Some things really bug me about the episode "The Diner." I think the name "A Little Bit of Cuba" is stupid. There are only six stools at the counter and no sign of more tables. How could two households survive on the business six stools would bring in? Why did Lucy and Ricky dress up in formal attire to greet guests? After all, it was just one step above a beanery. And the way Ricky hovers over people while they're eating is annoying. How did Fred and Ethel know how to cook Cuban food? How could Ricky just leave his job at the Tropicana and then just go back? If we tried that, we would be screwed.

The episode had some funny moments, but a lot of it was too far-fetched and ridiculous (even for I Love Lucy).

Add to that the "pie in the face" cliche and it resorts to inane slapstick.

Im my opinion, this is a poor episode, but I still watch it! It's not as bad as Scotland.

Here here. Any episode is better than Scotland. :lol:

I would love to chat abt the diner episode.

My feelings are the same as yours. How in the first place, was Ricky able to run a diner? He had the Tropicana and he had rehearsals and so forth. He always seemed busy working at the Tropicana, how all of a sudden did he have time to own/run another business?

Ok, the Mertzes had every right to be upset. Why were they stuck doing the work? Yes, they had the know how, but the Ricardos were never going to learn the diner business by "hanging around".

What was with the formal attire? My God, it was a diner people!!!! Even the more expensive restaurants don't have a host/hostess dressed up in formal wear.

You are right, how could they make money with only six stools?

And wouldn't the fab four know abt the original owner selling and buying back his business many times? I know when it comes to things like that, a prospective owner can find out the status of the business, like who were the previous owners?

And the ultimate...ONE CENT HAMBURGERS!!!!! I am sure the bread alone cost more.

My feelings are the same as yours. How in the first place, was Ricky able to run a diner? He had the Tropicana and he had rehearsals and so forth. He always seemed busy working at the Tropicana, how all of a sudden did he have time to own/run another business?


I think the premise of this ep. was the fact Ricky was fed up with showbiz and wanted a new career. I found it ridiculous that he could/would just leave and start a business he knew nothing about. Then he was able to just go back to the Tropicana like he was away on vacation or something. ohno:

I think the premise of this ep. was the fact Ricky was fed up with showbiz and wanted a new career. I found it ridiculous that he could/would just leave and start a business he knew nothing about. Then he was able to just go back to the Tropicana like he was away on vacation or something. ohno:
I always had the feeling that he was still with the Tropicana for the fact that he had a contract with them. It was mentioned somewhat in one of the earlier episodes. I felt that he was trying to see how the diner works out and if he liked it or succeeded, then he would give up show business forever. That is my interpretation at least.

I think the fab four made a big mistake by not discussing in detail exactly what each person's job was.

Imagine Ethel cooking authentic Cuban food! omg:

I think of her as more of a pot roast or meatloaf and potatoes kinda gal.

I always had the feeling that he was still with the Tropicana for the fact that he had a contract with them. It was mentioned somewhat in one of the earlier episodes. I felt that he was trying to see how the diner works out and if he liked it or succeeded, then he would give up show business forever. That is my interpretation at least.

That makes sense! :)

Imagine Ethel cooking authentic Cuban food! omg:

I think of her as more of a pot roast or meatloaf and potatoes kinda gal.
Yeah, me too. :lol: I don't get how Ethel suddenly could cook up those dishes.

I did happen to catch this episode today. I was :rofl: as I was watching it because I was thinking of this thread. Anyhoo, Ricky did tell one of the patrons that they were going to have certain Cuban dishes (he rambles on abt some of those plates) but while Ethel and Fred were there, they seemed to be ordering regular diner food, Hot Dogs, Pancakes, etc. No mention of any of those patrons ordering anything Cuban.

So, it could be they were just making regular diner food until they got their Cuban food specialities established.

My boyfriend made me laugh when he saw that part where Lucy says, "We own a diner, we own a diner." He said she sounded like a little girl who just got a big present. :lol:

I like this episode, especially the pie fight. If you want to split hairs about things on I Love Lucy there are a BOAT load of unrealistic situations, like Fred Mertz riding 35 miles on a bike to Nice, or how little Ricky grew like 3 years in one season etc; Just enjoy the show for what it is....CLASSIC television ;)

I like this episode, especially the pie fight. If you want to split hairs about things on I Love Lucy there are a BOAT load of unrealistic situations, like Fred Mertz riding 35 miles on a bike to Nice, or how little Ricky grew like 3 years in one season etc; Just enjoy the show for what it is....CLASSIC television ;)
It is not abt splitting hairs, it is abt sharing info, thoughts, opinions and noticing goofs, inconsistencies, etc. with fellow I Love Lucy fans. I have watched ILL for over 35 years and I now have a forum where I can share these thoughts and opinions with other fans who can share their thoughts, etc. How boring it would be simply to discuss the same old thing? That is what this forum is for, to discuss, to analyze, to pick apart and yes, to chat abt the annoying things, those things that didn't make sense, etc.

I like this episode, especially the pie fight. If you want to split hairs about things on I Love Lucy there are a BOAT load of unrealistic situations, like Fred Mertz riding 35 miles on a bike to Nice, or how little Ricky grew like 3 years in one season etc; Just enjoy the show for what it is....CLASSIC television ;)

I've been watching I Love Lucy for twice as long as you have been alive. You don't need to tell anyone on this board to "just enjoy the show for what it is....CLASSIC television." Many of us watched "Classic Television" the first time around. It was the TV we grew up on.

The people on this board, or any board for that matter, love their shows and want to talk about them with other fans. Any topic can come up; sometimes we're serious, looking for facts; sometimes we play games; and sometimes we pick our shows apart.

That's what the message boards are all about.

It is not abt splitting hairs, it is abt sharing info, thoughts, opinions and noticing goofs, inconsistencies, etc. with fellow I Love Lucy fans. I have watched ILL for over 35 years and I now have a forum where I can share these thoughts and opinions with other fans who can share their thoughts, etc. How boring it would be simply to discuss the same old thing? That is what this forum is for, to discuss, to analyze, to pick apart and yes, to chat abt the annoying things, those things that didn't make sense, etc.

It is not abt splitting hairs, it is abt sharing info, thoughts, opinions and noticing goofs, inconsistencies, etc. with fellow I Love Lucy fans. I have watched ILL for over 35 years and I now have a forum where I can share these thoughts and opinions with other fans who can share their thoughts, etc. How boring it would be simply to discuss the same old thing? That is what this forum is for, to discuss, to analyze, to pick apart and yes, to chat abt the annoying things, those things that didn't make sense, etc.

LOL the entire show often didn't make sense. By reading the discussion taking place in this thread, it confirms my belief that this show is overrated. :lol:

I've been watching I Love Lucy for twice as long as you have been alive. You don't need to tell anyone on this board to "just enjoy the show for what it is....CLASSIC television." Many of us watched "Classic Television" the first time around. It was the TV we grew up on.

The people on this board, or any board for that matter, love their shows and want to talk about them with other fans. Any topic can come up; sometimes we're serious, looking for facts; sometimes we play games; and sometimes we pick our shows apart.

That's what the message boards are all about.

Wow, some people are overly sensitive...turn on the fan and cool off man :lol:

I like this episode, especially the pie fight. If you want to split hairs about things on I Love Lucy there are a BOAT load of unrealistic situations, like Fred Mertz riding 35 miles on a bike to Nice, or how little Ricky grew like 3 years in one season etc; Just enjoy the show for what it is....CLASSIC television ;)

You're right about over analyzing the realism of the episode. All I Love Lucy episodes were exaggerations of situations and life in general. I suppose the 12 foot long bread coming out of the oven was acceptable or Lucy & Ethel climbing along the fence on the Empire State Building, etc, etc.

I liked the Diner episode, especially, when they argued about who had the know-how now.

I guess we have three people here who don't know what it is to be on a message board talking abt tv shows. I would expect Lee G. off all people to know that this place is to discuss shows, chat with forum members abt all aspects of a show, inside and out. I guess I was wrong.

The reason I expected Lee G. to know better is that you stated your opinion on the show in a lengthy thread and no one told you to "get real" or take your opinion elsewhere. You were treated with the upmost respect and granted, you don't care much for a show that others love, is your feeling and opinion. I wouldn't do that to a show I didn't care for, but that is me and that is how MOST people here on this board respect others and the shows they love.

Yes, we know Lucy and how it was not to be taken seriously, BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH, YADDA YADDA YADDA, ETC. but I have this forum which gives me and others the opportunity to share the thoughts we have had for decades now regarding a show that we love. Yes, it is a show that was made simply for laughs, not continuity, not factual consistency, etc. but it sure gives us fans something to chat abt.

IF YOU ALL CHECK OUT EACH AND EVERY FORUM FOR EACH SHOW ON THIS MESSAGE BOARD, YOU WILL SEE THAT EVERYONE ANALYZES, SCRUTINIZES, CHOPS AND SHREDS SHOWS APART.

A piece of advice, if you don't care for how Madame X and I and others discuss this show or any other show, DON'T READ IT. MOVE ON AND GO ELSEWHERE. It is obvious this thread was made for those interested in discussing the show a certain way.

I have posted on here before how I think the first season of ILL basically followed the examples of comedy shorts, which means there were a lot of ridiculous situations and slapstick; while the show itself was establishing the example of the television sitcom. And that after the first season of 'decorationg' the apartment like a Cuban village with a burro, bringing in 15 kids to claim were her own, and trashing the place like a backwoods junkyard, et al, they realized that the great character comedy among the 4 regulars didn't require the situations to be so outlandish. But the diner ep is one of the relatively few where they revert to the season #1 farce and slapstick, just within the bounds of the characters.

Yes, it's not believable that Ricky would just suddenly buy a diner because he had been so upset the night before at how many things went wrong at the nightclub; because otherwise he proved that he could deal with the tribulations of show business. And letting the decision be clinched by the Mertzes saying they had worked at a diner "when they were stuck in Indianapolis".. yeah, for how long? a day or 2? Besides Ricky and the Tropicana, though, why would Fred and Ethel decid to put in the fulltime (or close to that) of running the diner when they did the building management and maintenance themselves . And nothing is said about Little Ricky and where he would stay all day, as he was still an infant then-- Mrs. Trumball babysat him mainly as an interest, not as regular daycare [maybe she (Mrs. T) was the one among them who should have tried running a diner :lol: ]

Nevertheless, dropping everything you're fed up with for your own business to find out it's really twice the trouble is, in fact, something of an American story done and redone countless times over; so, to insert that plot into the #1 television show really makes a lot of sense, even if much has to be 'forced' in that doens't ring as believable. And to those who know much about ILL history, there is the symbolism of it being Desi's and Lucy's show, while Frawley and Vance were like the hired help-- as in the first week's rehearsals, D & L had their meal brought in, and Frawley asked, "Hey--when do the peons get to eat around here?" Equate that with the Ricardos-- "the name"-- and Fred/Bill and Etherl/Viv, less known names, less wealth and prestige, but a lot of [I]background to make it all 'work.'

Thank you TDR for mentioning something I was going to add earlier but got sidetracked with responding to other things.

You mentioned Little Ricky. Yeah, who was going to watch Little Ricky ALL DAY LONG while the parents were at the diner? Certainly Mrs. Trumbell loved Little Ricky, but it wasn't her grandchild. She had a life too. She was elderly and alone, but I don't think she was up to watching a child all day long. Thank you for reminding me of that. :wave:

Also, you are great for mentioning something that didn't cross my mind regarding the Mertzes. Ok, they had experience when they were stuck in Indianapolis. They worked at a diner. But like you so keenly pointed out, FOR HOW LONG? TWO DAYS? :rofl: And how long ago was that "experience"? Hmmmm.

I guess we have three people here who don't know what it is to be on a message board talking abt tv shows. I would expect Lee G. off all people to know that this place is to discuss shows, chat with forum members abt all aspects of a show, inside and out. I guess I was wrong.

A piece of advice, if you don't care for how Madame X and I and others discuss this show or any other show, DON'T READ IT. MOVE ON AND GO ELSEWHERE. It is obvious this thread was made for those interested in discussing the show a certain way.

LOL I never said I don't like how you discuss the show. Go ahead and discuss whatever you want, knock yourself out. I actually find this thread amusing. Your problem is you cannot handle it if someone has an opinion different from your own. This forum is open to different types of opinions, I am a worthy contributor to the boards. There are other people who think I Love Lucy is not that great, they have a right to say it here politely if that's what they choose to do. I've been respectful with my posts on the subject, you are the one who needs to learn the meaning of respect. You come on here and try to bully people like you own this board. It doesn't intimidate me. If you don't like my opinion or another posters' opinion of I Love Lucy, accept it like an adult and stop crying like a baby. :crybaby: :crazy: :lol: :wave:

Okay but you've already made it clear SEVERAL TIMES that you don't really care for ILL so why keep coming around?

Okay but you've already made it clear SEVERAL TIMES that you don't really care for ILL so why keep coming around?
Exactly. And if you look at Lee G's posts, you will see he does this on other shows as well. :rolleyes: Talk abt being a cry baby.

Exactly. And if you look at Lee G's posts, you will see he does this on other shows as well.

Correct, there are other shows that in my opinion are also overrated. I post about shows which are my favorites and occasionally others that I feel are overrated. Sometimes I like to give an opposite viewpoint of a given show. No disrespect intended.

Okay but you've already made it clear SEVERAL TIMES that you don't really care for ILL so why keep coming around?

I'm the same like any other poster. I'll post when I have something to say, or in response to someone else. The I Love Lucy board is no different to me than any other board I visit. There are some ILL episodes that I do enjoy, perhaps sometime I'll post and discuss those.

Correct, there are other shows that in my opinion are also overrated. I post about shows which are my favorites and occasionally others that I feel are overrated. Sometimes I like to give an opposite viewpoint of a given show. No disrespect intended.
None taken.

I don't mind opposing views or a different opinion, I just wanted to reiterate the simple fact that we love to analyze shows, we will rip and tear them apart, we know they are fictional, we know they are not perfect, but it is fun and a good way to chat with others who see what we see. Not only that, when someone else posts things they have noticed, it might be new to me or someone else, that is what I find interesting. To be able to notice things on a show that we have viewed a million times and yet, still find something we never noticed before.

Just like on the White Shadow thread where I pointed out to the poster who was criticizing me for pointing out a "goof" I noticed on two episodes. That thread was to inform. That poster was not wanting to chat abt that goof but rather be rude. That poster was not giving an opinion, but rather to chide me for even mentioning that goof. Chiding someone and being rude is NOT GIVING AN OPINION as you say. If you have an opinion on the thread subject/topic, fine. Don't be rude abt it. It is not what you say, but how you say it. :wave:

None taken.

I don't mind opposing views or a different opinion, I just wanted to reiterate the simple fact that we love to analyze shows, we will rip and tear them apart, we know they are fictional, we know they are not perfect, but it is fun and a good way to chat with others who see what we see. Not only that, when someone else posts things they have noticed, it might be new to me or someone else, that is what I find interesting. To be able to notice things on a show that we have viewed a million times and yet, still find something we never noticed before.

Just like on the White Shadow thread where I pointed out to the poster who was criticizing me for pointing out a "goof" I noticed on two episodes. That thread was to inform. That poster was not wanting to chat abt that goof but rather be rude. That poster was not giving an opinion, but rather to chide me for even mentioning that goof. Chiding someone and being rude is NOT GIVING AN OPINION as you say. If you have an opinion on the thread subject/topic, fine. Don't be rude abt it. It is not what you say, but how you say it. :wave:

Yea, the printed or typewritten word can be often misunderstood. Especially in a forum like this, I think it's important to take what people say with a grain of salt. Everyone has their own personality, people will respond in their own way to the posts. Like the guy who replied to you on the White Shadow board, I think he just thought you analyze too much. He's probably the type of individual who enjoys things for what they are, I didn't take him as being rude. I think your response to him was improper, but hey, I don't claim to be perfect either. Main thing is we should enjoy sharing opinions here and not take each other too seriously.

OK my love, let's kiss and make up and join me on the White Shadow board. That seems to be a show both of us like, perhaps we can share some common ground there.

Yea, the printed or typewritten word can be often misunderstood. Especially in a forum like this, I think it's important to take what people say with a grain of salt. Everyone has their own personality, people will respond in their own way to the posts. Like the guy who replied to you on the White Shadow board, I think he just thought you analyze too much. He's probably the type of individual who enjoys things for what they are, I didn't take him as being rude. I think your response to him was improper, but hey, I don't claim to be perfect either. Main thing is we should enjoy sharing opinions here and not take each other too seriously.

OK my love, let's kiss and make up and join me on the White Shadow board. That seems to be a show both of us like, perhaps we can share some common ground there.
I have my DVD's...pull out your DVD's, lets watch and ANALYZE!!!!:lol: Seriously, I never knew abt "analyzing" tv shows on a forum board until I came here and "met" TVAnalyzer aka Solomon. He has a way of making threads abt shows and turning them into lengthy discussions. I find that so awesome and cool. So, I take it as a compliment to be told that I "over analyze" a show. I just find it does bring out a chat or a conversation with other fans of shows.

As for the guy who responded to me on the White Shadow thread, I found it rude that instead of finding it informative of the goof I discovered, he would rather chide me for even making a thread abt it. It would be better to just not have said anything. Just my opinion. I know many others here appreciate a thread that informs them of something they may not be aware of.

And just like Bill S. above asked in his post to you, what shows do you like? I mean, it is obvious to many that you have posted on many show forums that you think a show is over-rated...how abt chatting abt the shows you actually find great and worthwhile? Sounds like a deal to me. :D

I have my DVD's...pull out your DVD's, lets watch and ANALYZE!!!!:lol: Seriously, I never knew abt "analyzing" tv shows on a forum board until I came here and "met" TVAnalyzer aka Solomon. He has a way of making threads abt shows and turning them into lengthy discussions. I find that so awesome and cool. So, I take it as a compliment to be told that I "over analyze" a show. I just find it does bring out a chat or a conversation with other fans of shows.

As for the guy who responded to me on the White Shadow thread, I found it rude that instead of finding it informative of the goof I discovered, he would rather chide me for even making a thread abt it. It would be better to just not have said anything. Just my opinion. I know many others here appreciate a thread that informs them of something they may not be aware of.

And just like Bill S. above asked in his post to you, what shows do you like? I mean, it is obvious to many that you have posted on many show forums that you think a show is over-rated...how abt chatting abt the shows you actually find great and worthwhile? Sounds like a deal to me. :D

Two shows from the 50's that I like are Amos N Andy and Leave It To Beaver. From the 60's, a few I like are Get Smart, I Dream Of Jeannie, and Gomer Pyle. I've posted on those boards occasionally. There are other shows I like, the ones I mentioned are just a sample. If you want, send me a PM and we can talk about these shows or any others you'd like to discuss.

And just for the record, two more shows that I feel are overrated are M*A*S*H* and Happy Days. Put Hogan's Heroes and The Mary Tyler Moore Show on that list as well.

I personally don't see anything wrong with pointing out and discussing inconsistencies and goofs in favorite shows...I know some people think if you bring these things up you don't like the show, but for me it's quite the opposite, in some ways these goofs are part of the show's(and even movie's) charms, two of my favorite shows are filled with continuity errors- Leave it to Beaver and Red Dwarf...and noticing these things doesn't make me like the shows less than I do.

Responding to first post on thread, made by Madame X

WALK A COW PAST THE STOVE & DON'T CRY OVER IT! Just saw The Diner episode today and guffawed. Pie for dessert is always a nice way to finish, even when the portions are served sloppily. Ha Ha!