The Best Episodes of Love Boat: The Next Wave

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
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   REVEAL THE WINNER
   

   8.5/10(16 votes)

   #1 - Trances of a Lifetime

   S2:E164/30/1999

   Danny annoys his father by revealing that he wants to photograph nude women for a living. Nicole's niece, whose parents recently divorced, joins her for the cruise. She hasn't spoken for a month, so John lends her his ALF doll to keep her company. A hypnotist places a spell on passengers and crew members that causes them to fulfill their fondest desires. Danny pictures everyone naked, while Will transforms into ""The Terminator."" An insecure passenger sees himself as the most handsome man on the ship and becomes suave and charming. Jim imagines himself as a performer; he constantly quotes Shakespeare, imitates famous stars, and sings. (He also kisses Camille.) The hypnotist prompts ALF to come to life and befriend Emily. She reveals that her refusal to talk stems from her mother's potential cross-country move.

   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Unknown
2. 

   7.6/10(8 votes)

   #2 - Prom Queen

   S2:E185/14/1999

   Camille and Nicole help a woman gain revenge on the man she insists stood her up on prom night, but it's the wrong guy. Two men drug their philandering buddy to stop him from straying the day before his wedding. They believe they have killed him, and fear murder charges because one of the guys is in love with the bride-to-be. Jim romances an alcoholic attorney. He and Danny (also a recovering alcoholic) must convince her to seek help when she falls off the wagon.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
3. 

   6.8/10(22 votes)

   #3 - Reunion

   S2:E410/30/1998

   The crew of the Pacific Princess (from the original Love Boat) reunites for Vicki's wedding. Capt. Stubing's constant interference makes Jim nervous, until he stands up to him. Capt. Stubing must choose between a job as president of the cruise line and a return to life at sea. Julie creates a love interest to keep her friends from worrying about her. Vicki nearly calls off the wedding because she fears that she cannot live up to her future husband's expectations. Julie overhears Doc confess his feelings for her as he advises John about Nicole. Paolo tries to set up Isaac with a passenger, but Isaac believes that his years on the ship have left him incapable of a long-term relationship. Danny pleads for the chance to sing at the wedding, and is allowed to perform ""Sea of Love.""

   Director:Anson Williams

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Anson Williams

   Writer:Unknown
4. 

   6.8/10(8 votes)

   #4 - Love Floats: The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

   S2:E122/12/1999

   As part of the Valentine's cruise, Jim must marry 250 couples--including his ex-wife and her new beau. Pat shares a passionate kiss with Jim and considers calling off her wedding. A woman who has difficulty talking to men tries to connect with a painter through her writing... but he's illiterate. The passengers are issued pagers that beep when they pass someone with a similar interest (relationship, sex or karaoke). A couple in search of sex reluctantly falls for each other. John mistakenly receives a same-sex pager and must dodge a throng of male admirers.

   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Nicole Avril

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   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Nicole Avril
5. 

   6.3/10(25 votes)

   #5 - How Long Has This Been Going On?

   S1:E45/4/1998

   A very loud and crude family wins a free cruise in a package of hot dogs. The eldest daughter falls for Jim after he saves her husband from drowning, while her half-sister prepares to give birth to triplets. The ship's janitor looks to romance a nurse, unaware that she plans to become a nun. An older couple tries to help newlyweds work through their problems, but ends up exposing flaws in its own marriage.

   Director:Anson Williams

   Writer:Grace McKeaney

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   Director:Anson Williams

   Writer:Grace McKeaney
6. 

   6.3/10(12 votes)

   #6 - Captains Courageous

   S2:E310/23/1998

   Nicole must pose as the captain (and John's wife) to cover up a lie to her visiting grandmother. A pro wrestler's honeymoon is disrupted by the arrival of his tag team partner. Donald constantly pleads with the wrestlers to inflict bodily harm on him. A man desperately searches for a wife. He finds a taker, but fails to disclose the fact that he must marry by his birthday (Thursday) or forfeit a ten-million-dollar inheritance.

   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Unknown
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7. 

   5.9/10(10 votes)

   #7 - Don't Judge a Book by Its Lover

   S2:E91/1/1999

   An author is pursued by a man who claims to be the vampire from one of her books. Will meets a seemingly perfect woman, but rejects her after discovering that she is a former prostitute. A clumsy young man fears that he has passed along his bad luck to his new girlfriend.

   Director:Neal Israel

   Writer:Nicole Avril

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   Director:Neal Israel

   Writer:Nicole Avril
8. 

   5.8/10(17 votes)

   #8 - Smooth Sailing

   S1:E14/13/1998

   Jim's first cruise at the helm of the Sun Princess is complicated when his ex-wife orders him to take custody of their troubled fifteen-year-old son, Danny. Jim's military discipline clashes with the laid-back style of the other crewmembers, who also object to being forced to baby-sit Danny. Danny vanishes after an argument with his father, and Camille catches him smoking pot. A jilted groom stays in the honeymoon suite with his best man. After they are mistaken for a gay couple, the man (unaware that his friend really is gay) decides to take advantage of the confusion to meet women. A passenger proposes to a woman the day of their first meeting. A woman takes offense when her comedian boyfriend puts down marriage in his act.

   Director:Dennis Dugan

   Writers:Elizabeth Orange, Kay Camden

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   Director:Dennis Dugan

   Writers:Elizabeth Orange, Kay Camden
9. 

   5.8/10(10 votes)

   #9 - Getting to Know You

   S1:E65/18/1998

   Jim's ex-wife comes aboard to celebrate Danny's 16th birthday, then decides that she wants to bring their son home. Will, Camille, John and Suzanne are offered transfers to a better ship. Paolo is furious when his father--a nearly crippled race car driver--comes to visit him. Paolo believes that his father abandoned the family, but Jim learns the truth from Mr. Kaire. A couple meets through a singles activity group, but both parties are hiding secrets about their physical appearance.

   Director:Mel Damski

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Mel Damski

   Writer:Unknown
10. 

    5.8/10(8 votes)

    #10 - Bermuda Triangle Episode

    S2:E611/13/1998

    The ship is caught in the Bermuda Triangle, which has a bizarre effect on the crew and passengers. Nicole suddenly cannot keep her hands off John, while Danny gains the ability to read minds. Will is literally split into three different people, and Paolo learns amazing bar tricks. The crew rescues a 1940s flier (from the same unit as Jim's father) whose plane has been downed. He romances Camille. Jim has a conversation with his dead father, and receives some closure.

    Director:Peter Baldwin

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Peter Baldwin

    Writer:Unknown
11. 

    5.7/10(21 votes)

    #11 - Remember?

    S1:E24/20/1998

    Danny hooks up with a teenage girl, only to learn that Jim and her mother were high school sweethearts. The teens are repulsed when their parents rekindle their romance. A couple who fell in love while playing Scrabble online meets for the first time as the ship hosts a tournament. The woman's considerable height advantage proves to be a problem. A congressman tries to win back his estranged wife, while Camille goes all out to impress his fitness-loving bodyguard. Will is annoyed when the cruise line assigns him a goofy assistant, Donald Griswald.

    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Unknown
12. 

    5.6/10(8 votes)

    #12 - It Takes Two to Tango

    S2:E210/16/1998

    John has a fling with identical twins without realizing that he is seeing two women. They leave him completely exhausted. A passenger neglects his wife to conduct business deals over the phone. She becomes infatuated with Paolo while attending his tango class. A woman falls for a handsome man who won't reveal what he does for a living. Jim hopes to inspire Danny by taking a midterm about The Great Gatsby with him.

    Director:Peter Baldwin

    Writer:Nicole Avril

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    Director:Peter Baldwin

    Writer:Nicole Avril
13. 

    5.5/10(9 votes)

    #13 - All Aboard

    S2:E110/9/1998

    Camille believes that she is the new cruise director, but then learns she must share the position with newcomer Nicole Jordan. Camille immediately dislikes Nicole, but John is smitten with her. The crew receives word that an inspector from the cruise line is on board. Jim mistakes an irritable passenger for the inspector and tries to win her favor. A lingerie show is jeopardized when one of the models attracts both Will and Paolo. A married couple brings the wife's brother along as a babysitter, but he uses the infant to meet women. Danny becomes the resident towel boy after his father cuts short his career as a casino greeter.

    Director:Bruce Bilson

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Bruce Bilson

    Writer:Unknown
14. 

    5.3/10(11 votes)

    #14 - True Course

    S1:E55/11/1998

    The female passengers complain that Jim will not dance with them. He refuses to admit that he cannot dance, then secretly takes lessons from Camille. Paolo considers giving up his career to marry the older woman he has been dating. Danny is assigned to kitchen duty. He learns that the temperamental chef has a crush on Suzanne and decides to play a practical joke on him. John tries to improve his bedside manner around young patients. Two friends take the cruise in the hopes of finding mates for one another, but end up seeking solace in each other's arms.

    Director:Sandy Smolan

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Sandy Smolan

    Writer:Unknown
15. 

    4.6/10(11 votes)

    #15 - I Can't Get No Satisfaction

    S1:E34/27/1998

    Will finds romance with a famous singer who is travelling incognito. Jim assigns Danny to photo lab duty after catching him taking inappropriate photos of women. Danny spots Will with his new love, and ponders whether to respect his friend's privacy or sell the pictures to a tabloid. A twice-divorced couple tries desperately to avoid one another while sharing the cruise with brainless new mates. Engaged virgin anthropologists hope to sleep with other people to gain experience before their marriage. They set their sights on John and Suzanne.

    Director:David Semel

    Writer:Michael Norell

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    Director:David Semel

    Writer:Michael Norell
16. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - All That Glitters

    S2:E511/6/1998

    An heiress brings some rare jewels from her family's collection to display on the ship. Donald must guard the gems after the family's security chief takes ill. A jewel thief plans a heist and asks his son to distract the heiress. Problems arise when he falls in love with her. John is disgusted when Nicole fawns over a handsome astronaut/marathon runner/former pro baseball player who cannot stop talking about himself. Danny falls head over heels for an 18-year-old passenger, then proposes marriage after learning that she is pregnant.

    Director:Craig Zisk

    Writers:Brenda Hampton, Kimberley Wells

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    Director:Craig Zisk

    Writers:Brenda Hampton, Kimberley Wells
17. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Affairs to Remember

    S2:E711/20/1998

    Jim reunites with a long-lost flame. Danny bristles when he realizes that the couple first got together while the captain was separated from--but still married to--Danny's mother. A soap opera films an episode aboard the ship. The head writer must tell the domineering star (also his girlfriend) that the network is ousting her, but she refuses to go gracefully. A woman learns that her ""married"" boyfriend actually invented a wife and family to avoid committing to her.

    Director:Joanna Kerns

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Joanna Kerns

    Writer:Unknown
18. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Dust, Lust, Destiny

    S2:E812/18/1998

    Camille becomes insanely jealous when her old friend puts the moves on Jim. Will tries to force his visiting brother Greg to enjoy himself, but he is still grieving over the loss of his wife a few years earlier. Will discovers that a nosy but helpful passenger received a transplanted heart from Greg's wife. Paolo is attracted to his toughest challenger for the cocktail championship. Danny tricks Jim into letting him buy a Jet Ski, which he hopes to rent to passengers.

    Director:Joel Zwick

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Joel Zwick

    Writer:Unknown
19. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Blind Love

    S2:E101/22/1999

    A blind woman begins to regain her sight. She and her husband are wary, as they fear their relationship is based solely on need. Danny encourages his stodgy tutor to loosen up. He develops a crush on her, and is heartbroken when she dates Paolo. Camille and Nicole must co-produce a daily television program. They get into a heated on-air argument in front of the passengers. Nicole threatens to quit, but Jim tries to arrange a truce.

    Director:Ted Lange

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Ted Lange

    Writer:Unknown
20. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Other People's Business

    S2:E112/5/1999

    Jack Campbell, a man known for his successful series of motivational tapes, holds a seminar on the ship. The crew takes his words to heart--especially Jim, who takes up bungee jumping and scuba diving at the behest of an adventurous young woman. Camille helps an architect scout locations for his dream house, and winds up considering a marriage proposal. Jack exposes himself to Nicole, who fights back by publicly discrediting him. John tries to keep his mind off Nicole by dating a hypochondriac. Danny looks to cash in on the seminar by developing his own line of motivational tapes.

    Director:Kim Friedman

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Kim Friedman

    Writer:Unknown
21. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - Three Stages of Love

    S2:E132/19/1999

    Nicole's philandering ex-husband wants to get back together. She uses John as a ""buffer"" to prevent her from succumbing to Nick's advances. Danny loses his virginity, but comes to regret it. A woman discovers that her husband is secretly taking Viagra. Jim must wear braces for a week because Camille hit him in the face with a volleyball.

    Director:Joel Zwick

    Writer:Lawrence H. Levy

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    Director:Joel Zwick

    Writer:Lawrence H. Levy
22. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Divorce, Downbeat and Distemper

    S2:E142/26/1999

    A depressed country-western star falls for Nicole. He immediately loses his touch and begins writing awful songs about his new happiness. Nicole must break his heart to save his career. (""Just treat him like you treat Doc,"" Camille suggests.) A girl convinces Danny to care for a stowaway dog, but it's Jim who becomes attached to the animal. A judge forces a divorcing couple to take a cruise together.

    Director:Ted Lange

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Ted Lange

    Writer:Unknown
23. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Such Sweet Dreams

    S2:E153/19/1999

    John begins a romance with a friend from his medical school days, but she reveals that she has an incurable disease. Camille bristles at a visit from her estranged father, whom she has not seen for eight years. She tries to stop her friends from investing money with him. Will tricks Paolo into spending time with a beautiful but irritating woman from Will's old neighborhood. Paolo is afraid to dump her because he thinks her father is a mobster. Nicole helps a man plan the perfect marriage proposal, but the engagement ring (hidden in a dessert) is accidentally delivered to Paolo's date. Danny rents costumes to the passengers for the masquerade ball.

    Director:Joanna Kerns

    Writer:Rob Dames

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    Director:Joanna Kerns

    Writer:Rob Dames
24. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - About Face

    S2:E175/7/1999

    During the makeover cruise, the president of a video game company changes her look in the hopes of convincing her handsome employee to finally make a move. A man in the witness protection program falls for the daughter of the mobster who could be put away by his testimony. He dons a dress and wig to escape her father, but the man becomes attracted to him. Will assumes a variety of identities to impress an old flame who considers him ""boring and stable."" Jim requests a makeover in an attempt to make the cover of the cruise line's magazine, but doesn't get much help from Camille.

    Director:Kim Friedman

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Kim Friedman

    Writer:Unknown
25. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Cuba

    S2:E195/21/1999

    A hurricane blows the ship off course and into Cuban waters, where Cuban gunboats attack it. Jim must go before the minister of maritime affairs, who conducts an inspection. She tries to balance her loyalty to her country with her attraction to Jim. John and Paolo sneak off to a Havana nightclub and fall for a beautiful singer. They try to help her defect. A Russian man now involved with the Cuban military boards the ship and takes a liking to Nicole. Danny seeks his help in smuggling Cuban cigars back to the U.S. Camille fills in as security officer and becomes completely paranoid. She starts a barroom brawl when the crew goes to the club to retrieve John and Paolo.

    Director:Mel Damski

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Mel Damski

    Writer:Unknown