Some Saturdays I really miss "The Love Boat"

Maybe it's because it's Saturday, or maybe it's because every time I see or hear about Dancing with the Stars I'm always reminded of it, but I miss The Love Boat (Cruising with the Stars?).

Remember The Love Boat, which aired Saturday nights on ABC from 9 to 10 p.m. (followed by Fantasy Island, which was a little too scary/creepy for me) from the late 1970s through the 1980s? There was Captain Stubing (Murray from the Mary Tyler Moore Show gets a big promotion), and Doc (aka Seigfried from Get Smart), and Isaac, the bartender, and Gopher, the ship's purser (who went on to become a Congressman), and Julie, the cruise director (who went on to snort a lot of cocaine), and all the "stars" (mainly B-list actors, singers, comedians, or "celebrities" trying to jump-start or salvage their careers -- just like on Dancing with the Stars!) who would come aboard the Pacific Princess (a real live cruise ship -- making The Love Boat one of the first "reality" TV shows!), looking for love or adventure each week? God, I loved that show (that is before that little bitch, Jill Whelan, came aboard as Captain Stubing's daughter, Vicki, and Lauren Tewes' coke habit resulted in her walking the plank).



I bet those "stars" on Dancing with the Stars WISH the Love Boat still existed, too. Talk about a cushy gig. Not only did you get paid to go on a cruise but no grueling dance rehearsals and no one judging you week after week (though if they were on The Love Boat, I'm pretty sure Tony Dovolani would have thrown Kate Gosselin overboard shortly after they set sail, so I guess in some ways Dancing with the Stars has its advantages).

Now what do we have to look forward to on Saturday nights? Nuthin'. (Though tonight Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is on ABC.)

UPDATED: Wow. I JUST found out that the cast of The Love Boat will be reuniting at the upcoming TV Land Awards, airing on Sunday, April 25. More here.