Jencyclopedia

Ralph Malph wants to be a good artist.
Pregnant and dying Jan Brady wants to know what her future child’s life will be like.

I’m pretty sure “Elizabeth’s Baby” is not going to have anything to do with 3×15 “Elizabeth”, but it would have been cool if it did. They could have just picked literally any other name.

Roarke: Such talent is difficult to find, even here on Fantasy Island.
Tattoo: How did we find it?
Roarke: We, uh, borrowed it, my friend.

Okay, how does that work?

Tattoo: She look like she gonna have a baby very soon.

I mean, he’s right, she is pregnant, but oh, Tattoo, no.

Roarke: The essential thing is to remember you are an observer. No one will be able to see you or hear you.

Except for Sam.

Have we ever had time travel to the future before? Lisa Hartman could see the future in 3×19 “Terrors of the Mind”, but she didn’t actually go to the future.

Tattoo: This brush belongs to an artist with all sorts of talents. Right, boss?
Roarke: All kinds… yes…

Okay, so this artist’s personality is going to take over Ralph’s personality, right? It’s gonna be like when Homer got a hair transplant from Snake?

The special effects here are cute. Rather than the flashing lights they usually use, they’ve got swirls of paint superimposed over Ralph’s face.

Also, Roarke is making great faces in this scene.

Is this a different vest? I’ve never noticed the detailling on it before.

Elizabeth Blake: Who is she, Mr. Roarke?
Roarke: Steven remarried six years ago. Her name is Helen. The twins are their children.
Elizabeth Blake: I guess I’m a bit jealous… but I’m glad too. They’re beautiful children.

Roarke gives her this look, like he’s upset that she’s not upset.

Elizabeth Blake: Lisa, wait!
Roarke: Mrs. Blake. You must not try to interfere. You will break the spell.

This line feels pretty significant. I don’t know if Roarke has ever called anything he’s done a “spell”.

Also, this scene is exactly like when you’re in a dream, and then you realize it’s a dream, so you try to do something, but then you wake up.

Elizabeth Blake: Oh, Mr. Roarke, let me go to her, let me help her.
Roarke: You’re asking me to alter a fantasy, Mrs. Blake. To make you an exception to my rule.
Elizabeth Blake: But don’t you see? I can give her love. I can help her. I know I can. Please. It’s the only chance I’ll ever have to be her mother.
Roarke: Fate has cheated you of precious years of life. Perhaps [Roarke looks skyward] we can bend the rules this one time.

They had the perfect opportunity to do the disappearing act bit at the end of this scene, but they didn’t do it.

[Kermit Dobbs has painted a mural of a half-naked woman, and she has two distinctive birthmarks, so all the men on the island start thinking the painting is of their girlfriend, and that she’s been cheating on them.]
Deborah Dare: Maybe the artist saw me in my bikini.
Mike: How could he, dammit? We just got here yesterday. How did you– how did this artist guy– how could the two of you–

Umm, so then maybe it’s just a coincidence? Because if he didn’t have time to see her in her bikini, then how did he have time to do anything else with her?

Deborah Dare: That really could be me. Legs… hair…

“I have legs and hair!”

Roarke: Just take the pathway that leads from the luau area, you know where that is, up into the hills.

Hm, so there’s a specific “luau area”.

Oh my god, a mini-fantasy! I didn’t think we’d ever have one of those again! Waaaah!

Ummmmm. Oh boy.

Mr. Claus: All these years of giving presents, and I finally received one of my very own.
Tattoo: What did you receive?
Mr. Claus: I’ll show you.
[A girl in a bikini pops out of Mr. Claus’ sack.]
Girl: Merry Christmas, everyone!
Tattoo: Oh, boss!
Roarke: A truly magnificent gift, Mr. Claus.
Tattoo: I never got anything like this in my stocking.
Mr. Claus: Just one thing worries me.
Roarke: Yes, what is it?
Mr. Claus: She could catch a cold at the North Pole.
Roarke: Dig deeper into the bag.
[Mr. Claus pulls out a fur coat.]
Roarke: What is a present if it isn’t gift wrapped, eh, Mr. Claus?
Mr. Claus: Thank you, Mr. Roarke.
[Mr. Claus stuffs the girl into his sack, throws the sack over his shoulder, and wanders off.]

This would have made sense if the episode aired in December, but it didn’t air until January.

Yep, dressing up like a prostitute with my daughter — that’s my fantasy.

Lisa has apparently never seen a photo of her mother, since she didn’t recognize her.

Tattoo: Boss?
Roarke: Hm?
Tattoo: I don’t get it.
Roarke: What?
Tattoo: What about the beauty mark on Miss Dare, uh… painting.
Roarke: I happen to know that the mark was, for lack for a better expression, merely an ad lib by Mr. O’Herlihy. I assure you, he didn’t know Miss Dare existed.
Tattoo: Well, you could have told Mr. Dobbs about it. He think that she, uh… you know.
Roarke: It is better this way, my friend. Not knowing will help him remain a most attentive husband forever.

So Tattoo thinks Roarke should tell Mr. Dobbs about his new girlfriend’s sexual history (or lack of). And Roarke seems to think fear is a good motivator in a marriage. Yeaaah.

Elizabeth’s goodbye scene felt sappier than usual. I know it’s because she’s going to die, but it felt like a little too much.

• Guests:
  • Mr. Kermit Dobbs, a bachelor and high school art teacher from Stafford, Kansas.
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Blake from Elmhurst, Illinois.
• Tattoo has no faith:
  • Roarke: His fantasy is to possess, for 48 hours, a real talent so he may paint one memorable canvas.
    Tattoo: Can we do that, boss?
• Recurring phrases:
  • Tattoo: She look like she gonna have a baby very soon.
    Roarke: Very soon indeed, Tattoo.
  • Roarke: Who can explain the mysteries of true love, Mr. Dobbs? Indeed, who would really want to?
• Roarke’s drink: same old
• Ominous shot of Roarke drinking: yes
• Time travel: Elizabeth Blake travels to the future to see how her child will grow up.
• Artist Tattoo:
  • Kermit Dobbs: This collection of paintings must be priceless, Mr. Roarke. Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir.
    Roarke: Part of the result of a lifetime of collecting, Mr. Dobbs.
    Kermit Dobbs: Hm, what have we here?
    Roarke: One of my favourites, Mr. Dobbs; Tattoo painted that one.
• Money:
  • Kermit Dobbs: If I could paint that well, I wouldn’t have had to save up for this fantasy.
• Magic object:
  • Tattoo: This brush belongs to an artist with all sorts of talents. Right, boss?
    Roarke: All kinds… yes…
• Technobabble:
  • Elizabeth Blake: It seems so strange to actually be here, and yet, no one notices.
    Roarke: We are of a different time frame — part of the past, but invisible in the present.
  • Roarke: Mrs. Blake. You must not try to interfere. You will break the spell.
  • Roarke: I am sorry that your impulsive gesture caused the second window to close prematurely.
• Rules:
  • Roarke: It is imperative that you do not reveal to her that you are her mother.
• Can’t help you:
  • Kermit Dobbs: Right now, I want to give you back this brush, say thank you, and get the first plane back to Kansas.
    Roarke: Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t possibly accept the brush. […] Unfortunately, it is a condition of this particular fantasy that the brush remain in the possession of the artist for a full 48 hours, along with all those other certain idiosyncrasies I mentioned.
• Mini-fantasy: Mr. Claus is always giving everyone presents, so he wanted to receive one of his very own… a girl in a bikini.
• Someone else had a fantasy:
  • Patrick O’Herlihy: Now, I struck a bargain with Mr. Roarke. I’m to have an entire weekend of rest, away from my romantic escapades.
• Cancelling the fantasy:
  • Patrick O’Herlihy: The signing, Mr. Roarke, was not part of the bargain.
    Roarke: Of course. Your agreement to lend your talent for a weekend free of the stress of romance can be terminated, if you so desire.
• All you need is love:
  • Lisa Blake: If it hadn’t been for her, I never would have understood.
    Steven Blake: About what, baby?
    Lisa Blake: About… love.
  • Roarke: Who can explain the mysteries of true love, Mr. Dobbs? Indeed, who would really want to?
• Leaving with an extra guest: Kermit Dobbs with new girlfriend Deborah Dare