Fantasy Island (1977)

[Lurkndog]

I picked up the DVDs of the first three seasons of this show. I never got to watch it as a kid, I was too young. (I got sent to bed when the opening credits of Hawaii 5-0 rolled.) But I had heard that it was good.

The pilot was a delight. The idea is that Fantasy Island is an island resort where guests pay $50,000 to live out their fantasy. Ricardo Montalban plays Mr. Roarke, the owner of the resort. He's kind of like if the narrator of the Twilight Zone got to actually be in the episodes.

There was a romantic storyline with Bill Bixby and Sandra Dee, a story about a rich businesswoman faking her own death and attending her own funeral, and a third storyline that was an inversion of The Most Dangerous Game, where a big game hunter signs himself up to be hunted, for the ultimate thrill.

Victoria Principal has an early role as the hostess assigned to the big game hunter. She's basically his ersatz girlfriend.

In an unexpected complication, she gets handcuffed to the big game hunter, who has to save her constantly. And in a lovely scene, she runs into a tiger and faints dead away, and winds up getting carried OTS for the remainder of that stage of the hunt.

But don't take my word for it:



It's a great way to kick off a show. Only time will tell if they can beat that!

Oh, and so far, I like the show. Ricardo Montalban is great as Mr Roarke.

[Dazzle1]

In that scene the male character is David Selby:

Quentin Collins from Dark Shadows and Richard Channing from Falcon Crest

[Visitor]

Story quality varied, but they had some really funny ones. In the middle of the run they had three WW II military buddies recreating the time they escaped from a German POW camp. Then they find the officer in charge of the camp is also there and said something about having a fantasy too where he was going to get revenge for their escape,

[bushwackerbob]

I used to love those anthology series where you had new characters, guest stars, and stories every week, with Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban) and that little guy. They replaced the little guy in the final season with the British dude who played the housekeeper in Mr. Belvedere. In my youth, this was back-to-back Aaron Spelling classic series staples on Saturday nights, Spelling's Love Boat at 9PM and Fantasy Island at 10PM back when folks actually watched primetime television on Saturday nights. The 1998 Fantasy Island reboot with Malcom McDowell as Mr. Roarke didn't interest me at all.

[sneakly]

Jingle TV, aka the b-list babe of the week, along with Love Boat. Except for the guest females, the stories were pretty weak. I always wondered what would happen to Julie if she was grabbed by a gang of pirates in Mexico. I think everyone expected PornHub and any real life version was run by Epstein or located in Thailand. Robot Chicken, I think, had it pretty much nailed.

[IMSancho]

I still remember Barbi Benton as a guest on the show. She and Connie Stevens as showgirls. Barbi in a leotard.
That was my favorite by far.

[Dazzle1]

I used to love those anthology series where you had new characters, guest stars, and stories every week, with Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban) and that little guy. They replaced the little guy in the final season with the British dude who played the housekeeper in Mr. Belvedere. In my youth, this was back-to-back Aaron Spelling classic series staples on Saturday nights, Spelling's Love Boat at 9PM and Fantasy Island at 10PM back when folks actually watched primetime television on Saturday nights. The 1998 Fantasy Island reboot with Malcom McDowell as Mr. Roarke didn't interest me at all.

90% of the reboots don't work

Even the ones like Battlestar Galactia which was more sucessful did not have the iconic status of the original

[DonShip]

I still remember Barbi Benton as a guest on the show. She and Connie Stevens as showgirls. Barbi in a leotard.
That was my favorite by far.

I loved everything Barbi Benton did. I watched her in Hee Haw, Love Boat, Fantasy Island. She was my celebrity crush of the 70s and 80s.

[bushwackerbob]

I used to love those anthology series where you had new characters, guest stars, and stories every week, with Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban) and that little guy. They replaced the little guy in the final season with the British dude who played the housekeeper in Mr. Belvedere. In my youth, this was back-to-back Aaron Spelling classic series staples on Saturday nights, Spelling's Love Boat at 9PM and Fantasy Island at 10PM back when folks actually watched primetime television on Saturday nights. The 1998 Fantasy Island reboot with Malcom McDowell as Mr. Roarke didn't interest me at all.

90% of the reboots don't work

Even the ones like Battlestar Galactia which was more sucessful did not have the iconic status of the original

I totally agree, the television landscape is full of reboots that failed to recreate the charm and quality of the original version. There was even a Love Boat reboot back in the days of the UPN network, Robert Urich, from "Spenser for Hire" and "Vegas" fame was the captain. Come to think of it, I think there has been an attempt at a reboot for every Aaron Spelling show I can think of, and they've all failed.

[Visitor]

The Dynasty, Charmed, and Nancy Drew reboots lasted several seasons but the CW didn't have much besides the Arrowverse to draw in viewers. Reboots really depend upon how good the writing is to sustain ratings. Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum, P. I. did well, but Quantum Leap even with good writing and a premise only made two seasons.

Going back further, The Bionic Woman and Charlie's Angels failed to last a season. The New Avengers as a continuation of the old British Avengers show lasted a season on syndicated TV. Kolchak failed, but that was just bad after the pilot. They tried to do more seasons of The X-Files, but the mythology shows were just bad compared to the rest of the seasons.

But you get reboots because the studios have the rights to the material and they believe there is a fan base from the original show that will give them ratings. It's the same reasoning behind spin-offs using a cast member from the main show.

[bushwackerbob]

The Dynasty, Charmed, and Nancy Drew reboots lasted several seasons but the CW didn't have much besides the Arrowverse to draw in viewers. Reboots really depend upon how good the writing is to sustain ratings. Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum, P. I. did well, but Quantum Leap even with good writing and a premise only made two seasons.

Going back further, The Bionic Woman and Charlie's Angels failed to last a season. The New Avengers as a continuation of the old British Avengers show lasted a season on syndicated TV. Kolchak failed, but that was just bad after the pilot. They tried to do more seasons of The X-Files, but the mythology shows were just bad compared to the rest of the seasons.

But you get reboots because the studios have the rights to the material and they believe there is a fan base from the original show that will give them ratings. It's the same reasoning behind spin-offs using a cast member from the main show.

I think the hope of the execs of these entertainment companies in a 500 channel universe where it is difficult for shows to set themselves apart in a crowded entertainment universe with the five broadcast networks, numerous cable, and streaming platforms, having a reboot with a built in audience and brand gives those shows a leg up against new shows no one knows anything about.

[IMSancho]

I still remember Barbi Benton as a guest on the show. She and Connie Stevens as showgirls. Barbi in a leotard.
That was my favorite by far.

I loved everything Barbi Benton did. I watched her in Hee Haw, Love Boat, Fantasy Island. She was my celebrity crush of the 70s and 80s.

I remember she was in some short-lived sitcom about a girl musical group. I can’t remember the show’s title but I always liked it.

[DonShip]

I still remember Barbi Benton as a guest on the show. She and Connie Stevens as showgirls. Barbi in a leotard.
That was my favorite by far.

I loved everything Barbi Benton did. I watched her in Hee Haw, Love Boat, Fantasy Island. She was my celebrity crush of the 70s and 80s.

I remember she was in some short-lived sitcom about a girl musical group. I can’t remember the show’s title but I always liked it.

Sugartime. Barbi played the sexy bimbo.

[jlocke]

I still remember Barbi Benton as a guest on the show. She and Connie Stevens as showgirls. Barbi in a leotard.
That was my favorite by far.

I loved everything Barbi Benton did. I watched her in Hee Haw, Love Boat, Fantasy Island. She was my celebrity crush of the 70s and 80s.

In case some of our younger members don't know this 70's goddess:

barbie01.jpg (552.41 KiB) Viewed 10706 times

barbie02.jpg (456.85 KiB) Viewed 10706 times

[DonShip]

And my favorite picture of her from the back of her first album...

[jlocke]

Barbie was great in Deathstalker. There's quite a bit of peril in that movie. It's definitely worth a watch if you've never seen it. Worthy of a rewatch if it's been a while. Lana Clarkson was my favorite in Deathstalker, but Barbie is amazing too.

b01.gif (41.28 MiB) Viewed 10645 times

[DonShip]

Barbi was underused, but damn she looked good when onscreen.

[jlocke]

Barbi was underused, but damn she looked good when onscreen.

I was thinking that with AI, we might get some more amazing movies from our favorite actresses that are retired.

I'd love to see a Barbie Benton superheroine movie set in the 70's. By night she's Hugh Hefner's girlfriend and queen of the Playboy Mansion. But by day she is L.A. Lady!

LA Lady.jpeg (214.82 KiB) Viewed 10562 times

[DonShip]

Barbi was underused, but damn she looked good when onscreen.

I was thinking that with AI, we might get some more amazing movies from our favorite actresses that are retired.

I'd love to see a Barbie Benton superheroine movie set in the 70's. By night she's Hugh Hefner's girlfriend and queen of the Playboy Mansion. But by day she is L.A. Lady!

LA Lady.jpeg

Dayum! Well done!

[jlocke]

Barbi was underused, but damn she looked good when onscreen.

I was thinking that with AI, we might get some more amazing movies from our favorite actresses that are retired.

I'd love to see a Barbie Benton superheroine movie set in the 70's. By night she's Hugh Hefner's girlfriend and queen of the Playboy Mansion. But by day she is L.A. Lady!

LA Lady.jpeg

Dayum! Well done!

Team up with the California Highway Patrol! (CHiPs) Guest star on the Love Boat. Holy Shit, how did I think of the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman Team up 3rd?

Lot of potential for nostalgia 70's sexiness.

[DonShip]

Remember the 1970s, when beautiful women like Barbi posed in Playboy with FULL BUSH?