Come aboard...we're expecting you.

Back in the late 70's and early 80's, Mego began snatching up a ton of different licenses to make up for their passing on the Star Wars license (aka "goldmine.") They made all kinds of questionable decisions when it came to the licenses they acquired -- decisions which ultimately led to their well-documented downfall.

My favorite of all these wacky corporate decisions was to do an action figure toy line based on the hit TV series The Love Boat. I know many children, myself included, were enamored of the show, but we weren't about to let our GI Joes and Pocket Superheroes mingle with these wild and crazy cruise directors. 

So these (sadly) collected dust at my local Lionel Playworld, discounted and forgotten. That is, until about 10 years ago, when nostalgia and love for this incredibly 80s show and the Mego brand caught on like wildfire. 

I have always eyed these with a bit of reverence and love. They seemed so odd to me. I am not sure how I would have played with them as a kid if they were given to me by some (obviously blind, senile and distant) relation. 

As an adult, though, when I learned how Mego had bowed out of the business and how Grand Toys of Canada took over the line and released the massive vacuform Love Boat playset, my mind was blown.

As a collector of offbeat playsets, this had been on my radar for many, many years.  I was lucky enough to find one - but it has been sitting in my storage unit collecting dust for two years... UNTIL NOW.

Here she is in all her glory! 

(Seriously, I thought this set needed some love. Should a 38 year man get this giddy every time he pulls out this playset? You be the judge...)

Here is a mini-review of the boat and her many assets.

The boat itself is massive - about 3 feet long and 7 inches deep. 

It is made in the same fragile vacuform style as other 

Mego 3 3/4 scale playsets - like the Star Trek: The Motion Picture Bridge 

and the Buck Rogers Star Fighter Command Center.

It is extremely fragile.

Each room is plastered with giant stickers representing 

 decor appropriate for each character in the line.

The furniture is bland and non-descript, except for the Captain's 

quarters with its side table, lamps and even a coffee table!

Let's start with the everyone's favorite character Isaac!

The figure is a great likeness; he 

fits in well in his bar, ready to take your order. 

All you get here is a table and chairs.

His buddy Gopher comes alive in the dining room 

with some nice porthole stickers so your visiting 

MASH figures can to stare out at the sea on the long journey back to Korea.

Again, only a table and chairs. 

Julie has a vanity and a dresser to comb out her thick 80s hairdo. 

This figure is the least successful of the whole line.

Vicki, on the other hand, looks just like Jill Whelan to me.

She gets a bed, a large credenza and a stool. 

There is even a creepy doll sticker on the back near the porthole. 

That thing gives me nightmares.

Dr. Bricker's office is a mess - just some drawers and a credenza and not much else. 

He was shortchanged in this set.

The crème de la crème was saved for Captain Stubing of course.

 His office is a relaxing place where he can kick his feet up, turn on one of his many lamps 

and reflect on a long day of charting the waters of love.

 Overall, the set is very displayable and I am completely obsessed with it. 

It would have been destroyed in one hour by just about any kid. 

Luckily, one survived all these years, so I 

 can now provide all the attention and Love this Boat deserves. 

Thank you once again, Mego - king of the vintage toy aisle!

King of the vintage toy aisle.

For some great promo pics of this set,
check out the Mego Museum Love Boat Page:

http://www.megomuseum.com/teevee/loveboat.html