It's that time of the year again, folks. The kids are out of school, your smoothie recipe guide gets pulled out of the drawer, and MeTV fine tunes their incredible schedule to bring you lots of classic television joy!
Last year I wrote about Columbo and Rhoda and this year I'm taking on The Love Boat and Happy Days. There are several blogs participating, via the Classic TV Blog Association. Check out the schedule here. My posts will appear on June 3rd (Love Boat) and 5th (Happy Days), so please tune in.
I actually wanted to make the following my Love Boat post, but decided to use it for a teaser. As you know, the show was all about the guest stars, and something I totally adored about this series was some of the casting match-ups. May I present the Love Boat episode Second Chance/Don't Push Me/Like Father Like Son (Season 2, episode 17, OAD 1/271979), featuring two of my favorite dudes...
...duking it out over this lovely blonde:
It is indeed an intriguing, albeit melodramatic love (boat) triangle. Who will be the victor in this Man(dan) vs. Man(tooth) fight-to-the-death-match?
Things start off pleasantly enough, but before you know it, this is going to turn into a full fledged battle of wits and will, where only one will walk away with love and romance.
Before the gloves come off, each man stakes his claim. Mandan throws the first punch - however innocent - with his charm and his interest in the young lady's art (something Mantooth neglected to pay attention to).
But Mantooth swiftly fights back, sharing a laugh with his love interest in front of her cabin door.
Alas, Crosby politely declines any offers or opportunities for romance with either Mandan or Mantooth, and the score remains 0-0.
After a good (if somewhat frustrated) night's sleep, the challengers move to their respective corners, with Mantooth anticipating an early morning strike. Mandan's subtle play works and Crosby agrees to spend the day with him, although Mantooth had just invited her to his cabin.
If looks could kill. Sorry Mantooth, it's Mandan 1 - Mantooth 0.
Our challengers reconvene for Round 3: Mandan is still using his charm tactics, trying to lower Mantooth's defenses...
But I think we can see that the gloves are off. Mantooth hits below the belt, reminding Mandan that he's almost twice Crosby's age. Ye-ouch.
Yes, Mantooth is not showing a good sporting attitude, and quickly apologizes. But some wounds don't heal as quickly as others. Still it was a bit of smackdown and the score is now Mandan 1 - Mantooth 1.
Although it looked like Mandan was forfeiting the match, the unwitting referee (i.e. Crosby) has ultimately decided that this is Mandan's game (and obviously her decision), much to chagrin of increasingly agitated Mantooth. Now we're looking at Mandan 2 - Mantooth 1.
And just when it looks like everything has been decided, the match goes into extra rounds...
And it looks like it's going to turn into a real round of fisticuffs...
Mandan quickly sizes up the competition...
... and comes in for the kill...
It's a stunning knockout...
Holy cow!
High drama on the high seas.
Mandan, may be the physical agitator, but he's a much better sport than Mantooth and offers to forfeit one more time.
But Mantooth knows it's futile to keep up the fight...
And takes a dive... (and let's face it, I think there will be more beautiful woman in his future)
Once again, all is right with the world...
And if you don't believe me, you can double check with Gopher.
MeTV is currently airing Love Boatsix days a week (you can check out their schedule here). I really do hope you'll come aboard... we're expecting you!
And if that's not enough, why don't you check out my post on the Deacon Dark episode here.
Also, Kindertrauma put together this incredible list of horror stars who took at cruise on The Love Boat.
Don't forget to check out next week's MeTV Blogathon!
As you may or may not know, I am a huge fan of The Love Boat. I am such a big fan, I even watched Love Boat: The Next Wave. Yes sir, it's true. If I had to narrow down my favorite episodes, I'd be hard pressed because I just adore them all. However, there is one that keeps popping up in my forever clouded childhood memories that I think is probably the best episode. Ever.
On March 17th, 1979, Love Boat unleashed Deacon Dark on an unsuspecting audience. The Deacon is a culmination of Alice Cooper and KISS mixed with a whole lot of TV sensibility towards the then-current pop culture crazes. In effect, Deacon is thought to be a dark rock and roll soul, but underneath his satanic pantomime makeup, he's just dying to write a ballad.
Deacon Dark is a bad ass performing his hit song Smash It:
Deacon Dark is in fact, just a character played to the hilt by his far gentler counterpart Phil Backstrom (Sonny Bono!). His manager (Artie Johnson) wants Deacon to keep it crazy cuz it's all about the gimmick, but when Backstrom falls for a deaf girl named Sara (Sheila Lenham, who apparently only appeared in this one episode of Love Boat before disappearing into obscurity) he decides it's sappy love songs all the way.
And you know what? He's right.
Why on God's green earth would Deacon write a love song for a deaf girl? Because she can feel the music! I was about 8 when this episode originally aired and I distinctly remember being blown away by that revelation. Other shows and films have used the device of deaf people feeling music (Crazy Moon is the first to come to mind), but it's here you get to see Deacon's soft side when he finds that Sara gets his style! **sniff sniff** The Deacon of Dark is a big ol' softie!
That sappy love song called "Now That I've Found Sara" has gone on to become one my favorite songs ever written for a schmaltzy television show or movie (with "Sensitive You're Not" in This House Possessed taking top honors). I love every second of it and apparently I'm not the only one. Just today I discovered a Deacon Dark fan page on Facebook! The Deacon lives folks!
