NCVARick
11-04-2001, 03:45 PM
This topic began on the "I Love Lucy" message board, but it really belongs here. And I'm interested in your opinions. Here's what I posted:
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How 'bout this: Colorize the classic first 30 episodes of "The Lucy Show," then remove from rotation the 40 or so weakest episodes of the 72 episodes produced during the last three seasons of the series (the "California episodes"). (I have my own ideas about which 40 episodes should be withdrawn.) This way, those mediocre episodes that have always turned people off to this series, and which no doubt have hurt this series' success in syndication, would no longer be around to burden the show. And those stations that in the past have neglected to air the outstanding first 30 episodes simply because they're in black and white (even though they are by far the best episodes of the series) would air them. Even with 40 episodes withdrawn from the syndication/rerun package, there would still be a sufficient number of episodes left for rerun purposes (116 episodes out of a total 156 produced; 100 episodes is generally what's considered necessary for a show to be eligible for syndication reruns; by comparison, "The Brady Bunch" has 117 episodes). This is my idea for a leaner, meaner "The Lucy Show," which might elevate the series to a level of quality closer to to that of "I Love Lucy."
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After I posted this, LucyFan asked the following:
"I like your idea alot. That would probably help the series tremendously. Maybe the network thats running "The Lucy Show" could air the 40 or so weakiest episodes upon viewer request only. By the way, which 40 episodes do you think should be withdrawn? I am curious to know."
I responded as follows:
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Or perhaps they could offer those withdrawn episodes on video as "lost" episodes of "The Lucy Show." As for the ones I would withdraw, it would probably be easier to name the ones I would keep. They withdrawn episodes would almost all come from the final three seasons of the series. I would keep the first two episodes of the fourth season, "Lucy at Marineland" and "Lucy and the Golden Greek," not because they're great episodes, but because they establish Lucy's relocation in California and her meeting Mary Jane Lewis. I would also keep "Lucy Helps Danny Thomas" for similar reasons. This is the episode where she first goes to work for Mr. Mooney (strangely, the opening scene of that episode where Lucy talks Mooney into hiring her has been cut from certain syndication prints, including those aired on Nick-at-Nite). The only other episodes I would keep from that season are "Lucy the Undercover Agent," "Lucy and Art Linkletter," "Lucy Dates Dean Martin," and "Lucy, the Gun Moll." Most of the rest of the episodes from that season involve the ridiculous theme of Lucy "coincidentally" running into Mr. Mooney -- ridiculous because this is the huge city of Los Angeles, not Danfield.
From the fifth season, I would keep "Lucy the Bean Queen," "Lucy and the Ring a Ding Ring," "Lucy Goes to London" (and turn the special "Lucy in London" into a two-part episode of TLS), "Lucy Gets a Roommate" (with Carol Burnett), "Lucy Gets Caught in the Draft" (but delete that scene where Lucy refers to her son as "Jimmy"), "Lucy and John Wayne," "Viv Visits Lucy," "Lucy Meets the Law" (where Lucy is mistakenly arrested for grand larceny, but she thinks she's been jailed for dropping a candy wrapper on the sidewalk), and "Lucy Meets Sheldon Leonard."
From the sixth season, I would keep "Lucy Meets the Berles," "Lucy Gets Trapped" (where Lucy gets her picture in the paper for being the millionth customer at a store on a day she stayed out of work, pretending to be sick), "Lucy and the French Movie Star" (for the drunk scene), "Little Old Lucy," "Lucy Gets Mooney Fired" (I love the "Gaslight" treatment Lucy does on Mr. Cheever), "Lucy Sues Mooney" (funny courtroom scene with Lucy feigning serious injury), "Lucy and the Pool Hustler," "Lucy and Carol Burnett, Part One" (where Lucy and Carol become flight attendants; part two is horrible, though, so should be left out); "Lucy and Viv Reminisce," "Lucy Gets Involved" (the one where Lucy moonlights at a drive-in and is a disaster, "Lucy and the Stolen Stole" (guest-starring Buddy Hackett, whose character keeps landing Lucy and Mooney in jail), and "Lucy and Sid Ceasar."
I think that totals 30 episodes, including the hour-long "Lucy in London" special, which means I've actually withdrawn 44 episodes. But if you add these 30 episodes to the 84 from the first three seasons, you wind up with 114 episodes. Any other opinions? Perhaps some episodes I've kept out that some of you feel strongly should remain?
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Any comments or opinions on this idea?
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How 'bout this: Colorize the classic first 30 episodes of "The Lucy Show," then remove from rotation the 40 or so weakest episodes of the 72 episodes produced during the last three seasons of the series (the "California episodes"). (I have my own ideas about which 40 episodes should be withdrawn.) This way, those mediocre episodes that have always turned people off to this series, and which no doubt have hurt this series' success in syndication, would no longer be around to burden the show. And those stations that in the past have neglected to air the outstanding first 30 episodes simply because they're in black and white (even though they are by far the best episodes of the series) would air them. Even with 40 episodes withdrawn from the syndication/rerun package, there would still be a sufficient number of episodes left for rerun purposes (116 episodes out of a total 156 produced; 100 episodes is generally what's considered necessary for a show to be eligible for syndication reruns; by comparison, "The Brady Bunch" has 117 episodes). This is my idea for a leaner, meaner "The Lucy Show," which might elevate the series to a level of quality closer to to that of "I Love Lucy."
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After I posted this, LucyFan asked the following:
"I like your idea alot. That would probably help the series tremendously. Maybe the network thats running "The Lucy Show" could air the 40 or so weakiest episodes upon viewer request only. By the way, which 40 episodes do you think should be withdrawn? I am curious to know."
I responded as follows:
""""""""""""""""
Or perhaps they could offer those withdrawn episodes on video as "lost" episodes of "The Lucy Show." As for the ones I would withdraw, it would probably be easier to name the ones I would keep. They withdrawn episodes would almost all come from the final three seasons of the series. I would keep the first two episodes of the fourth season, "Lucy at Marineland" and "Lucy and the Golden Greek," not because they're great episodes, but because they establish Lucy's relocation in California and her meeting Mary Jane Lewis. I would also keep "Lucy Helps Danny Thomas" for similar reasons. This is the episode where she first goes to work for Mr. Mooney (strangely, the opening scene of that episode where Lucy talks Mooney into hiring her has been cut from certain syndication prints, including those aired on Nick-at-Nite). The only other episodes I would keep from that season are "Lucy the Undercover Agent," "Lucy and Art Linkletter," "Lucy Dates Dean Martin," and "Lucy, the Gun Moll." Most of the rest of the episodes from that season involve the ridiculous theme of Lucy "coincidentally" running into Mr. Mooney -- ridiculous because this is the huge city of Los Angeles, not Danfield.
From the fifth season, I would keep "Lucy the Bean Queen," "Lucy and the Ring a Ding Ring," "Lucy Goes to London" (and turn the special "Lucy in London" into a two-part episode of TLS), "Lucy Gets a Roommate" (with Carol Burnett), "Lucy Gets Caught in the Draft" (but delete that scene where Lucy refers to her son as "Jimmy"), "Lucy and John Wayne," "Viv Visits Lucy," "Lucy Meets the Law" (where Lucy is mistakenly arrested for grand larceny, but she thinks she's been jailed for dropping a candy wrapper on the sidewalk), and "Lucy Meets Sheldon Leonard."
From the sixth season, I would keep "Lucy Meets the Berles," "Lucy Gets Trapped" (where Lucy gets her picture in the paper for being the millionth customer at a store on a day she stayed out of work, pretending to be sick), "Lucy and the French Movie Star" (for the drunk scene), "Little Old Lucy," "Lucy Gets Mooney Fired" (I love the "Gaslight" treatment Lucy does on Mr. Cheever), "Lucy Sues Mooney" (funny courtroom scene with Lucy feigning serious injury), "Lucy and the Pool Hustler," "Lucy and Carol Burnett, Part One" (where Lucy and Carol become flight attendants; part two is horrible, though, so should be left out); "Lucy and Viv Reminisce," "Lucy Gets Involved" (the one where Lucy moonlights at a drive-in and is a disaster, "Lucy and the Stolen Stole" (guest-starring Buddy Hackett, whose character keeps landing Lucy and Mooney in jail), and "Lucy and Sid Ceasar."
I think that totals 30 episodes, including the hour-long "Lucy in London" special, which means I've actually withdrawn 44 episodes. But if you add these 30 episodes to the 84 from the first three seasons, you wind up with 114 episodes. Any other opinions? Perhaps some episodes I've kept out that some of you feel strongly should remain?
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Any comments or opinions on this idea?