i was reading on wiki that Vivan and Bill were offered to do a spin off of ILL, starring in their own shown as fred and ethel (the show with the same name) Bill was eager to do it but vivan declined. What do you all think would have been the premise of the show? Would it have been any good?

It might have been ok without Fred...just Ethel.

It might have been ok without Fred...just Ethel.

HOW on earth could you have Ethel ALL ALONE??? Then there would've been no show. It was to be called "The Mertzes" but for some stupid reason Viv declined.

She had already worked with him for years so what's the difference?? She would've made a mint and it would've been a pretty good show. Definitely better than the shows we have today!!

How many seasons into ILL was this? Or was it after?

How many seasons into ILL was this? Or was it after?

Well they certainly weren't gonna spin Ethel and Fred off into their own series during their "ILL" appearances when they were so central to "I Love Lucy".

How many seasons into ILL was this? Or was it after?
It was after. :)

It was after. :)

I have all the episodes of "The Mertzes" on DVD. :D

It was to be called "The Mertzes" but for some stupid reason Viv declined.

She had already worked with him for years so what's the difference?? She would've made a mint and it would've been a pretty good show. Definitely better than the shows we have today!!

She didn't get along with William Frawley, that's why she declined to do the show. After ILL she was under no obligation to work with someone she didn't like.

I have all the episodes of "The Mertzes" on DVD. :D
Man, you're so lucky! I bid on the episodes on Ebay, but I lost. :( :lol:

How can a show that doesn't exist be on dvd???:confused:

i don't know. i think it would've been weird & just not the same without lucy & ricky. but it would have been interesting had it ever happened.

How can a show that doesn't exist be on dvd???:confused:


They're obviously joking lol :lol: .

Oh yeah, I bought the entire Mertzs Series for half price! Beat that lol..

They're obviously joking lol :lol: .

Oh yeah, I bought the entire Mertzs Series for half price! Beat that lol..
My dad was on The Mertzs and I met them as a kid.:lol: :wave:

She didn't get along with William Frawley, that's why she declined to do the show. After ILL she was under no obligation to work with someone she didn't like.

Yes I've heard this too.

My understanding also was she inititally had a hard time with Lucille Ball too, but resolved to work it out and did; over the years her and Lucy became good friends. But never with WF.

IMO, it would have been a flop. No Lucy and Ricky? I don't think so!

Yes I've heard this too.

My understanding also was she inititally had a hard time with Lucille Ball too, but resolved to work it out and did; over the years her and Lucy became good friends. But never with WF.

If she worked it out with Lucy she could've worked it out with WF. It's not like she actually had to sleep with him. She definitely made a mistake.

The Mertzes would've been on at least a season or 2 because it would've had the strength of ILL behind it. Having 1 or 2 seasons of the Mertzes would be better than none.

I'm lucky since I have all 8 seasons on DVD. :D

If she worked it out with Lucy she could've worked it out with WF. It's not like she actually had to sleep with him. She definitely made a mistake.

The Mertzes would've been on at least a season or 2 because it would've had the strength of ILL behind it. Having 1 or 2 seasons of the Mertzes would be better than none.

I'm lucky since I have all 8 seasons on DVD. :D

I agree that Vivian really could have worked out her and Bill's differences, but for whatever reason both of them seemed to be too stubborn to do so. I still don't think a spin off would have really lasted without the Ricardos, but who knows? I have heard that she celebrated when he died and if that's true, then that's awful.

I agree that Vivian really could have worked out her and Bill's differences,.

Ummmmmm How can anyone say people can work out their differences unless they are actually "the people" involved ??

Ummmmmm How can anyone say people can work out their differences unless they are actually "the people" involved ??

Well, maybe they could have been adult about everything and quit making each others lives miserable and agree to put their differences aside long enough to productively work together. I'm sure it's done more often then we know.;)

I remember seeing an ep of The Lucy Show and Frawley had a walk on part where he was acting as a janitor and Lucy asks Viv "Hey doesn't that guy look Familiar"? and Viv say's "No".

IMO, it would have been a flop. No Lucy and Ricky? I don't think so!
Yeah. ILL's dynamics: Lucy and Ricky and Lucy and Ethel. Fred and Ethel had their moments, but not enough to be a dynamic and not strong enough to hold their own show.

Yeah. ILL's dynamics: Lucy and Ricky and Lucy and Ethel. Fred and Ethel had their moments, but not enough to be a dynamic and not strong enough to hold their own show.

The writers could've come up with enough storylines to make it last a year or 2. Plus keep in mind there was no cable back then and only 3 or 4 channels so because people had little choice in what they could've watched it would've gotten viewers.

Plus it would've gotten viewers just because they were the Mertzes and everyone knew them.

I don't know. I loved Ethel as you can tell by my username, but I don't think the show would have lasted at all because you can't have Ethel without Lucy. Lucy and Ethel are like peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper, me and sugar. All of which would be very lonely without the other except for me and sugar as I am hypoglycemic and would go into a coma without sugar, but two out of three ain't bad. I'm just saying that the only way the show would have survived is if Lucy was part of the cast. You have to have Lucy [I]and[I] Ethel, you can't just have one or the other, it's just not done.