The Love Boat wasn't known for highbrow entertainment, but it was a fun series that offered a respite from other, more gritty offerings of the day. And one thing that made the series so enjoyable was the pairing of actors & actresses who had a history together, or as we fans of the series say, they had "pop culture connections". This episode's pop culture connection was one of the best of the entire run of the series, the pairing of golden-age MGM contract players Van Johnson and June Allyson, who made six films together during the 40s and 50s. In the segment "Her Own Two Feet", Johnson and Allyson play Bert and Audrey Wilder, a married couple facing a debilitating crisis - the loss of a spouse's sight and descent into blindness. Audrey Wilder has lost her sight, yet she refuses to acknowledge her condition. Her husband Bert desperately wants to help her, but the love for his wife is such that he can't bear to force her to admit she can't see. The segment is wonderfully poignant, and Johnson and Allyson still have that same onscreen chemistry that made them such a successful pair at MGM.
The cast in this episode is very good, with Allen Young, Larry Storch, Peter Graves, Roz Kelly, and one of 20th Century Fox's great WWII beauties, Vivian Blaine, who is best known for her role in "Guys and Dolls". The two additional segments (The Minister and the Stripper, Tony's Family) are entertaining as well. Reverend Peter Graves falls for stripper Roz Kelly to the chagrin of one of his congregation, and the crew helps chief engineer Larry Storch stay on board the ship by stowing away his very large family.
But the real standout in the episode is the pairing of Van Johnson and June Allyson. Two big stars from the golden age of MGM musicals, together again in an extremely moving story. Who could ask for more from a Love Boat episode?
