For a show about being stranded far from civilization, Gilligan’s Island had plenty of modern production mishaps that careful viewers can still spot today. These hidden bloopers make rewatching the classic sitcom a whole new adventure for eagle-eyed fans.
One of the biggest continuity errors appears in the opening credits. While the show focuses on seven castaways, season two’s title sequence clearly shows eight people aboard the S.S. Minnow. These mystery extras were just stand-ins for wide shots, but their presence contradicts the show’s premise. Another visual mistake occurs when the castaways visit Dr. Balinkoff’s island – the carefully constructed jungle set accidentally reveals parts of the CBS backlot as they sail away.
The show’s props department had some amusing slip-ups too. In the episode where everyone gets drunk on fermented berry juice, teetotaler Professor is seen drinking along with everyone else – despite earlier claiming to be allergic to alcohol. The famous “submarine” from the Japanese soldier episode was actually just a periscope attached to a scuba diver, complete with visible flippers breaking the surface. Even the show’s wildlife made mistakes – that woodpecker attacking Gilligan? Not a species that would actually live on a tropical island!
