The essential episodes of The Love Boat

Watch these 15 in order and you've got The Love Boat — each pick states its reason.

  1. 01

    S01E01 · Pilot · September 24, 1977 · 1h

    The Captain and the Lady/One if by Land/Centerfold6.5

    Captain Stubbing and his Ex Wife have to face the realities of a bad resolved separation when they find themselves trapped on the same cruise. The future wife of a powerful political congressman worries that the photo she took for an erotic magazine some years back will jeopardize his husband's political career, so she tries to cover this fact from him, by hiding all the copies of the magazine that are available in the ship, until she finds the courage to confess her past to her husband. Ginny O'Brien is followed by his future, but hard to commit boyfriend through all the ports where the cruise passes. however she's not going to accept a relationship without a proposal of marriage

  2. 02

    S01E04 · Top rated · October 15, 1977 · 1h

    Message for Maureen/The Acapulco Connection/Gotcha8.0

    A tennis star, temporarily confined to a wheelchair due to a back injury, rekindles an old romance with a sportswriter who had been critical of her recent performances. A woman with singing aspirations stows away on the ship in the hopes of making it to America and providing for her large family. A man annoys his wife and other passengers by constantly playing practical jokes.

  3. 03

    S01E15 · Top rated · January 21, 1978 · 1h

    Hollywood Royalty/The Caper/The Eyes of Love/Masquerade (1)9.0

    (Part 1) The Love Boat sets sail with two famous Hollywood stars, married couple Roz Rogers and Bill Klieg who need to find a balance between their professional and personal lives. An inept team of thieves board the ship and try numerous tactics to steal the Star of Kashmir, an expensive jewel brought aboard the ship by Ms. Rogers. Two childhood friends from a school for the blind meet up on the ship - only one of them isn't blind anymore. But that's not the only secret he is keeping from his friend. A philandering husband looks like he will be found out when he boards the ship with both his wife and his mistress.

  4. 04

    S01E16 · Season 1 peak · January 21, 1978 · 1h

    Hollywood Royalty/The Caper/The Eyes of Love/Masquerade (2)9.5

    (Part 2) The Love Boat sets sail with two famous Hollywood stars, married couple Roz Rogers and Bill Klieg who need to find a balance between their professional and personal lives. An inept team of thieves board the ship and try numerous tactics to steal the Star of Kashmir, an expensive jewel brought aboard the ship by Ms. Rogers. Two childhood friends from a school for the blind meet up on the ship - only one of them isn't blind anymore. But that's not the only secret he is keeping from his friend. A philandering husband looks like he will be found out when he boards the ship with both his wife and his mistress.

  5. 05

    S01E20 · Top rated · February 13, 1978 · 1h

    Computerman/Parlez-Vous/Memories of You9.0

    A slick computer matchmaker proceeds to pair up cruise guests while setting himself up with Julie; two American gold-diggers pretend to be French; a New York advertising executive meets up with a long-lost love.

  6. 06

    S02E22 · Top rated · February 24, 1979 · 1h

    The Decision/Poor Little Rich Girl/Love Me, Love My Dog8.0

  7. 07

    S02E25 · Season 2 peak · March 17, 1979 · 1h

    Sounds of Silence/Cyrano de Bricker/Murder on the High Seas10.0

    A singer tries to persuade his manager to let him abandon the shock tactics that made him famous and let his music speak for itself. He becomes even more determined to establish some credibility after he falls for a deaf friend of Julie's. Doc finds himself caught in the middle when an old friend grows tired of her inattentive husband's tendency to put gambling ahead of their relationship. Isaac becomes convinced that a couple plans to murder Capt. Stubing. Everyone initially believes that he is just too caught up in the murder mystery that he has been reading, but the captain and Gopher soon begin to share his suspicions.

  8. 08

    S03E19 · Season 3 peak · January 19, 1980 · 1h

    Kinfolk/Sis and the Slicker/Moonlight and Moonshine/Too Close for Comfort/The Affair (2)8.0

    Danny blames his family when Steve fails to show for his performance, leading to a rift with his father and grandfather. Kitty considers leaving her family to marry Steve. The captain lays down the law to his annoying houseguests, who end up at each other's throats. Dave finds out about Frank and Cynthia's affair, which leaves the future of both marriages in doubt.

  9. 09

    S04E15 · Season 4 peak · January 17, 1981 · 48m

    April the Ninny/The Loan Arranger/First Voyage, Last Voyage10.0

  10. 10

    S04E16 · Top rated · January 24, 1981 · 49m

    Gopher's Bride/Workaholic/On Second Thought8.0

    Gopher worries about meeting his pen pal Nicole, at first. Ned, married to workaholic Margo meets widow Kay, who's willing to take his wife's place. Helen evicts her handsome cabin mate Jack, who is desperate to find a room.

  11. 11

    S06E06 · Top rated · November 6, 1982

    The Groupies/The Audition/Doc's Nephew9.0

    Doc's nephew is making a move on his girlfriend. A psychiatrist, who is on vacation is followed by four of his patients. An actor pursues the writer of a soap opera, who rejected for a role on her show.

  12. 12

    S06E10 · Season 6 peak · November 27, 1982

    The Man in the Iron Shorts/The Victims/Heavens to Betsy10.0

  13. 13

    S07E07 · Season 7 peak · November 5, 1983

    Japan Cruise: When Worlds Collide/The Captain and the Geisha/The Lottery Winners/The Emperor's Fortune (1)8.0

  14. 14

    S10E01 · Season 10 peak · November 21, 1986 · 1h 34m

    The Shipshape Cruise10.0

    A plus-sized diet doctor (Jennifer Holliday) hires a hard-body fitness instructor to promote her nutrition program, a man (Dack Rambo) tells his partner he wants to see other women, and Doc runs into an ex on his honeymoon.

  15. 15

    S10E04 · Series finale · February 27, 1987

    Who Killed Maxwell Thorn?2.0

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