The Love Boat was my favorite show in the Super70s. There was
the escapism of going vicariously on a scenic cruise every week and I'm rather a
romantic at heart too, so the amorous (Some may call them mushy. ) stories had
an appeal for me.
Mostly, though, I watched because like probably many
other teenage boys at the time, I had quite a crush on the approachable--and,
yes, perky--Julie McCoy! I've heard that some producers were unhappy with Lauren
Tewes because they had wanted a more voluptuous woman, but I usually go for the
slim, fashion-model type, like Lauren was, anyway. In fact, she actually did get
to play a model when she substituted for one in a fashion show in a 2-part
episode from the fifth season.
Not surprisingly, the more memorable
episodes for me are ones in which Julie has a major role. I remember the one in
which her high-school reunion was held aboard the Pacific Princess. I was rather
jealous when she fell in love with the widower Jack Chenault (played by Tony
Roberts) in the episode "Julie Falls Hard. " After saying to him she wasn't
ready to get married, she changed her mind the next season when she went to
visit him on the Alaska-cruise episode only to find out he had married someone
else by then. Who can forget too what is probably the most famous episode
("Friends and Lovers") in which Julie and Gopher experience a brief reciprocal
infatuation? Poor Julie also later had another love interest in Australia, this
time to find out he had a fatal disease! The show's writers were such a
tease!
The funniest episode in my opinion is only the second one of the
whole series (entitled "Oh, Dale!") in which John Ritter impersonates a woman to
keep an eye on the girlfriend who dumped him, only to ultimately fall for his
(her?) cabinmate. I believe the most moving episode is also from the first year.
This would be the one named "Lost and Found, " in which a runaway boy attempts
to convince a vacationing couple (played by Sandy Duncan and Jim Stafford), who
had lost their own child, to adopt him. Just try holding back the tears when
Sandy explains to him how much his real parents were worried about
him!
Although I had wished there were a few more sad endings to make the
program just a little more realistic, I faithfully tuned in virtually every week
from when it debuted in September 1977 to watch this landmark show. Faithfully,
that is, until Lauren was given the sack in 1984, reputedly for cocaine use. I
have nothing against her replacement Pat Klous and I did still watch from time
to time, but The Love Boat just wasn't the same for me without Lauren. Others
may have felt the same way, for the program went on after Lauren's departure for
only two more seasons, ending in May 1986.
I still enjoy watching this
program when possible. As I write this in 2004, it has been most recently shown
on TV Land. To my knowledge, it isn't available yet on DVD (or VHS for that
matter). Hopefully soon.
--Secret Admirer
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