The Love Boat (TV Series) The Crew's Cruise Director/What a Drag/Doc's Slump (1984) User Reviews

A Duke, A Ladd, and Two Berts

[WalterKafka · 25 April 2024]

'Say, where's Julie?' What happened to the opening credits? What happened to the picture quality? It's a new era. Change is the only constant of life, as they say. Diane Ladd is the new cruise director, and she's mean, brother. Ladd is a ton of fun. It's a Ladie's Only Cruise to Alaska. They're competing for a date with Englebert Humperdinck. Bert Convy and Arte Johnson sneak in dressed as women. Did I accidentally order another season of Bosom Buddies? (Yes. Yes, I did.) Michelle Phillips is here as Doc's squeeze. She's fed up with Doc's extra, uh, 'patients.' Here's Julie's sister, Judy. She'll do. Patty Duke is the organizer of the cruise. She's married to Bert. Pajama Party! The Alaska footage is all b-roll, which feels like a cheap way to go for a season premiere. If it wasn't obvious by now, The Love Boat is, in its 8th season, mostly recycling the same guest stars. On Kafka's Love Boat Scale, this 90 minute episode gets 3 * out of a possible 4 *.