What is the premise of Gilligan’s Island?

Gilligan’s Island is about a group of castaways on a desert island whose rescue attempts are thwarted, often because of first mate Gilligan’s silly actions. The background premise is explained in the show’s opening credits song, which describes how the five passengers and two crew members of the SS Minnow are forced onto a desert island while on a short tour. The survivors—Gilligan and the skipper, a millionaire and his wife, a professor, a movie star, and girl next door Mary Ann—then attempt to escape the island, leading to hilarious results.