All hands on .... deck?

The Love Boat sailed Television Land from 1977 to 1986, at which time I found it far-fetched and cheesey.   Lately it’s been screening on ‘retro’ channels, and although it’s truly over-ripe now,  I feel a certain affection for it.  There’s a nostalgic enjoyment/horror in revisiting the fashions and hairstyles of the era, and it’s quite fun seeing almost every American TV face of the era appearing as a guest star sooner or later.

But watching it in 2012, with extra ‘real life’ tucked under my belt, I can’t help but notice the following:

"Can you stop her writing this crap?"

Did the boat steer itself?  Captain Stubing seemed to spend his entire day walking up and down the cabin corridors or stalking passengers on the deck and by the pool.  Wasn’t that Julie’s job? With all the time he spent gazing into the eyes of rich beautiful widows and unhappily married women, was the boat a Costa Concordia waiting to happen?  I could just picture him getting into the first available lifeboat with his Louis Vitton luggage,  Florence Henderson and a souvenir pinjada.








Julie’s excitement levels were pretty smacky - maybe her room was too near fumes from the engine.  Speaking of which, her cabin was so NOT the cramped, only-fits-one space that ship staff are allotted.

Julie (Lauren Tewes) THEN

Julie (Lauren Tewes) NOW

The ocean was never rough and nobody ever got seasick.  Probably that was a was a good thing if you were a woman, ‘cause the ship Doctor (imaginatively known as Doc) would try to cure that by saying something inappropriately personal and maybe even trying for a pash.  Doc was a CREEP.

Tedster.

One thing hasn’t changed since I first watched the show, and in my more recent viewings:  Ted McGinley is a FINE looking man J