Fantasy Island (TV Series) The Challenge/A Genie Named Joe (1982) User Reviews

Is calling a Fantasy Island episode silly redundant? LOL

[VetteRanger · 7/10 · 22 January 2023]

In The Challenge, Vic Morrow arrives at Fantasy Island with a 400 year old Spanish deed which he claims gives him ownership of the island. Rather than a protracted court battle, Roark agrees to an absurd set of three challenges, two wins captures the island.

I cringed when one of the was chess. As a long-time tournament player and rated expert, I always have to roll my eyes at chess depicted in film and TV. They never get positions right, and the final position in this game was something you'd never see, probably even with rank beginners. LOL

In the second challenge, they arm wrestle with "deadly" tarantulas awaiting the hand of the loser. Of course, while always depicted as "deadly", tarantulas are not deadly at all. In my mind, Roark's conclusion to this contest also won the third contest, that of the spirit.

In the other story, a woman whose fantasy is to find the "perfect man" is slated to find a genie (Larry Linville from M*A*S*H). Not really much there except for the predictable waste of her first two wishes.

What an absolutely delightful and charming little episode!

[imdb-25288 · 10/10 · 28 April 2023]

Wow! Finally!!! We have a winner! Both stories equally delightful, and I can't pick a favorite. This was perfect in (ALMOST) every way!! Beautifully lit, charming actresses who played their lovely characters very well, some swell costumes, and well written stories.

First, I was charmed to see Kim Darby deplane (I said de plane, LOL!) as she starred in my favorite horror movie of the 70s (I'll let you look that up!) And she did not disappoint: she played a shy and coy (isn't that the same word?) character who, once again and for the umpteenth time for Fantasy Island, wanted to find "the perfect husband"! Didn't she watch the Lyle Waggoner episode? I just (re)watched it 24 hrs ago! Doesn't she know... "be careful what you wish for"?! Well, anyway!

The other story had one weak element (and I ought to rate this a 9.4, just because of him): Dick Sargent, whom I really liked as Darrin on Bewitched. I just loathe him in every guest star bit I've ever seen him in, in 70s/80s shows! I can recall him always playing the bad guy. Here? He might as well be one, because he plays his part one dimensional, and is pulling a sour face till the end!

Very happy that Julie was gone and Tattoo was back! (She appears in pants at the intro but, this time, never meets our two amigos, and it's just like old times: the wizard and his jester!)

So to make a short review way too long (sorry!) Kim & the genie had good chemistry together. Nicely cast! Although, of course, I saw the outcome coming, it was played very well, and I felt her frustration: "Where is my husband?"... indeed! I was ready to march into Mr. Roarke's office myself and demand her "Fifty Kay" back on her behalf.

The other story... with no spoilers.. there were no other familiar faces for me, except the lady seems vaguely familiar, but her name clocks in at Jane Powell and I have no idea who that is. All I know is she reminded me of my old friend Patty. I loved, loved, loved the interaction with her and Mr. Roarke. What a surprise and cute turn of events, here! I thought she was gonna be another of those "long faces" actresses but nope. Nothing annoying about her, here. She as lovely and delightful as Kim Darby. (I bet neither returned to the island! Isn't it always like this?!)

Highlights of the show: 1) Tattoo in a giant, live chess set. I love chess. As accessory, I can't really play the game. I mean I can play it, but I can't strategize it to win. Notice it was red and white; no black...for a reason!

2) Jane Powell ("Eunice") looking absolutely gorgeous in a silver gown. Wow! Kudos to the designer. 3) Her waltz with Mr. Roarke, sporting a white on white "coat & tails" tux, was the best treat for this episode. (Pity that it was badly filmed and edited, from overhead, with image sort of squished at times, but I don't have the heart to remove a star for that.)

One two part plot hole nitpick: A) did the writers missed the best part of what they were writing? Did someone in the production fall asleep that they missed what where they were going with it?! It was obvious that Mr. Roarke won the 3rd challenge even before it was called, during the 2nd one...but then they completely disregarded that! (Imagine Casablanca writing the denouement for the Hungarian couple's story, but then dropping it, nobody thanking Bogie, and neither the wife nor the Russian bartender kissing him!) Yeah: like that! (So carefully: no spoilers at all given in this review at all!)

B) Mr. Roarke (and the look of horror on his face clearly indicated that at the end) technically lost the 3rd challenge when the "bad guy" approached him and said his piece to him: clearly, that man outdid the compassion here...except for the fact that Mr. Roarke already won it during challenge #2. So what went wrong here? Nobody could tie this together and wrap up with a nice bow, Casablanca style? No? Ugh! Two loose ends here...

In the end, I'm rating this a 10/10, not for perfection of story, but rather for the sheer joy that has been my perfect enjoyment of it. It was just too good. And the set decorators even went all out when they made it snow on Fantasy Island. (Notice the double shadows on everyone: outdoors is actually indoors, and filmed in a studio, not a backlot, for the most part.)

No horror touch here, but if you like a touch of magic and the magic of beauty, there's plenty in this episode to delight you by. A resounding 10/10, bravo and applause for this pretty magical one. And my thanks to anyone involved in creating this episode, even if they're all long gone and nobody would even read this anyway.

Too predictable

[stones78 · 14 January 2016]

Even though this was a decent episode with several familiar faces, I just about had both stories figured out minutes into both of them. The faces include Kim Darby, Vic Morrow(who would die in a tragic accident only 5 months later), Larry Linville, Dick Sargent, Jane Powell, and Royal Dano. I won't spoil how either story concluded, but you'll figure it out. I still thought they were both done rather well, and I thought Darby and Linville had some chemistry together. One cool moment had the island become a snowy fortress, with a Christmas tune playing in the background, much to Mr. Roarke's chagrin; after all, Linville(Joe the genie)had to grant this particular wish! Morrow played a snob convincingly, even though it's hard watching him knowing what cruel fate happened to him shortly while filming another movie. I don't need to get into it, you can look it up. Anyway, my biggest qualm was how predictable both stories became, and that dampened my overall feel for the episode.