Were Lucy and Viv's kids in many of the season 3 episodes? I noticed they weren't in as many season 2 as they were in the first season. I know that once Vivian Vance left at the end of season three, the kids were effectively gone also. But what about during season 3? Were the kids in many of those episodes? Thanks!

If you blink, you will miss them.

The Season 3 premiere had Lucy on roller skates at a dance for Chris, and another ep had Lucy & Viv working as camp cooks to pay for their boys to attend summer camp. Other than that it was hit or miss, mostly miss, as far as finding their kids in any other episodes. They faded away gradually, a lot like Ritchie Petrie of DVD Show, whose appearances on that show went from 27 in Season 1 to 7 in Season 5.

Yea, the kids are really just glorified extras in any of the episodes for season 3. None of the plots really revolved around them.

It seems like in the third season, the writers found the kids more a nuisance than an asset, and were always looking for excuses to keep the kids off camera: they're away at school, out on a date, at a ballgame, whatever. At this point, the new writers seemed only interested in writing stories that revolved around Lucy's interactions with Viv and Mr. Mooney or a guest star. And, of course, Viv herself was absent from about a quarter of the episodes that season. When the fourth season rolled around and the kids were sent away for good, it wasn't that big a change because they were pretty much out of action anyway.

It seems like in the third season, the writers found the kids more a nuisance than an asset, and were always looking for excuses to keep the kids off camera: they're away at school, out on a date, at a ballgame, whatever. At this point, the new writers seemed only interested in writing stories that revolved around Lucy's interactions with Viv and Mr. Mooney or a guest star. And, of course, Viv herself was absent from about a quarter of the episodes that season. When the fourth season rolled around and the kids were sent away for good, it wasn't that big a change because they were pretty much out of action anyway.

I'm sure there's some truth to that. One of the new writers in Season 3 was none other than Garry Marshall, and he stated in a DVD Show commentary that the writers of that show hated writing for Ritchie Petrie. I guess he finally figured out how to write for kids, at least Joanie C, by the time he created Happy Days.

I don't think I'm going to buy season 3 since the kids don't play a big part in that season. Also, I am not particularly fond of the episodes where Ann Sothern played the "countess". Mind you, I liked Ms. Sothern in her Private Secretary/Susie show, but I just didn't get much out of the "countess" episodes. :(

I'm not surprised the kids were gradually written out of the episodes. Lucy's sitcoms were always about her, she was the star and had to be the center of the attention. The kids just got in the way after awhile. I've never been a big Lucy fan, IMO her antics are mostly silly rather than genuinely funny. But of her sitcoms, I like The Lucy Show best. At least I can tolerate that show more than I Love Lucy or Here's Lucy.

Has anyone noticed that Candy Moore and Steven Talbot from Leave It To Beaver look so much alike that they could pass for brother and sister? They even TALK similar! :lol:

Now that you mention it, Candy and Steven do look and act very simular. Also, I have always thought that Candy and Ralph Hart looked more like brother and sister than Candy and Jimmy Garrett.

I can't wait to see Candy Moore's appearances on The Donna Reed Show as one of Shelley Fabares' friends :D We're working on getting season 4 out!!

Anyhoo.....season 3 has loads of faves still to come, for me. I love the Countess' episodes here (not so much in season 4). And the one episode where the Countess and Viv interact is a hoot!