1965 ‘Gilligan's Island' Episode, Starring a Rock Band, Was Ranked No. 1 in the Entire Series

Gilligan's Island aired from 1964 until 1967, lasting only three seasons. Out of the 98 episodes that were released, the highest rated took place during season 2, according to IMDb. It was titled: "Don't Bug the Mosquitos."

The episode, which aired in December 1965, was about a rock band called The Mosquitoes (a play on The Beatles), who arrived on the island for a vacation to escape their fans. They planned to stay for a full month, but the castaways, hoping to hitch a ride with them, tried to make them miserable so they would leave earlier. Of course, when they ultimately escape on a helicopter, it's without the main cast.

The Mosquitoes were portrayed by a real band called The Wellingtons. They sang the theme song for the first season of the show, called "The Ballad of Gilligan's Island." In addition to singing multiple tunes throughout this top-rated episode, their music can be heard over the radio in many other episodes.

However, The Mosquitoes weren't the only band featured in this episode. The Honeybees-which consisted of Ginger, Mary Ann and Mrs. Howell-also performed. They sang "You Need Us," but Mary Ann's singing voice was provided by Jackie DeShannon, the iconic singer who is known for "What the World Needs Now Is Love." She also wrote "When You Walk in the Room" and "Bette Davis Eyes."

One reviewer of this episode said, "If you've never seen Gilligan's Island, this is the first episode you should see. It is so funny! Everyone is at the top of their game and the plot hits every base on the field."

Another said, "To me this is the best episode for a number of reasons. ... The creators of Gilligan's Island produced a perfect time capsule of what music and pop culture were at this time in America."

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In addition to being a fan favorite, "Don't Bug the Mosquitos" has also been rated one of the 5 best Gilligan's Island episodes from E! News. It comes in right below "The Producer," which is about a Hollywood producer who lands on the island, causing the castaways to put on a performance of Hamlet.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 5:55 AM.