Fantasy Island

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Fantasy Island refers to two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.

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The Original Series

Prior to the long-running original series, Fantasy Island was introduced to viewers in 1977 through two highly-rated made-for-television films in which Mr. Roarke and Tattoo played relatively minor roles. Airing from 1978 to 1984, the original series starred Ricardo Montalban as Mr. Roarke, the enigmatic overseer of a mysterious island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean where people from all walks of life could come and live out their fantasies — for a price.

Roarke was known for his white suit and cultured demeanor, and he was initially accompanied by an energetic sidekick, Tattoo, played by the diminutive Hervé Villechaize, who shouted "The plane! The plane!" to announce the arrival of a new set of guests at the beginning of each episode. From 1980 to 1982, Wendy Schaal joined the cast as another assistant named Julie. Villechaize quit the series prior to the 1983-1984 season (its last) and Tattoo was replaced by a more sedate butler type named Lawrence, played by Christopher Hewett.

Image:Fantasy Island.jpg In the early seasons, it was noted that each guest had paid USD$ 50,000 in advance for the fulfillment of their fantasies and that Fantasy Island was, at its heart, a business. In later seasons, this aspect was downplayed and there were often supernatural overtones suggesting that Mr. Roarke was an angel, or perhaps a space alien or something else other-worldly, and that his powers to fulfill fantasies were the result of a supernatural being or beings needing to correct things that had happened in the past. Roarke's ability to create almost any environment on the Island with literally a snap of his fingers was never explained. In one notable episode late in the series, Roarke battled a character who appeared to be The Devil (played by Roddy McDowall).

The usual format of each episode consisted of an introduction in which Roarke would describe to Tattoo (or another assistant) the nature of each person's fantasy, usually with a cryptic comment to the effect that the person's fantasy will not turn out as they expected. The episode would then alternate between two or three independent storylines as the guests experienced their fantasies and interacted with Roarke. Often, the fantasies would turn out to be morality lessons for the guests, sometimes to the point of (apparently) putting their lives at risk, only to have Roarke step in at the last minute and reveal the deception. It is mentioned a few times that a condition of visiting Fantasy Island is that guests never reveal what goes on there.

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The 1998 Series

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In 1998, ABC attempted a revival of the series in an hour-long format. The role of Mr. Roarke was filled by Malcolm McDowell and, unlike the first series, the supernatural aspect of his character and of Fantasy Island itself was emphasized from the start, along with a dose of dark humor. Director Barry Sonnenfeld, known for his work on The Addams Family movies, was a chief creative force on the new series. Another departure from the original involved filming location, with the new series filmed in Hawaii, rather than in California.

The supporting cast was also expanded for the new series. There was no attempt to replace Tattoo, with Roarke instead having a team of assistants — one of whom was a beautiful female shape shifter — who were assigned to help create and maintain the various fantasy worlds created on the island. Apparently these assistants were imprisoned on the island in order to pay off some debt, sometimes hinting that they were in some kind of Limbo. The series was cancelled midway through the season, with this subplot never resolved.

In an attempt to contrast this series with the original, the new Mr. Roarke usually wore black. During the first episode, an assistant came into Mr. Roarke's office, shouting "The planes! The Planes!" Mr. Roarke ordered the assistant to never do that again.

Episodes of the revived series were regularly introduced at a travel agency that actually books the fantasies, operated by two elderly travel agents played by Fyvush Finkel and 1930s silver screen leading lady Sylvia Sidney (in her final acting role).

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