Parker Lewis Now that we live in a post-Brexit and concurrently a Trump presidency, Gilligan's Island needs to be rebooted to deal with the key issues of the day. But until a reboot, we have The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island, the third TV movie. The Harlem Globetrotters are a joy to watch, and also it was good to see David Ruprecht making an appearance, standing in for Jim Backus, who had Parkinson's Disease at the time, and who thankfully was able to make a final and poignant appearance at the end of the episode.Anyway, a reboot could be take a more darker and serious tone, just like the Teen Wolf series reboot did.

mcgee-8 I've had a strange fascination with this movie since it came out in '81. It's not great cinema, not a great TV movie, not very good by the TV-series' standards. But...*It is the "last roundup" for the original cast. Jim Backus, Alan Hale and Natalie Schaefer have passed on in the years since, and there seems no clamoring to reunite the surviving members with a new Skipper and Mr/Mrs. Howell. As an admirer of the spirited, surreal comedy of the original series, I found this movie to be a not-too-bad farewell.*I'm a big hoops fan, and this is one of the rare opportunities to see the Globetrotters on film. (The Globetrotters' cartoons and old film clips are shown occasionally, and ABC televises a Globetrotter game once a year, but that's about it.) They are master ballhandlers and showmen, and they demonstrate that here. (Also, we get to hear "coach" Scatman Crothers sing "Sweet Georgia Brown," which ain't bad.)*This may be the final joint film appearance of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain before they divorced. In any case, it's fascinating to watch Mr. Landau mug and overact, in the days before he became a "serious," bankable character actor in films.*Because Jim Backus was ill during the filming, the "Mr. Howell" role is filled mostly by the Howell's son, "Thurston Howell IV" -- played by David Ruprecht, who now hosts "Supermarket Sweep." I don't believe the Howells ever mentioned having a son in all the prior episodes/movies, but there he is, all of a sudden. (Backus does make a cameo at the end, thank goodness.)*Longtime Laker announcer Chick Hearn's in the film, as the announcer for the "big game" between the Globetrotters and the Robots. He talks and talks and talks...and after a while, his yakking gets somewhat distracting. (The very final scene, the producers cut off Chick's mike while he was still talking!)The humor's cornball and slight, and the site of the aging Bob Denver as the supposedly child-like Gilligan is laughable. But Ruprecht acquits himself pretty well, as do Russell Johnson and Alan Hale. (Dawn Wells doesn't have much to do, Natalie and Jim are too old -- and minus Tina Louise, the character of Ginger is lifeless.)It's not as good as "Rescue From Gilligan's Island," but better than "Castaways On Gilligan's Island." For fans of the show (and the Globetrotters), it's worth a watch.

-Gibbs- How often can you find the most entertaining sports team and the stars of the all time funniest situation comedy in one place? I only know of one and that's "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island." I have only seen this TV movie once and I thought it was the funniest thing I'd seen (besides the one where the castaways get rescued). I'd recommend it to anyone that just wants to sit back and relax while enjoying a good move.

Pac-Man 256 I enjoyed this movie. Most true Gilligan's Island fans (which I am) Would say that this is the worst movie. I think that that is just what made this movie interesting. It was different. In this movie there was a different Ginger than in Rescue from and Castaways on. I had trouble telling who Ginger was. You probably won't like this movie if you like B-Ball but don't like Gilligan's Island. There is a B-Ball match at the end. But it is not a real match. The Harlem Globetrotters play against the "New Invinvcibles" who are robots. I give this movie 5 out of 10. The worst movie in the series.... But give it a try