Product Description

Each week, passengers looking for romance board the beautiful Pacific Princess cruise ship as it sails to tropical and exotic lands. Captain Stubing, Julie, Gopher, Dr.Adam, and Isaac help them to get the most out of their trips and do their best to help them fall in love.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7366 in DVD
• Brand: MACLEOD,GAVIN
• Released on: 2008-03-04
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 600 minutes

Amazon.com
(With apologies to Titanic): It's been 31 years, but I can still hear the laugh track. Sex was referred to as "the good stuff." And Charo had yet to coochi-coochie on the Fiesta deck. The Love Boat was called the Show of Ratings Dreams. And it was. It really was. Available at last on DVD, that ultimate 70s show fulfills its Velveeta-drenched theme song's seductive promise of "something for everyone," so "set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance," as the Pacific Princess embarks on its inaugural cruises. The Love Boat answered the question of how Gavin McLeod, late of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, would make it on his own. He sailed into pop culture immortality as Capt. Merrill Stubing, who is gruff, but, as he compassionately tells one of his crew, "I'm also a human being." Tending to the passengers are perky and adorable cruise director Julie McCoy (Lauren Tewes), Yeoman-Purser "Gopher" Smith (future congressman Fred Grandy), major operator Dr. Adam Bricker (Bernie Kopell), and bartender Isaac Washington (Ted Lange). Lesser hands would have been sunk by the terrible jokes, but this personable ensemble keep things afloat. As with Love American Style, this anthology series was truly buoyed by its guest stars, an irresistible mix of faded movie and TV legends (to the question, "Where are they now?" the answer during the show's run was invariably, "The Love Boat"), then-current big and small screen favorites, and future stars. Adding to the fun was that many were cast against type. Bonnie Franklin, who portrayed a nurturing single mom on One Day at a Time, shows up as Capt. Stubing's witchy ex-wife. Jim "Gomer Pyle" Nabors appears to be reprising his country bumpkin persona, but first appearances turn out to be deceiving. Loni Anderson has a bit part opposite Steve Allen as a blonde bimbo, a stereotype she would later explode on WKRP in Cincinnati.

The stories range from silly (a wife, whose husband is planning a surprise party for her, thinks he is trying to kill her) to serious (a mother grieves over the loss of her young son). This being the late '70s (and a show produced by Aaron Spelling), there is much hanky-panky (Isaac has an onboard fling with an incognito jazz singer portrayed by Diahann Carroll), but traditional family values usually win out (though feminists may want to hurl themselves overboard after the episode in which successful advice columnist Eva Gabor agrees to take a break from her popular column to tend to neglected and straying husband Leslie Nielsen). Those who have been looking forward to this pleasure cruise may be disappointed to find that the DVD accommodations are not exactly deluxe. It's only the first 12 episodes, the pilot movie that launched the series is not included, and there are no episode commentaries, interviews, or other extras, save for optional viewing episode promos. But The Love Boat itself is still a great escape, so "come on board, we've been expecting you." --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews

Horrible decision to release only half a season (12 episodes).
When are the studios going to learn that NOBODY likes buying HALF A FREAKIN' SEASON! ?

Pay full price for half the episodes and then play the "waiting game" for the rest of the season? PATHETIC! We already wait too long as it is for most follow up seasons, now they have us waiting around for the other HALF of a season!

I predict that profits will be FAR LESS for the studio because of the decision to split the season into two volumes. Most potential buyers will wait for a decent price drop, or the lower priced "used" sets that should quickly become available.

Here's a glimpse at SOME of the great guest stars in the first 12 epsiodes;

John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, Jaclyn Smith, Meredith Baxter Birney, Jimmie Walker, Sherman Hemsley, LaWanda Page, Kristy McNichol, Scott Baio, Richard Mulligan, Milton Berle, Charo, Bill Bixby, Jim Nabors, Patty Duke, Tab Hunter, Steve Allen, Sandy Duncan, Loni Anderson, Phil Silvers, Joanna Kerns, Jane Curtin, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Urich, Florence Henderson, Donna Mills, Dick Sargent, Pat Morita, and Anson Williams.

Not too shabby huh?

I know it's corny and goofy..... but it sure is FUN!

JM

The Love Boat Finally On DVD!
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 as your Love Boat crew...), the show purposely gave the impression that you (the viewer) were taking the cruises. It's good to see the show finally come to DVD. The Love Boat - Season One, Volume One is a 3-disc (622 min.) set featuring the show's first 12 hour-long Season One episodes; Full Frame (1.33:1) video; English, Spanish mono audio; Closed Captions; English, Spanish subtitles. Here are the episodes contained in this volume, plus original airdates:

1. The Captain and the Lady / One if by Land / Centerfold (9/24/1977)
2. Oh, Dale! / A Tasteful Affair / The Main Event (10/1/1977)
3. Ex Plus Y / Graham and Kelly / Goldenagers (10/8/1977)
4. Message for Maureen / The Acapulco Connection / Gotcha (10/15/1977)
5. Help, Murder / Isaac the Groupie / Mr. Popularity (10/22/1977)
6. The Joker is Mild / First Time Out / Take My Granddaughter, Please (10/29/1977)
7. Identical Problem / Julie's Old Flame / The Jinx ( 11/5/1977)
8. Lost and Found / The Understudy / Married Singles (11/19/1977)
9. The Captain's Captain / Hounded / Romance Roulette (11/26/1977)
10. Dear Beverly / The Strike / Special Delivery (12/3/1977)
11. Lonely at the Top / Divorce Me, Please / Silent Night (12/10/1977)
12. The Old Man and the Runaway / A Fine Romance / The Painters (12/24/1977)

Half a BOAT is better than none at all
Love..exciting and new...

Wow, the Love Boat finally washed ashore onto DVD.

I am ticked like everyone else is that it is only 12 episode (half of the full 24 first season episodes) I am upset that NONE of the THREE Love Boat pre-series TV movies are included on this DVD. I am upset that there is no reunion special extra on DVD that most first season DVDs have(DVD like McHale's Navy, Growing Pains, Family Ties had them) . Also there is NO cast commentaries on any episodes. OKAY, that the bad news

Come Aboard, we're expecting you....

This Saturday evening stample of 1980's is a cute and corny show for family fun.The show was NEVER five star classical acting that would win any Emmys, just popcorn fun...that why its rated 4 stars, even now on DVD! The reason Love Boat was a staple for eight seasons was the simple storytelling with a family like crew. It had guess stars who you knew from other TV shows and were familar with. It was a formula for entertainment, but it works!

The Love Boat soon will be making another run....

One can hope the rest of season one will arrive soon. I still enjoyed the shows on this 12 episode DVD...I would have liked like everyone else had expressed and wanted a full season, but that is what the DVD makers are doing these days. Charging more money for less product, it is the nature of business

Welcome Aboard, It's LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

It is well worth to have a show where there is NO foul language...No car chases..No heavy duty issues..and a family can sit and enjoy this kind of television TOGETHER. There are not many things you can enjoy together these days. Love will never go out of style.

Paramount, Get the second volume out soon PLEASE!!!!!!!!

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD