Season 7 Episode 18: Peggy and the Pirates

Peggy reads Seven a pirate story called A Ship Called Passion, and the episode becomes it. The bulk of the half-hour plays out as a swashbuckler with the regular cast recast into the book’s roles, which gave the production its most elaborate set of the entire run: Ted McGinley has twice named this his favourite episode on exactly that basis, calling it the best set the show ever built.

It is also a showcase for a returning guest. David Garrison appears as Rubio the Cruel, his second guest turn after “The Egg and I,” and the fantasy format exists partly to let him sing. He had left the series in season four to go back to musical theatre, and this episode hands him the kind of material that departure was about.

The pirate conceit is the series at its most willing to abandon its own format. There is no shoe store, no couch and no neighbours as such; there is a ship, a villain and Peggy as the centre of the adventure, which is a position the show almost never gave her.

It is the final appearance of Shane Sweet as Seven, the character the series had introduced that season and quietly disappeared without explanation. Fan opinion has long held him responsible for the ratings dip, though the scheduling changes of later years did considerably more damage. “Judo” Gene LeBell appears as Black Ben and Frank Lloyd, Al’s friend Norris in the early seasons, as Black Bert. The end credits run over a still of Captain Courage and Peg rather than the usual couch frame.

Episode Facts

• Original air date: February 28, 1993
• Season 7, Episode 18, and the 149th episode of the series
• Written by Richard Gurman
• Directed by Gerry Cohen

Guest Cast

• David Garrison as Steve Rhoades, playing Rubio the Cruel
• Eric Menyuk as Black Bob
• “Judo” Gene LeBell as Black Ben
• Frank Lloyd as Black Bert
• Shane Sweet as Seven

The Pirate Episode

Peg tells Seven a bedtime story out of a paperback called A Ship Called Passion, and the episode becomes the story. Peg is Princess Scarlett, Al is her pirate captor Captain Courage, Jefferson is Prince Paco, Bud is a hunchbacked first mate named Fluvio, Kelly is the ship’s navigator and Marcy is the cabin boy. The framing device back in the real world is a clogged upstairs toilet.

David Garrison returns as the villain Rubio the Cruel, who is feared for his singing of show tunes. That is the point of the whole episode: Garrison had left the series to go do musical theater, and the script was built to let him sing.

Ted McGinley has named this one of his favorites, and specifically called it the best set the show ever built. It also has the biggest tonal swing in the series, from a children’s bedtime story to Peg locked in the bathroom shouting for Captain Courage.

Famous Quotes

• Captain Courage: “Fluvio, how many times do I have to tell you? Don’t give them a choice!” Al, in character, on hospitality.
• Cabin Boy-Girl: “I sense you are threatened by my androgyny.” Marcy’s one line of the voyage.
• Captain Courage: “I am not gay! Any man can live with his mother until he’s 40.” Al defending the captain’s honor.
• Peg: “Take me, Captain Courage!” The last line, from behind a locked bathroom door.

Notes

• Final appearance of Shane Sweet as Seven.
• Garrison’s second guest return, after The Egg and I.
• Rubio sings “A Wand’ring Minstrel, I,” which Steve had already sung in season 4’s “Dead Men Don’t Do Aerobics.”
• Eric Menyuk had appeared earlier as Gerry in season 5’s “We’ll Follow the Sun.” Frank Lloyd, Al’s friend Norris in the early seasons, plays Black Bert.
• A Ship Called Passion turns up again in season 11’s “Bud on the Side,” being read by Griff on his break.
• The end credits use a still of Captain Courage standing victorious with Peg instead of the usual couch shot.
• Goof: Al calls Black Ben “Wilbur,” a modern outdoor lantern is visible on the upper deck, and a lamp shade and desk sit in shot on the lower deck.