The Love Boat: Largely an 80s Show - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

icecream · 05-12-2021, 04:12 PM

First off, I don't consider The Love Boat or Eight is Enough sitcoms. But I know they are considered that by many because of the laugh tracks. Secondly, The Love Boat aired a major chunk of its episodes in the 1980s. While it premiered in the 70s where that board currently is, only 69 out of 246 episodes aired in the 1970s.

biffbronson · 05-12-2021, 04:50 PM

We did discuss its placement once, in an earlier thread, and I tended to agree with what you've stated as far as 80s series vs. 70s. You might say too that the 70s belonged to its predecessor: Love, American Style.

TJ · 05-12-2021, 11:56 PM

There's a long debate about it on The Love Boat board. It seems to be pretty evenly split. I definitely think it's a sitcom based on the laugh track alone. It certainly had more comedy than drama. I do think it had more a 1970s feel well into the 1980s, but I can see the case that more episodes aired during the 1980s. I'm going to move it to the 1980s, but I'm leaving a redirect in the 1970s section.

I think a show like CHiPs is more 1970s because of the disco vibe, even though more episodes aired during the 1980s. I will refuse to move CHiPs to the 1980s because the show wasn't as good once Larry Wilcox left the series. I'm drawing the line with that one. If you asked 100 random people if The Love Boat and CHiPs were 1970s or 1980s shows without any knowledge of the years they ran, I think more people would say 1970s.

I always listed Eight Enough with the sitcoms based on it having a laugh track the first season. I think it would be considered more of a dramedy, so I'm moving it to 1970s Dramas/Dramedies. I will leave a redirect in the 1970s sitcom section so people can find it.

Dude111 · 05-13-2021, 01:40 AM

I love the love boat...

Whatever happend to good shows??? (I dont like watching it as flat digital crap.... I wanna watch the original analogue episodes (Like I was able to then)

))

1960'sTVfan · 05-13-2021, 10:06 AM

A similar debate can be had about Mannix, that series began in 1967 and ended in 1975 so the majority of episodes aired in the 70's. So is it a 1960's show or a 1970's show? To me, it has a 1970's vibe to it so I consider it a 1970's show.

Another series is The Mod Squad, that series began in 1968 and ran until 1973. To me, it has more of a 1960's vibe to it so I consider it a 1960's show.

With regards to The Love Boat, it started in 1977 and ran well into the 1980's so it's true the majority of episodes aired in the 80's. But for me, this show has a mostly 1970's vibe to it so I consider it a 1970's show and would have kept it in the 1970's section here but that's just my opinion.

James28 · 07-12-2021, 11:16 AM

^^Mannix and The Mod Squad can both be considered 1970s shows, actually. Based on which decade the majority of its seasons and their ratings peaks fell in (Mod Squad having aired only two seasons in the 1960s compared to its remaining three in the 70s, and its ratings peak was during 1970-71, when it ranked #11 with an average of 22.7), it doesn't matter what vibe that series has, they have to be considered 70s shows, not 60s.

Based on that reasoning, I would just remove The Love Boat from the 1970s sitcoms section completely (I know there's the pilot movies that aired during 76-77, but I'm not sure those would count).

icecream · 07-12-2021, 11:36 AM

The Love Boat has already been moved to the 80s sitcom board. Besides the large majority of episodes there, Vicki didn't exist on the show its first few seasons, most of the 70s run. She was featured a lot more in the 80s seasons, which is a plus and another reason to consider it mainly 80s.

1960'sTVfan · 07-12-2021, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James28

^^Mannix and The Mod Squad can both be considered 1970s shows, actually. Based on which decade the majority of its seasons and their ratings peaks fell in (Mod Squad having aired only two seasons in the 1960s compared to its remaining three in the 70s, and its ratings peak was during 1970-71, when it ranked #11 with an average of 22.7), it doesn't matter what vibe that series has, they have to be considered 70s shows, not 60s.

To me the vibe matters because when I watch Mannix I get a 70's vibe and when I watch The Mod Squad I get a 60's vibe.

However, an argument can be made that Mannix and The Mod Squad are both 1960's shows, not 70's because both shows debuted in the 60's, Mannix in 1967 and Mod Squad in 1968.

The same can be said about The Love Boat, it's a 1970's show because it debuted in the 70's, so it belongs in the 1970's section here, not 1980's.

James28 · 07-12-2021, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retroTVfan4ever

To me the vibe matters because when I watch Mannix I get a 70's vibe and when I watch The Mod Squad I get a 60's vibe.

An argument can be made that Mannix and The Mod Squad are both 1960's shows, not 70's because both shows debuted in the 60's, Mannix in 1967 and Mod Squad in 1968.

The same can be said about The Love Boat, it's a 1970's show because it debuted in the 70's, so it belongs in the 1970's section here, not 1980's.

Why should I care? We have to go by WHEN THE MAJORITY OF OF A SHOW'S SEASONS AND THE SHOW'S RATINGS PEAKS ARE, regardless of when that program debuted. End of story.

1960'sTVfan · 07-12-2021, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James28

Why should I care? We have to go by WHEN THE MAJORITY OF OF A SHOW'S SEASONS AND THE SHOW'S RATINGS PEAKS ARE, regardless of when that program debuted. End of story.

What you care about doesn't concern me in the least, you have your opinion, I have mine and I don't have to "go by" anything, especially anything that comes from you.

James28 · 07-12-2021, 01:16 PM

^^Just get over it already. The pilot movies notwithstanding, only THREE of The Love Boat's nine seasons aired during the 1970s. Can't be considered a primarily 70s show at all. You want to state that solely to anger me (and probably some Love Boat fans). And why the "anything that comes from me" part?

I can make an argument for Alice being primarily a 70s show even though five of its nine seasons were in the 80s: Its Nielsen ratings peak was during 1979-80 (it ranked 4th with a 25.3 average rating).

1960'sTVfan · 07-12-2021, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James28

^^Just get over it already. The pilot movies notwithstanding, only THREE of The Love Boat's nine seasons aired during the 1970s. Can't be considered a primarily 70s show at all. You want to state that solely to anger me (and probably some Love Boat fans). And why the "anything that comes from me" part?

Once again, you have your opinion on the subject and I have mine, I strive to be a peaceful poster here and avoid those who attempt to stir up drama. I have better things to do than bicker with you here so I'm through responding and have a good day.

1960'sTVfan · 07-13-2021, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James28

I can make an argument for Alice being primarily a 70s show even though five of its nine seasons were in the 80s: Its Nielsen ratings peak was during 1979-80 (it ranked 4th with a 25.3 average rating).

I would say that Alice is a 1970's show because it debuted in the 70's in 1976.

Dude111 · 07-13-2021, 12:39 PM

Yes Alice is def a 70s show!

TJ · 07-27-2021, 04:16 PM

Why does it seem like certain members are involved in every argument on here? We don't need all of this constant drama.

Sometimes you have to put them where people are more likely to look for them. You can't have them in two places unless a redirect is used.

Three's Company is another one that is thought of a 1970s sitcom, even though more episodes aired during the 1980s.

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