"The Love Boat" series on TV in the late 1970s until late 1980s wasn't a great comedy show. It wasn't a great drama outlet, or mystery or musical setting. And, it really wasn't a forum for great love stories, or even serious romance. It was billed as comedy and drama, but always with romance there somewhere. The series had some of most genres of film (not horror, Westerns or war, of course), but it was mostly a lighter look at life in the lives of a different handful of people each week, as seen with and through the eyes of the captain and crew of the ship by that nickname.
It wasn't anything on the order of a "Grand Hotel" at sea. Nor was it like a daytime soap opera on the water. But, it was an easy and enjoyable show to watch, and a safe one for children. Our family enjoyed watching it together many weeks over the years. While the guest actors changed from week to week along with the mini-plots within, we tended to look forward to certain members of the crew and regular cast. Gavin MacLeod's Captain Stubing was my favorite, while a daughter liked Vicki Stubing, and different sons looked forward to Fred Grandy's Gopher Smith, or the cruise director Julie McCoy, played by Lauren Tewes
This show won't be remembered as one of the outstanding series on TV, but it had a huge following in its day. The lure was for romantic getaways, even for those who could just dream about such a trip. And, it was a family friendly series that kids of all ages could sit through. By 21st century culture, some of the romance stories might be thought of as hokey. Yet, besides a high weekly rating for many years, this TV series had a considerable impact on reviving interest in vacation cruising. The cruise ship industry expanded dramatically over those years, and continues to be very popular to the present day.
This series followed a 1976 TV movie of the same title that served as a pilot for the series. After that year and since this series there have been several new films and series and spin-offs. Most have kept or used a modified name of the original film and series.
It wasn't anything on the order of a "Grand Hotel" at sea. Nor was it like a daytime soap opera on the water. But, it was an easy and enjoyable show to watch, and a safe one for children. Our family enjoyed watching it together many weeks over the years. While the guest actors changed from week to week along with the mini-plots within, we tended to look forward to certain members of the crew and regular cast. Gavin MacLeod's Captain Stubing was my favorite, while a daughter liked Vicki Stubing, and different sons looked forward to Fred Grandy's Gopher Smith, or the cruise director Julie McCoy, played by Lauren Tewes
This show won't be remembered as one of the outstanding series on TV, but it had a huge following in its day. The lure was for romantic getaways, even for those who could just dream about such a trip. And, it was a family friendly series that kids of all ages could sit through. By 21st century culture, some of the romance stories might be thought of as hokey. Yet, besides a high weekly rating for many years, this TV series had a considerable impact on reviving interest in vacation cruising. The cruise ship industry expanded dramatically over those years, and continues to be very popular to the present day.
This series followed a 1976 TV movie of the same title that served as a pilot for the series. After that year and since this series there have been several new films and series and spin-offs. Most have kept or used a modified name of the original film and series.