The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 14.1411  Wednesday, 9 July 2003

From:           Susan St. John <
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Date:           Tuesday, 08 Jul 2003 12:22:19 -0700
Subject:        Fantasy Island

It's summer vacation and I sit here watching TV as I catch up on my
email.  While flipping channels I came across the new Fantasy Island,
with Malcolm McDowell as Mr. Roarke, on the Sci-Fi channel.  In this
episode his daughter, Miranda, returns to visit him.  During a flashback
scene where he remembers finding her as a baby after a horrible storm
causes a shipwreck, I have a total slap-your-forehead DUH moment!  OK,
it's not EXACTLY like The Tempest...but how could I have never noticed
it before?  Did the original FI have any Tempest references? (I admit I
did watch the original series in the 80's, but this is the first time
I've seen this new version)

As I continued watching I noticed there are two clownish servants who
are always arguing...Stephano and Trinculo I am thinking, but then I
hear the big dumb one's name is Cal.  Roarke's assistant is a lovely,
magical woman...you guessed it...her name is Ariel!  Then the writers
spoiled it by having Miranda's boyfriend named Brad!

Just wanted to share this example as one more for the
Shakespeare-in-pop-culture book.

Susan St. John

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