Sherwood Schwartz claimed that some of the Professor's experiments in Gilligan's Island were actually feasible

Although it enjoyed a relatively short run on television, Gilligan's Island made the most of its three seasons. What was already a fairly outlandish concept seemed to venture further into the absurd the longer the series aired. With plenty of dream sequences and offbeat plotlines to fill an episode, audiences were guaranteed a good laugh when they tuned into the series.

Ultimately, that was the goal of the show, according to series creator Sherwood Schwartz. "All I want is for everybody to have a little fun and not get gray-headed," Schwartz said of developing the series during an interview with the Portland Press Herald.

But for all of his enjoyment of absurdity, Schwartz was also incredibly conscious of the fact that Gilligan's Island needed a small injection of reality in order to keep things truly entertaining. "A touch of reality, however, is very important," said Schwartz.

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Funnily enough, the creator claimed that there were plenty of experiments that took place on the island that, if put into practice, would actually work as anticipated. In those moments, Gilligan's Island became a real-life science lesson. 

"When the scientist on the island uses seawater, copper pennies, coconuts, and bobby pins to recharge a battery, kids go to their science teachers," said Schwartz. "'Does that work?' they asked. 'Sure,' the teachers said."

Realism used sparingly was the show's secret ingredient that fully cemented their success. "Comedy, fortified by truth," Schwartz said.