. I wouldn't want to eat a raw pie.

How did all the castaways know what to pack when it was supposedly a three hour tour and then it turned out to be 3 years on the TV show and 14 years overall? (counting the Return To Gilligan's Island movie where they were rescued and then they were stranded again at the end when another storm brings them back to the island)

 

[radioman148]

Another Gilligan's Island mystery: How did Ginger's, Mary Ann's and Mrs. Howell's dresses get washed in salt water when salt water effectively ruins clothes? Same goes for the others especially Mr. Howell's suits. I'm surprised that they didn't get ruined along with the dresses.

How did Mary Ann bake those coconut cream pies? There wasn't any oven or anything that resembled something to bake them in. I wouldn't want to eat a raw pie.

How did all the castaways know what to pack when it was supposedly a three hour tour and then it turned out to be 3 years on the TV show and 14 years overall? (counting the Return To Gilligan's Island movie where they were rescued and then they were stranded again at the end when another storm brings them back to the island)

The professor must have figured out something ;D

 

[Stanislav]

Another Gilligan's Island mystery: How did Ginger's, Mary Ann's and Mrs. Howell's dresses get washed in salt water when salt water effectively ruins clothes? Same goes for the others especially Mr. Howell's suits. I'm surprised that they didn't get ruined along with the dresses.

Hate to be an apologist here, but probably the same place they got fresh water to drink -- probably rigged up some way to capture and save rainwater (cistern, barrel, e.g.).

How did Mary Ann bake those coconut cream pies? There wasn't any oven or anything that resembled something to bake them in. I wouldn't want to eat a raw pie.

Duh! That one's easy -- those pies came from the prop department. (Anyway, since they usually just ended up in someone's face, they didn't necessarily have to be edible...) ;D

 

[mleach]

All of these Gilligan's Island mysteries

During the show's original run on CBS, didn't Sherwood Schwartz actually had a completed script ( just in case the ratings would drop ) all ready to go that had the castaways leave the island? If this is true I wonder how did they leave? Or was it the same as that 1978 moive "Rescue From Gilligan's Island"?

Or was all of this just an urban legend? Like that Peanuts special that Charles Schulz had planned out that pretty much wrapped up everything when he learned he was dying from cancer and he didn't want anyone else touching his Peanuts featuring such scenes like Snoopy actually getting the Red Baron and having Charlie Brown pitching a perfect game. I believe Schulz's family had said over the years that no such script/plans ever existed but that hasn't stopped others from saying otherwise.

 

[Corky Marlowe]

I wouldn't want to eat a raw pie.

Not even...Um...No! Bad Corky!

 

[RicoGregg]

All of these Gilligan's Island mysteries

During the show's original run on CBS, didn't Sherwood Schwartz actually had a completed script ( just in case the ratings would drop ) all ready to go that had the castaways leave the island? If this is true I wonder how did they leave? Or was it the same as that 1978 moive "Rescue From Gilligan's Island"?

Or was all of this just an urban legend? Like that Peanuts special that Charles Schulz had planned out that pretty much wrapped up everything when he learned he was dying from cancer and he didn't want anyone else touching his Peanuts featuring such scenes like Snoopy actually getting the Red Baron and having Charlie Brown pitching a perfect game. I believe Schulz's family had said over the years that no such script/plans ever existed but that hasn't stopped others from saying otherwise.

When Bob Denver appeared on the Howard Stern Show in the early 90s, Howard pretty much had this same line of questioning regarding the show.

Denver explained that there was supposed to be a fourth season of Gilligan's Island, that it was understood that this would be the show's very last season, and that the castaways would get rescued in an hour-long finale.

The spoil-sport turned out to be Mrs. William Paley. Her favorite show, Gunsmoke, was not on the new fall schedule, and according to Denver, she pitched a major hissy fit to her husband, who ordered Gunsmoke un-canceled, and as a result, Gilligan and another show wound up getting an unexpected ax.

Thanks a lot, Mrs. Paley, wherever you're rotting!

 

[firepoint525]

Another mystery, and this one concerns the Rescue from Gilligan's Island movie(s)? Why on earth would the castaways trust Gilligan and the Skipper a second time? And when they landed back on their same original island, how did Gilligan happen to find anything with "Minnow I" on it? The original Minnow had not been numbered! (It was also made fairly clear that the castaways were not particularly happy with the way civilization had changed while they were gone, but given their connection to civilization (via radio), they seemed rather clueless. Maybe the professor was no longer able to power the radio with seashells, or the radio just "kicked the bucket"! ;D)

And why were the professor and skipper never called by their names? The skipper's name was Jonas Grumby, or something like that, but he was never called that. And the professor's last name was, I think, Huntley, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong about that. And Gilligan went by his last name. His real name was Willie Gilligan. I could see the skipper calling him by his last name, but typically women would not call a man by his last name if they knew his first name.

And I must assume that prior to the three-hour tour, only Gilligan and the skipper (and of course, the Howells) already knew each other.

 

[quadraphonic]

Since Laura and Rob Petrie slept in different beds, where did Richie come from?

C'mon man, Rob worked on a tv show and Laura had a lot of housewifely free time. I bet they could think up 50 other places besides bed to make a Richie.

 

[radioman148]

Since Laura and Rob Petrie slept in different beds, where did Richie come from?

C'mon man, Rob worked on a tv show and Laura had a lot of housewifely free time. I bet they could think up 50 other places besides bed to make a Richie.

MTM was very hot in those days.

 

[Legend City]

Another mystery, and this one concerns the Rescue from Gilligan's Island movie(s)? Why on earth would the castaways trust Gilligan and the Skipper a second time? And when they landed back on their same original island, how did Gilligan happen to find anything with "Minnow I" on it? The original Minnow had not been numbered! (It was also made fairly clear that the castaways were not particularly happy with the way civilization had changed while they were gone, but given their connection to civilization (via radio), they seemed rather clueless. Maybe the professor was no longer able to power the radio with seashells, or the radio just "kicked the bucket"! ;D)

And why were the professor and skipper never called by their names? The skipper's name was Jonas Grumby, or something like that, but he was never called that. And the professor's last name was, I think, Huntley, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong about that. And Gilligan went by his last name. His real name was Willie Gilligan. I could see the skipper calling him by his last name, but typically women would not call a man by his last name if they knew his first name.

And I must assume that prior to the three-hour tour, only Gilligan and the skipper (and of course, the Howells) already knew each other.

Professor = Roy Hinkley Gilligan was (though never said on show) Willy Gilligan

Although, I think that Gilligan Mendez would have been much cooler.

 

[searadiofreak]

Gilligan was probably the first show that made me laugh. And in syndication, no less. Can I say it was must-watch TV in the late 60's on my local indie?

However, I have always wondered what kind of pharmacuticals most of the writing staff must have been on

Update: Dawn Wells (Mary Ann), is still involved in local theater in Eastern Idaho. Ginger, (Mary Louise) was super in ther original "stepford wives", and some other projects after.

Unfortunately, I think the other principles are now all gone. (Not sure about the Professor...he may be still in some back office inventing something!)

What a great show for a kid to grow up with. Creative, imaginative, and most importantly, funny.

 

[RicoGregg]

Gilligan was probably the first show that made me laugh. And in syndication, no less. Can I say it was must-watch TV in the late 60's on my local indie?

However, I have always wondered what kind of pharmacuticals most of the writing staff must have been on

Update: Dawn Wells (Mary Ann), is still involved in local theater in Eastern Idaho. Ginger, (Mary Louise) was super in ther original "stepford wives", and some other projects after.

Unfortunately, I think the other principles are now all gone. (Not sure about the Professor...he may be still in some back office inventing something!)

What a great show for a kid to grow up with. Creative, imaginative, and most importantly, funny.

It's Tina Louise, not Mary.

The Professor is still with us, happy to say.

I know I've said some critical things about GI in earlier posts, but the fact is that people over several generations have taken to the show like a duck to water. There are no complicated characters or plotlines. You could just sit back and enjoy without stressing your brain.

It's been said that GI was the inspiration for the many communes that popped up during the so-called "Hippie" era.

It's a shame that the lagoon on the GI set has been filled in for a brand new parking lot on the CBS Studio Center location in Studio City. It would be a great tourist attraction.

Looks like after we're all long gone, people will still be watching Gilligan. Who'da thunk it?

 

[KeithE4]

Looks like after we're all long gone, people will still be watching Gilligan. Who'da thunk it?

Agreed. And whodathunkit that we'd still be watching ancient black-and-white shows like I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and The Andy Griffith Show on our digital flat-screen, hi-def TVs? Maybe because they're still funny after all these years?

 

[gr8oldies]

That and the plotlines are evergreen. Watch an "All in the family" and if you weren't around in the 1970s, you don't get the Nixon jokes.