Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Tuesdays, I will be reviewing the original Fantasy Island, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1984.  Unfortunately, the show has been removed from most streaming sites.  Fortunately, I’ve got nearly every episode on my DVR.

This week, things get strange on the Island!

Episode 6.7 “Roller Derby Dolls/Thanks A Million”

(Dir by Don Weis, originally aired on December 4th, 1982)

Norman Hackett (Vic Tayback) is a sports fanatic who wants to coach his own athletic team.  Oddly, he doesn’t specify what type of team he wants to coach.  I would think that would be the first thing that a true sports fanatic would make clear.  “I want to coach the….”  Well, I can’t think of the names of any teams off the top of my head.  I’m not a sports person so …. okay, he could have said he wanted to coach the Cowboys.  You happy?  Yes, I’m from North Texas and our football team sucks,  Even I’m embarrassed by them and I don’t even follow football.  I’d be tempted to coach the Rangers except I know Erin would get mad at me if the team didn’t make it to the championship.  We also have a hockey team called the Stars but Leonard is the biggest hockey fan I know and, if anyone here at TSL deserves to coach hockey, it’s Leonard.  What’s that, you say?  The Mavericks?  Ehh.  I hate basketball.  Those squeaky shoes drive me nuts.  Plus Mark Cuban’s been kind of annoying ever since he decided to run for President in 2028.

Anyway, I’m rambling because this episode really wasn’t that interesting.  Because Norman didn’t make it clear what he wanted to coach, Mr. Roarke gives him a whistle and then introduces him to the Belles, an all-female roller derby team.  It turns out that roller derby is a big deal on Fantasy Island!  There’s a roller derby rink and everything.  It also turns out that Norman’s check bounced so, if he abandons the Belles, he’ll have to pay Mr. Roarke even more money …. wait, what?  Shouldn’t Norman just be sent home or something?  And doesn’t Roarke know enough to make sure the check clears before inviting someone to the Island?  No wonder Tattoo used to be in charge of the money.

Speaking of money, Suzanne (Janet Leigh), Roger (James Noble), and Eddie (Art Metrano) come to the Island to take part in a contest.  The winner will get $1.000.000 from a mysterious benefactor.  The benefactor, by the way, is actually Eddie and it turns out that the entire contest is a private bet between him and Mr. Roarke.  Eddie thinks that people will do anything to get money.  (This is largely true.  Up until a few weeks ago, this moronic woman was trying to sue my dead father’s estate for half a million.  Fear not, she got nothing.)  Roarke believes that people are good at heart.  Eddie puts Suzanne and Roger through a series of increasingly dangerous tests to see how far they’re willing to go.  In the end, both Roger and Suzanne prove themselves to be good people, though Suzanne is the one who gets the money.  Roarke wins his bet and we’re left wondering how all this came about in the first place.  (Seriously, how does Roarke even know Eddie?)

Anyway, this was kind of a strange trip to the Island.  I’m not really happy about an episode of Fantasy Island featuring a story that isn’t really a fantasy.  Still, at least the scenery was nice.  That’s a beautiful island!