View source for The Love Boat

{{Short description|American romantic comedy drama television series}}
{{About|the television series|the real-life ship depicted in the series|MS Pacific|other uses|Love Boat (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Isaac Washington|the fictional video game character|The House of the Dead: Overkill}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = The Love Boat.jpg
| caption              =
| genre                = {{Plainlist|
* [[Drama]]
* [[Romantic comedy]]
}}
| based_on             = {{Based on|''[[The Love Boats]]''|[[Jeraldine Saunders]]}}
| creator              = [[Wilford Lloyd Baumes]]
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Gavin MacLeod]]
* [[Bernie Kopell]]
* [[Fred Grandy]]
* [[Ted Lange]]
* [[Lauren Tewes]]
* [[Jill Whelan]]
* [[Ted McGinley]]
* [[Pat Klous]]
}}
| theme_music_composer = {{Plainlist|
* [[Charles Fox (composer)|Charles Fox]]
* [[Paul Williams (songwriter)|Paul Williams]]
}}
| opentheme            = "[[Love Boat (song)|The Love Boat]]" sung by [[Jack Jones (American singer)|Jack Jones]], seasons 1–8; by [[Dionne Warwick]] season 9
| country              = United States
| num_seasons          = 9 (+ 5 specials and 3 pilots)
| num_episodes         = 250
| list_episodes        = List of The Love Boat episodes
| executive_producer   = {{Plainlist|
* [[Aaron Spelling]]
* [[Douglas S. Cramer]]
}}
| runtime              = 45–52 minutes
| company              = {{Plainlist|
* Douglas S. Cramer Productions
* [[Aaron Spelling Productions]]
}}
| network              = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1977|9|24}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1986|5|24}}
| related              = ''[[Love Boat: The Next Wave]]'' 
}}

'''''The Love Boat''''' is an American [[romantic comedy]]-[[drama (film and television)|drama]] television series created by [[Wilford Lloyd Baumes]] that originally aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three [[Television film|TV movie]]s aired before the regular series premiered and four specials and a TV movie aired after the series ended. The series was set on the [[cruise ship]] [[MS Pacific|MS ''Pacific Princess'']], and revolved around the ship's captain Merrill Stubing (played by [[Gavin MacLeod]]) and a handful of his crew, with passengers played by guest actors for each episode, having romantic, dramatic and humorous adventures.

The series was part of ABC's popular Saturday-night lineup of the time, which also included ''[[Fantasy Island]]'' until 1984. The executive producer for the series was [[Aaron Spelling]], who produced several television series for [[Four Star Television]] and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from the 1960s into the 1990s.

The series was nominated four consecutive times for a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy]] between 1978 and 1981, without winning any. Gavin MacLeod and [[Lauren Tewes]] also received several [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe]] nominations for their roles in the series. In 1997, the episode with segment titles "Hidden Treasure", "Picture from the Past", and "Ace's Salary" (season 9, episode 3) was ranked No. 82 on [[TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time|''TV Guide''{{'}}s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time]] list.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of The Love Boat episodes}}
{{:List of The Love Boat episodes}}

==Cast==
<imagemap>File:Love_boat_cast_1977.JPG|right|thumb|Original cast in a program premiere publicity photo 1977
default [[File:Love boat cast 1977.JPG]]
desc bottom-left
rect 200 190 335 850 [[Lauren Tewes|Julie McCoy (Lauren Tewes)]]
rect 336 158 525 750 [[Gavin MacLeod|Captain Merrill Stubing (Gavin MacLeod)]]
rect 245 45 335 189 [[Bernie Kopell|Dr. Adam Bricker (Bernie Kopell)]]
rect 336 45 416 157 [[Ted Lange|Isaac Washington (Ted Lange)]]
rect 417 1 525 157 [[Fred Grandy|Burl "Gopher" Smith (Fred Grandy)]]
# See http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:ImageMap for details on image maps.
</imagemap>
* [[Gavin MacLeod]] as Your Captain, Merrill Stubing
* [[Bernie Kopell]] as Your Ship's Doctor, Adam "Doc" Bricker; Kopell played a different character, Dr. O'Neill, in the second pilot film, ''The Love Boat II''.
* [[Fred Grandy]] as Your Yeoman Purser, Burl "Gopher" Smith (seasons 1–6), chief purser (seasons 7–9)
* [[Ted Lange]] as Your Bartender, Isaac Washington (seasons 1–9, four specials), yeoman purser (made-for-TV movie)
* [[Lauren Tewes]] as Your Cruise Director, Julie McCoy (seasons 1–7, four specials, plus a guest appearance in season 9)
* [[Jill Whelan]] as Vicki Stubing, the captain's daughter (guest appearance in season 2, seasons 3–9, four specials, made-for-TV movie)
* [[Ted McGinley]] as Your Ship's Photographer, Ashley "Ace" Covington Evans (seasons 7–9), yeoman purser (four specials)
* [[Pat Klous|Patricia Klous]] as Judy McCoy, Julie's sister and successor as cruise director (seasons 8–9)

MacLeod, Kopell and Lange are the only cast members to appear in every episode of the TV series, the four specials as well as the last made-for-TV movie. Grandy appeared in every episode throughout the run of the series but he did not appear in the four specials nor in the last TV movie, as he was campaigning for the first of his four consecutive terms in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]. MacLeod was not the captain of the ''Pacific Princess'' in the first two pilot TV movies and did not appear in them, although when his character was introduced, it was mentioned that he was the new captain; indeed, none of the series cast members appeared in the first pilot, which had a different captain and crew.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

Among the series' attractions was the casting of well-known actors in guest-starring roles, with many famous film stars of prior decades making rare television appearances. ''The Love Boat'' was not the first comedy series to use the guest-star cast anthology format—''[[Love, American Style]]'' had used the formula seven years earlier—but it had such success with the formula that future series in similar style (such as ''[[Supertrain]]'' and ''[[Masquerade (TV series)|Masquerade]]'') drew comparisons to ''The Love Boat''.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} The series was followed on Saturday nights on ABC by ''[[Fantasy Island]]'', which was also produced by [[Aaron Spelling]] and had a similar format. In all, thirty-two past and future [[Academy Award]] winners guested on ''The Love Boat'', including the [[Best Actress]] from the [[1st Academy Awards|first awards ceremony]] in 1929, [[Janet Gaynor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldderby.com/gallery/the-love-boat-32-oscar-winning-guest-stars/love-boat-shelley-winters-2/|title='The Love Boat': 32 Oscar-Winning Guest Stars|date=2 April 2019}}</ref>

In the final season, a troupe of dancers who performed choreographed routines, often to current hits, was introduced. The Love Boat Mermaids were made up of Tori Brenno (Maria), Debra Johnson (Patti), [[Debbie Bartlett|Deborah Bartlett]] (Susie), Macarena (Sheila), Beth Myatt (Mary Beth), Andrea Moen (Starlight), [[Teri Hatcher]] (Amy) and Nanci Lynn Hammond (Jane).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/news-photo/the-love-boat-mermaids-season-nine-4-1-85-the-love-boat-news-photo/93747038|title=The Love Boat Mermaids|last=D'Amico|first=Bob|date=1 April 1985|website=Getty Images|access-date=2 September 2019}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" font-size:90%;"
! rowspan="2"|Character
! rowspan="2"|Portrayed by
! rowspan="2"|Position
! colspan="3"|Pilots
! colspan="9"|Seasons
! colspan="5"|Specials
|-
! style="width:3%;"|{{efn|TV movie: ''The Love Boat''}}
! style="width:3%;"|{{efn|TV movie: ''The Love Boat II''}}
! style="width:3%;"|{{efn|TV movie: ''The New Love Boat''}}
! style="width:3%;"|1
! style="width:3%;"|2
! style="width:3%;"|3
! style="width:3%;"|4
! style="width:3%;"|5
! style="width:3%;"|6
! style="width:3%;"|7
! style="width:3%;"|8
! style="width:3%;"|9
! style="width:3%;"|1
! style="width:3%;"|2
! style="width:3%;"|3
! style="width:3%;"|4
! style="width:3%;"|{{efn|TV movie: ''The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage''}}
|-
| Merrill Stubing
| [[Gavin MacLeod]]
| Your Captain
| {{cNone}}{{efn-ua|Thomas Ford, played by [[Ted Hamilton]], was the captain in the first pilot.}}
| {{cNone}}{{efn-ua|Captain Madison, played by [[Quinn Redeker]], was the captain in the second pilot.}}
| colspan="15" {{CMain|Main}}
|-
| Dr. O'Neill
| rowspan="2" | [[Bernie Kopell]]
| rowspan="2" | Your Ship's Doctor
| {{cNone}}{{efn-ua|The role of Dr. O'Neill was played by [[Dick Van Patten]] in the first pilot.}}
| {{CMain|{{Abbr|M|Main}}}}
| colspan="15" {{cNone}}
|-
| Adam "Doc" Bricker
| colspan="2" {{cNone}}
| colspan="15" {{CMain|Main}}
|-
| Burl "Gopher" Smith
| [[Fred Grandy]]
| Your Yeoman Purser
| {{cNone}}{{efn-ua|The role of Gopher Smith was played by [[Sandy Helberg]] in the first pilot.}}
| colspan="11" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="5" {{cNone}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Isaac Washington
| rowspan="2" | [[Ted Lange]]
| Your Bartender
| {{cNone}}{{efn-ua|The role of Isaac Washington was played by [[Theodore Wilson]] in the first pilot.}}
| colspan="15" {{CMain|Main}}
| {{cNone}}
|-
| Your Yeoman Purser
| colspan="16" {{cNone}}
| colspan="1" {{CMain|{{Abbr|M|Main}}}}
|-
| Julie McCoy
| [[Lauren Tewes]]
| rowspan="2" | Your Cruise Director
| {{cNone}}{{efn-ua|Gerry, played by Terry O'Mara, was the cruise director in the first pilot.}}
| {{cNone}}{{efn-ua|Sandy Summers, played by Diane Stilwell, was the cruise director in the second pilot.}}
| colspan="8" {{CMain|Main}}
| {{cNone}}
| {{CGuest|{{Abbr|G|Guest}}}}
| colspan="4" {{CMain|Main}}
| {{cNone}}
|-
| Judy McCoy
| [[Pat Klous|Patricia Klous]]
| colspan="10" {{cNone}}
| colspan="2" {{CMain|{{Abbr|M|Main}}}}
| colspan="5" {{cNone}}
|-
| Vicki Stubing
| [[Jill Whelan]]
| —
| colspan="4" {{cNone}}
| {{CGuest|{{Abbr|G|Guest}}}}
| colspan="12" {{CMain|Main}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Ashley "Ace"<br>Covington Evans
| rowspan="2" | [[Ted McGinley]]
| Your Ship's Photographer
| colspan="9" {{cNone}}
| colspan="3" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="5" {{cNone}}
|-
| Your Yeoman Purser
| colspan="12" {{cNone}}
| colspan="4" {{CMain|Main}}
| {{cNone}}
|}

==Production==
[[File:Pacific Princess 1987.jpg|thumb|260px|''Pacific Princess'', the main vessel used on the show, off the US West Coast in 1987]]
The original [[1976 in television|1976]] [[Television film|made-for-TV movie]] (titled ''The Love Boat''{{--)}}, that served as the pilot for the series, was based on the nonfiction book ''The Love Boats'' by [[Jeraldine Saunders]], a real-life [[cruise director]] for a passenger cruise-ship line.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/9-surprising-facts-about-the-love-boat/ |title=9 surprising facts about the 'Love Boat' |first=Sean |last=Daly |date=23 August 2016 |publisher=Fox News |access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/tn-gnp-love-boats-author-returns-from-celebration-cruise-20141113-story.html |title='Love Boats' author returns from celebration cruise |first=Kelly |last=Corrigan |date=13 November 2014 |newspaper=LA Times |access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref> Saunders was also partly inspired by the German cruise ship [[MV Aurora (1955)|MV ''Aurora'']].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/environment/article/California-s-delta-is-full-of-characters-15613305.php |title=SHIPWRECKED ON LITTLE POTATO SLOUGH |date=8 October 2020|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=11 October 2020 |last1=Alexander |first1=By Kurtis }}</ref> The pilot was followed by other two (titled ''The Love Boat II'' and ''The New Love Boat''{{--)}}, all of which aired before the series began in September 1977.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2013/legit/news/love-boat-musical-vegas-1200674364/ |title='Love Boat' Musical: Full Steam Ahead on Vegas Stage Version |first=Gordon |last=Cox |date=27 September 2013 |work=Variety |access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref>

The one-hour sitcom was set aboard ''[[MS Pacific|Pacific Princess]]'', at the time a real-life [[Princess Cruises]] [[cruise ship]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Sloan|first=Gene|title=Famed 'Love Boat' makes final voyage to scrapyard|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2013/08/08/love-boat-cruise-ship/2630821/|access-date=9 August 2013|work=USA Today|date=August 8, 2013}}</ref> The ''Pacific Princess''{{'}} twin sister vessel ''[[Discovery (cruise ship)|Island Princess]]'' was also used for the show, especially if the show's schedule conflicted with ''Pacific Princess''{{'}}s cruises or her annual drydocking. Based in the [[port of Los Angeles]], the ship's regular ports of call were [[Puerto Vallarta]], [[Acapulco]] and [[Mazatlán]]. The series was primarily filmed on sets in southern [[California]]: [[20th Century Fox]] Studios for seasons one through five, and the [[Warner Hollywood Studios]] for the remainder of the series, and occasionally filmed aboard the actual vessels. Regardless of where the episode was filmed, the actual ship was extensively shown in the [[establishing shot]]s.

Along with use of the real-life ''Pacific Princess'' and ''Island Princess'', the series was permitted to use some iconography owned by Princess Cruises. For example, Princess' logo is frequently visible in the establishing shots of the vessels, in the backgrounds of sets and even on props, such as name tags for the ship's crew. However, the ownership of this fictional representation of the ''Pacific Princess'' is never explicitly stated as being Princess Cruises; instead, characters would use terms such as "the line" or "the company" in reference to the entity that owned and operated ''Pacific Princess''.

Episodes set and filmed in [[Europe]]an and [[East Asia]]n locations became more frequent instead of the usual [[West Coast of the United States|west coasts]] along the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] shore of [[North America]] as the show continued. They traditionally aired as season premieres or during the [[sweeps]] months of February, May and November. Ships used in these episodes were: {{SS|Stella Solaris}} for a [[Mediterranean Sea]] cruise, {{MS|Pearl of Scandinavia|1982|6}} for a [[China|Chinese]] cruise, ''[[MV Boudicca|Royal Viking Sky]]'' for [[Europe]]an cruises and ''[[Artemis (ship)|Royal Princess]]'' and {{MS|Sun Princess|1974|2}} for [[Caribbean Sea]] cruises. In 1981, P&O Cruises' line ''[[MS Veronica|Sea Princess]]'' was also used for the two-hour episode "Julie's Wedding", set in and around [[Australia]].

The "star of the show", the now-world famous ''Pacific Princess'', after being renamed MS ''Pacific'' and being sold then owned by another cruise line in [[Spain]], was [[ship breaking|scrapped]] in [[Aliağa]], [[Turkey]] in 2013 after no further buyer could be found.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2014/01/29/cruise-ship-tour-love-boat/5011661/ | title=Cruise ship tour: Last look at the original 'Love Boat' | first=Gene | last=Sloan | date=January 29, 2014 | work=USA Today | access-date=July 10, 2022}}</ref> Her sister ship, which was later renamed {{MV|Discovery}}, was scrapped in [[Alang Ship Breaking Yard|Alang]], India in 2015 after she too failed to find a new owner.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Knego |first1=Peter |title=Tears On The Tagus and More (Heart)Breaking News |url=https://maritimematters.com/2015/07/tears-on-the-tagus-and-more-heartbreaking-news/ |website=Maritime Matters |access-date=24 January 2020 |date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=10 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110095833/http://maritimematters.com/2015/07/tears-on-the-tagus-and-more-heartbreaking-news/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Both vessels' scrappings were controversial, but the previous owners justified it by saying that they were getting too old to continue operating.

===Writing format===
Every episode contained several storylines, each written by a different set of writers working on one group of guest stars. Thus, episodes have multiple titles referencing its simultaneous storylines, e.g., the first episode of season one is "Captain & the Lady / Centerfold / One If by Land".

Each episode typically featured three storylines. Storylines focused on members of the crew, the interactions between passengers and crew members, a single passenger, or interactions between several passengers. The three storylines usually followed a similar thematic pattern: One storyline (typically a "crew" one) was straight-ahead comedy. The second would typically follow more of a romantic comedy format (with only occasional dramatic elements). The third storyline would usually be the most dramatic of the three, often offering few (if any) laughs and a far more serious tone. A common plotline focused on a romance that had gone sour, with the parties reconciling at the end of the episode.

On rare occasions, there were crossovers between stories. In one episode, actors [[Robert Reed]] and [[Florence Henderson]], formerly of ''[[The Brady Bunch]]'', guest-starred in separate segments. In one scene, the two bump into each other at a buffet table, exchange a questioning look, shrug, and continue on their separate ways.

===Laugh track===
The series was also distinctive as being one of the few hour-long series ever made for American television that used a [[laugh track]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Ingram |first=Billy |date=2002 |title=TVparty! Television's Untold Tales |publisher=Bonus Books |edition=1st |access-date=November 12, 2022 |isbn=1-56625-184-2 |lccn=2002111596 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FezBbNPAoYoC&pg=PT2}}</ref>

===Theme song and title sequence===
{{main|Love Boat (song)}}
''The Love Boat'' theme song was composed by [[Charles Fox (composer)|Charles Fox]] with lyrics by [[Paul Williams (songwriter)|Paul Williams]]. It was sung by [[Jack Jones (singer)|Jack Jones]] in the opening sequence of the first eight seasons and, in a different arrangement, by [[Dionne Warwick]] in the last season and the four specials that followed it. [[Charo]], who had also recorded and commercially released the song, performed it within the show in one of her guest appearances. The opening sequence of the TV movies featured an instrumental version of the song without the lyrics. Instrumental variations of the song were extensively used throughout the series as [[incidental music]].

The opening sequence for the series underwent three major changes over the years. From seasons one to eight, the opening sequence began with a long shot of the ship in dock before the camera slowly zoomed in onto its bridge area. This was followed by posing shots of the crew members at different points on the ship or the set, revealed with a [[weigh anchor|weighing anchor]] graphic wipe. These posing shots were updated several times throughout all seasons due to cast changes. The long shot footage of the ship was used for the credits of the celebrity guest stars. For only the first season, the guest stars were credited by having their names appear on the screen while a radar/compass style circle with four hearts wrapped around them. Beginning with season two (and originally tested in the fifteenth episode of the first season), the compass was graphically put in place and at its center, the guest stars were shown posing for the camera on different parts of the set, the ship or on-location in special episodes, while their names appeared at the bottom of the screen. For the final season, the compass was replaced by a crescent wave and the long shot of the ship was replaced by a montage of the various locations traveled to on the series. At the center of the wave graphic, the guest stars were shown posing for the camera wearing their formal outfits against different colored backgrounds.<ref>{{Citation|title=The Love Boat - Opening Credits Sequence| date=12 May 2008 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTK0hr5oAOk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/vTK0hr5oAOk| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-10-06}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Broadcast and syndication===
''The Love Boat'' aired in reruns on [[ABC Daytime]] from June 30, 1980 to June 12, 1981, and from September 14, 1981 to June 24, 1983 at 11:00&nbsp;a.m. EST/10:00 CST. The show entered the [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] market in the United States in September 1983, with [[Worldvision Enterprises]] handling distribution. As an alternative for stations with tight scheduling commitments, Worldvision offered edited 30-minute episodes in addition to the original hour-long programs beginning in the fall of 1986 after the series completed its original run on ABC. It is currently distributed in syndication by its successor [[CBS Media Ventures]]. The series can currently be seen on [[MeTV]] Sunday afternoons at 5:00 PM ET/4:00 PM CT and on sister network [[Catchy Comedy]] Monday through Friday afternoons at 3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM CT.<ref>https://www.metv.com/shows/the-love-boat</ref><ref>https://www.catchycomedy.com/shows/the-love-boat</ref> Catchy also has done occasional weekend binges of the show as well. ''The Love Boat'' is currently airing 24/7 on its own channel on Pluto TV under the "Classic TV" section, only airing the regular 9 season run.

==Home media==
[[CBS Home Entertainment|CBS DVD]] (distributed by [[Paramount Home Entertainment|Paramount]]) has released seasons 1–4 of ''The Love Boat'' on DVD in [[DVD region code|Region 1]]. Each season has been released in two-volume sets.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"|DVD name
! rowspan="2"|Ep no.
! colspan="3"|Release dates
! rowspan="2"|Bonus features
|-
! Region 1
! Region 2
! Region 4
|-
| Season 1, Volume 1
| style="text-align:center;"|12
| March 4, 2008
| September 1, 2008
| April 10, 2008
|
* Episodic promos
|-
| Season 1, Volume 2
| style="text-align:center;"|12
| August 12, 2008
| September 1, 2008
| October 2, 2008
|
* ''The New Love Boat'' (TV movie pilot)
* Episodic promos
|-
| Season 2, Volume 1
| style="text-align:center;"|13
| January 27, 2009
| N/A
| September 2, 2009
|
* Episodic promos
|-
| Season 2, Volume 2
| style="text-align:center;"|12
| August 4, 2009
| N/A
| December 24, 2009
|
* Episodic promos
|-
| Season 3, Volume 1
| style="text-align:center;"|14
| January 17, 2017<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/offline.html|title=TVShowsOnDVD.com – Goodbye|website=www.tvshowsondvd.com|date=11 March 2024 }}</ref>
| N/A
| N/A
|
* Episodic promos
|-
| Season 3, Volume 2
| style="text-align:center;"|14
| January 17, 2017<ref name="auto"/>
| N/A
| N/A
|
* Episodic promos
|-
| Season 4, Volume 1
| style="text-align:center;"|TBA
| October 2, 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07FDT8P3S/tvshowsondvd0d-20 |title=Love Boat: Season Four Volume One: Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Various: Movies & TV |date=2 October 2018 |publisher=Amazon.com |access-date=2020-03-22}}</ref>
| N/A
| N/A
|
* Episodic promos
|-
| Season 4, Volume 2
| style="text-align:center;"|TBA
| October 2, 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07FDTF8DR/tvshowsondvd0d-20 |title=Love Boat: Season Four Volume Two: Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, Various: Movies & TV |date=2 October 2018 |publisher=Amazon.com |access-date=2020-03-22}}</ref>
| N/A
| N/A
|
* Episodic promos
|}

==Reception==
[[File:Love Boat cast 2015.jpeg|right|thumb|The cast members in costume, 2015; l–r: Kopell, Grandy, Lange, MacLeod, Tewes & Whelan]]
For its first seven years, ''The Love Boat'' was very successful in the [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]]. During that time, it usually ranked among the top 20, and sometimes even the top 10. However, the show fell out of the Top 30 during the 1984–85 season, and after falling out of the Top 50 during the 1985–86 season, ''The Love Boat'' was canceled after nine years on ABC, although four three-hour specials aired during the 1986–87 season.

===U.S. television ratings===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; background:#fff;"
|-
! Season
! TV season
! Rank
! Rating
! Ref.
|-
| 1
| [[1977–78 United States network television schedule|1977–78]]
| #16
| 21.9
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2020/02/1977-78-ratings-history.html |title=1977-78 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 2
| [[1978–79 United States network television schedule|1978–79]]
| #17
| 22.1
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2020/02/1978-79-ratings-history.html |title=1978-79 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 3
| [[1979–80 United States network television schedule|1979–80]]
| #24
| 20.6
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/1991/08/1979-80-ratings-history.html |title=1979-80 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 4
| [[1980–81 United States network television schedule|1980–81]]
| #5
| 24.3
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/1991/08/1980-81-ratings-history.html |title=1980-81 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 5
| [[1981–82 United States network television schedule|1981–82]]
| #15
| 21.2
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2020/02/1981-82-ratings-history.html |title=1981-82 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 6
| [[1982–83 United States network television schedule|1982–83]]
| #9
| 20.3
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2020/03/written-asking-where-cheers-is-by.html |title=1982-83 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 7
| [[1983–84 United States network television schedule|1983–84]]
| #17
| 19.0
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2020/03/1983-84-ratings-history.html |title=1983-84 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=1991-08-15 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 8
| [[1984–85 United States network television schedule|1984–85]]
| #34
| 15.3
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2020/03/1984-85-ratings-history.html |title=1984-85 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|-
| 9
| [[1985–86 United States network television schedule|1985–86]]
| #62
| 12.7
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/1991/08/1985-86-ratings-history_15.html |title=1985-86 Ratings History |publisher=The TV Ratings Guide |date=August 15, 1991 |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>
|}

==Accolades==
In 1997, the episode with segment titles "Hidden Treasure", "Picture from the Past", and "Ace's Salary" (Season 9, Episode 3) was ranked No. 82 on [[TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time|''TV Guide''<nowiki/>'s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time]] list.<ref>{{cite journal |year=1997 |title=Special Collectors' Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time |journal=[[TV Guide]] |issue=June 28-July 4}}</ref>

In 2014, Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin McLeod, Cynthia Lauren Tewes, and Jill Whelan became godparents (the passenger ship industry's equivalent of naval [[ship sponsor]]s) of the Princess Cruises ship ''[[Regal Princess (2013)|Regal Princess]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.princess.com/news/backgrounders_and_fact_sheets/factsheet/Princess-Cruises-Ship-Christeners-.html |title=Princess Cruises Ship Christeners |publisher=Princess Cruises |access-date=June 21, 2020}}</ref>

On May 23, 2017, the original cast (MacLeod, Kopell, Grandy, Lange, Tewes and Whelan) reunited on ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'',<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adgESQdgnPQ  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/adgESQdgnPQ| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|date=May 23, 2019 |title='The Love Boat' Cast Reunites And Gets A Big Surprise About Walk Of Fame Star ~ TODAY |medium=News and Talk |work=[[Today (American TV program)|TODAY]] |access-date=September 12, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> where it was announced they would be receiving a joint star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] for their contributions to television, sponsored by Princess Cruises.<ref>{{cite web|title=See 'The Love Boat' cast reunite live on TODAY -- and get a big surprise!|url=http://www.today.com/video/see-the-love-boat-cast-reunite-live-on-today-and-get-a-big-surprise-951181891870|website=today.com|publisher=NBC|access-date=June 26, 2017|date=May 23, 2017}}</ref>

=== Golden Globe Awards ===
{{main|Golden Globe Awards}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Category
!scope="col"| Nominee(s)
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Ref.
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[36th Golden Globe Awards|1978]]
! scope="row"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy|Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy]]
| -
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="2"|<ref>{{cite web |title=The 36th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1979) |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1979 |publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA) |access-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=January 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120713/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1979 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy|Best Actor – Television]]
| [[Gavin MacLeod]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[37th Golden Globe Awards|1979]]
! scope="row"| Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
| -
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|title=The 37th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1980)|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1980|publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA)|access-date=April 6, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120657/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1980|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[38th Golden Globe Awards|1980]]
! scope="row"| Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
| -
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="2"|<ref>{{cite web |title=The 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1981) |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1981 |publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA) |access-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222104951/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1981 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| Best Actor – Television
| Gavin MacLeod
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[39th Golden Globe Awards|1981]]
! scope="row"| Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
| -
| {{nom}}
|rowspan="3"|<ref>{{cite web |title=The 39th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1982) |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1982 |publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA) |access-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=September 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902095917/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1982 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| Best Actor – Television
| Gavin MacLeod
| {{nom}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Best Supporting Actress – Television]]
| [[Lauren Tewes]]
| {{nom}}
|}

=== Primetime Emmy Awards ===
{{main|Primetime Emmy Awards}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Category
!scope="col"| Nominee(s)
!scope="col"| Episode
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Ref.
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[30th Primetime Emmy Awards|1978]]
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series]]
| [[Will Geer]]
| "The Old Man and the Runaway"
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1978/outstanding-lead-actor-for-a-single-appearance-in-a-drama-or-comedy-series|title=Nominees/Winners 1978|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series|Outstanding Art Direction for a Comedy Series]]
| Paul Sylos, Eugene Harris, Bob Signorelli, [[John McCarthy Jr.]]
| -
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1978/outstanding-art-direction-or-scenic-design-for-a-comedy-series|title=Nominees/Winners 1978|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (One Hour)|Outstanding Cinematography in Entertainment Programming for a Series]]
| [[Lloyd Ahern]]
| "The Inspector/A Very Special Girl/Until the Last Goodbye" 
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1978/outstanding-cinematography-for-a-series|title=Nominees/Winners 1978|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Comedy Series|Outstanding Film Editing in a Comedy Series]]
| Norman Wallerstein, Robert Moore
| "Masquerade/The Caper/Eyes of Love/Hollywood Royalty" 
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1978/outstanding-film-editing-in-a-comedy-series|title=Nominees/Winners 1978|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| [[35th Primetime Emmy Awards|1983]]
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series|Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series]]
| [[Bob Sweeney (actor and director)|Bob Sweeney]]
| "The Dog Show"
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1983/outstanding-directing-for-a-comedy-series|title=Nominees/Winners 1983|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=April 6, 2023}}</ref>
|}

=== People's Choice Awards ===
{{main|People's Choice Awards}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Category
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Notes
!scope="col"| Ref.
|-
| [[4th People's Choice Awards|1977]]
! scope="row"| Favorite New TV Comedy Program
| {{won}}
| Tied with ''[[Three's Company]]''
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/?year=1978|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309092436/http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/?year=1978|url-status=dead|archive-date=Mar 9, 2016|year=1978|title=1978 -NOMINEES & WINNERS|access-date=April 7, 2023}}</ref>
|}

==Sequels, spin-offs and crossovers==
The 1979 two-hour season premiere of ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'' —another Aaron Spelling series— that introduced [[Shelley Hack]] as new angel Tiffany Welles was titled "Love Boat Angels" and its characters attempted to recover stolen museum artifacts while aboard the ''Pacific Princess'' on a cruise to the [[Virgin Islands]] with all of ''The Love Boat'' regulars having cameo appearances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/charlies-angels/episodes-season-4/1030139847/|title=Charlie's Angels Season 4 Episodes|website=[[TV Guide]]}}</ref>

A 1994 ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' sketch featuring guest host [[Patrick Stewart]] merged ''The Love Boat'' with ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''. Stewart played the captain while caricatures of [[Deanna Troi]] and [[Geordi La Forge]] played the cruise director and bartender, with Kopell having a cameo appearance as Doc.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://treknews.net/2017/05/09/star-trek-tng-love-boat-snl/|title=Flashback To SNL's 1994 Next Gen/Love Boat Mashup|author=Stape, Will|date=May 9, 2017|website=Trek News}}</ref>

A two-part 1997 ''[[Martin (TV series)|Martin]]'' episode, "Goin' Overboard", had the main characters going on a cruise and encountering Isaac, Julie, Doc, and Vicki.

===Revival===
{{main|Love Boat: The Next Wave}}
A revival of the series, titled ''[[Love Boat: The Next Wave]],'' aired on [[UPN]] from 1998 to 1999 for two seasons and twenty-five episodes. Set aboard the cruise ship ''[[MS Sun Princess (1995)|Sun Princess]]'', the series starred [[Robert Urich]] as Captain Jim Kennedy, a retired [[United States Navy]] officer, [[Phil Morris (actor)|Phil Morris]] as chief purser Will Sanders, and [[Heidi Mark]] as cruise director Nicole Jordan.<ref>{{cite news|first=Susan|last=King |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-apr-11-ca-38108-story.html|title=Urich Happy to Be Captain of Relaunched 'Love Boat'|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 11, 1998|access-date=April 8, 2023}}</ref> Several members of the original show's cast guest-starred on a reunion-themed episode in which it was revealed that Julie and Doc had been in love all along.<ref>Mitchelmore, Pam (2005). "[http://epguides.com/LoveBoatTheNextWave/guide.shtml#ep010 Reunion]", ''Love Boat: The Next Wave''. ''Epguides.com''.</ref>

===''The Real Love Boat''===
{{main|The Real Love Boat}}
In March 2022, both CBS and Australia's [[Network 10]] (both [[Paramount Global|Paramount]]-owned networks) commissioned ''The Real Love Boat'', a reality dating competition series to be produced by [[Eureka Productions]]. The series features single contestants on a luxury Mediterranean cruise as they participate in challenges and dates to stay on the boat in the hopes of finding love, with those unsuccessful being progressively dumped from the cruise. As contestants are dumped, new contestants come aboard the cruise. In the end, the last couple remaining wins the series and is awarded a large cash prize as well as a cruise from Princess Cruises.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rice|first1=Lynette|title=Ahoy Singles! CBS & Network 10 Order 'The Real Love Boat' Dating Show|url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/cbs-network-10-the-real-love-boat-dating-show-1234984386/|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=March 22, 2022}}</ref>

The [[The Real Love Boat|American version]] is hosted by married actors [[Jerry O'Connell]] and [[Rebecca Romijn]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mitovich |first1=Matt |title=The Real Love Boat: Rebecca Romijn, Jerry O'Connell to Host CBS Series |url=https://tvline.com/2022/06/28/the-real-love-boat-rebecca-romijn-jerry-oconnell-host/ |website=TVLine |access-date=June 28, 2022 |date=June 28, 2022}}</ref> This version briefly aired on Wednesday nights at 9/8C on [[CBS]] starting on October 5, 2022, before being moved to [[Paramount+]].<ref>{{Citation |title=The Real Love Boat (Official Site) Watch on CBS |url=https://www.cbs.com/shows/the-real-love-boat/ |language=en |access-date=2022-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |last2=White |first2=Peter |title=CBS Fall 2022-23 Schedule: Drama 'So Help Me Todd' Gets Thursday Spot Alongside Comedies & 'CSI: Vegas', Wednesday Goes Full Reality & 'Fire Country' Gets 'Magnum P.I' Friday Slot |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/cbs-fall-2022-23-schedule-drama-so-help-me-todd-gets-thursday-spot-alongside-comedies-csi-vegas-wednesday-goes-full-reality-fire-country-ge-1235026728/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=May 18, 2022 |date=May 18, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Schwartz|first=Ryan|title=CBS Sets Fall Premiere Dates for ''FBI'', ''Ghosts'', ''NCIS'', ''Young Sheldon'' and More|url=https://tvline.com/2022/06/23/cbs-fall-premiere-dates-2022-list-ghosts-ncis-young-sheldon/|website=TVLine|date=June 23, 2022}}</ref> The [[The Real Love Boat (Australian TV series)|Australian version]] is presented by [[Darren McMullen]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Knox |first1=David |title=Crew sets sail on 10's Real Love Boat|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/06/crew-sets-sail-on-10s-real-love-boat.html |website=TV Tonight |access-date=7 July 2022 |language=en-AU |date=23 June 2022}}</ref> This version also premiered on 5 October 2022 <!--Date arranged Day, Month Year per typical Australian formating-->and aired on Wednesdays and Thursday nights on 10.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/09/airdate-the-real-love-boat.html | title=Airdate: The Real Love Boat &#124; TV Tonight | date=18 September 2022 }}</ref>

== Influence ==
[[CNN]] reported industry experts credit the show with increasing interest in the cruise industry, especially for those that weren't newlyweds or senior citizens, and for the resulting demand to spur investment in new ships instead of conversions. The influence was particularly notable for [[Princess Cruises]], a line that partnered with the series and received a great deal of attention as a result.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hardingham-Gill |first=Tamara |date=2024-02-13 |title='The Love Boat': How a TV show transformed the cruise industry |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/how-the-love-boat-transformed-cruising/index.html |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

Princess Cruises has embraced its connection to the series in its marketing. Actor Gavin Macleod was appointed the line's global ambassador in 1986 and appeared in television advertisements and other campaigns for Princess for over 30 years.<ref name="PaxNewsMacleod">{{cite web|url=https://www.paxnews.com/news/cruise/princess-mourns-passing-love-boat-actor-gavin-macleod|title=Princess mourns the passing of "Love Boat" actor Gavin MacLeod|work=paxnews.com|publisher=Pax Global Media|date=31 May 2021|accessdate=27 November 2024}}</ref> Actress Jill Whelan is currently Princess' Celebrations Ambassador and has appeared in online videos promoting the line.<ref name="TheStreet">{{cite web|url=https://www.thestreet.com/travel/princess-cruises-builds-on-its-love-boat-history|title=Princess Cruises builds on its 'Love Boat' history|work=thestreet.com|publisher=The Arena Media Brands, LLC|date=15 September 2024|accessdate=27 November 2024}}</ref> The series' primary cast were named the godparents for and participated in the christening of two Princess Cruises ships, the ''[[Pacific Explorer|Dawn Princess]]'' in 1997 and the ''[[Regal Princess]]'' in 2014.<ref name="PaxNewsMacleod"/> Members of the cast have participated in themed cruises honoring the series, most recently in 2022 and 2024, with another cruise scheduled for November 2025.<ref name="TheStreet"/>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
{{Notelist-ua}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
* {{IMDb title|0075529|The Love Boat}}
* {{epguides|id= LoveBoat|title=The Love Boat}}
* {{EmmyTVLegends title|love-boat-the}}

{{The Love Boat}}
{{People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy}}
{{Portal bar|1980s|Television}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Love Boat, The}}
[[Category:1970s American anthology television series]]
[[Category:1970s American comedy-drama television series]]
[[Category:1970s American sitcoms]]
[[Category:1970s romantic comedy television series]]
[[Category:1970s romantic drama television series]]
[[Category:1977 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1980s American anthology television series]]
[[Category:1980s American comedy-drama television series]]
[[Category:1980s American romantic comedy television series]]
[[Category:1980s American sitcoms]]
[[Category:1980s romantic drama television series]]
[[Category:1987 American television series endings]]
[[Category:American romantic drama television series]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Fictional ships]]
[[Category:Princess Cruises]]
[[Category:Television series by CBS Studios]]
[[Category:Television series by Spelling Television]]
[[Category:Television shows based on books]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Florida]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Television series set on cruise ships]]
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company sitcoms]]
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company comedy-dramas]]