TV Flash
All episodes Season 1 S01E17 1978-01-28 60 min 1970s ABC

The Love Boat

Winner Take Love / The Congressman Was Indiscreet / Isaac's History Lesson

TV Flash files “Winner Take Love / The Congressman Was Indiscreet / Isaac's History Lesson” as hour 17 of 245 in the TV Flash guide — The Love Boat (1977–1986) on ABC, season 1, episode 17, aired 1978-01-28, 60 min.

From the desk

How this hour is filed

This leaf is S01E17: listed hour 17 of 245 in the The Love Boat guide, hour 17 of 25 in season 1. It aired 1978-01-28 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “The Caper / The Eyes of Love / Hollywood Royalty / Masquerade Part 2” (S01E16). Next is “Last of the Stubings / Million Dollar Man / The Sisters” (S01E18).

The Love Boat — Winner Take Love / The Congressman Was Indiscreet / Isaac's History Lesson (S01E17)

Catalog log

Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.

John Whitcomb (Dick Van Patten), a congressman unjustly accused of being involved in a scandal, seeks refuge aboard the Pacific Princess in "The Congressman Was Indiscreet," written by Jack Matcha. During the cruise, Whitcomb befriends Robin Brant (Vicki Lawrence), a clever, attractive reporter for a tabloid newspaper. In "Isaac's History Lesson," Vernee Watson plays Stephanie Hayden, a lovely intellectual snob who is at odds with Isaac over a wonderfully colorful old passenger named Mr. Gibson (Scatman Crothers). Stephanie feels that Mr. Gibson sets "a bad example." Series regulars Bernie Kopell and Fred Grandy wrote the script. Maureen McCormick plays a beauty pageant contestant whose chances of winning are jeopardized by the presence of her possessive boyfriend, played by Bobby Sherman, in "Winner Take Love," written by Kevin Hartigan and David Garber. Graham Jarvis portrays the beauty contest chaperon, Waldo.

Viewer FAQ

Where does Winner Take Love / The Congressman Was Indiscreet / Isaac's History Lesson sit in the The Love Boat guide?

S01E17 is listed hour 17 of 245 — hour 17 of 25 in season 1, season 1 episode 17.

When did The Love Boat S01E17 air?

Winner Take Love / The Congressman Was Indiscreet / Isaac's History Lesson aired 1978-01-28 and is listed at 60 minutes.

Do I watch in order?

No. It is a multi-story guest-star anthology with a regular crew. Sample any cruise; Stubing's ship is the constant.

In the series

Why this series still plays

Filed by Lana Reyes · Red Carpet Reality · Show package

Gavin MacLeod's Captain Stubing hosts three guest-star storylines a week while Julie, Doc, Gopher, and Isaac keep the Pacific Princess meddling. Aaron Spelling cruise-ship anthology as comfort franchise: formula as feature, theme as furniture. Bon voyage, subtlety — the cameo sport still photographs.

The first image is white: uniforms, rails, Pacific soft-focus, and Gavin MacLeod's Captain Merrill Stubing hosting three guest-star storylines before the dessert cart. ABC's The Love Boat (1977–1986) turned cruise vacation into Aaron Spelling's floating hit factory — nine seasons, 245 episodes, formula as feature. Lauren Tewes's Julie McCoy, Ted Lange's Isaac, Bernie Kopell's Doc, and Fred Grandy's Gopher never age out of meddling. Jeraldine Saunders' nonfiction about cruise life inspired the premise; Wilford…

Open the The Love Boat package · Season 1 hub

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Also in season 1

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