The Love Boat Online

I admit it, I loved the '70s. It was such a fun decade. The Love Boat is a time capsule of the late '70s. Not just the guest stars and the fashions, but the basic mood of the era.

It's very easy and even very trendy to put down this lightweight show from ultraprolific producer Aaron Spelling, the same way people denigrate disco music. But once put into context, it really wasn't all that bad. The period, after all, was the late '70s -- only three years after The Brady Bunch had left the air. TV's fabled last gasp of innocence had yet to be breathed. TV shows could still be expected to be fun and frivolous, like the Me Decade this was a part of.

Spelling was at the peak of his TV power, having already scored hits with The Mod Squad, The Rookies, Starsky & Hutch and Charlie's Angels, among other shows. His shows alone were taking up more than a quarter of ABC's prime time hours by the turn of the decade and it was said that he had produced more hours of television than anyone else. For several years, Love Boat was teamed with Spelling stable mate Fantasy Island, forming a two-hour escapist block on Saturday nights when viewers could escape on a tropical cruise then to a lush tropical island.

With The Love Boat, viewers could experience some of the better aspects of a cruise, without the drawbacks. Every day was sun-drenched and every night clear and crisp, sunsets were always brilliant, it never rained and we could all be home within a single hour. And heck, it didn't cost a cent! The Aloha, Lido, Fiesta and Riviera decks (or at least their names) become ingrained in memory through sheer repetition. Not to mention the ship's lobby where all the guest stars made their grand entrances. (The lobby of the real Pacific Princess, by the way, looked nearly the same but was in the center of the ship and had no such entrance doors.) And, of course, the Crystal Pool, which made an appearance in every episode, except when the crew took to other ships for cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska and even Australia. And what a crew it was. From fatherly Gavin MacLeod to pert and perky Cindy "Lauren" Tewes and everyone in between, there was a nice family vibe to the original cast, even if some fans felt it was disrupted by the addition of Jill Whelan. Just don't mention the subsequent cast additions and changes, by which time the show had overstayed its welcome.

The stories were simple and, for the most part, uplifting. Still, they were repetitive. But how many different plot variations can one expect about love? And then there was the oh-so-'70s theme song. Charles Fox wrote the music, having already made his TV mark in several hit sitcoms including Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and Love, American Style. Pity poor Paul Williams, who, despite other successes, once reportedly said even if he found the cure for cancer, he'd still be remembered only for penning the lyrics to this insidious ditty. As sung by Jack Jones, it was frothier than ocean whitecaps and a perfect match for the show. Both Williams and Jones, by the way, actually guest-starred on the show.

There's a story that Peter Graves was once asked about his appearance on The Love Boat. Graves jokingly demurred that everyone in Hollywood at the time guest-starred on the show. That's not far from the truth. The show featured a never ending parade of television stars, stars to be, stars that once were and would-be stars. Singers, dancers and once, the then-popular Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. All mingled with some rather distinguished company -- movie stars and Oscar winners past and future like Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Ginger Rogers, Olivia de Havilland, Debbie Reynolds, Tom Hanks and Don Ameche, among others, made appearances.

The original Pacific Princess no longer plies her Pacific route on the Mexican Riviera, with ports of call at Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Acapulco. She long since surrendered the area to her larger, newer, more luxurious sisters, one of which (the Sun Princess) couldn't carry the "Next Wave" revival in 1998. In the autumn of 2002, she was retired from the Princess fleet after 27 years of service, and the one, true Love Boat was no more. There's a new Pacific Princess now, but it just isn't the same. Thus I raise my glass in one final toast, "To absent friends and those at sea."

I loved "The Love Boat"!! It was so 70's and that's what was so appealing about it. OK the story lines were predictable but who cares. It was light hearted entertainment. I was a teenager when it was on and all I wanted to do when I grew up was go on the Pacific Princess!!! The only thing I found annoying was that everyone seemed to be in a suite on the ship!!! and when did the Captain ever have time to steer the ship ? he was always wandering around the deck!! or having dinner with all the guests. I have been on numerous cruises and have only ever seen the Captain once.!! I also loved how they used to bring back all the old Hollywood stars. Lots of these people were national treasures and we won't see the likes of them again. I would love for it to run again on TV, at least it's better than all the death and violence we always seem to get now.

Pick any episode of "THE LOVE BOAT", and have IMDB.com launched on your computer. Be prepared to spend several hours looking up each actor who appears in that episode. You'll be amazed at the actors who became big in the late part of the 1970's and early 1980's who turn up. I was surprised to see actors who worked together in ONE show, turn up together on "THE LOVE BOAT" There's a classic episode where Florence Henderson, and Robert Reed, of "Brady Bunch" fame, appear together, but NOT in the same story line. They pass each other in a buffet line, and do "the classic double-take". Clever writing, on someone's part.

Plus, many stars from the past got a shot at some screen time, courtesy of "THE LOVE BOAT".

Were the stories predictable? Yes.

++POSSIBLE SPOLIERS!++ The format for each show was painfully similar. In the first few moments we meet the passengers. Usually, there were three stories that we followed thru the cruise. By the second commercial break, some sort of problem or trouble appears in each tale, and we see the folks involved work thru their issues, and after the last commercial, everybody disembarks with a smile, and the happy Pacific Princess crew have a clever line to close the show. Some episodes were a bit different, but not by much.

This, and "Fantasy Island" were classic escapist fare, and did the ABC television network well in getting folks to stay home on Saturday nights, when these shows aired, back-to-back.

"The Love Boat" is one of those old-fashioned, nostalgic and memorable TV series from the 70's and 80's. I used to watch it frequently when I was younger and I always enjoyed it. A great TV show and even unique. After all, this show takes place mostly in a cruise liner, where its passengers and crew live romances and adventures.

"The Love Boat" usually took place in the liner "Pacific Princess", but other alternative yet similar ships were used as well. That was the case of the "Island Princess", the "Stella Solaris", the "Pearl of Scandinavia", the "Royal Viking Sky" and the "Royal Princess".

This is a charming TV series which is also famous for its timeless and wonderful opening song, "The Love Boat".

Even though this TV series was very popular in its time, it seems to me that it has become forgotten and much less popular as the years go by. Besides, it seems to be largely unknown in our generation, a generation with eyes mostly for uninteresting, mediocre and crappy TV shows. However, for those who knew "The Love Boat", it remains alive in their memories and won't be forgotten.

I just commented on "The Love Boat", but I just realized there is so much I forgot to say about it. There are so many great episodes that have touched my heart. I was reminded of this when one of my favorites came on TV Land tonight. In it, a young girl (Maureen "Marcia Brady" Mc Cormick) falls in love, and then learns she may only have monthes to live. It is exceptional, real entertaiment that has a wonderful life lesson attached to it. There is another one where the crew is critical of an apparent relationship between an older man and a younger woman that turns out to be not what they imagined at all. Also, there is an episode that features first love between a pair of teenagers (Scott Baio and Kristy Mc Nichol) that rings true. I also enjoy the episode where Vicki's T.V. idol (Alison "Nellie Oleson" Arngrim) comes on board,and turns out to be not what she appears, either.

The series is exceptional in that it was able to deal with serious, sometimes even controversial themes, and balance it out with good, old fashioned screwball and sophisticated comedy. Contrary to many people's belief that the show's quality went down as it matured, I would have to disaggree. I have enjoyed every episode of this show I have ever seen, early or late in the series. And I find Charo to be adorable and funny.

"The Love Boat" has a permanent place on my favorite shows list, and a permanent spot in my heart, as well.

Let's face it, it was not the best of shows but not the worst either. It had lots of wonderful guest stars who livened up the show. When I finally took a cruise to Alaska, I was expecting a love boat scenario but that's not what I got. Love Boat is indeed fantasy with a great theme song sung by Dionne Warwick and a decent cast that included Gavin McLeod, Jill Whelan, Lauren Tewes, Fred Grady, Bernie Kopell, and Isaac (what is his real name?). Anyway the scenario was usual about a three day cruise to Mexico and back to Los Angeles with guest stars that included several of Hollywood top stars and the ones that were not on top. For a while, I think the Love Boat provided a great service of keeping the B-list guest stars working. I won't name names but we know who they were and we don't care. Love Boat is a comedy mixed with a little bit of drama. They never did anything serious or offensive. Of course, it was a Spelling show which meant that it was eye candy, sugar and sweet, and everything nice.

"The Love Boat"is one of my top three favorite shows of all time. "The Love Boat" takes place on a luxury cruise ship,The Pacific Princess,and features new stars each week. These guest stars populate the passenger list of the ship. Their voyages, sometimes dramatic, sometimes comic, always romantic, make up the stories on the show. The crew members, the show's only regulars,often participate in the stories.

"The Love Boat" is the ultimate escapist fantasy with colorful locations and glossy love stories. And it is a whole lot of fun.You really can't do much better than this. Out of all the shows that feature many big name guest stars, this is truly the best. This show holds a treasured spot in my heart, and is excellent and uplifting entertainment. I wish TV Land showed every episode!

The late 70s/early 80s is perhaps the last breath of purely fun, unapologetic entertainment in the annals of TV history! The anchor (pardon the pun!) of this breezy time period was THE LOVE BOAT! Starting out as a TV pilot in 1977 with a cast that thankfully didn't make it to any voyages for the actual 10 seasons with the REAL cast, THE LOVE BOAT sailed the high seas for a seeming eternity!

The REAL cast was of course Gavin McLeod, Bernie Kopell, Fred Grandy, Ted Lange, and Lauren Tewes, one of the best, most underrated ensembles in TV history! Their interactions are as good as you'll see in any uber-acclaimed show on "serious" TV shows. They all had an easygoing appeal that really made this show work. You could NOT make a show like this today! Impossible! Just a function of the frivolity and lightheartedness of its time period.

-McLeod was the paternal Capt. Stubing

-Kopell was the lady-killing Dr.Bricker

-Grandy was the lovable Yeoman Purser Gopher

-Lange was the hip bartender Isaac

-Tewes was the fresh and appealing Julie

In later years, of course as with any show, it would add/lose cast members, but for most of it's run, these 5 characters ran the boat! Jill Whelan would come on around Season 3 (I think) as Stubing's daughter Vicki; Julie left around Season 7 or 8 and her sister Judy (yikes!) would take her place, and of course the ever-reliable Ted McGinley would come on as photographer Ace! OK, no show is perfect!

Each week on Saturday night as a kid, I used to sit back and enjoy the duo LOVE BOAT and FANTASY ISLAND. THE LOVE BOAT became so popular that they eventually started doing 2 hour shows for what seemed like every week in its later seasons! That would be unheard of today! Initially, for its regular cruises, the show would go sail from it's LA port to South American ports in Mexico, which we viewers strangely never got to see! Action pretty much stayed on the ship, but that was OK. Then in later years, for the 2-hour shows, they would go all over the world (Australia, China, Greece, Italy, France, you name it, the Pacific Princess went there!).

It would usually be 3 main stories that drove the episode, with predictably neat resolutions at the end, but that was the fun of it: you KNEW everything was going to be OK, except of course for our beloved crew! They had to return every week, so of course none of their romances could work out! You'd be amazed at how many stars set sail on this show! An eclectic mix of thespians (from both film and TV), soap stars, musicians, even non-actors (game show hosts, celebrity cameos) would show up on the cruises!

In retrospect, I think the laugh-tracked 1-hour episodes are more watchable than the 2-hour on-location episodes with no laugh tracks! In a way, it's good that you can't imitate shows like this anymore (at least not on purpose) because it's like a time capsule from a footloose and fancy-free period in TV entertainment that one can go back and wistfully recall!

10/10 in my book!

The original Love Boat was one my favorite TV shows. I remember watching on ABC Saturday nights, when it came first on television as couple TV movies mid 1970's deciding to making in a series. The Love Boat would set port in Los Angeles then set sail to Mexico. Once in a while the cast go to different locales around the world and set port on another ship. Seeing places in the world, that I would like to travel one day. The show does not have the greatest plots on television, but traveling to the places was magnificent.

Pick any episode of "THE LOVE BOAT", and have IMDb.com launched on your computer. Be prepared to spend several hours looking up each actor who appears in that episode. You'll be amazed at the actors who became big in the late part of the 1970's and early 1980's who turn up. I was surprised to see actors who worked together in ONE show, turn up together on "THE LOVE BOAT" There's a classic episode where Florence Henderson, and Robert Reed, of "Brady Bunch" fame, appear together, but NOT in the same story line. They pass each other in a buffet line, and do "the classic double-take". Clever writing, on someone's part.

Plus, many stars from the past got a shot at some screen time, courtesy of "THE LOVE BOAT".

Were the stories predictable? Yes.

++POSSIBLE Spoilers!++ The format for each show was painfully similar. In the first few moments we meet the passengers. Usually, there were three stories that we followed thru the cruise. By the second commercial break, some sort of problem or trouble appears in each tale, and we see the folks involved work thru their issues, and after the last commercial, everybody disembarks with a smile, and the happy Pacific Princess crew have a clever line to close the show. Some episodes were a bit different, but not by much.

I know this is my third review for this show, but I have one more thing to add. The regular characters are awesome! Captain Stubing,Vicki, Isaac, Gopher, Julie, Doc,etc. They truly were a family, and their talent added a great deal to the show.They are the reason this show was a success, and the revival flopped. The revival's cast had no talent! This comedy/drama is one of my three favorite shows of all time. (along with the corny, but always lovable "The Brady Bunch", and the beautiful "Once And Again".)

"the love boat" was so predictable as to be a spoiler unto itself, but i checked that spoiler box just in case. how can one spoil that which is already rotted? but that's just what i love about "the love boat": the toupeed and face-lifted guest stars; the oddly effeminate captain stubing (ever notice that "Merrill Stubing"/"Murray Slaughter" parallel? one of my fantasies was to feature the wjm newsroom crew as passengers on the ship, years after Murray Slaughter got conked on the head on a second honeymoon on the pacific princess, got (what else?) amnesia, minced off in a daze and resurfaced as suddenly naval Merrill Stubing); Gopher, whom i am afraid i had a crush on—gleeps! then there was that walking pillar of saccharin, cruise director Julie McCoy, who luckily turned out to be a huge coke-head, which at least explained her unflagging perkiness. leave us not forget the luckless Isaac Washington, black bartender and romantic interest or platonic friend of each nonwhite guest star, be it Diahann Carroll or Scatman Crothers, Florida Friebus or Roosevelt Grier. and who could forget Doc (no matter how they tried), that Hippocratic lecher in aviator glasses? i used to love when he and Captain Stubing had one of their Adam-Merrill heart-to-hearts (as in "Adam, she fills my life with wonder"). and of course no-neck-monster Vicki, an apparent escapee from a community theater production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." then there was harbinger of doom Ted McGinley, a fellow whose addition to the cast of any show meant it was about to be canceled. i could talk about "the love boat" for hours, a sad commentary on the state of my mind.

I had a college roommate who claimed that a friend of his was fired from his job as a Washington, DC elevator operator when he used the above line on then Congressman Fred Grandy who apparently didn't appreciate the jibe at his previous career.

Anyway, "The Love Boat." I was in grade-school when it began its run in 1977. I wasn't a fan. My older sister, though, was and almost every Saturday night she'd dominate our basement TV as she watched "The Love Boat" and then "Fantasy Island." I was usually playing with my toys on the nearby floor, but even immersed in my games I'd still be able to follow the storyline of the show. That was easy to do even for a distracted grade-schooler because IT WAS THE EXACT SAME STORY EVERY SINGLE WEEK!

The show's plot involved the romantic escapades of its guest stars on the love boat, the ocean cruise liner, the Pacific Princess.

The Pacific Princess' guests consisted of either current "stars" of other ABC programs in an obvious ploy to draw cross-over fans to those shows, struggling young actors/comedians who were happy to get any paying gig, faded stars of Hollywood's Golden Age looking for one last hurrah, and legions of D-grade celebs/actors whose careers were foundering. These guests would show-up on the boat. Interact with the "zany" crew. Meet another guest of the opposite sex usually with the assistance of the zany crew. Romantic sparks would explode to the accompaniment of a lamer than usual laugh-track. However, a misunderstanding or disagreement would occur and be followed by an angry break-up. Then the inevitable reconciliation (often assisted by the zany crew) and everyone would depart the Pacific Princess smiling and holding hands.

It was the same story every week. Only one week you'd have young Robert Urich and Meredith Baxter (both struggling actors at the time) and the next it'd be Marcia Brady and Juan Epstein (both whose careers were pretty much dead).

It was predictable, brainless 70's TV schlock, but I do admit to liking one thing about it: Lauren Tewes as the cruise director, "Julie McCoy." Even as a grade-schooler, I thought she was really cute especially with the short, bob hair-cut that she wore in the early seasons. Later on, when she replaced her bob with heavily tinted and BIG 80's hair whatever hold she had upon me disappeared. Also, her character gradually disappeared as well with the repulsively annoying "Vicki," the captain's daughter, seemingly taking over her role. It wasn't until years later that I learned that Ms. Tewes had developed a serious cocaine addiction while working on the show. Her work became more and more erratic resulting in her screen-time being drastically cut and then eventually to her being fired. A sad tale of 1980's Hollywood.

Yes, that's right. Horrible. And so predictable, too! It seemed like a good idea at first. Stars you love, stars you hate, all sailing on a boat with Gavin McLeod as Captain, fresh off the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Some interesting characters around Stubing, like the bartender and the cute cruise director. But after a few episodes every episode became the same old formula.

Stars would board ship, everyone greets each other, music comes in, confetti flows, ship honks horn, ship sails, Charo can't find her room, picture of ship goes sailing by, stories begin to unravel, Toni Tennille wheels by in a wheelchair, picture of ship going in the opposite direction pops up, Barry Nelson with a beaver on his head walks by smiling, another picture of the ship sailing shows us they're on a "real" ship, Pearl Bailey laughs heartily, stories get wrapped up, picture of ship sailing into port comes on, passengers disembark, music plays, tune in the following week and it's the same thing only with Don Adams, Diana Canova, and Charlie Callas! Horrible! And it lasted ten seasons? Eye yi yi.

The show has never been popular in syndication. A true testament to how much people want to see this forgotten series. It goes to show you that anything can get on television.

I enjoyed "The Love Boat" for the simple reason It was great to see all the Movie Stars from the Past that one never got to see anymore since Hollywood Is run by 20-year-old boys. Murder She wrote also had the same idea with guest stars And I enjoyed that show also... My favorite TV shows of all time would be The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Seinfeld,Cannon,I Love Lucy,Dark Shadows, Keeping up Appearances and Faulty Towers.... Love Boat is not in that group but it was still enjoyable to watch.

One should always make allowances for the era in which something happened. Perhaps it was normal then for a cruise ship's crew to try to get off with the passengers. It was certainly normal to take every opportunity to decorate the set with as many fit young people in swimwear as was credibly possible. The main curiosity about this show for me, though, is the guest stars - those who were ultra-famous at the time (at least half the casts of Charlie's Angels, Happy Days, Brady Bunch, MASH, and John, Juliet and Hayley Mills all in the one episode), those who had been famous (Rowan AND Martin (plus some of their cohorts), Sonny Bono, Monty Hall, Milton Berle, Vincent Price) and those who were heading that way (Billy Crystal, Heather Locklear). Too many to list here but, for those who deride the cheesy nature of the plots, the contrived situations and the gratuitous flesh - well given the quality of the guest stars, it can't have been seen as too bad at the time. It's always interesting to see actors well known for particular roles showing up as something else, especially comedy. PS I was going to include Leslie Nielsen, but I wasn't sure which list to put him in as he quite possibly qualifies in all three :)

The Love Boat is a TV series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from 1977 to 1986. The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain,together with Bernie Kopell,Fred Grandy,Ted Lange,Lauren Tewes,Jill Whelan and Ted McGinley. The show was based on the nonfiction book,The Love Boats by Jeraldine Saunders.

The sitcom was usually set aboard a Princess Cruises cruise liner called the Pacific Princess, whose passengers and crew had romantic and funny adventures every week.Captain Stubing, Julie, Gopher, Dr.Adam, and Isaac are the main characters and they normally help their passengers to get the most out of their trips and do their best to help them fall in love most of the time.The stories range from silly to serious.

The sitcom could be considered having lightweight stories but it managed to give fun and entertainment the years it was shown on TV.It also managed to have popular guest most of the time.It is perfect for escapism as well.

The Love Boat is corn on the high seas, but the dynamic of Captain Stubing, Dr Bricker, Julie, Isaac and Gopher represents the marvellous heart of the show which is buttressed by a cavalcade of guest stars, from the icons of old Hollywood, to future stars (Tom Hanks!), so who cares! The Love Boat is a show in which Charo can suddenly appear and run riot on the Pacific Princess, and where icons of dance such as Ginger Rogers can perform ultra-camp 'modern' routines to the delight of the various crew and cruise guests. The Love Boat, then, is a delightful return to a marvellous TV age, a series in which a dance teaching couple announce their intention at the end of one episode to open a Disco School and so secure a bright financial future at the end of the 1970s (D'oh!), where the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders routinely take the cruise and do their cheerleading thing (sans footballers), and where most of the female passengers must don a regulation bikini and parade them on every deck. Indeed, where else could one see Leslie Nielsen playing it suave, or Sonny Bono portray a 'Satanic' Alice Cooper-style rock star? The Love Boat, that's where! So, watch and see a young Mark Harmon, Billy Crystal, Teri Hatcher, Shelley Long, Janet Jackson and Jackie Earle Haley mixing with veteran luminaries such as Ray Milland, Vincent Price, Phyllis Diller, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, John Mills, Anne Baxter, Don Ameche, Cesar Romero, José Ferrer, Gene Kelly, Stewart Granger, and Debbie Reynolds (to name but a few!) to engage in all kinds of romantic hijinks. Sure, Dr Adam Bricker would be in for it these days due to his lascivious ways with female passengers, but The Love Boat still stands as a marvellous portal back to a better vanished TV time. As such, I say long may Yeoman Purser Burl 'Gopher' Smith get into zany misadventures! Long may Isaac Washington point in a cool two-handed style at the screen! Long may passengers meet, fall in, fall out, then fall back in love and get married - all in the space of two days! And long may The Love Boat sail, if only in the reruns!

I have read the previous reviews and while I do realize that every episode of The Love Boat was predictable and cheesy in hindsight,were most television shows of that era or some even since any different?You got to also realize that Aaron Spelling specialized in the fantasy genre realm(Starsky & Hutch was a lot more reality based in comparison to this and his other offerings,mind you).It was escapist entertainment at its finest and Fantasy Island following it Saturday nights on ABC made everybody's night home who decided not to venture out.I even remember when ABC aired the reruns on their daytime schedule.By that time,they were on the air long enough to justify showing them daily.One knock against the show to me is that at least Fantasy Island had that moral-of-the-story element that The Love Boat didn't.

Spelling productions did not make Love, American Style. They took the basic concept of it, added places for the love to happen (on a Princess Cruise ship & in ports of call), a regular crew, & mass produced 10 years of the Love Boat. Part of the reason it worked was the ship as you could dream of being on a cruise & never leave your living room.

Each episode usually had 2 or three plot lines with different guests involved. Each one would involve the crew interacting with the guests. Each one would usually have a happy ending. Sometimes, episodes would even go 2 hours. Princess Cruises definitely got a lot of valuable promo from this series.

Like Love American Style, the love aspect would get by with a wink, a grin, & some subtle hints of the feelings that were really going on. The crew was a pretty talented ensemble. Gavin McCloud as your Captain became more of less the star of the show. Bernie Kopell as the ships playboy Doctor became a key factor a lot of times. Lauren Tewes was the supposed hot cruise director. Then there was Gopher & the bartender always around either when you need them or not around when you need them.

The guest stars would read like a whose who of 1960's & 70's actors & actresses. It was amazing how many folks would get drawn on board this ship. Realism, this show has little. Bubble gum for the brain, that is where this show comes from. "Come Aboard, We're Expecting you!"

I'm enjoying watching "The Love Boat" here in France while on a job for a few months....it's on a regular (non-cable) channel (FR3) every morning from 10:30 till 11:30....the French have never taken it off, and it still gets good ratings! It's great seeing all the old stars, and getting a taste of home, too! Bon voyage! Also, for those who are I Love Lucy fans, join www.lucyfan.com the Lucy fan site...or go visit the Lucy-Desi museum in her hometown of Jamestown, New York...conventions of Lucyfans are held there twice a year! Happy travels! P.S. 4 US soap operas are also shown on French TV (but from 3 years ago!)--Young and Restless, Bold and Beautiful, Days of our Lives, and Guiding Light!

Oh, how sad that I spent my formative high school years watching "The Love Boat" every Saturday night followed by "Fantasy Island!" Perhaps that's how I got an appreciation for classic movies because any washed up (sorry about that) actor sooner or later made a guest star appearance. How many times did Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney appear on that show anyway? The regulars were okay but it was the kooky guest stars with their feather weight problems that made the show last for nearly 10 years. It was always a guessing game at home, would the guest stars be staying on the Promenade deck or the Lido deck? It was such a product of the 70's. For those of you who weren't around during its first run, coming after the turbulent 1960's, the 1970's was all about fluff and fun, just like Farrah's hair!

When I was a wee one, like really little, I was OBSESSED with the damn Love Boat. I couldnt walk great or better yet even talk well, but damned if I didnt know what time the Love Boat was coming on tv. If you asked me then what I wanted to be growing up, it 100% without a doubt was probably "Ship Mermaid" or "Ship Director". No one in my house watched it, so My Mum & Dad could not figure out how/why I loved this damn show soo much. I would be camped out in front of the tv right on time, trying to ask for "The Ship Show." My Dad thought I was cursing, until they figured out what I was really saying. Soo for my 4th birthday, my party was at Chuck E. Cheese's. All of my friends came from my Pre-K class, and also a few of my cousins & neighborhood kids, etc. I actually made my Mom send out invitations, handwritten from Me, of course - to The Love Boat crew (c/o the tv station) Gopher, Capt. Stubing & his Daughter, Isaac, the Doc, the whole freakin' gang....Needless to say, not one of them showed up. :'-( Well, I was sooooo pissed off, I went and hid in the ball pit, all by myself & I cried my little weirdo heart out. (I don't really remember all of this story, but my Parents filled me in on alot of it. LoL)

This is a TRUE STORY (Here comes the good part) : 2 days later, I received the most humongous package in the post. I didnt know what was going on, my parents included. Turns out, THE ENTIRE LOVE BOAT CAST & CREW SENT ME A HUGE AUTOGRAPHED FRAMED PICTURE WITH OF ALL OF THEM standing on those winding steps!!!! It was huge, & soo beautiful!! Omg, it was (to this day) the best present EVER.

I watched The Love Boat as a teenager and enjoyed it. I never noticed how racy and potentially trashy it was until I became an adult.

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I watch these reruns and giggle at the horrible acting, but at the same time I really enjoy the episodes although they are not really the type of things I like to watch. I think it is the nostalgia that gets me. :)

Every episode is pretty much the same. Meet the guests, see a little something about them, then see the troubles, somebody sleeps with somebody, somebody meets a stranger and they fall in love in 24 hours, problems are either resolved, they get a divorce or somebody plans to get married after knowing one another for 2 days. I think the idea behind this show was to have actors from other shows on every episode and create additional publicity for them.

Do not get me wrong, the show is not terrible. They have their little plot twists and great actors for the time, it is just a bit silly as well.

I do not recall it being so racy when I was a teen. There are a lot of one night stands and hoeing around on that ship. I never realized how many women the crew (excluding Julie of course) slept with. Captain Stubing was a bit of a ladies man I suppose. Haha

Overall, a good show for its time. Watching it today, you have to just accept that the acting will be bad and be okay with repetitiveness.

I love this series not only for its style, but because I have love for all manner of boats.

Especially when this series started, Princess Cruise was using a boat that was made in Germany. For some reason, German made boats has special appeal to me. I think the one they use in the opening scene is really beautiful.

The other thing that I love about this series is its theme song. It's a disco type song, but fabulous.

Going down the list of things I like about this series, the guest stars that comes on board every week always were interesting. Often serious character actors would come on board and go along with the comedy. It showed the side of them never seen elsewhere.

I also liked the port of call the ship makes in each episodes. Many places looked stunningly beautiful.

So what's not to like about a series like this ? It's a classic that's still a joy to watch.