The Love Boat

Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation aboard the "Love Boat", where Gopher, Dr. Bricker, Isaac, Julie, and Captain Stubing try their best to please them, and sometimes help them fall in love. Things are not always so easy, but in the end, love wins.

The Love Boat (1977-1987) is a United States network television romantic comedy-drama anthology series created by Aaron Spelling and Wilford Lloyd Baumes for ABC. Captain Merril Stubing (Gavin MacLeod) commands a luxury cruise ship whose crew, including ship's doctor Adam Bricker (Bernie Kopell), bartender Isaac Washington (Ted Lange), cruise director Julie McCoy (Lauren Tewes) and deckhand Gopher Smith (Fred Grandy), works to make passengers' romantic dreams come true. The engine of each episode is a fresh set of guests, often with guest stars, pursuing love aboard the ship as it sails to tropical and mysterious ports. Each hour is built from several small, self-contained storylines that unfold and resolve within one voyage, so episodes can be watched in any order. The series spans ten seasons and roughly 250 episodes, with the same crew anchoring the familiar, cheerful format. Its tone is sunny, sentimental and warm, a breezy escapism of tropical sunsets, flirtation and gentle comedy. Fans of Fantasy Island and The Golden Girls will find similar resonance in its wholesome, feel good romance.

Audiences rate The Love Boat as a mixed but warmly regarded light romantic anthology, with its early seasons rated lower than its middle years.

• Fantasy Island (1977)light romantic episodic comedy-drama, ensemble of guests with weekly romantic storylines
• The Golden Girlseasygoing vacation setting, feel-good episodic romance and comedy
• The Love Boat (1977)lighthearted ensemble workplace-setting comedy with warm sincere tone

Created by

Aaron Spelling, Wilford Lloyd Baumes

Release Date

1977-09-24

Episode runtime

48 min

Rating

6.3 / 10 (202)

What is The Love Boat about?

A luxury cruise ship's crew helps a rotating cast of passengers find romance on tropical voyages.

What is The Love Boat like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Love Boat as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is The Love Boat violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Love Boat.

What did critics think of The Love Boat?

Audiences rate The Love Boat as a mixed but warmly regarded light romantic anthology, with its early seasons rated lower than its middle years.

Which shows are like The Love Boat?

Shows with a similar feel include Fantasy Island (1977), The Golden Girls, and The Love Boat (1977).

How long is The Love Boat?

The Love Boat: 10 seasons, 251 episodes.

Is The Love Boat still running?

No, The Love Boat has ended.

Where can I watch The Love Boat?

In United States, The Love Boat streams on Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount Plus Apple TV channel, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, REELZ+ Amazon Channel.