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, it’s the last Julie episode.

Episode 5.21 “The Big Bet/Nancy and the Thunderbirds”

(Dir by Cliff Bole, originally aired on May 1st, 1982)

Because I’ve got a cold and I’ve still got a lot to do for the holidays, I’m only going to do a mini-review for this episode.  It’s not a very good episode so the less time spent talking about it, the better.

• I knew this episode wasn’t going to be my cup of tea when Julie was the one who greeted Mr. Roarke as he stepped out of his office.  That’s nothing against Wendy Schaal, the actress who played Julie.  It’s just that the episodes in which Julie helps out Roarke are never as good as the Tattoo episodes.  Ricardo Montalban and Wendy Schaal just didn’t have the same type of entertaining chemistry as Montalban and Herve Villechaize.
• I think a huge part of the problem with Julie is that she is Roarke’s goddaughter and spends a lot of time looking up to him and treating him like a father figure.  Tattoo and Roarke were, more or less, equals and they could relate to each other on a much more honest and, by the standards of the show, realistic fashion.
• As for the fantasies, neither one is very interesting.
• Mary Ann Mobley plays Nancy Carsons, who was adopted and raised by an Indian chief.  Nancy]s fantasy is to fulfil the Chief’s prophecy and conquer a thunderbird.  Apparently, only by doing this can Nancy prevent the tribe from falling apart when the Chief dies.  The problem is that the thunderbird is a mythological bird who does not exactly exist.
• However, there is a squadron of airplanes known as the Thunderbirds and they’re visiting Fantasy Island.  Can Nancy, who is a licensed pilot, fly one of those plans and kind of make the prophecy come true?
• Of course, she does!  And she also falls in love with Major Wood (Patrick Wayne) so, not only is the Tribe saved but Nancy will now be doing even more flying.
• If the Thunderbirds fantasy was just kind of bland, the “Big Bet” fantasy is downright offensive, with Corky Daniels (John James) making a bet with his co-workers that he can have sex with Playpen model, Judy Moreau (Lydia Cornell).  Judy just happens to be on the Island, accompanied by Playpen published Hugh Hefner Al Henshaw (Edd Byrnes).
• Corky tells Judy a lot of lies to get her to fall for him.  When Judy finds out about the bet, she’s so upset that she …. sleeps with Corky anyways.  But then Corky doesn’t tell his friends about sleeping with Judy and loses the bet which proves to Judy that he really does love her.
• Now, let’s give credit where credit it due.  Both Roarke and Julie tell Corky that he’s being a sexist pig.  I always like it when Roarke gets offended with his guest’s because Montalban always seemed to enjoy playing up Roarke’s anger.  Mr. Roarke comes across as being the perfect host but you don’t want to get him mad.
• Corky and Judy leave the Island together.  Judy should have tossed Corky in the lagoon.

We’ve got one episode left in season 5.  I checked and it’s a Tattoo episode, which means this week’s episode was Julie’s grand finale.  Unfortunately, it’s not really much of a finale.  Julie’s sudden presence on the Island was never really adequately explained, though it was kind of nice to be reminded that there’s always a lot taking place on the Island and Roarke doesn’t always have time to oversee every little thing.  I suppose Roarke probably has many assistants who we rarely see.

Because of the holidays, this is my final Fantasy Island review of 2024.  I will resume reviewing Fantasy Island on January 7th!