Customer Reviews

The Love Boat: Season One, Vol. 2

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Following the format of Love American Style (1969), ABC's "The Love Boat" (1977-1986) featured guest stars in comedy vignettes about love and romance. Unlike Love American Style, the stories were intertwined rather than telecast consecutively, featuring the guest stars along with a regular cast. Namely, the crew of the Pacific Princess. Starring as the ship's crew were Gavin MacLeod (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) as Captain Merrill Stubing; Bernie Kopell (Get Smart) as "Doc" Adam Bricker, Fred Grandy as Yeoman Purser Burl "Gopher" Smith; Ted Lange (That's My Mama) as bartender Isaac Washington; and Lauren Tewes as cruise director Julie McCoy. One of the most popular new shows of the 1977-78 season, The Love Boat received an extra boost in ratings when it was paired with similar hit series Fantasy Island the following season. From the lyrics ("Come aboard, we're expecting you") in the theme song performed by Jack Jones to the personalized opening cast credits ("Starring your Love Boat crew..."), the show purposely gave the impression that you (the viewer) were taking the cruises.

It was good to see the show finally come to DVD with The Love Boat - Season One, Volume One which featured decent video and audio. Complete the first season with The Love Boat - Season One, Volume Two. This 4-disc set features the show's remaining 12 hour-long Season One episodes; Full Frame (1.33:1) video; English, Spanish mono audio; Closed Captioning; English, Spanish subtitles; plus the following guest stars: Bob Crane, Kathy Bates, Robert Hays, Pearl Bailey, Don Adams, Adrienne Barbeau, Desi Arnaz Jr., Stephanie Zimbalist, Scatman Crothers, Vicki Lawrence, Jim Backus, Barbi Benton, Monty Hall, real-life sisters Audrey Meadows and Jayne Meadows, Leslie Nielson, TV's "Brady Bunch" sisters Maureen McCormick and Eve Plumb, Morey Amsterdam, Annette Funicello, Antonio Fargas, Georgia Engel, Robert Mandan, Shelley Long and many more!

Also included in this set as an EXTRA is the following Special Feature: "The New Love Boat" (1977). Following several casting missteps in two earlier films (The Love Boat and "The Love Boat II"), this third pilot film (originally telecast May 5, 1977) finally got it right with the TV series' regular characters Gavin McLeod, Bernie Kopell, Fred Grandy, Ted Lange and Lauren Tewes as the Love Boat crew. Guest stars for this made-for-TV movie include Georgia Engel as a stowaway, Gary Frank and Melanie Mayron as a pair of tremulous honeymooners, Stella Stevens and Pat Harrington as an eternally bickering married couple, and Audra Lindley and Phil Silvers as, respectively, an outspoken middle-aged lady and a woebegone widower. Running time is 74 minutes. Here are the episodes contained in this volume, plus original airdates:

13. Family Reunion / Too Hot to Handle / Cinderella Story (1/7/1978)
14. Isaac's Double Standard / One More Time / Chimpanzeeshines (1/14/1978)
15. Hollywood Royalty / The Caper / The Eyes of Love / Masquerade (1/21/1978)*
16. The Congressman Was Indiscreet / Isaac's History Lesson / Winner Take Love (1/28/1978)
17. Last of the Stubings / Million Dollar Man / The Sisters (2/4/1978)
18. The Inspector / A Very Special Girl / Until the Last Goodbye (2/11/1978)
19. Computerman / Parlez-Vous? / Memories of You (2/13/1978)
20. Taking Sides / A Friendly Little Game / Going by the Book (2/18/1978)
21. Parents Know Best / A Selfless Love / The Nubile Nurse (2/25/1978)
22. Musical Cabins (5/5/1978)
23. The Business of Love / Crash Diet Crush / I'll Never Fall in Love Again (5/13/1978)
24. Gopher, The Rebel / Cabin Fever / Pacific Princess Overtures (5/20/1978)

*Episode 15 is presented in its original double-length format, before it was split in two for syndication.

I enjoyed season 1 volume 1 and I enjoyed volume 2 as well. I agree with some of the other reviewers that are disappointed that the complete season was not offered, however, I have been waiting for too long for this series to be released on dvd to protest buying it. The show is just as I remembered, cute, a little corny, and a lot of fun to watch. I can't wait until more seasons are released.

At last vol II is announced and the 13 remaining episodes of season 1 will be included here together with the third love boat tv movie which aired in may 1977 but actually is the pilot tv movie for it was the first love boat movie which all the original cast were present.
According to [...] this movie will be included as a bonus in this dvd set so if this is true that's great news and we may get also the other movies in future love boat dvd releases as bonus

The last 12 episodes from THE LOVE BOAT's first season, including the "Movie of the Week" special which launched the official series. Join the crew of the Pacific Princess, including cruise director Julie McCoy (Lauren Tewes), Captain Merrill Stubing (Gavin MacLeod), Dr. Adam Bricker (Bernie Kopell), Purser "Gopher" Smith (Fred Grandy) and bartender Isaac Washington (Ted Lange) for comedy, drama, and yes, romance on the high seas.

Co-producers Aaron Spelling and Douglas Cramer were instrumental in setting the bar for this kind of "glamour television", helped by fashion designer Nolan Miller, who swathes the parade of guest stars in glittery sea attire. What often jars however (especially this early in the game) was the recycling of guest stars, sometimes only weeks apart--for example, Michele Lee returns in TWO stories in this volume (including a lavish two-parter), but she'd already appeared in another episode earlier in the season! Four episodes in the first season alone (and three separate characters)! Isn't that some sort of record? Patty Duke, Diana Canova and Robert Urich are three more frequent passengers with "multiple character disorder". No matter. Whatever floats the boat, I suppose.

Episodes:

* "Family Reunion / Too Hot to Handle / Cinderella Story"
guest stars Kathy Bates, Bob Crane, Rosemary De Camp, Don DeFore, Bruce Solomon and David White.

* "Isaac's Double Standard / One More Time / Chimpanzeeshines"
guest stars Don Adams, Pearl Bailey, Nanette Fabray, Allyn Ann McLerie and Tracy Reed.

* "The Eyes of Love / Masquerade / Hollywood Royalty / The Caper" (two parts)
guest stars Desi Arnaz Jr., Adrienne Barbeau, Harold Gould, Fernando Lamas, Michele Lee, Juliet Mills, Dan Rowan, Conrad John Schuck, Larry Storch and Karen Valentine.

* "Winner Takes Love / The Congressman Was Indiscreet / Isaac's History Lesson"
guest stars Scatman Crothers, Vicki Lawrence, Maureen McCormick, Bobby Sherman and Dick Van Patten.

* "Last of the Stubings / Million Dollar Man / The Sisters"
guest stars Pat Crowley, Brett Halsey, Marion Ross and Marcia Strassman.

* "A Very Special Girl / Until the Last Goodbye / The Inspector"
guest stars Jim Backus, Paul Burke, Debralee Scott and Laurette Spang.

* "Memories of You / Computerman / Parlez Vous?"
guest stars Frankie Avalon, Barbi Benton, Patty Duke, Jamie Farr, Shelley Long, Ricky Nelson and Carole Ita White.

* "Taking Sides / Going By the Book / A Friendly Little Game"
guest stars Diana Canova, Georgia Engel, Robert Mandan, Audrey Meadows, Harry Morgan and Robert Urich.

* "A Selfless Love / The Nubile Nurse / Parents Know Best"
guest stars Lynda Day George, Elaine Joyce, Monty Hall, Leslie Nielsen, Janis Paige and Mark Shera.

* "Musical Cabins"
guest stars Dick Gautier, Michele Lee, Barbara Rhoades, Marcia Wallace and Paul Williams.

* "The Business of Love / Crash Diet Crush / I'll Never Fall in Love Again"
guest stars Jayne Meadows, Morey Amsterdam, Michael Callan, Annette Funicello, Rose Marie and Jessica Walter.

* "Pacific Princess Overtures / Gopher, the Rebel / Cabin Fever"
guest stars Diane Baker, Kaye Ballard, Gary Collins, Pat Morita, Eve Plumb and Don Porter.

Until THE GOLDEN GIRLS beached it, THE LOVE BOAT was one of my favorite shows on television. I am enthralled going back and re-discovering my childhood memories of Saturday nights watching Gavin and Co.

My girlfriend and I both grew up as kids watching the Love Boat and have been pleasantly surprised how much we're both enjoying watching the original episodes again after so many years, they're clearly born of their time and are goofy as heck, but they're also incredibly entertaining and often very funny. The sexual innuendo was lost on me as a little kid, but it is very much apparent watching the show as an adult why so many people tuned in all those years ago, it's been a blast watching season 1 and the first half of 2, these have got to be selling well enough to keep the sets coming I hope, we're both looking forward to more and those TV movies and any outtakes in future releases would be very much appreciated. Take a chance, you might be surprised how much fun memories these bring back!!!

As a child of the 70's, I was a bit too young to understand many of the inuendo's made on the Love Boat show, but I always loved it. As an adult, I understand more of the storylines, etc. and I still love the show. I found it just as funny, and in some cases, funnier, than when I watched it as a kid. It's great to see the shows again and I can't wait for the remaining seasons. It's good, somewhat mindless at times, entertainment and fun to reminisce and see it through adult eyes.

The only regret I have of this DVD is the fact that Paramount is cheapening out by releasing them as volumes, instead of seasons to try to make it appear less expensive. It's 1977 all over again and after 31 years I still get sucked into this program! The cavalcade of Hollywood has-beens from the past make up the passenger manifest in this second volume! We have Michelle Lee who wound up living on this program along with Desi Arnez Jr. Is it cheesy? Yes! But who cares! I would also watch this show as a kid every Saturday night and it always felt like I was going along with them. In fact, I would even get a little down when the final night of the cruise segment was on because that meant the episode was coming to an end. This is Television at its best! You can't go wrong with this one!

Actually, I had never seen "The Love Boat" before. But, because so many of my favorite stars appeared as guests on the show, I decided to give it a try. I have watched several episodes and have enjoyed not only the guest stars but the regular cast immensely. Top-notch romantic comedy series offers a perfect mix of laughs and s bit of drama, as well. One of Aaron Spelling's best shows ever.

MY wife and I like to cleanse our minds of the modern culture and the unpleasant happenings of the world and local news before going to sleep at night.

We sleep like new born babies because we absorb the adult but wholesome happenings on "The Love Boat.".