Jencyclopedia

John Saxon is a marine biologist who wants to make a scientific breakthrough, and he winds up discovering Michelle Phillips is a mermaid.
A woman fell in love with James Darren, and she wants to meet him again, but she doesn’t realize he’s Jeffrey Epstein.

I thought we were gonna get a shenanigans scene, but still no.

This is a James Darren episode, so I’ve seen all of it; I didn’t realize at the time that this was a significant episode though, because of the mermaid story.

Tattoo: He wants to find a new kind of fish or something?
Roarke: Or something… yes…

Amanda DeHaven: Mr. Roarke… is he in any real danger?
Roarke: Perhaps.

I love that all the characters in the mermaid story are recurring Fantasy Island actors.

Roarke: Mrs. DeHaven, on Fantasy Island, more than any place else on earth, it is extremely unwise to play it safe.

This beach could be Leo Carillo, but I’m not sure.

Roarke: Miss Brett, at the risk of sounding repetitious, I must caution you not to leave Fantasy Island.

Boo. Why can’t he just warn people any more?

I feel like most marine biologists don’t work in their underwear, but maybe that’s just me.

Amanda DeHaven: Harold! Harold, are you carrying someone?!

No, he’s carrying a dummy.

They’re playing “Feelings” again? I guess that’s why there are so many original songs in this show, because they can only get the rights to like three songs. You woulda thought they’d get James Darren to sing it though… although, I guess that wouldn’t make sense with the story… but hey, it didn’t make sense for Moondoggie to start singing about Gidget in the middle of the beach either.

“The Victim” has got to be one of the darkest stories in this show.

I’m getting Head vibes. It’s probably the same pool too.

Amanda DeHaven: I was wondering, have you seen my husband? When I woke up this morning, he had already left.
Roarke: Yes, I just saw him. I believe he went for a swim.
Amanda DeHaven: Oh, thank you very much.
[She sees him swimming with a mermaid.]
Amanda DeHaven: …Mr. Roarke?
Me: [expecting Roarke to be gone]
Roarke: Yes?
Me: :(

Come on, when are they gonna start doing this?

Amanda DeHaven: He’s out there with a mermaid.
Roarke: Oh, come now, Mrs. DeHaven. ~Mermaids~ aren’t ~real.~

The beach looks like Westward Beach now.

Julie Brett: Well, I can’t blame Mr. Roarke for all his; he sure did his best to try to talk me out of it.

It feels like they were worried people would think Roarke was a bad guy for letting this happen, so that’s why they put this line in here. I can’t think of any other episode where they’re like “well, this is definitely not Mr. Roarke’s fault.”

WAAAAH! Roarke’s office has three windows now!!!

Amanda DeHaven: Oh, but Mr. Roarke, I don’t want to lose him.

To recap, Amanda and Harold are a married couple who have fallen out of love. They come to Fantasy Island so Harold can make a scientific discovery, and presumably also regain the spark in their marriage. Harold hangs out in the ocean, and Amanda goes off and gets her hair done or knits or something. That afternoon, Amanda returns to their bungalow, and she hears her husband and a woman’s voice coming from the behind the closed bathroom door. Amanda assumes he’s having an affair, which is fair.

The next morning, Amanda is walking along the beach, all cheery. She runs into Mr. Roarke and asks where her husband is. Roarke points Harold out; he’s swimming in the ocean with a mermaid. For some reason, Roarke and Amanda decide to go to his office so they can discuss this, because apparently, they can’t do that on the beach. When they get to this office, Roarke denies the mermaid’s existence, despite the fact that he was right. there. Amanda is sad and doesn’t “want to lose him”… but she just caught him cheating! Shouldn’t she be angry?

Roarke: If, I say if there is a mermaid, and if she has chosen the professor as a consort, you must win him back before she can take him out to sea.

This scene needed a rewrite. It should have started with Amanda being all “he’s having an affair! after fifteen years! the nerve of that man! and she’s a mermaid!? what’s up with that?!” and then Roarke could do his little “oh, no, Mrs. DeHaven, why, ~mermaids~ don’t ~exist~… you must be mistaken… but… if they ~did~ exist… and your husband was with one… he would be in a very dangerous situation… ~indeed~… and only the power of your love… could save him…”

I don’t know if people in 1979 considered mermaids to be dangerous? Because I think for most people in a post-1989 world, mermaids are harmless, curious little girls who like to sing, so in this world, you would need to explain that Nyah is dangerous, and I think they could have made that clearer. Obviously I can’t fault Fantasy Island for not being able to predict The Little Mermaid though.

Mary Ann Mobley is just over-the-top emotional in every scene in this episode.

The place Roarke goes to think in 2×8 “Return” is the same place he chats with Nyah here.

Nyah: I will love you like no man…
Me: “has ever loved you”?!
Nyah: …has ever been loved.

I feel like this line was really weirdly phrased, because I remember thinking the exact same thing last time I saw this episode.

This Victor stooge is pretty dumb to fall for a kidnapped girl coming onto him.

Roarke: Well, ladies. Shall we go to my island, and uh, more pleasant fantasies, hm?

[The women, who have just escaped from being forced into proposition for years, giggle like lava lava girls.]

Okay, so this isn’t Leo Carillo or Westward Beach. I think it’s the same beach where Jamie Marsh went sulking in 3×7 “The Wedding”. In which case, this beach should be pretty easy to find, because there were some neato rock formations in the background. Sooo I guess I know how I’m spending my evening.

This show loves its girlfights.

Again, Tattoo didn’t get any lines other than in the opening and closing scenes. I don’t like this.

Hey! I think this is the first time this guy has been the driver! Now his character needs a name, because I don’t know what call him.

Tattoo: Mr. DeHaven was very lucky to escape from Nyah.
Roarke: True. However, Nyah will find someone else soon enough. In fact, I would be very surprised if she didn’t have her eye on another prospect already.
Tattoo: Oh really? You have anybody in mind?
[Roarke gives Tattoo a look.]
Tattoo: Uh oh. No, no, no, no. Not me. No. Come on, boss. I can’t even swim.

This exchange doesn’t work for me. Roarke’s basically saying “I think this mermaid chick is gonna try to kill you,” and they both just laugh it off.

• Ominous Roarke:
  • Tattoo: He wants to find a new kind of fish or something?
    Roarke: Or something… yes…
  • Tattoo: But, if she see him again, will that make matter worse?
    Roarke: It will, in fact… be dangerous. So dangerous that even I cannot guarantee the outcome.
  • Roarke: Uh, professor, one word of caution. The sea can be a source of life… or a producer of death. Your fantasy may contain more than you bargained for.
• Roarke’s drink: clearish yellow
• Ominous shot of Roarke raising his drink: YES definitely
• Neighbouring islands:
  • Roarke: In fact, he lives on a nearby island, and uh, I have no authority there.
• Roarke saves the day: Roarke arrives with officers sent by the governor general of Michael Duval’s island to rescue Julie Brett and the other women.
• A legal matter:
  • Michael Duval: You have no authority on this island.
    Roarke: I take any authority I choose when the safety of my guests is concerned.