‘Gilligan’s Island’ Fans Just Got a Welcome Surprise

The SS Minnow has finally found its way off the island and is headed home … or at least to your TV screens.

Late last month, The New Adventures of Gilligan, an animated spinoff of the classic CBS sitcom Gilligan’s Island, made its way back to airwaves thanks to MeTV Toons.

MeTV Toons houses classic animations all in one place. The network, which is available on DirecTV, Dish, Flio, and Fubo, along with select cable providers, describes itself as being the only network dedicated exclusively to the greatest classic animation of all time.

This fall, the network breathed life back into The New Adventures of Gilligan, which is airing on Sunday evenings. Other animated series occupying MeTV Toons’ schedule this fall include The Jetsons, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Real Ghostbusters, and plenty others.

As for The New Adventures of Gilligan, MeTV Toons describes the show as, “The animated adventures of TV’s most famous castaways, including cast members reprising their roles from the original Gilligan’s Island.”

The original, non-animated TV series ran from fall 1964 through spring 1967, airing 98 episodes. Its memorable cast of characters was comprised of Gilligan, “The Skipper,” Thurston Howell III, Lovey Howell, Ginger, The Professor, and Mary Ann. Its three seasons bounced around the calendar with season one airing on Saturday evenings, the second season hitting airwaves on Thursday nights, and the final season being broadcast on Mondays in primetime.

Its animated spinoff ran on Saturday mornings in the mid 1970’s and consisted of 24 episodes over two seasons. Characters such as Ginger, Mary Ann, and The Skipper were again prominently featured. The series’ final episode, “Moderation,” aired on October 18, 1975. MeTV Toons will be airing reruns of the spinoff. Prior to MeTV Toons dusting off the archives, the only place to watch The New Adventures of Gilligan had been on DVD.

This weekend provides the next chance for viewers to catch The New Adventures of Gilligan. On Sunday, Oct. 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET, MeTV Toons is airing an episode titled, “Raven Mad.”