Phil Silvers plays a film producer stranded on the island and the castaways mount a musical production of Hamlet to catch his attention, relaunch the career of “movie star” Ginger (Tina Louise), and hopefully (finally) escape from the island. And for their soundtrack, they use selections from Carmen and Les contes d’Hoffmann. To this day, these are instinctively the lyrics I hear when I think of the Habañera, the Toreador song, or the Barcarolle. (Including the GOATed “Hamlet/lamblet” rhyme.)

Though I arrived to Gilligan’s Island at least two generations late, it was nevertheless my brother and my favorite show growing up and for at least one year, our Halloween costumes. I was quite pleased to see the gentle profile of Louise, the show’s most rueful (and only surviving) cast member, in the NYT earlier this spring. It’s obviously a losing premise to point out the plot holes and inconsistencies in Gilligan’s Island. (Why did they have an entire costume wardrobe and orchestra backing tracks of opera for a three-hour tour?) Instead, just enjoy the silliness.