Guilty Pleasures

Everyone has them.  You can probably think of one or two yourself.

Reading romance novels. Sneaking a monthly cigar break on the back deck. Bubble baths graced by candle-lit radiance. A morsel of delicious decadent dark chocolate.  

Guilty pleasures. We all have’m.

Whether it’s listening to sappy 80s pop music, trying on expensive clothes you have no intention of buying or reading the Sunday paper – from cover to cover – these little rewards we give ourselves help us make it through the tough times.

How often have you rewarded yourself with a delicious bowl of ice cream after a strenuous day at work or a rigorous workout at the gym?

I recently came to the conclusion that I, too, have a ‘guilty pleasure’ - 1960s tv comedy shows. Not 50’s programs. Not 70’s or 80’s. I focus on the shows that were popular when I was a little kid; the programs that were often featured during the ‘early fringe’ broadcast television daypart.

When a little shaver came home from school, he/she would often find such viewing options as “Andy Griffith,” “My Three Sons,” or “Batman.” These are all a part of my home video library or DVR archive. 

No show epitomized this period, however, than “Gilligan’s Island.” When a tyke heard the opening bars of that venerable theme song, “The Ballad of Gilligan’s Island,” he or she could grab a seat and a glass of Hawaiian Punch and be assured of 30 minutes of light, innocent entertainment.

A Three Hour Tour…if you will.

There wasn’t anything magical or profound about the show. It was just fun. Each week, we followed the ups and downs of the seven stranded castaways - Gilligan, the Skipper, the Millionaire (and his wife), the Movie Star, the Professor AND Mary Ann.

The sit-com blended a combination of nice character development, a few hijinks and some physical comedy wrapped together by some sort of nice moral focusing on teamwork, friendship, camaraderie or some similar theme.

Though I have the entire DVD collection, I was thrilled to find the series featured on cable during primetime this fall. Lisa and I have set the DVR to record the shows and when we have time for some tv viewing, we’ll often queue one up. She tells me that she, too, enjoyed the show as a child. So, we kind of get to relive that era together. 

And she doesn’t seem to mind when I indulge this guilty pleasure. I’ll just keep the Hawaiian Punch for me, though. 

JG

Originally posted 10/16/2013