Appearing as Mark Silverton

Broadcast 23 February 1985 on the ABC television network.

Synopsis by curator@jmdigitalscrapbook.com:

Vicki Stubing (Jill Whelan) is delighted when handsome, older passenger Mark Silverton (James MacArthur) boards the ship alone and seems immediately smitten with her.

When she encounters him sitting alone by the pool, flipping rather desultorily through a magazine and looking forlorn, he quickly confesses that he's not enjoying himself very much. She instantly suggests a game of shuffleboard and he follows up with a dinner invitation.

Seeing the two with their heads close together and obviously thoroughly engrossed in one another that evening, Captain Stubing is not pleased. Mark is obviously much older than Vicki, causing raised eyebrows all around the Captain's table.

When Vicki introduces Mark to her father, he pulls her aside to let her know he's worried, but her obvious happiness leaves him unable to express his concern. Later, watching Mark and Vicki dance cheek-to-cheek, Captain and crew become even more worried.

When Judy (Patricia Klous) questions Vicki later about her evening, she is dismayed at Vicki's giddy admission that she's fallen in love with her sophisticated, mature companion.

Next day, Mark surprises Vicki with the gift of a lovely cameo necklace. As he fastens it around her neck, she plants an enthusiastic gratitude kiss on his cheek. Doc (Bernie Koppell) and Isaac (Ted Lange) witness the exchange, both alarmed at this further evidence of a growing romance between the two.

Finally, the Captain can no longer contain himself. He calls Vicki into his office and asks her about the gift. She defiantly tells her father she and Mark are in love. Captain Stubing forbids Vicki to spend any more time with Mark. She becomes angry, accusing him of treating her like a child, and storms from the office.

Finding Mark, she recounts her conversation with her father. Mark is stunned when Vicki begins talking of them as a couple. He then explains that his attraction to Vicki isn't at all romantic. It turns out that his daughter, about Vicki's age, recently died in an accident. Mark had been spending time with Vicki because she reminded him of his daughter. The necklace was a gift he'd bought for his daughter's 18th birthday, but had never had a chance to give to her.

Hurt and embarrassed, Vicki runs from the room. After a heart-to-heart with the Captain, though, she realizes the situation was her own fault for assuming too much.

Finding Mark standing by the rail staring disconsolately out to sea, she apologizes and tries to return the necklace. Mark insists that she keep it, explaining that she's helped him come to terms with his grief over his daughter's death. She accepts and the two part friends.

Special Note: No, it's not your browser or your monitor; the images presented on this page really are fuzzy. Due to the scarce availability of this program on video, we've had to make do with a less than perfect copy; however, we thought fans unable to view any version of this program would appreciate even low quality images rather than nothing at all. Therefore, we've cleaned up the images as best we can and present them here for your viewing pleasure. If at some future date we are able to acquire a video with better picture quality, we'll update this page with better images.