The Love Boat
A Day in Port
TV Flash files “A Day in Port” as the first listed hour of season 9 — The Love Boat (1977–1986) on ABC, season 9, episode 1, aired 1985-09-28, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S09E01: listed hour 221 of 245 in the The Love Boat guide, first listed hour of season 9. It aired 1985-09-28 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Call Me Grandma / A Gentleman of Discrimination / The Perfect Divorce / Letting Go (2)” (S08E27). Next is “Your Money or Your Wife / Joint Custody / The Temptations” (S09E02).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
A group of eight new dancers, called The Mermaids, join the cruise and Isaac falls for their choreographer (Phylicia Rashad), who also happens to be his ex-fiancé. Meanwhile, Gopher helps solve a dispute among the ship's laundry workers, and Judy falls for a rich man with shady connections.
Viewer FAQ
Where does A Day in Port sit in the The Love Boat guide?
S09E01 is listed hour 221 of 245 — first listed hour of season 9, season 9 episode 1.
When did The Love Boat S09E01 air?
A Day in Port aired 1985-09-28 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
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…
Filed against
- Gavin MacLeod as Capt. Merrill Stubing
Gavin MacLeod's Capt. Merrill Stubing hosted three guest-star storylines a week on The Love Boat while Julie, Doc, Gopher, and Isaac kept the Pacific Princess meddling. Aaron Spelling cruise-ship anthology as comfort franchise: formula as…
- Bernie Kopell as Dr. Adam Bricker
Bernie Kopell’s Dr. Adam Bricker kept The Love Boat meddling — Gavin MacLeod’s Captain Stubing, three guest-star storylines a week, Julie, Gopher, Isaac, Aaron Spelling cruise-ship anthology as comfort franchise. Formula as feature, theme…
- Fred Grandy as Burl 'Gopher' Smith
Fred Grandy kept the Pacific Princess meddling as Burl 'Gopher' Smith on The Love Boat — three guest-star storylines a week, Aaron Spelling cruise-ship anthology as comfort franchise, formula as feature. Bon voyage, subtlety. TV Flash…
- Ted Lange as Isaac Washington
Ted Lange poured The Love Boat as Isaac Washington — bartender as Greek chorus, three guest-star storylines a week, Aaron Spelling cruise-ship anthology as comfort franchise. Formula as feature, theme as furniture. TV Flash files him as…
- Lauren Tewes as Julie McCoy
Lauren Tewes's Julie McCoy kept The Love Boat meddling on schedule — Gavin MacLeod's Captain Stubing, three guest-star storylines a week, Aaron Spelling cruise-ship anthology as comfort franchise. Formula as feature, theme as furniture.…
Also in season 9
- S09E02 Your Money or Your Wife / Joint Custody / The Temptations
- S09E03 Hidden Treasure / Picture from the Past / Ace's Salary
- S09E04 The Villa / The Racer's Edge / Love or Money / The Accident (1)
- S09E05 The Villa / The Racer's Edge / Love or Money / The Accident (2)
- S09E06 Forties Fantasy
- S09E07 Good Time Girls / The Iron Man / Soap Star