Aaron Spelling made amazing TV. Not everything he touched was gold, but he had more hits than misses. Hotel, which premiered in 1983, wasn’t one of his best shows, but it’s a solid TV drama s far as the ’80s are concerned.
Set up like The Love Boat in a hotel, Hotel follows the day-to-day drama of the staff of the St. Gregory hotel in San Francisco. There is Peter McDermott, the hotel manager, Christine, his personal assistant, Billy, the ex-con turned head of security, and a few others. Then there is the owner of the hotel, Mrs. Cabot, played by Anne Baxter.
It is interesting to note that in the pilot episode Bette Davis played the owner of the hotel. Both Davis and Baxter starred together in All About Eve where a very young Baxter plotted to steal Davis’s role. It seems finally, decades later, Baxter finally succeeded.
While the drama of the show always involves the staff of the hotel, it is generally focused around the guest stars of the episode. The guest stars are such an important part of the show that they are featured in the opening credits. Some highlights of season 1 guest stars include: Mel Torme, Morgan Fairchild, Connie Stevens, Heather Locklear, Dick Van Patten, Robert Vaughn, Martin Landau, Scatman Crothers, Scott Baio and a very young Tori Spelling.
The show is very episodic with all the drama being wrapped up nice and tidy by the end of each episode. There was no continuing drama as in shows like Dynasty.
This is a fun show and if you’re a fan of cheesy ’80s drama then I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, however it’s certainly not for everyone and I’m not sure I could recommend as purchase. It is definitely worth renting though.
Episodes:
Disc One:
Pilot (9/21/83)
Peter McDermott, General Manager of the legendary St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco needs a new Executive Assistant. In a bold move, Christine Francis sends all the other applicants packing to better her odds of getting the job. Meanwhile a prostitute is raped by a group of rich boys and Peter wants to help her.
Guest Stars: Alejandro Rey, Erin Moran, Mel Torme, Shirley Jones, Pernell Roberts and Morgan Fairchild.
Blackout (9/28/83)
Victoria Cabot takes over ownership of the hotel from her sister-in-law, Laura Trent. Christine is stalked by a secret admirer and a young pregnant woman shows up in the lobby with nowhere to turn.
Guest Stars: Tracy Nelson and Stewart Granger.
Choices (10/5/83)
A former cellmate of Billy’s from his ex-con days checks into the St. Gregory and may or may not be planning a heist. Meanwhile, an obsessed mother pushes her daughter too far in a beauty pageant.
Guest Stars: Connie Stevens, Heather Locklear and Peter Marshall.
Disc Two:
Charades (10/19/83)
The staff of the hotel pull out all the stops for a man they believe to be a hotel critic. Meanwhile, a delegation from the Israeli ministry chooses to continue with his speech despite an assassination threat.
Guest Stars: Ron Ely, Nanette Fabrat, Peggy Cass, Hermione Gingold, Dick Van Patten and Robert Vaughn.
Secrets (10/26/83)
A rumor about the St. Gregory being torn down worries the staff. Meanwhile, a couple learns that their daughter has been molested and she blames the babysitter, but the truth might not be so easy.
Guest Stars: Dack Rambo, Michelle Phillips, Robert Reed and Leigh Taylor-Young.
Relative Losses (11/2/83)
Mrs. Cabot’s niece comes on as an intern and connives to undercut Christine. Meanwhile, a U.S. Senator must choose between a run for the Presidency and the two women in his life: his wife and mistress.
Guest Stars: Charlene Tilton, Paul Burke, Hope Lange, Lynn Redgrave, Vic Tayback and Donna Pescow.
Flashback (11/9/83)
It’s Peter’s birthday and his ex-wife has shown up to surprise him. Meanwhile, an elderly couple has escaped the Sunset Acres old folks home to live it up at the hotel, but how will they pay for it?
Guest Stars: Cathy lee Crosby and Diana Canova.
Disc Three:
Confrontations (11/16/83)
A rude guest and his menacing entourage a rude to everyone, especially an elderly African American couple.
Guest Stars: Martin Landau, Scatman Crothers, Abby Dalton and Parker Stevenson.
Faith, Hope & Charity (11/23/83)
A poor Italian family is staying at the hotel after their home burnt down. A shoplifter is plaguing the shops and there is reason to believe it’s the son of the family.
Guest Stars: Scott Baio, Michael Constantine, Don Porter, Carol Lynley and Barbara Parkins.
Deceptions (11/30/83)
A beautiful hotel employee returns from her Mexico vacation with the man she met there. But is it love that brought him along, or something sinister?
Guest Stars: John Davidson and Jean Simmons.
The Offer (12/7/83)
A rival of Mrs. Cabot seeks to steal Peter away from her. Meanwhile an elderly couples travels a long way to see Liberace, but miss the show. However something special may be in store for them.
Guest Stars: Eleanor Parker, Donald O’Connor, Liberace and Margaret O’Brien.
Disc Four:
Christmas (12/21/83)
Christine hires what turns out to be the perfect Santa to work at the hotel during Christmas. Meanwhile, Peter accidentally gives away a ten dollar bill with an important phone number away and we follow it through many hands. Will he get it back? Also, a young girl befriends a robot.
Guest Stars: Tori Spelling and Jane Wyatt.
Designs (12/28/83)
Peter attends a high society party as a favor to Mrs. Cabot and falls for a woman named Alison. They seem perfect for each other, but she has a secret.
Guest Stars: Cristina Raines and Gary Collins
Reflections (1/4/84)
Peter becomes inadvertently involved with two very troubled women that share a secret.
Guest Stars: Kay Lens and McLean Stevenson.
Tomorrows (1/11/84)
In this modern Cinderella story, a Prince staying at the hotel meets an overworked maid and instantly falls for her. But they won’t have a happily ever after if the maid’s boss has anything to do with it.
Guest Stars: Jon-Erik Hexum, Emma Samms and Adrienne Barbeau.
Disc Five:
Passages (1/18/84)
In the hotel lobby, a Holocaust survivor recognizes a face from his past. A war criminal known as “The Butcher.”
Guest Stars: Barnard Hughes, Jose Ferrer, Pamela Hensley and Ken Howard.
Mistaken Identities (2/1/84)
Two co-workers of the hotel seem to hate each other, but unbeknownst to them they are pen pals falling madly and love and only Christine can help them.
Guest Stars: Steve Kanaly, Tom Smothers, Carlene Watkins.
The Wedding (2/22/84)
Trouble brews in the hotel as two rich families prepare for a huge wedding, however the bride and groom to be are having some serious jitters.
Guest Stars: Mary Crosby, Boyd Gaines, Steve Forrest, Robert Stack and Vera Miles.
Memories (2/29/84)
Christine is drawn to a guest with amnesia who may have been involved in a jewel heist. Meanwhile, guests of the hotel who can’t have kids decide to have their best friend be the father of their child.
Guest Stars: Roy Thinnes, Larry Wilcox, Cassie Yates, Rod McCary and Katherine Cannon.
Disc Six:
Encores (3/7/84)
A blast from Peter’s past arrives with a four-year-old son that she is claiming his and wants him to take the boy.
Guest Stars: Engelbert Humperdink and Jan Smithers.
Prisms (3/14/84)
Peter welcomes an inscrutable former mentor to the hotel, keeping careful watch as the witty raconteur has his eyes on the jewels of a world-renowned glamour star.
Guest Stars: Louis Jourdan, Eva Gabor, Markie Post and Don Galloway.
Trials (5/2/84)
A distraught widow and her two sons storm the hotel and take several staff members hostage including Mrs. Cabot who they put on trial for the death of the widow’s husband who fell from a hotel window.
Guest Stars: Shelley Winters and Lew Ayres.
Lifelines (5/9/84)
Lauren Webb, a classy entrepreneur, might be the new Vice President of a thriving company, however a sleazy adult film promoter shows up and threatens her career and her relationship with her husband.
Guest Stars: Howard Duff, Sally Kellerman, Ted Shackelford and Melissa Sue Anderson.
The show is presented in fullscreen 1:33.1. Sound is in Dolby Mono. The show looks and sounds fine. Nothing to complain about here. Looks and feels like a typical 80’s drama.
Nothing.
Honestly, I’d never heard of this show before reviewing this box set. And the only reason I wanted to review it in the first place was because it takes place in my hometown, San Francisco, and because it stars James Brolin. It could have been terrible, but it was pretty entertaining. If you like cheesy ’80s TV dramas, you’ll like this show.
Paramount and CBS DVD present Hotel: The First Season. Created by Aaron Spelling. Starring James Brolin, Anne Baxter, Nathan Cook and Connie Sellecca. Running time: 1169 minutes on 6 discs. Not Rated. Released on DVD: July 21, 2009. Available at Amazon.com.
