# Trying to identify an old "Love Boat" episode **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [February 18, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775 "2026-02-18T01:00:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/1 "2026-02-18T01:00:13Z")
Stupid nostalgia is making me think of a bit from 45 year old television program. I’m trying to identify an episode featuring a pompous marriage therapist trying to counsel a couple. He’s big on “emotional openness” which is illustrates with two empty waste-paper baskets, held horizontally. If the open ends are facing each other, they symbolize that both members of the couple are open to each other, but of course, one or the other or both could have the open end facing away from other other. “Rotate! Rotate!” he implores the couple. The actor playing the therapist was probably some famous face from 1950, making a little extra money on the show. Any help? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/2 "2026-02-18T01:30:24Z")
I had a quick look around and didn’t find it. Maybe it was not _Love Boat_ but a similar show like _Fantasy Island_ or _Hotel_. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/3 "2026-02-18T01:32:01Z")
My first thought was the one with Harvey Korman. Trying to find details. Sorry, doesn’t sound like it. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/4 "2026-02-18T02:00:39Z")
Thanks guys. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/5 "2026-02-18T13:03:39Z")
This one has a marriage therapist advocating open marriages, [Retro Television Reviews: The Love Boat 2.15 “My Sister, Irene / The ‘Now’ Marriage / Second Time Around” | Through the Shattered Lens](https://unobtainium13.com/2023/05/24/retro-television-reviews-the-love-boat-2-15-my-sister-irene-the-now-marriage-second-time-around/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) I’ll check later if it has a scene like that. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/6 "2026-02-18T13:19:41Z")
[I found a transcript](https://transcripts.foreverdreaming.org/viewtopic.php?t=79769) and “rotate” isn’t there. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/7 "2026-02-18T13:23:57Z")
Thanks for checking that. The Paramount+ video was loaded with so many ads that I just skimmed the bar at the bottom & didn’t see a scene as described. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/8 "2026-02-18T13:49:19Z")
Can’t help identifying the episode, but if you want to watch old Love Boat episodes, the free PlutoTV streaming app has a 24/7 “Love Boat” channel: > **[Watch The Love Boat: Live TV Channel for Free | Pluto TV](https://pluto.tv/us/live-tv/5f7794a788d29000079d2f07)** > > Come aboard, we’re expecting you. The crew of the S.S. Pacific Princess is here for you and their all-star passengers 24 hours a day on the one channel that brings you the iconic TV classic. Watch The Love Boat live for free. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/9 "2026-02-18T18:30:18Z")
Pretty sure it was Love Boat - I can picture the setting of the scene on the deck. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-an-old-love-boat-episode/1027775/10 "2026-02-18T20:06:32Z")
Found it! Bert Parks plays “Dr. Mabrey” a sex therapist in the episode 03x23, called “Another Time, Another Place/Doctor Who/Gopher’s Engagement” (each storyline in an episode has a separate title) Here’s an excerpt from the transcript ([03x23 - Another Time, Another Place/Doctor Who/Gopher's Engagement - Transcripts - Forever Dreaming](https://transcripts.foreverdreaming.org/viewtopic.php?p=194053#p194053)) "I have brought along a rather crude little demonstration of your problems. Simple sexual miscommunication, man, woman. As you observe, they’re not open to each other." The couple argue while he blathers: “Now, young man, your psychic reactor should be open to her too, you know.” "Well, sometimes as you see, there’s open here and sometimes closed there. Antithetically, it might be closed there or open here. Sometimes one end is open this way. “Rotate your whole-being antennas. Dis-involve your self from preconceptions. Rotate. Rotate.”