"The Love Boat," which ran on Saturday nights, on ABC,
was, yes inspired by the early '70s series "Love, American Style" .
This "sparkling comedy," as the press releases called it then, contains several separate romantic or basicically humorus stories aboard a luxury liner, "The Pacific Princess" , cruising to different ports each week.
As we occaisionally see the ship sailing through tranquil waters, the vignettes are played out by an assortment of terrific guest stars. Many who were a part of Hollywood's Golden Age (late 1920s to the 1960's) and many, then, current celebrities of the 1970's and later the 1980's.
Yes, there is a laugh track but since this is taking place on a cruise ship, it would take away the true feeling of being aboard a real ship, even more, to have a 'live' audience.
Laugh tracks were standard Network Order (required) back then, so there's really no way around it, except to just ignore it and enjoy the voyage. (Thankfully it is not 'overused').
Each vignette had its own separate writer and director, and that made for a fuller contribuation of creativity and stroy telling direction.
Everything, of course, reaches a happy resolution. And what's wrong with watching a show that can make you feel good and give a happy ending? So much good humor and fun...plus love stories were so well played on "The Love Boat" for it's 9 seasons.
The great cast was the most integral part of it all. Gavin MacLoed as Captain Merrill Stubing. (who eclipsed his performance as Murray on The Mary Tyler Moore Show). He really makes his being a no nonsense captain very convincing.
The rest of our cast truly brought great humor and the right essence of comedic and somewhat serious acting to the series. Fred Grandy (Burl "Gopher" Smith), Ted Lange (Isaac Washington), Bernie Kopell (Dr. Adam Bricker), Lauren Tewes (Julie McCoy) and Jill Whelan as Vicki Stubing, Merrill's daughter.
I especially loved the occaisional appearances of "Charo" as stowaway April in her 1st show and every time she returned.
After Grandy left for politics and Tewes for 'personal issues' , well, I still did love watching the show but I could feel their abscence. Still, I stayed until the end.
A delightful and just wonderful show, no solving the BIG issues of the world, just an hour of watching people fall in love or try to stay in love and other simple but engaging stories for the viewer. (..and no, watching The Love Boat does not lower your IQ , Lol! I could watch this and Masterpiece Theater.)
TV sitcoms , whether light hearted fun or more serious like, "All In The Family" ... are still one thing from the start , entertainment. ; and they can be & are, as long as we allow ourselves to be entertained and not expect more than is offered.
9 out of 10 stars, I simply missed Julie and Gopher after they left the series. (END)
This "sparkling comedy," as the press releases called it then, contains several separate romantic or basicically humorus stories aboard a luxury liner, "The Pacific Princess" , cruising to different ports each week.
As we occaisionally see the ship sailing through tranquil waters, the vignettes are played out by an assortment of terrific guest stars. Many who were a part of Hollywood's Golden Age (late 1920s to the 1960's) and many, then, current celebrities of the 1970's and later the 1980's.
Yes, there is a laugh track but since this is taking place on a cruise ship, it would take away the true feeling of being aboard a real ship, even more, to have a 'live' audience.
Laugh tracks were standard Network Order (required) back then, so there's really no way around it, except to just ignore it and enjoy the voyage. (Thankfully it is not 'overused').
Each vignette had its own separate writer and director, and that made for a fuller contribuation of creativity and stroy telling direction.
Everything, of course, reaches a happy resolution. And what's wrong with watching a show that can make you feel good and give a happy ending? So much good humor and fun...plus love stories were so well played on "The Love Boat" for it's 9 seasons.
The great cast was the most integral part of it all. Gavin MacLoed as Captain Merrill Stubing. (who eclipsed his performance as Murray on The Mary Tyler Moore Show). He really makes his being a no nonsense captain very convincing.
The rest of our cast truly brought great humor and the right essence of comedic and somewhat serious acting to the series. Fred Grandy (Burl "Gopher" Smith), Ted Lange (Isaac Washington), Bernie Kopell (Dr. Adam Bricker), Lauren Tewes (Julie McCoy) and Jill Whelan as Vicki Stubing, Merrill's daughter.
I especially loved the occaisional appearances of "Charo" as stowaway April in her 1st show and every time she returned.
After Grandy left for politics and Tewes for 'personal issues' , well, I still did love watching the show but I could feel their abscence. Still, I stayed until the end.
A delightful and just wonderful show, no solving the BIG issues of the world, just an hour of watching people fall in love or try to stay in love and other simple but engaging stories for the viewer. (..and no, watching The Love Boat does not lower your IQ , Lol! I could watch this and Masterpiece Theater.)
TV sitcoms , whether light hearted fun or more serious like, "All In The Family" ... are still one thing from the start , entertainment. ; and they can be & are, as long as we allow ourselves to be entertained and not expect more than is offered.
9 out of 10 stars, I simply missed Julie and Gopher after they left the series. (END)
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