I just want to point out a few episodes airing this week that are worth checking out.

Tuesday, August 19: The 4:30 episode is "Lucy, the Matchmaker." This is Vivian Vance's first guest appearance on this series.

Wednesday, August 20: The 4:00 episode is "Lucy, the Fixer," which is one of the best episodes of the first season. The first scene in the living room with Lucy and the kids is a bit slow, but once you get past that, Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon had one of their best bits together. It's just the two of them together for most of the half hour showing what they were capable of as comedy partners.

Thursday, August 21: The 4:30 episode is "A Date for Lucy." This is one of my favorite episodes of the season. Very lively and funny. It also marks Mary Jane Croft's first appearance on the series, and her only appearance in season one.

4:00 today, "Lucy, the Fixer" airs. Some consider this to be the best Lucille Ball-Gale Gordon comedy scene ever. Do you agree?

Today at 4:30, one of my favorite episodes of the season airs: "A Date for Lucy." My other S1 favorite airs next week, as does my least favorite of the entire series. I'll get to that later. But if you can, check out "A Date for Lucy" today. It's a wonderful, funny episode, featuring Cesar Romero, and introducing (briefly) Mary Jane Croft to this series. She hadn't appeared in a Lucy episode since the series finale of The Lucy Show the year before. This is her only S1 appearance.

Today at 4:30, one of my favorite episodes of the season airs: "A Date for Lucy." My other S1 favorite airs next week, as does my least favorite of the entire series. I'll get to that later. But if you can, check out "A Date for Lucy" today. It's a wonderful, funny episode, featuring Cesar Romero, and introducing (briefly) Mary Jane Croft to this series. She hadn't appeared in a Lucy episode since the series finale of The Lucy Show the year before. This is her only S1 appearance.


I actually got to see the ep with Cesar Romero on Thursday! I wasn't feeling very good and I was pretty much caught up at work, so I left early, I caught two really good eps. Cesar Romero as Lucy's blind date and a jewel thief. Very funny, I enjoyed it. And Cesar was a very good looking man! ;) And at that point he was pretty old! A silver fox! I remember him as The joker from Batman, and WOW seeing him without orange hair and clown makeup he was handsome!:eek: And The ep with Wally Cox , very funny. Wow, I haven't seen Wally in years!!! He and Lucy in that seedy bar, him in drag as an old lady and Lucy as an old lady too. She reminded me of Mama from Mama's family! :)

Than on Friday my early day from work. Lucy the stenographer! I didn't really get to see it all though. My sister who lives in another state called, and she's having some problems so I was on the phone with her. But I did notice Gale Gordon dressed as a women with his mustache:lol: and the fat guy seemed funny! Than the next ep. was funny, Craig's first job at the Supermarket! (he was adorable :) ) and Lucy and Lucie were really good in this, Mom giving shopping tips, that weren't really the best advice!!! :lol: :D It ended in her favor though! ;)

4:00 today, "Lucy, the Fixer" airs. Some consider this to be the best Lucille Ball-Gale Gordon comedy scene ever. Do you agree?

I enjoyed it -- it was very over-the-top, physical stuff. But the scene that always has me laughing the most is from The Lucy Show: Lucy Flies to London (I may have the title wrong).

Anyway I did see both the Vivian Vance and Mary Jane Croft episodes of Here's Lucy (S1) this past week. They both looked fine!

I actually got to see the ep with Cesar Romero on Thursday! I wasn't feeling very good and I was pretty much caught up at work, so I left early, I caught two really good eps. Cesar Romero as Lucy's blind date and a jewel thief. Very funny, I enjoyed it. And Cesar was a very good looking man! ;) And at that point he was pretty old! A silver fox! I remember him as The joker from Batman, and WOW seeing him without orange hair and clown makeup he was handsome!:eek: And The ep with Wally Cox , very funny. Wow, I haven't seen Wally in years!!! He and Lucy in that seedy bar, him in drag as an old lady and Lucy as an old lady too. She reminded me of Mama from Mama's family! :)

I always liked Wally Cox. And that's a pretty good scene they have together with him in drag and Lucy as an old lady. I never thought about it but yeah, she does sort of look like Mama from Mama's Family. :)

Than on Friday my early day from work. Lucy the stenographer! I didn't really get to see it all though. My sister who lives in another state called, and she's having some problems so I was on the phone with her. But I did notice Gale Gordon dressed as a women with his mustache:lol: and the fat guy seemed funny! Than the next ep. was funny, Craig's first job at the Supermarket! (he was adorable :) ) and Lucy and Lucie were really good in this, Mom giving shopping tips, that weren't really the best advice!!! :lol: :D It ended in her favor though! ;)

That episode you're referring to with Lucy as a stenographer is another favorite of mine during the first season. There are several very funny moments. It's too bad you missed that one instead of the one that followed. I have a problem with that supermarket scene in the next episode in that it involved a lot of comedy with props. Lucy was the expert on working with props, but her kids were not experienced and it shows. That sort of spoiled it. It still had its moments, though.


I enjoyed it -- it was very over-the-top, physical stuff. But the scene that always has me laughing the most is from The Lucy Show: Lucy Flies to London (I may have the title wrong).

Anyway I did see both the Vivian Vance and Mary Jane Croft episodes of Here's Lucy (S1) this past week. They both looked fine!

I always thought that episode was called "Lucy Goes to London," but IMDB has it listed as "Lucy Flies to London," so I don't know. I agree that it's very funny and a great scene between Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon. I think both of these series were at their best when the comedy was outside of the office setting and just between Ball and Gordon.

Now on to next week, August 25-29. This is a week of warnings, both bad and wonderful. There are bad episodes, and there are wonderful, excellent ones. Starting on Monday, I would say don't bother tuning in at all. The episodes that day are "Lucy and Carol Burnett" and "Lucy's Safari." I absolutely love Carol Burnett, but for some reason, most of her guest appearances on Lucy's shows were turned into a musical outing with a flimsy underlying plot -- some very contrived storyline that would result in Lucy and Carol putting on a show together. I never cared for the musical episodes partly because the plots were so implausible and not funny. Actually, I never cared for the musical segments at the end of Carol Burnett's own show -- they bored me -- and these Here's Lucy musicals were similar to what Carol did on her own show. But I think it's worse on a sitcom because it forces the characters to be involved in implausible situations. This episode is no exception. It's about Carol Burnett as Carol Burnett agreeing to appear in a high school play! 'nuff said.

As for "Lucy's Safari," that script belonged on an episode of Gilligan's Island. I'm no fan of Gilligan's Island because it completely lacks believability, and the humor seems sophomoric. This episode comes across the same way. It's all about Lucy chasing after some made-up animal species in a Los Angeles canyon that looks like a lush tropical rain forest. Anyone who knows anything about the arid climate of L.A. knows there is nothing lush about it. And there's no credibility to the story at all. Lots of ridiculous stuff going on.

Then on Tuesday, a big huge warning! I advise anyone against watching the first half hour. This episode guest stars Tennessee Ernie Ford. It's yet another musical episode and, in my opinion, the worst episode of the entire series. The plot is something about Tennessee Ernie -- who, for some bizarre reason, has a farm outside of L.A. -- seeking help from the Carter family in advertise his farm as a weekend getaway for stressed-out people in L.A. Most of the episode plays like a 20-minute commercial for his "fun farm." About 10 minutes of it has the Carters pretending to be an irritable city family that spends all their time yelling at one another. And literally, it's nothing but them yelling and screaming at one another as if that alone is supposed to be funny. There's nothing clever about the dialogue, it's just constant yelling that will really grate on your nerves. The last part has them going to Tennessee Ernie's fun farm, where the barn has magically polished floors and all the locals turn out for a ho-down and come out and sing and dance like professionals. This is the one episode I find simply unwatchable.

But never fear, these three consecutive duds are follow by a real jewel. The 4:30 episode on Tuesday -- DON'T MISS IT -- is "Lucy Helps Craig Get a Driver's License." It was the final episode of Season One, and one of the best entries of the season. Lucy's sharp comic timing is on full display here. And guest starring is the great character actor, Jack Gilford, who has wonderful chemistry with Lucille Ball. They were simply great together. It's a very funny and entertaining half hour.

The Wednesday and Thursday episodes are the four-episode story arc where the Here's Lucy cast goes on the road for some on-location shows in Colorado, Arizona and Utah. There are some funny moments, but Lucille Ball really was at her best performing in studio in front of a live audience. Without the energy of the audience, the comedy falls a little flat. I think the first episode, "Lucy Goes to the Air Force Academy: Part 1" at 4:00 on Wednesday, and the last, "Lucy Runs the Rapids," at 4:30 on Thursday, are the better of the four.

Now Friday starts out with another DON'T miss! At 4:00, it's "Lucy and Harry's Tonsils," which is my favorite S2 episode. This is more wonderful Lucille Ball-Gale Gordon comedy, and Gale Gordon has a scene in a waiting room where he is brilliant. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE.

The episode that follows, "Lucy's Burglar Alarm" is a bit over the top at the end, but the scene at the beginning with the burglar is pretty funny.

The one thing I didn't like in the Supermarket ep was the store manager calling Craig 'boy"! He was an employee, not a servant!!!

When the specials were being announced and the lady shoppers were stampeding, Craig was cute when he hit the deck by jumping on the shelves.

Just a reminder: The first three episodes that will air this week (August 25-29) I would classify as "DON'T BOTHER!" But you're safe to tune back in starting tomorrow at 4:30 for the final seven episodes. And two of these final seven "DON'T MISS": the Tuesday, 4:30 episode, "Lucy Helps Craig Get a Driver's License"; and the Friday, 4:00 episode: "Lucy and Harry's Tonsils."

The one thing I didn't like in the Supermarket ep was the store manager calling Craig 'boy"! He was an employee, not a servant!!!

But . . . he was a boy. :) He was 15 years old. When I was his age, I also worked in a grocery store, and they called me a bag boy.

When the specials were being announced and the lady shoppers were stampeding, Craig was cute when he hit the deck by jumping on the shelves.

I haven't see that ep. in awhile; don't remember. I was watching "Driver's License" today and annoyed by some of the cuts. They did a couple cuts in the scene inside the driver's license bureau that pretty much ruined it. If the wrong parts are cut, it kills the joke, and that's what happened. :mad:

But . . . he was a boy. :) He was 15 years old. When I was his age, I also worked in a grocery store, and they called me a bag boy.



I haven't see that ep. in awhile; don't remember. I was watching "Driver's License" today and annoyed by some of the cuts. They did a couple cuts in the scene inside the driver's license bureau that pretty much ruined it. If the wrong parts are cut, it kills the joke, and that's what happened. :mad:



Yes he sure was a boy. ;) I know a bagboy is a job position, but to be called boy? When I was a teenager , I wouldn't want my boss calling me girl! :lol:

But than the manager was getting frazzled at that point because Lucy (Boy's mother) was reeking havoc in the market!!! :lol: :D

Yes he sure was a boy. ;) I know a bagboy is a job position, but to be called boy? When I was a teenager , I wouldn't want my boss calling me girl! :lol:

But than the manager was getting frazzled at that point because Lucy (Boy's mother) was reeking havoc in the market!!! :lol: :D

To be honest, I can remember when I was working at that job a woman referred to me as a boy. I was so annoyed, thinking, I'm 16; I'm not a boy, I'm a young man. But now that I look back on it, I was a boy. :)

A reminder once more that Friday at 4:00 Cozi airs "Lucy and Harry's Tonsils." This is my favorite S2 episode. If Cozi doesn't cut out key bits like they did with "Driver's License" the other day, many laughs are in store. Don't be discouraged by the opening scene. It's a bit slow, but most of what follows is hilarious. Lucy and Gale Gordon have a couple very funny scenes together at the hospital (and again, I think their best comedy bits on the show were outside the usual office setting), and Gale has a really funny waiting room scene with character actor Jack Collins. In fact, this episode is really a showcase for Gale Gordon.

Another highlight of this episode is a guest appearance by the always wonderful Mary Wickes, who plays a nurse who has no patience for Harry. And Lucille Ball's close friend and Wildcat costar, Paula Stewart, also appears in this episode as a sexy nurse. I think this is her only Lucy appearance.

This episode has all the best elements of this series: a believable family story that integrates the entire cast and doesn't rely on an outside guest; a great Lucille Ball-Gale Gordon comedy scene; and performances by some of the best character actors to round out the show.

The 4:30 episode, "Lucy's Burglar Alarm" has a funny scene at the beginning. It's a fairly fun episode altogether, but does go quite over the top towards the end, as you'll see.

Coming up Monday, of course, is the Labor Day Here's Lucy marathon, which mostly repeats the episodes that have already aired. And then some highlights for the rest of next week: Tuesday, September 2-Friday, September 5:

Tuesday, 4:00: "Lucy at the Drive-In Movie" There are some very funny moments in this episode with Lucy and Harry going undercover as hippies.

Wednesday, 4:00: "Lucy and the Used Car Dealer" A fun outing with Milton Berle guest starring as a shady used car dealer.

Friday, 4:30: "Lucy the Laundress" Not exactly a must see, but there are some funny moments here, and a few politically incorrect ones.

I get to watch tomorrow, off early from work. Glad I'm catching the Tonsils ep. Sounds good!

And looking forward to Labor day catching up on a lot of good ones I missed!

This past Friday, they showed a couple of good ones.

The Olde English sheepdog and her puppies was adorable!!! I enjoyed it, being an animal lover, a very cute ep!

And Lucy and the Chinese laundry was HILARIOUS!! Very much like Lucille Ball from the old I love Lucy days!!! And as I said on another thread, Desi /Craig is really growing up!!! Not just getting more mature in looks, but he is getting more comfortable and his acting is really improving! He seemed a little nervous and shy in the first season, now his good acting skills are really showing!

This past Friday, they showed a couple of good ones.

The Olde English sheepdog and her puppies was adorable!!! I enjoyed it, being an animal lover, a very cute ep!

And Lucy and the Chinese laundry was HILARIOUS!! Very much like Lucille Ball from the old I love Lucy days!!! And as I said on another thread, Desi /Craig is really growing up!!! Not just getting more mature in looks, but he is getting more comfortable and his acting is really improving! He seemed a little nervous and shy in the first season, now his good acting skills are really showing!

I agree about the Chinese laundry episode, but the episode with the puppies, called "Lucy and the Bogie Affair," seems lacking in logic. The premise has Lucy, Kim and Craig trying to find owners for a litter of puppies. Lucy somehow gets the idea to walk onto the set of Jack LaLanne's show while it's on the air and give him a puppy. So many questions. Why wouldn't she just call some friends, or go door to door in her neighborhood? She doesn't know Jack LaLanne, so how could she get past studio guards and personnel carrying puppies? Why would she think it's a good idea to do this while the show is on the air? I just can't follow the logic. That said, I love dogs, too! And as for Desi Jr., I agree, he really matured between S1 and S2, physically and as an actor. He seemed much older than his 16 years.

Now on to the week ahead, Monday, September 8 - Friday, September 12. Here are some episodes to check out:

Monday, September 8, 4:30: "Lucy Protects Her Job": You have to suspend your disbelief a bit in this one, but Lucie Arnaz turns in a great performance as a dimwitted secretary. She also has developed greatly since S1.

Wednesday, September 10, 4:00 and 4:30: This is a big day because i's a full hour of Viv! The 4:00 episode, "Lucy and Lawrence Welk," is very funny. Mary Jane is featured in this one as well and she, Lucy and Viv all have some very funny moments. The 4:30 episode is "Lucy and Viv Visit Tijuana." I don't like it nearly as much as the first episode, but I know some people prefer it to the Lawrence Welk episode, so I'll let you be the judge. Also, I'm assuming between the Lawrence Welk episode and this one Viv got contacts! The whole premise of the Lawrence Welk episode was that she couldn't see without her glasses. She never wears them in the second episode.

Thursday, September 11, 4:00: "Lucy and Ann-Margret": This episode is noteworthy only because Desi Jr. is allowed to shine and have a couple funny moments, and Ann-Margret sizzles.

Friday, September 12, 4:30: "Lucy and Carol Burnett": Carol Burnett made three guest appearances on this series, this one is the funniest. It has Lucy and Carol (as Carol Krausmeyer) competing against one another in a beauty contest. Alan Alda's father, Robert Alda, is also featured.

Thursday, September 11, 4:00: "Lucy and Ann-Margret": This episode is noteworthy only because Desi Jr. is allowed to shine and have a couple funny moments, and Ann-Margret sizzles.


I got to see this. Last Thursday, my lunch didn't agree with me and I left work early. Not that having stomach issues is cool, but perfect timing to be home and to see this ep!!!

OMG, to me this was the best ep. ever! Desi shined! He really did show his musical talents and his acting skills. Wow, he could DANCE!!! And getting to see him alone with a women, even though she did "get more comfortable" by putting on a robe and curlers in her hair! That was funny. Him trying to be all grown up and prepare to be alone with her. Doing a shot of root beer and smoking (which he didn't like) and took another shot of root beer. Anyway, besides showcasing and having the focus on my crush Desi, the episode was so cool, so 60's! Loved the singing and dancing. And Ann Margret was great. So pretty, I love her hair!

OMG, to me this was the best ep. ever! Desi shined! He really did show his musical talents and his acting skills. Wow, he could DANCE!!! And getting to see him alone with a women, even though she did "get more comfortable" by putting on a robe and curlers in her hair! That was funny. Him trying to be all grown up and prepare to be alone with her. Doing a shot of root beer and smoking (which he didn't like) and took another shot of root beer. Anyway, besides showcasing and having the focus on my crush Desi, the episode was so cool, so 60's! Loved the singing and dancing. And Ann Margret was great. So pretty, I love her hair!

Desi Jr. sure did mature a lot between S1 and S2. I have to keep reminding myself he is only 16 here; he seems several years older. I can't imagine him pulling off that dance during S1. And yes, it was very 60s, which makes it fun. Not much of Lucy in this one, though. It as all Ann-Margret and Desi.

Desi Jr. sure did mature a lot between S1 and S2. I have to keep reminding myself he is only 16 here; he seems several years older. I can't imagine him pulling off that dance during S1. And yes, it was very 60s, which makes it fun. Not much of Lucy in this one, though. It as all Ann-Margret and Desi.


https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSNKy8eHdtWsrV1wRgBzeed3ph6clNjEjAVg44dxu54V3OEuIb1


:)

Yes the only thing with the Desi and Ann ep was not too much Lucy in it, or Harry and Lucie either! But it was nice for Desi that he got to do that episode. I'm sure he enjoyed it! In fairness they should let Lucie do an ep like that! One that would be pretty much hers. A good looking young man guest starring that was hip and popular at the time! She did sing with Wayne Newton, no offense to him, but Wayne isn't exactly a girls dream guy!

I wish Desi got a spin-off series of his own when he left Here's Lucy. And the eps could all be on the lines of the Ann Margret ep.

Oh and by the way . I enjoyed the one on Friday with Carol Burnett. Very funny! I liked Lucy doing the Carol Burnett bit as the old scrub woman!

In fairness they should let Lucie do an ep like that! One that would be pretty much hers. A good looking young man guest starring that was hip and popular at the time! She did sing with Wayne Newton, no offense to him, but Wayne isn't exactly a girls dream guy!

Well Lucie was actually a big fan of Wayne Newton's, so doing the two episodes with him was a special treat for her. Those were some of her favorite memories of doing this show.

Now on to the week ahead: Monday, September 15 - Friday, September 19. We're now into Season Three. (These seasons go by pretty fast at the rate of two episodes a day!) This is a very good week of shows, with lots of laughs.

Monday, September 15, has two very funny episodes for the full hour. At 4:00, it's "Lucy Cuts Vincent's Price," in which, unbeknownst to Lucy, Mr. Price mistakes her for an actress he's expecting to rehearse a horror scene. At 4:30 it's "Lucy Loses Her Cool." In this episode, Lucy is trying to win a prize on Art Linkletter's show by going 24 hours without losing her temper.

Tuesday, September 16, the hour starts with fan favorite, "Lucy the Crusader," at 4:00, featuring the very funny Charles Nelson Reilly. This is not one of my personal favorites, but I know lots of people love this episode for some reason. I do admit, though, that Reilly is great in it. The 4:30 episode is "Lucy, the Skydiver." This is the one with the scene where Lucy parachutes out of an airplane.

Wednesday, September 17, 4:30: "Lucy, the Diamond Cutter": This isn't the most memorable episode, but it has frequent guest-star Wally Cox, which is always a plus. The preceding episode guest stars Sammy Davis, Jr., but unfortunately isn't quite up to par.

Thursday, September 18, 4:00: "Lucy and Jack Benny's Biography": If you're a Jack Benny fan, you'll enjoy this episode. This episode, written by former Benny writer, Milt Josefsberg, was clearly written more for Jack Benny than for Lucy. It also features a cameo appearance by Benny's equally famous best friend. This is one episode of "Here's Lucy" where the show actually got into a dispute with CBS censors. It's pretty amazing what the censors were concerned about given that this was the same season when All in the Family debuted on the same network. And what the censors were concerned about in this episode doesn't come anywhere close to the type of subject matter AITF dealt with on a regular basis. You can hear Mr. Josefberg discuss the incident here in a 1981 interview, at the 09:00 mark:

http://popup.speakingofradio.com/popup.php?id=http://www.speakingofradio.com/blog/interviews/Chuck_Schaden_Interviews_-_Milt_Josefsberg_090481_Paramount_Studios_Hollywood_CA_-_60_min.mp3&thumb=http://www.speakingofradio.com/sor/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Milt-Josefsberg.jpg&name=Milt_Josefsberg&month=09&day=04&year=1981&length=60

Incidentally, Milt Josefsberg would later become a writer for All in the Family. As a side note (and warning), you might want to avoid the 4:30 episode, "Lucy and Ma Parker." Although it features the wonderful Carole Cook, it's among the most inane scripts of this series. For this half hour, the entire Carter family seem to have become complete idiots. And the plot itself is rather insensitive.

Friday, September 19, 4:30: "Lucy Meets the Burtons": Okay, this is the big one! This is undoubtedly the most famous episode of the series, guest-starring the then most famous couple in Hollywood, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. This episode was used as the season premiere for the third season, first airing on September 14, 1970. The week it aired was a week of season premieres and series debuts, with summer reruns coming to an end. Viewers, as always, were excited to see the return of fresh new shows and episodes. But during this big week in TV, "Here's Lucy" was the champion, placing first in the ratings with a huge audience. It launched "Here's Lucy" into it most successful season, with the show becoming the top rated CBS series that season. But to be clear, the publicity for the Burton-Taylor episode was huge; the episode began making news at least four months before it actually hit the airwaves in September. Here's just a sampling:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19700521&id=ig5ZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4GwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5832,3217853

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1979&dat=19700602&id=P38iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3KkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3212,3242414

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19700726&id=zbYcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NWYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6097,3226056

And the reviews were very good:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19700913&id=oycsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H54FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2638,2495627

Besides the notoriety of having such big name movie stars as guests on the show, this episode is also significant in that it marked the return of I Love Lucy/Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour/Lucy Show writers Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Davis, who had not written a Lucy script in more than six years. It would be their only episode of the third season as all other script assignments had already been handed out. But they would become permanent fixtures on the show starting the following season, and remain with the series until the end in 1974.

Incidentally, the climax scene at the end is a reworking of a gag first done on I Love Lucy ("The Handcuffs") and then on The Lucy Show ("Lucy, the Music Lover"). In my opinion, this is the best version of that gag. I usually find the original to be the best, but in this case, three times is the charm!

I found the Art Linkletter episode to be pretty interesting. The producers were being pretty successful in landing big-name celebrities.

Was this the first time Mary Jane Croft wore a pants outfit on any of Lucy's shows? She certainly looked fine. I don't recall ever seeing her in pants in any prior work.

And Lucy in knee-high boots near the end, a nice look!

I found the Art Linkletter episode to be pretty interesting. The producers were being pretty successful in landing big-name celebrities.

Was this the first time Mary Jane Croft wore a pants outfit on any of Lucy's shows? She certainly looked fine. I don't recall ever seeing her in pants in any prior work.

And Lucy in knee-high boots near the end, a nice look!

I'm not usually at the house when this show is on, but I was home yesterday. I was very annoyed watching the Vincent Price episode because Cozi ruined it. They are making extensive cuts and seem to be doing so willy nilly. With this type of comedy, pacing is very important. If the pacing of a scene is off, the comedy is hurt. The scene in Vincent Price's "lab" is hilarious, but the cuts that were made broke up the pacing and destroyed the scene. As a result, this hilarious scene played out as not so funny. A scene like that is like a house of cards; pull out the wrong card and the whole thing collapses. It's a shame. Someone tuning in and not familiar with the show is going to totally miss out. I'm just glad I have my DVDs.

As for Mary Jane's pants, I'm not sure when she started wearing them, but she seemed to have done so a lot on this show, particularly in the later seasons. And during Season Five, due to her broken leg situation, Lucy was often wearing tall boots. I think they made her look very hip and stylish.

I saw the Richard Burton-Liz Taylor ep yesterday! Very good. So funny when Lucy got the ring stuck on her finger and Liz had to show off the ring which was in Lucy's hand! And it really showed Gale Gordon's acting talents I thought. I actually remember this ep as a kid.

And the Buddy Rich ep I thought was great! Well you know how I LOVE the Craig based eps. And Buddy is so funny too. Loved the drum sessions! Really showed off Desi's talent! And he looked VERY fine in this ep. !! And Craig was so kindhearted , purposely losing the contest!

I saw the Richard Burton-Liz Taylor ep yesterday! Very good. So funny when Lucy got the ring stuck on her finger and Liz had to show off the ring which was in Lucy's hand! And it really showed Gale Gordon's acting talents I thought. I actually remember this ep as a kid.

And the Buddy Rich ep I thought was great! Well you know how I LOVE the Craig based eps. And Buddy is so funny too. Loved the drum sessions! Really showed off Desi's talent! And he looked VERY fine in this ep. !! And Craig was so kindhearted , purposely losing the contest!

Oh, I meant to acknowledge that Buddy Rich episode, just for the fact that its a diversion from the normal Lucy fare, with a heartwarming ending. You don't usually see sentimental scenes on this show. It was nice touch and helped define Craig as a nice guy, and Lucy as a proud woman to be the mother of such an upstanding young man. I also think that Buddy Rich/Desi Jr. drum duet was amazing!

As for the Taylor-Burton episode, did Cozi run the actual opening credits that announced Burton and Taylor as guest stars? This is the only episode where that was ever done.

Oh, I meant to acknowledge that Buddy Rich episode, just for the fact that its a diversion from the normal Lucy fare, with a heartwarming ending. You don't usually see sentimental scenes on this show. It was nice touch and helped define Craig as a nice guy, and Lucy as a proud woman to be the mother of such an upstanding young man. I also think that Buddy Rich/Desi Jr. drum duet was amazing!

As for the Taylor-Burton episode, did Cozi run the actual opening credits that announced Burton and Taylor as guest stars? This is the only episode where that was ever done.


IDK I changed the channel to Cozi at the last minute and the show was just starting. I didn't see the opening credits! May I add, that Richard Burton was really something else. WOW!!! What an actor!!! I didn't really know much about him being a little girl. I knew Elizabeth Taylor much more! She was beautiful, and a great actress! And Burton was amazing! ;) Glad I was able to catch this episode as an adult and really appreciate his fine acting! ;)

The Buddy Rich ep. Yes it was very sweet and off the pattern of the usual Lucy stuff as you posted. We are used to offbeat characters that always seem to be eccentric or "up to something" ! I was really thinking the young man that was Craig's competitor in the drum contest was pulling a scam on him. Sob story that he was too poor and needed the scholarship reward money, and it wasn't true. And Craig, being kind hearted and naïve was falling for it! I was expecting at the last minute for Lucy or Buddy to figure it out and warn Craig that he was a fraud. But no, it really turned out to be true, and it was a heartwarming episode! :) Craig being a nice/compassionate young man and as you said, Lucy a proud mother. :)

IMO this was one of the best episodes, and as I posted before, Buddy Rich was very funny, and wow he can play the drums!!!!! ;)

Yes, Richard was indeed a great actor. And if you ever get a chance to see Richard and Elizabeth together in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, you'll see both of them in really fine form. The way you describe what you were expecting the ending of the Buddy Rich episode to be does sound more in line with a typical Lucy episode. But I like that they took that sentimental diversion this time.

Now, onto some highlights for the week ahead: Monday, September 22 - Friday, September 26

Monday, September 22, 4:30: "Lucy, the American Mother": This is some silly fun with Lucy on the loose in the public library. Good laughs in store. :)

Tuesday, September 23, it's Vivian Vance for the full hour in "Lucy's Hawaiian Vacation" parts 1 and 2. These are my least favorite of Vivian's appearances on the show -- the script is not very inspired -- but it's always refreshing to see Viv. These episodes are also significant as they marked the last appearance of Desi Arnaz Jr. as a regular on the show when they aired. He would appear only once more, as a guest star in the S5 episode with Joe Namath. Note, however, that these episodes are a little out of sequence from the way they aired (in production order, I believe), so you will see a couple more Desi Jr. episodes beyond this, although he did leave the show before production ended for S3.

Wednesday, September 24, 4:00: "Lucy's Wedding Party." This is not really that special an episode. There are a few laughs here and there, but it gets lively when Lucy and wedding guests perform Zorba's Dance.

These episodes are also significant as they marked the last appearance of Desi Arnaz Jr. as a regular on the show when they aired. He would appear only once more, as a guest star in the S5 episode with Joe Namath.

No more Desi!!!! :( I will still watch , but I will miss him! :( I LOVE Joe Namath, I will be sure to be home that day to see him and see Craig's visit! Even if I have to call in sick the day it is run. (Or suddenly at work have an excruciating "headache" or "stomach ache" LOL!!! :D

As you said before a whole season goes by fast when they show 2 eps a day! Can't believe season 3 is finishing already!:confused:

As you said before a whole season goes by fast when they show 2 eps a day! Can't believe season 3 is finishing already!:confused:

And it goes by even faster when they cut out a third of the episode! I was at home yesterday and watched "Lucy's Wedding Party." The big greek dance which I pointed out as a highlight, they literally cut out at least half of it! I couldn't believe it. Also, the episode ended with Harry covered in wedding cake, but that entire bit was completely cut out. I've noticed they're cutting off all the episode endings. These cuts are so disappointing, especially when they're cutting off some of the best bits, or as I mentioned regarding the Vincent Price episode, making cuts that mess up the pacing of a scene and destroy the comedy. I said it before and I'll say it again: I'm SO glad I've got my DVDs, which are beautifully restored and COMPLETE.

And it goes by even faster when they cut out a third of the episode! I was at home yesterday and watched "Lucy's Wedding Party." The big greek dance which I pointed out as a highlight, they literally cut out at least half of it! I couldn't believe it. Also, the episode ended with Harry covered in wedding cake, but that entire bit was completely cut out. I've noticed they're cutting off all the episode endings. These cuts are so disappointing, especially when they're cutting off some of the best bits, or as I mentioned regarding the Vincent Price episode, making cuts that mess up the pacing of a scene and destroy the comedy. I said it before and I'll say it again: I'm SO glad I've got my DVDs, which are beautifully restored and COMPLETE.

You are right!! I really notice it at the end. The show just stops!!!! Seems like there should be a little more!!! :confused:

I watched the two eps today! First one was funny, Lucy pretending to be Harry's wife and to be expecting a baby! :D I didn't get why it was necessary for her to be pregnant? I know it was for the show and to make a funny episode, but what I mean is, why did Harry insist she be pregnant? Why not just be his wife to discourage that other women from any romantic interest? :confused:

Second ep with Rudy Valle . I thought was really boring until the very end with Lucy and Lucie dancing and Rudy a bit more jazzy! ;) Wow, Lucie can dance!!!! She's good!!! ;)

You are right!! I really notice it at the end. The show just stops!!!! Seems like there should be a little more!!! :confused:

I watched the two eps today! First one was funny, Lucy pretending to be Harry's wife and to be expecting a baby! :D I didn't get why it was necessary for her to be pregnant? I know it was for the show and to make a funny episode, but what I mean is, why did Harry insist she be pregnant? Why not just be his wife to discourage that other women from any romantic interest? :confused:

Second ep with Rudy Valle . I thought was really boring until the very end with Lucy and Lucie dancing and Rudy a bit more jazzy! ;) Wow, Lucie can dance!!!! She's good!!! ;)

I'm not much of a fan of that Rudy episode, and it was apparently a very bad experience for Ms. Ball, who found him very vulgar and offensive, swearing constantly. It's interesting that she didn't seem to have that reaction years before when he guested on the "Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana" episode. But maybe the fact that, this time, her kids were present made it more of an issue. Or maybe he just behaved better the first time. The other episode, I haven't seen in awhile, so I don't remember what the motivation was for her to be pregnant or if there was one; I'll have to check the DVD sometime. It's very likely, though, that there was some explanation and Cozi cut it out. They're really good at cutting out key scenes and dialogue!

I'm not much of a fan of that Rudy episode, and it was apparently a very bad experience for Ms. Ball, who found him very vulgar and offensive, swearing constantly. It's interesting that she didn't seem to have that reaction years before when he guested on the "Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana" episode. But maybe the fact that, this time, her kids were present made it more of an issue. Or maybe he just behaved better the first time. The other episode, I haven't seen in awhile, so I don't remember what the motivation was for her to be pregnant or if there was one; I'll have to check the DVD sometime. It's very likely, though, that there was some explanation and Cozi cut it out. They're really good at cutting out key scenes and dialogue!


Wow!! I didn't know Rudy Vallee was such a jerk! I don't really know too much about him? Way before my time, I think he was before my parents time even. They were teenagers and in their 20's in the 1940's and 50's ! I know they were really big into swing music , like Glen Miller and the big band era music. Which was very cool. I enjoy that kind of music! ;) Rudy's music just seemed really old and boring. :confused: I never heard my folks speak of him!

And to be a guest star on somebodies show and start cussing and being a jerk. That isn't cool. I thought something was amiss , besides a boring ep. Lucy did seem like she wasn't her usual fun self! She seemed a little upset! :confused:

Yes the time Rudy guest starred on the Lucy-Desi comedy hour her husband was there, so he had to stay cool, Desi might have socked him if he acted disrespectful around his wife! ;) Or maybe they did just let it go, cause like you said, no children around. Than this time for him to be cussing around Lucie (a teenage girl) shame on him!!! :( Desi Jr. wasn't in this ep at all.:(

Wow!! I didn't know Rudy Vallee was such a jerk! I don't really know too much about him? Way before my time, I think he was before my parents time even. They were teenagers and in their 20's in the 1940's and 50's ! I know they were really big into swing music , like Glen Miller and the big band era music. Which was very cool. I enjoy that kind of music! ;) Rudy's music just seemed really old and boring. :confused: I never heard my folks speak of him!

And to be a guest star on somebodies show and start cussing and being a jerk. That isn't cool. I thought something was amiss , besides a boring ep. Lucy did seem like she wasn't her usual fun self! She seemed a little upset! :confused:
(

Well I never noticed Lucy being upset. She was the consummate professional and I can't imagine she would ever allow her personal feelings to seep into her performance. She and Desi were at odds and often fighting throughout most of the I Love Lucy years, but she would never let that show onscreen. Instead, she rose above it and only left on film, for posterity, some of the greatest examples ever of comedic timing and the art of physical comedy.

But yes, Rudy Vallee goes way back, I'm sure long before your parents' time. In this Here's Lucy episode he was 40 years past his prime. He was an elderly man at this point. But he was the original teen idol, one of the first crooners, bursting onto the scene in the 1920s, pre-dating Bing Crosby by several years. Here he is in 1929 (at age 28) when he was at his peak; first video is a recording of his hit "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover," second is video from one of his first movies from that same year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD5kRwI_XNk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiqclXgAFBQ

Looking to the week ahead: Monday, September 29 - Friday, Oct 3:

Monday, September 29, 4:00: "Lucy's Vacation": This episode has one of my favorite sight gags, and a plot that can't help but have funny results: Lucy finds that the only way Harry will let her take time off for a vacation with Kim is if he fires her. Knowing that he'll feel guilty and hire her back, she sets out to annoy him so much she'll get fired. Meanwhile, Harry's psychologist has told Harry that his problems with Lucy are because of his temper and has advised him not to lose cool with Lucy no matter what she does. Consequently, Lucy has to keep upping the ante to get Harry to blow his top and fire her. :)

Tuesday, September 30, 4:30: "Lucy and the Raffle": Lucy winds up in court in this episode and, if it's not butchered by Cozi, there is a very hilarious courtroom scene. Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon are in fine form.

Wednesday, October 1, 4:00: "Lucy and Mannix are Held Hostage": This is a crossover episode with Mike Connors guest-starring as Joe Mannix, the character he played at the time in his popular series, Mannix. This episode also ushers in the fourth season and marks the return of I Love Lucy/Lucy Show writers Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Davis as permanent writers for this series. From this point on, they would be responsible for 8 of the 24 episodes produced each of the three remaining seasons. Bob O'Brien was responsible for another 8 of each season's episodes, and various other writers shared responsibility for the remaining eight.

WARNING: The episode that follows this, "Lucy and Candid Camera," is one you might want to avoid. It's a shame. Candid Camera is one of the funniest shows of all time and the idea of involving Lucy in a Candid Camera plot along with Candid Camera host, Alan Funt, would seem perfect, but not so. Lucille Ball should not have paid her writers for this script!

Today I saw Lucy and the astronauts quarantined!! I thought it was funny, I liked when they all sang "Shine on Harvest moon"! Than the second ep with the nuns in the band. Kind of silly , but I found it entertaining! ;)

I'm missing Desi Jr.:( But I have another crush replacement , Eric Estrada (Ponch from Chips ) On METV at 6!!!;) :)

Today I saw Lucy and the astronauts quarantined!! I thought it was funny, I liked when they all sang "Shine on Harvest moon"! Than the second ep with the nuns in the band. Kind of silly , but I found it entertaining! ;)

I'm missing Desi Jr.:( But I have another crush replacement , Eric Estrada (Ponch from Chips ) On METV at 6!!!;) :)

I like the astronauts episode, too. My only complaint with it, though, is that they sing a few too many verses of Shine on Harvest Moon. I didn't see it on Cozi today, but knowing them they probably cut a lot of it out, which is fine in this case.

Re: "Lucy's All-Nun Band," I do get a little bit of the giggles during the scene when Freddie Martin is trying to teach her how to play the saxophone.

Looking to the week ahead: Monday, October 6 - Friday, October 10:

I will make the point that the fourth season is my least favorite; however, there are still some fun episodes to look out for, and others with special moments.

Monday, October 6, 4:00: "Someone's on the Ski Life with Dinah": This is one of the fun ones. It's not big belly laughs comedy, but it's still fun with some funny moments here and there. The very likeable and cheery Dinah Shore is the guest star in a Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Davis script. Unfortunately, the episode that follows with Tony Randall is kind of a dog.

Tuesday, October 7, 4:00: "Lucy and Flip Go Legit": Flip Wilson was television's biggest new star in 1971 and he appeared in this episode, which was the episode used to premiere the fourth season. This episode, also written by Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Davis, features a funny take-off on "Gone with the Wind," with Flip playing Prissy. It's not as memorable as the spoof done several years later on The Carol Burnett Show, but is still funny, mostly because of Mr. Wilson.

Wednesday, October 8, 4:30: "Ginger Rogers Comes to Tea": This episode is noteworthy for a couple reasons. First, the backdrop: it had to be rushed into production because of a strike that was about to take place. Rehearsals and filming were all completed within a day or two, rather than the usual four days, and without benefit of the filming in front of a live audience, as was the normal routine for this series. Second, the appearance of guest star Ginger Rogers, who had been friends with Lucy Ball since the mid '30s when Ginger was a rising star, and Lucy a virtually unknown starlet who was mentored by Ginger's mother, Lela Rogers. The best scene, perhaps, is the Charleston number Ginger performs with Lucy and Lucie Arnaz.

This season was probably the most heavy with big name guest stars. Sometimes that turned out well, sometimes it didn't, such as the Tony Randall episode airing on Monday. But one of the true low points in the entire series is the second episode airing on Friday, which has no big name guests: "Lucy In the Jungle." This one is NOT recommended!

Monday, October 13 - Friday, October 17:

Wednesday, October 15, 4:30: "With Viv As a Friend, Who Needs an Enemy?": In this episode, written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr., Vivian Vance returns for her final guest appearance on the series.

Thursday, October 16, 4:00: "Lucy's Punctured Romance": A rather dreary fourth season concludes with the two episodes on Thursday, but on a bit of a high note with this entry. Bob Cummings guest stars as Bob Collins, presumably same the character he played in his own series years before who had the same name. Bob is Lucy's new love interest and Kim and Harry scheme to put an end to the romance. While hardly one of Ball's best shows ever, it is perhaps the funniest of the fourth season. I remember, when I was in college, coming across a book in the library on script writing. There was a section on sitcoms and this episode was used as the example. It's pretty funny, although the bit at the end with Mary Jane in a chicken costume is pretty silly. If Cozi is wise about their usual deep cuts, they'll cut out this part. It's an unnecessary extension to the episode that adds nothing to the plot and almost ruins all the fun that precedes it.

Note the episode that follows, "Kim Finally Cuts You-Know-Who's Apron Strings," the final episode of the fourth season, was a rather dismal backdoor pilot for Lucie Arnaz. CBS failed to give it the green light as a series. It's pretty clear why.

Here's a small piece that appeared in newspapers at the time the episode aired. Scroll down to the sixth paragraph in the "Legendary Showdown" column. This writer was being very generous in her comments. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19720229&id=j39bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DVENAAAAIBAJ&pg=6917,4349844

Friday, October 17: The fifth season opens with the two episodes airing on Friday: "Lucy and Eva Gabor Are Hospital Roomies" at 4:00 and "Lucy's Big Break" at 4:30, which are the first to chronicle Lucy's broken leg situation due to a skiing accident. Note that these episodes are in reverse order; "Lucy's Big Break" should be shown first. Cozi is apparently airing them in production order rather than intended order.

These two episodes were inspired by a real-life health situation involving the show's star that mirrored a situation 20 years earlier on I Love Lucy: In 1952, when Lucille Ball became pregnant, it was initially thought that production on I Love Lucy would have to be suspended. Then the idea came up to write the pregnancy into the series and a story arc was created around that circumstance. On Here's Lucy, Lucille Ball suffered a broken leg after a serious skiing accident. There was thought to closing down production on Here's Lucy, but ultimately it was decided to incorporate the broken leg ordeal into the series. Several episodes towards the beginning of the season dealt with the situation where Lucy Carter, like Lucille Ball, had broken her leg in a skiing accident. For much of the season, Lucille Ball appears in a wheelchair or some sort of cast or strong boots.

Here are some news items from 1972 on the skiing accident and Lucille Ball's return to Here's Lucy in spite of the broken leg:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19720108&id=vP8rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qccEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5645,1136222

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19720909&id=XIAyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N7cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3398,3895603

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19720801&id=rQcrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dJgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2756,127976

Little Ricky, you are doing a wonderful job with the episode descriptions.

Little Ricky, you are doing a wonderful job with the episode descriptions.


Yes!!!! ;) :)

Thanks to both of you for your supportive comments. I enjoy writing these. It's mostly for folks who are not that familiar with the series. It's a rather hit-and-miss show, so I figured it might help to let people know when it's most worth tuning in, whether it's a particularly funny episode, or one with special significance, like a Vivian Vance appearance. And speaking of Vivian Vance, I should have mentioned this with my last post above, but when that pilot episode was made for Lucie, Lucille Ball was apparently having discussions with Vivian about becoming a regular on the show in the fifth season as Lucie might no longer be available. But then Lucie's pilot didn't sell, and also Vivian was diagnosed with breast cancer. So it didn't happen, which is a shame. It would have been wonderful to have them working together again. Vivian was pretty much out of the scene for the next three years, presumably due to her cancer struggle, finally making a return to television in 1975 on a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast for Lucille Ball, and later that year as a guest star on Rhoda.

Thanks to both of you for your supportive comments. I enjoy writing these. It's mostly for folks who are not that familiar with the series. It's a rather hit-and-miss show, so I figured it might help to let people know when it's most worth tuning in, whether it's a particularly funny episode, or one with special significance, like a Vivian Vance appearance. And speaking of Vivian Vance, I should have mentioned this with my last post above, but when that pilot episode was made for Lucie, Lucille Ball was apparently having discussions with Vivian about becoming a regular on the show in the fifth season as Lucie might no longer be available. But then Lucie's pilot didn't sell, and also Vivian was diagnosed with breast cancer. So it didn't happen, which is a shame. It would have been wonderful to have them working together again. Vivian was pretty much out of the scene for the next three years, presumably due to her cancer struggle, finally making a return to television in 1975 on a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast for Lucille Ball, and later that year as a guest star on Rhoda.


Poor Vivian!!! She survived the breast cancer than had a recurrence I'm thinking because she died in 1979 of bone cancer, And she also had a stroke in 1977, I was reading on wiki. Wow! :(

I remember Viv on Rhoda. She played a new neighbor who was really cool, and Rhoda's mom Ida became jealous of her because they were the same age and Rhoda was having fun hanging out with her and well we all know how Rhoda felt about hanging out with her Mom. :)

Monday, October 20 - Friday, October 24:

Monday, October 20, 4:00: "Harrison Carter, Male Nurse": The tables are turned in this episode which finds Harry waiting on Lucy hand and foot. I mention this episode only because a lot of fans seem to enjoy it and it's often mentioned as a favorite of the fifth season. Personally, I don't get it. I find the comedy pretty predictable.

Tuesday, October 21, 4:00: "Lucy and Joe Namath": I'm mentioning this one for bonniegirl62. This is the one where Desi Jr. make a guest appearance on the show. This is the first time he's appeared on the show since the third season, and it's also his last. That's what makes it special, that and that fact that Joe Namath's appears as special guest star. But otherwise, it's a pretty disappointing script, and actually rather far fetched. The premise is that Joe Namath is desperately trying to convince Lucy to let Craig play college football because he thinks he has star potential. Desi Jr. at this time was a pretty good tennis player, and he's built like a tennis player. He does not, however, have the physique of a great football player, so the premise is a little hard to swallow. The episode that follows at 4:30, "Lucy and Petula Clark," is more enjoyable with a few good laughs as Lucy gets herself hired as very pregnant Petula Clark's personal assistant. The guy who makes the cameo as Petula's husband really was her husband, Claude Wolff. They had a very long marriage that ended fairly recently, though I understand they remain good friends. Actually, they are still married but have been living separately for awhile.

Wednesday, October 22, 4:00: "Lucy, the Other Woman": The ending is a bit corny, but there are a few good laughs thanks to the late, great Totie Fields, who was a very popular standup comic in her day. She died way too young.

Thursday, October 23, 4:30: "Lucy and Donny Osmond": Tune in to see a very young Donny Osmond, as well as an appearance by The Brady Bunch's Eve Plumb, who plays Lucy's niece.

Friday, October 24, 4:30: "Lucy and Dirty Gertie": Lucy goes undercover in this one. Not the most memorable episode, but still fun with a few laughs here and there.

Oh great!!! Thanks for the information LR11!!!

Tuesday is the one I want to see! I will be coming home early! You are right about Desi Jr. not seeming like a football player. He is totally a musician type, and Oh yes, I could see him being good at tennis. But he isn't the football type at all. Still very cool seeing Craig again and Joe Namath too!

And Thursday, how cool Donny and Eve Plumb!

Oh great!!! Thanks for the information LR11!!!

Tuesday is the one I want to see! I will be coming home early! You are right about Desi Jr. not seeming like a football player. He is totally a musician type, and Oh yes, I could see him being good at tennis. But he isn't the football type at all. Still very cool seeing Craig again and Joe Namath too!

And Thursday, how cool Donny and Eve Plumb!

I hope you got to watch, but I must say I'm disappointed with Cozi this week. I don't know what happened on the other days, but I tuned in on Tuesday and Thursday and both days they repeated 2nd season episodes in the 4:30 slot, rather than airing the scheduled 5th season episodes. The episodes they failed to air on those two days, with Petula Clark and Donny Osmond/Eve Plumb, respectively, were a couple I noted would be highlights for this week. Why would they repeat episodes they already aired several weeks ago rather than run the ones that were scheduled? I don't get it.

I hope you got to watch, but I must say I'm disappointed with Cozi this week. I don't know what happened on the other days, but I tuned in on Tuesday and Thursday and both days they repeated 2nd season episodes in the 4:30 slot, rather than airing the scheduled 5th season episodes. The episodes they failed to air on those two days, with Petula Clark and Donny Osmond/Eve Plumb, respectively, were a couple I noted would be highlights for this week. Why would they repeat episodes they already aired several weeks ago rather than run the ones that were scheduled? I don't get it.


Yes I did get to watch the Joe Namath ep. I was wondering why the second ep was one that was already shown from a past season? It was the one about Bogie the sheep dog and her pups. I liked that ep. but still wondering why they were showing it instead of a season 5 ep? :confused:

It was cool seeing "Broadway Joe" and Desi Jr. again. ;) I liked when Joe came to the house and Kim's reaction. Normal excited girl if a good looking pro football player was visiting.;) Unlike on the Brady Bunch, Marcia and Jan were so nonchalant when Joe Namath was there! Like it's everyday a pro football player comes to your house! :D I guess because the ep was focusing on Bobby, they didn't have the girls make a fuss over him so much!

Back to Lucy, I was glad that Craig still did good even with Joe criticizing him per Lucy's request. He realized on his own that tennis was really his game.;) Better than being discouraged.;) Kim's long granny dress was pretty, and those dresses were very in style back than. But I know if I were her, I'd be wearing a mini skirt to meet Joe Namath.;) He totally seems like the kind of guy that would like to see a girl in a mini skirt. ;) But than Lucy would have more to worry about , she had enough with her son wanting to play football to not have to worry about her daughter looking too sexy too! :lol:

I liked Dirty Gertie too. Lucille Ball really can play a bag lady roll well. Did you see The Stone Pillow? Wow she was really good in that! ;) OMG when it really was gin she was drinking , that was really funny! :lol:

Yes I did get to watch the Joe Namath ep. I was wondering why the second ep was one that was already shown from a past season? It was the one about Bogie the sheep dog and her pups. I liked that ep. but still wondering why they were showing it instead of a season 5 ep? :confused:

It was cool seeing "Broadway Joe" and Desi Jr. again. ;) I liked when Joe came to the house and Kim's reaction. Normal excited girl if a good looking pro football player was visiting.;) Unlike on the Brady Bunch, Marcia and Jan were so nonchalant when Joe Namath was there! Like it's everyday a pro football player comes to your house! :D I guess because the ep was focusing on Bobby, they didn't have the girls make a fuss over him so much!

Back to Lucy, I was glad that Craig still did good even with Joe criticizing him per Lucy's request. He realized on his own that tennis was really his game.;) Better than being discouraged.;) Kim's long granny dress was pretty, and those dresses were very in style back than. But I know if I were her, I'd be wearing a mini skirt to meet Joe Namath.;) He totally seems like the kind of guy that would like to see a girl in a mini skirt. ;) But than Lucy would have more to worry about , she had enough with her son wanting to play football to not have to worry about her daughter looking too sexy too! :lol:

I liked Dirty Gertie too. Lucille Ball really can play a bag lady roll well. Did you see The Stone Pillow? Wow she was really good in that! ;) OMG when it really was gin she was drinking , that was really funny! :lol:

Good, I'm glad to know the didn't preempt Dirty Gertie, too, but I'm bugged about the others that Cozi did skip. Personally, I'm not so fond of the Bogie episode. That script was for the dogs (pun intended). And I do love dogs, I just think the whole business with Jack LaLanne made no sense. The Petula Clark episode they skipped over was better. The episode they ran instead of the Donny Osmond episode was the Chinese Laundry episode. At least that one was funny, but the Osmond show was worth seeing. I'm glad you enjoyed the Joe Namath episode. I just thing the script is rather dull. Nothing funny happens. But you're probably correct that it's a little more realistic than the Brady Bunch Joe Namath episode. I do remember those "granny" dresses. LOL! My sister used to wear them.

As for Stone Pillow, yes, I've seen it and I think Lucille Ball should have AT LEAST been nominated for an Emmy for her performance. The script itself was not too solid, nor was Daphne Zuniga's character, but Ball really gave a very convincing and compelling portrayal.

Last week Rudy Vallee guest starred on Chips! It was the most boring Chips ep in history!! Wondering if he was difficult on the set there like he was on the set of Lucy! It's decided , I'm definitely not a Rudy Vallee fan!

Frankie Valli yes!!! Rudy Vallee No!!! LOL!!

Last week Rudy Vallee guest starred on Chips! It was the most boring Chips ep in history!! Wondering if he was difficult on the set there like he was on the set of Lucy! It's decided , I'm definitely not a Rudy Vallee fan!

Frankie Valli yes!!! Rudy Vallee No!!! LOL!!

Ah, and speaking of Frankie Valli, I just got home from seeing Jersey Boys! It's my third time seeing that show. Just fantastic!

Monday, October 27 - Friday, October 31:

Monday, October 27, 4:00: "The Not-So-Popular Mechanics": Cute little episode where Lucy finds out she shouldn't be in the business of repairing automobiles. This episode also gives (up to this point) an unusually large amount of screen time to Mary Jane Croft. People often mistakenly compare Mary Jane Croft to Vivian Vance as if Mary Jane was brought on the show as a replacement for Vivian Vance. But in fact, her role on both The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy was very different than that of Vivian Vance. Vivian Vance was Lucy's second banana. She was Oliver Hardy to Lucy's Stan Laurel. In a typical early episode of The Lucy Show, Lucy would get involved in some mess and almost always manage to bring Viv along for the ride (and the trouble). Mary Jane, however, usually was nothing but a plot device. She would show up in the beginning of the episode and help set up a plot wherein Lucy would go off alone (or with a guest star) and get into her usual trouble. Unlike Vivian, Mary Jane was not Lucy's co-conspirator, she was just a comic sounding board. So it's an apples and oranges comparison. There were, however, a couple exceptions over the years and this episode was one of those rare exceptions. This time Mary Jane gets pulled right into the middle of Lucy's scheming and the resulting mess. Her character, which early in the series had appeared only rarely, has by this point become almost a regular and will remain a prominent part of the show for the remainder of its run. The episode that follows guest stars female impersonator Jim Bailey, and has a few good laughs as well.

Tuesday, October 28, 4:30: "Lucy Is Really In a Pickle": I recommend this mainly for the scene where Lucy is at home rehearsing a commercial selling pickles. Written by I Love Lucy scribes, Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr., the scene is reminiscent of the classic Vitameatavegamin scene.

Thursday, October 30, 4:30: "Lucy Goes on Her Last Blind Date": The ending of this episode is a bit over the top, but it's still fun. Lucy's blind date is none other than Don Knott's, who plays a character named Ben who is much like his later Ralph Furley character from Three's Company. Watch for the scene where Ben is explaining to Lucy how the males in his family are given their names. His dialogue here is very complicated and Mr. Knott's pulls it off flawlessly.

Friday, October 31, there will be no Here's Lucy as it's Halloween and Cozi will be running a marathon of episodes of One Step Beyond, a creepy show out of the same mold as The Twilight Zone. Both series ran around the same time, although One Step Beyond debuted a little over eight months ahead of The Twilight Zone. I haven't seen this series in years, but I liked it and hope to catch an episode or two.

Ah, and speaking of Frankie Valli, I just got home from seeing Jersey Boys! It's my third time seeing that show. Just fantastic!


Oh wow, you saw the play? I heard that was fantastic! I only saw the Jersey Boy's movie . I really liked it! ;)

Oh wow, you saw the play? I heard that was fantastic! I only saw the Jersey Boy's movie . I really liked it! ;)

I usually love Clint Eastwood's movies, but I've read that when he did the Jersey Boys movie, he wasn't faithful to the stage version and to the elements that made it such a hit, so I haven't made a point of seeing the movie. I'm just afraid I'll be disappointed. I've seen the stage version three times now and I'm eager to see it again. It's such a great story, funny and poignant at times. And then there's the music! All these hit songs rolled up into the show adding a feeling like you're at a live concert back nineteen sixty something, with all the excitement. People are dancing in their seats. It's so many things and everyone leaves show so completely satisfied and happy. The show is still playing on Broadway after almost ten years. It's still playing in London after eight years or so. It's been playing for years in Australia. There's a permanent show in Las Vegas. And there's also this touring company that's been playing constantly all over the U.S. for years. That's the one I've seen three times in two different cities.

I'm watching some of the One Step beyond marathon . It's good! I never heard of this show before. It is like the Twilight Zone. I wonder why it wasn't shown more in reruns?

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT1apRBfnY4_U1h2KELZb5FbAgM-d7c1TcarV6BiEYN42E8NVhumQ

I'm watching some of the One Step beyond marathon . It's good! I never heard of this show before. It is like the Twilight Zone. I wonder why it wasn't shown more in reruns?

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT1apRBfnY4_U1h2KELZb5FbAgM-d7c1TcarV6BiEYN42E8NVhumQ

One Step Beyond is a bit before my time, although there was a television station in my area that aired reruns when I was a kid. So I am familiar with the show, and I enjoy it very much. I caught a few episodes yesterday. Yes, it's like The Twilight Zone; however, unlike The Twilight Zone, which is entirely fictional, the stories on One Step Beyond all deal with the paranormal and are based on accounts from real people. One of the episodes I watched yesterday was about a young woman in 1912 who was about to be married and kept having nightmares about being on a sinking ship. Then her husband-to-be surprised her with the news that they would be going on the maiden voyage of the Titanic for their honeymoon.

Monday, November 3 - Friday, November 7:

Monday, November 3, 4:30: "Lucy and the Professor": Cute episode where Lucy gets some wires crossed and thinks Kim is dating a much MUCH older professor. A note about the episode that precedes this one, at 4:00: "Lucy and the Franchise Fiasco": This was a rewrite of a classic episode from the first season of The Lucy Show, "Lucy Is a Kangaroo for the Day." In this new version, the water cooler is replaced with a frozen custard machine, and the kangaroo suit is replaced with a penguin suit. Unfortunately, the episode completely falls flat. Logic is tossed aside and it just doesn't work this time. This, in my opinion, is the weakest episode of the season. Which is ironic because "Lucy Is a Kangaroo for a Day" is one of the very best episodes of The Lucy Show.

Tuesday, November 4, 4:00: "Lucy and Harry's Pot": Whereas "Lucy and the Franchise Fiasco" is a low point for the season, "Lucy and Harry's Pot" is a big bright spot. This episode, written by Bob O'Brien, one of Lucille Ball's best writers in this period, is both funny and touching, with some rare moments of warmth between Lucy and Harry. The episode that follows, "Lucy and Harry's Memoirs," is noteworthy mainly because it almost became the final episode of the series. Lucille Ball had some busy months ahead with her film Mame going into production and was preparing to call it quits on Here's Lucy. So this script was written as a proper conclusion to the series, with Harry having decided to sell the agency. Most of the episode is comprised of flashback clips from earlier in the series as Lucy and Harry reminisce about their adventures together. The episode ends on a rather ambiguous note, leaving the possibility that the series might return for another season which, of course, it did. Here's an announcement from October 30, 1972 that Lucille Ball would return for the 1973-74 season.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=19721030&id=gXkcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AVIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2962,5674701

This announcement was made nearly a year before the 1973-74 season began, which suggests this almost final episode was already in the can. Lucy usually started production for each season many months in advance of the actual fall season premiere. Presumably, the 1972-73 production schedule was begun even earlier than usual in order to accommodate the production of Mame, which began shooting in January. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19721029&id=1140AAAAIBAJ&sjid=MJwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2503,4658903

Wednesday, November 5, 4:00: "Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers": This is the first episode produced for the sixth season. It's a pretty decent episode notable mostly because of a lineup of familiar character actors, including Mary Wickes, Al "Grandpa Munster" Lewis, Dick "Darrin #2" Sargent, and Gary Crosby (Bing's son, who later wrote a scathing tell-all about his father).

Thursday, November 6, 4:00: "The Big Game": I wish it were possible to digitally replace a guest star because this is a pretty good episode, but unfortunately, the guest star is none other than O.J. Simpson. When the old Pax TV network ran Here's Lucy in the late '90s, they skipped over this episode, running every episode in the series except this one. They obviously did not want to upset viewers by running an episode featuring the infamous O.J. This marks the first time this episode has been aired nationally since the 1977 reruns on CBS.

One final note: The Friday, 4:30 episode, "Lucy and Danny Thomas," is one you might want to pass on. Laughs are few.

YES!!! It was hysterical!! It was one long continuous laugh basically. It was like watching Laurel & Hardy.

Lucy is a Fixer Upper I mean.

Monday, November 10 - Friday, November 14:

Monday, November 10, 4:00: "Lucy's Tenant": Former child actor, Jackie Coogan -- better known to baby boomers as Uncle Fester on The Addams Family -- made three guest appearances over the years with Lucille Ball, and always with a good result; they had great chemistry together. This episode, written by Bob O'Brien, is no exception. With Craig away in college, and Kim now living in her own apartment, Lucy decides to rent out a room in her house. She didn't plan on having an incredibly obnoxious tenant!

Tuesday, November 11, 4:30: "Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty": As the title indicates, Joan Rivers is the guest star, although she's not playing herself. This episode, in which Lucy performs one of her funny charades scenes, has Lucy and Joan at odds with one another as fellow jurists.

Wednesday, November 12, 4:30: "The Carters Meet Frankie Avalon": This is not a particularly great episode, I'm just pointing it out because it represents a pop-cultural touchstone at the time, with Lucie Arnaz and Frankie Avalon doing a very good take-off on Sonny and Cher, whose CBS program at the time was a huge ratings hit. They filed for divorce just months after this aired. To help Lucie prepare for her Cher imitation, Cher allowed Lucie to spend a day following her around on the set of her own show.

Friday, November 14, 4:00: "Lucy and Chuck Connors Have a Surprise Slumber Party": This is a very funny Madelyn Davis/Bob Carroll, Jr. script about Harry renting out Lucy's living room to a movie producer, forcing Lucy out of her home for the time being. This episode includes a scene with Lucille Ball performing some wonderful physical comedy. And a note about the episode that follows, "Meanwhile, Back at the Office": Season five of the series had concluded with Harry selling the office and Lucy putting up a sign that said "Temporarily Out of Business." But the sixth season opened with everything back to normal and Lucy and Harry still working at the agency. There was no explanation as to how Harry wound up back in business again. This episode is the only time in the sixth season that even alludes to Harry having sold the agency previously. It's just a line where Lucy tells Kim that Harry has sold the agency "again."

I watched Here's Lucy yesterday! The Jackie Coogan ep was really funny. I liked Harry's little dance , and I always get a kick out of bald men when they put on a cheap , obvious toupee. That was popular on sitcoms back in the day. And the next ep with Eddie Albert was enjoyable too. Loved the song and dance number he and Lucy did, and it was very cool seeing Eddie in a roll other than Oliver Douglas on Green Acres!

I watched Here's Lucy yesterday! The Jackie Coogan ep was really funny. I liked Harry's little dance , and I always get a kick out of bald men when they put on a cheap , obvious toupee. That was popular on sitcoms back in the day. And the next ep with Eddie Albert was enjoyable too. Loved the song and dance number he and Lucy did, and it was very cool seeing Eddie in a roll other than Oliver Douglas on Green Acres!

I'm glad you got to see that one. Jackie Coogan was a funny guy. I hope you get to see the Chuck Connors episode on Friday. That's a really fun one. :)

I'm glad you got to see that one. Jackie Coogan was a funny guy. I hope you get to see the Chuck Connors episode on Friday. That's a really fun one. :)


I will!! I'll make a point of it!!! As I posted on another thread, I have a friend who likes the Rifleman on METV , the show Chuck Connors starred in. She's retired and a fan of the old shows too, but not as much as I am!! ! She likes new stuff too. We joke, she says OK exactly who is the older one here? :lol:I will tell her about Chuck being on Here's Lucy tomorrow! :)

Also as I posted before, I was recently laid off from work (it's cool) ;) But I have more time now!!! ;)

I saw the Joan Rivers ep , the Jury duty . Very funny! Lucy and Joan were funny together. I loved the charades because they couldn't discuss the case.:lol: Wow, I didn't realize Joan Rivers was so tiny!!! Lucy is tall, but even around the other women Joan looked so tiny and petite!! :) And brings back memories when I was a kid! Seeing Joan Rivers when she was younger and becoming popular! My mom really liked Joan Rivers!! :)

And I saw the Frankie Avalon ep. I didn't know he was so good at impersonations!!! :) Good ep. He and Lucie really did a good Sonny and Cher!!! ;)

I will!! I'll make a point of it!!! As I posted on another thread, I have a friend who likes the Rifleman on METV , the show Chuck Connors starred in. She's retired and a fan of the old shows too, but not as much as I am!! ! She likes new stuff too. We joke, she says OK exactly who is the older one here? :lol:I will tell her about Chuck being on Here's Lucy tomorrow! :)

Also as I posted before, I was recently laid off from work (it's cool) ;) But I have more time now!!! ;)

I saw the Joan Rivers ep , the Jury duty . Very funny! Lucy and Joan were funny together. I loved the charades because they couldn't discuss the case.:lol: Wow, I didn't realize Joan Rivers was so tiny!!! Lucy is tall, but even around the other women Joan looked so tiny and petite!! :) And brings back memories when I was a kid! Seeing Joan Rivers when she was younger and becoming popular! My mom really liked Joan Rivers!! :)

And I saw the Frankie Avalon ep. I didn't know he was so good at impersonations!!! :) Good ep. He and Lucie really did a good Sonny and Cher!!! ;)

I'm glad you're able to see the show but, oh no, I'm so sorry about the layoff. I've been in that position a couple times, so I know how it feels. I got past it (twice) and so will you. I'm sending positive energy your way.

The Rifleman is before my time, although I've seen reruns. But I first heard of Chuck Connors back in the '70s on a show he hosted called Thrill Seekers. It was sort of a reality show about people doing all kinds of wild and dangerous stunts.

Yes, Joan Rivers was small, but Lucille Ball was also rather tall. Her daughter is even taller. I met her a couple times and have a picture with her. I'm 5'8" and she towered over me.

I saw the Chuck Connors ep!!! I liked it!!! Talk about tall!!! He is really tall!!!! Very funny when Lucy and Harry were trying to get him back in the bed!

And Lucy, Mary Jane and even Harry being star struck and interrupting the filming!

I saw the Chuck Connors ep!!! I liked it!!! Talk about tall!!! He is really tall!!!! Very funny when Lucy and Harry were trying to get him back in the bed!

And Lucy, Mary Jane and even Harry being star struck and interrupting the filming!

Those were funny bits. I also like the disappearing apple pies, and Harry's reactions to Lucy's repeated phone calls. And yes, Chuck Connors was tall. It's hard to imagine he'd be 93 years old if he were still around.

Those were funny bits. I also like the disappearing apple pies, and Harry's reactions to Lucy's repeated phone calls. And yes, Chuck Connors was tall. It's hard to imagine he'd be 93 years old if he were still around.

that was funny when Lucy called Harry and franticly said "Chuck Connors is in my bed! And Harry said " And your upset about that" ? :lol:

I googled Chuck , he was 6'6' tall ! ;) During his army career he "moonlighted " as a pro basketball player , in 1946 joining the newly formed Boston Celtics. He also played baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Cubs ;) How interesting!! :eek: My dad told me that back in the day, lots of athletes had regular jobs and played the sport on the side. Wow , can you imagine. They surely didn't make the kind of money they do now!!! :eek:

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRZUP4RSLUl5E0VCJHS2Ywjw0zjHH_KIHR0HNJfYc3qcn_N_HeC

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRV5lw8t5Q5K1FGZK1tFPUU4sDZzhvxc8WjSa_Fp2mFRwzLogsBXA

that was funny when Lucy called Harry and franticly said "Chuck Connors is in my bed! And Harry said " And your upset about that" ? :lol:

:lol:

Re: Chuck Connors, he seemed like a strong guy, so it makes sense that he was an actual athlete before he became an actor. Yes, times have changed. Back in those days, people could go to a football game without spending a week's salary.

Monday, November 17 - Friday, November 21:

Okay, get ready because there’s lots of fun in store for the week ahead on Here’s Lucy, with something special to look forward to every day! There’s really not a single clunker in this bunch, with the possible exception of “Lucy, the Sheriff” on Monday, which gets mixed reviews from fans. I’m not personally too crazy about this one, but for those who like it, it's because of the memorable supporting cast, including Ross Elliott, who is perhaps best known as Lucy Ricardo’s Vitameatavegamin director; Florence Halop, most famous for Night Court, but years earlier played one of the gossipy women on Lucy Ricardo’s party line in the “Redecorating” episode of I Love Lucy; and the great Mary (Sister Act) Wickes, Lucille Ball’s best friend and frequent Lucy guest star, most famously on I Love Lucy as Madame Lamond, Lucy’s strict ballet instructor. These character actors are sort of bookends to Lucille Ball’s CBS sitcom career, appearing in some of the early episodes of I Love Lucy, and still around near for the end of Here’s Lucy during Lucille Ball’s 23rd television season.

This week is the week that we see Here’s Lucy wind down to its final episode, which airs at 4:30 PM on Thursday. This means, of course, that on Friday we return to the very beginning of the series. So, with that, on to my recommendations of the most special episodes to look out for this week.

MONDAY, November 17: 4:00: “Lucy is N.G. as an R.N.”: This episode, written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr., is a fan favorite. It’s your classic case of misunderstanding and confusion as Lucy is left to look after Harry, Mary Jane, Kim and Kim’s cat, who are all suffering some sort of ailment or physical abnormality. Lucy is the only healthy one in the bunch, so she has to care for the rest.

TUESDAY, November 18: 4:30: “Mary Jane’s Boyfriend”: Written by Fred S. Fox and Seaman Jacobs, this is the only episode in the series with a plot revolving around Mary Jane. It’s finally her moment to shine and she sure does. She’s very cute and funny in this episode.

WEDNESDAY, November 19: 4:00: “Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball”: Lucy Carter met many celebrities throughout the course of this series, but finally she meets the most special one of all: Lucille Ball! The plot of this episode has Kim entering a Lucille Ball lookalike contest because so many of her friends have told her that she looks like Lucille Ball. (Actually, she looks a whole lot more like Desi Arnaz!) Ultimately, Lucy Carter winds up entering the contest as well.

While a first for a Lucy show, this isn’t exactly a unique plot device. Three years earlier, Doris Martin met Doris Day on The Doris Day Show. Many years before that, back in the ’50s, Ed Norton met Jackie Gleason, and Ralph and Jackie met off camera. Then again, in 1967, Ralph Kramden would again come face to face with Jackie Gleason: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19700530&id=QNozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6763,7830965
And three years after this Here’s Lucy episode, Fred Sanford would meet Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son. So while, the concept was not new or unique, it was new to Lucy.

This episode, which was first broadcast on Monday, March 4, 1974, was written by Bob O’Brien and was devised as a subtle promotion of Lucille Ball’s new film, Mame, which premiered three days later in New York City, on March 7, 1974, and was released nationwide three weeks after that, on March 27, 1974. Lucille Ball appears in this episode as a brunette, as she does throughout much of Mame. At a couple points in the episode, you’ll hear a few notes of the Mame theme song, and if you look closely, and you’ll see Mame-related pictures scattered throughout Lucille Ball’s fictional dressing room. Here’s a little announcement about this episode that appeared in newspapers at the time.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19740304&id=p-tRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RnMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7198,3845330

THURSDAY, November 20: the full hour. If you tune into Here’s Lucy only once this week, it should be on this day. Two special episodes air, making a special full hour. The first, at 4:00, is “Where is My Wandering Mother Tonight?” This is the final episode written for this series by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr. and it’s a winner. Davis and Carroll’s association with Lucille Ball dates back to the very beginning of her 1948-1951 My Favorite Husband radio series. They arrived even before Jess Oppenheimer. After My Favorite Husband, they were on hand for every single episode of I Love Lucy (1951-1957), wrote or oversaw scripts for all of the Lucy-Desi hours (1957-60), were around for the first two seasons of The Lucy Show, and contributed a third of the scripts produced during the final three seasons of Here’s Lucy. And, of course, they were responsible for writing the most famous, and highest-rated episode of this series, “Lucy Meets the Burtons,” which won the rating race back in the 1970 season premiere week. In the future, they would go on to write one of Lucille Ball’s TV specials, write and produce Life with Lucy, and become longtime producers of the television series, Alice, as well as Private Benjamin. In this outing, Lucy goes to spend a weekend with daughter Kim in Kim’s apartment, but it quickly becomes too close for comfort. Lucille Ball does her last physical comedy bit of the series in this charming and funny episode.

The second episode of the hour, at 4:30, is “Lucy Fights the System.” This is the final episode of the series, originally broadcast on March 18, 1974. Written by Bob O’Brien, this episode sends the series out with a bang. This half hour is just plain hilarious! Ironically, the hilarity has very little to do with Lucille Ball and everything to do with Lucie Arnaz. This is probably Ms. Arnaz’s best performance of the series as she takes on the role of a rude, air-headed waitress. This performance, along with a couple others from this season – her Cher impersonation in “The Carters Meet Frankie Avalon,” and her old lady bit in “Meanwhile, Back at the Office” – leave me convinced that Lucie Arnaz could have done really well in sketch comedy, perhaps on a show like The Carol Burnett Show or Saturday Night Live. Nevertheless, she chose to pursue a career in musical theater and cabaret singing instead. As she’s also a fine vocalist, that’s okay.

For this finale, it feels like Lucille Ball was handing the torch to her co-stars. Lucy is there, but the spotlight is placed firmly on Lucie Arnaz who takes center stage. And the last line and laugh of the episode (and thus, of the series) is given to Gale Gordon (“I knew it would end like this!”). Despite the unusual lack of emphasis on Lucy this time around, this episode is still a winner.

The decision to end Here’s Lucy was big news in 1974, and there was a lot of press attention devoted to the story. Here are a few examples:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19740228&id=VXowAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zKEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3681,2968009
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19740227&id=Zt0qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fX0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2350,5426014
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=757&dat=19740228&id=Vg5OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9K0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6242,5992682
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19740305&id=jUg0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=32YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6121,1855428


FRIDAY, November 21: 4:00: “Mod, Mod Lucy”: It’s back to the very beginning of Here’s Lucy and the very first episode, which introduced Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr. as their mother’s co-stars. There are many funny moments throughout the episode, particularly the scene in the office licking envelopes, and engaging Kim in a game of charades when Kim loses her voice to laryngitis.

Just as there was a lot of press attention when Lucille Ball ended the series, there was also plenty of press attention when it began, particularly given the fact that she was bringing her children onto the show as co-stars. In this previous thread, I posted links to various articles written at the time about the “new” Here’s Lucy series.
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=327053

So make sure you tune in this week. Lots of fun and laughter await you.

I saw Monday's ep with Lucy being the nurse! First thing that grabbed my attention was Harry the cat who was a female cat about to have kittens! I love cats and she was a very unique calico cat!! I liked all the confusion between the human Harry and the cat Harry and when the doctor and the vet came to the house. Lucy feeding human Harry cat food!!! LOL!!! And poor Mary Jane and Lucie, and Lucy too, she really had her hands full. It was a fun, cute ep. Only thing I wish they had showed Harrry's kittens in the end when they were born!

I didn't get to see the second ep. at 4:30, it was on and I listened to it, but I really needed to get up and do some things!!! For the good part of the day I was being a "Peg Bundy" on the sofa watching TV!!! :D I had to get up and cook, vacuum and straighten up the house!!! ;)

bonniegirl62, you didn't miss anything with the second episode yesterday. Like I said in my comment, it's only interesting for the character actors. I'm glad you got to see the other one, though. Yes, very funny. But Cozi annoyed me again by cutting out part of the bit where Harry was relaying Mary's Jane's tea and cookie's request to Lucy. There was a piece at the very end that they cut out. It was like cutting out the punch line to a joke. Stupid, stupid editing! I think their editors must be drunk on the job.

Both of today's episodes are good -- "Milton Berle is the Life of the Party" and "Mary Jane's Boyfriend" -- more so the second one. The one you really don't want to miss is the series finale on Thursday.

Just a reminder that today (Thursday) Cozi is scheduled to air the hilarious series finale (see my November 16 post above).

Wow! I just saw "Where Is My Wandering Mother Tonight?" and Cozi made so many cuts they destroyed it. Not only did they cut out some of the funniest bits, but they also cut out key dialogue that created big holes in the plot so the storyline didn't make sense. Why show it at all if you're going to ruin it?

Monday, November 24 - Friday, November 28:

MONDAY, November 24: 4:00: "Lucy's Working Daughter": Both charming and funny, this is an episode anyone can relate to. Kim gets her first job and her worried Mom tries to help out without her knowing.

TUESDAY, November 25: 4:30: "Lucy Visits Jack Benny": I am including this episode only because of a moment near the end that TV Guide and TV Land included on their list of "The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments" in history.

Note the on Friday, there will be a Starsky and Hutch tribute followed by a Christmas marathon, so Here's Lucy will not air.

Then on Tuesday, a big huge warning! I advise anyone against watching the first half hour. This episode guest stars Tennessee Ernie Ford. It's yet another musical episode and, in my opinion, the worst episode of the entire series. The plot is something about Tennessee Ernie -- who, for some bizarre reason, has a farm outside of L.A. -- seeking help from the Carter family in advertise his farm as a weekend getaway for stressed-out people in L.A. Most of the episode plays like a 20-minute commercial for his "fun farm." About 10 minutes of it has the Carters pretending to be an irritable city family that spends all their time yelling at one another. And literally, it's nothing but them yelling and screaming at one another as if that alone is supposed to be funny. There's nothing clever about the dialogue, it's just constant yelling that will really grate on your nerves. The last part has them going to Tennessee Ernie's fun farm, where the barn has magically polished floors and all the locals turn out for a ho-down and come out and sing and dance like professionals. This is the one episode I find simply unwatchable.

I recently got the complete series DVD and watched this episode, I didn't think it was so bad. It did seem kind of pointless though. True, it's mostly a musical episode. The funny stuff takes place at the beginning, then the rest of the episode plays out like a long musical commercial advertising Tennessee Ernie's fun farm. Did he really have a "fun farm", or was it something that was just made up for this episode?

I thought the episode was OK, something different, certainly watchable, but nothing outstanding or special. It seems that more so with Here's Lucy compared to The Lucy Show, every so often a musical themed episode would be tossed into the mix. As Lucy was getting older, perhaps she wanted to have a little fun and include a music themed episode on occasion.

I recently got the complete series DVD and watched this episode, I didn't think it was so bad. It did seem kind of pointless though. True, it's mostly a musical episode. The funny stuff takes place at the beginning, then the rest of the episode plays out like a long musical commercial advertising Tennessee Ernie's fun farm. Did he really have a "fun farm", or was it something that was just made up for this episode?

I thought the episode was OK, something different, certainly watchable, but nothing outstanding or special. It seems that more so with Here's Lucy compared to The Lucy Show, every so often a musical themed episode would be tossed into the mix. As Lucy was getting older, perhaps she wanted to have a little fun and include a music themed episode on occasion.

I don't mind a musical episode as long as there's logical plot development. "The Operetta" episode from I Love Lucy was a musical episode, but it was also hilarious because it actually looked like a musical that Lucy and Ethel would put together with their limited budget, and Lucy's lack of talent -- both in singing and in writing lyrics. But with this Tennessee Ernie episode, that sort of credibility was completely lost. The musical portion of the episode seems completely polished, even though it was supposed to have been put together by the Carters and the people working at this so-called fun farm, who have no experience doing musicals. Even the barn floor is a shiny concrete stage. Once the believability of the situation is lost, so am I. But that's not even the worst of it. What mostly makes it intolerable to me is that long scene where Lucy and her family are all yelling at one another. None of it is funny, and I find it so irritating I have to turn it off.

I don't mind a musical episode as long as there's logical plot development. "The Operetta" episode from I Love Lucy was a musical episode, but it was also hilarious because it actually looked like a musical that Lucy and Ethel would put together with their limited budget, and Lucy's lack of talent -- both in singing and in writing lyrics. But with this Tennessee Ernie episode, that sort of credibility was completely lost. The musical portion of the episode seems completely polished, even though it was supposed to have been put together by the Carters and the people working at this so-called fun farm, who have no experience doing musicals. Even the barn floor is a shiny concrete stage. Once the believability of the situation is lost, so am I. But that's not even the worst of it. What mostly makes it intolerable to me is that long scene where Lucy and her family are all yelling at one another. None of it is funny, and I find it so irritating I have to turn it off.

I'd have to check the DVD, but I think the scene where they're yelling at each other is about 2 to 3 minutes long or so. It doesn't really bother me, I've seen worse yelling than that. :lol:

Maybe the reason for the musical part looking so polished is because it was supposed to advertise and promote Tennessee Ernie's "fun farm". If it didn't look polished or professional, it wouldn't be good for business. :lol:

Here's Lucy does seem to incorporate music occasionally in the episodes. In the debut episode of the series, Mod Mod Lucy, the last 5 minutes is a musical scene.

I loved Lucy and Ann Margaret. it was like a big musical extravaganza

I'd have to check the DVD, but I think the scene where they're yelling at each other is about 2 to 3 minutes long or so. It doesn't really bother me, I've seen worse yelling than that. :lol:

Maybe it was only 2-3 minutes but it felt like forever. It was just not entertaining.

Maybe the reason for the musical part looking so polished is because it was supposed to advertise and promote Tennessee Ernie's "fun farm". If it didn't look polished or professional, it wouldn't be good for business. :lol:

But they were in a barn! Barns don't have shiny concrete floors.

Here's Lucy does seem to incorporate music occasionally in the episodes. In the debut episode of the series, Mod Mod Lucy, the last 5 minutes is a musical scene.

The first episode musical scene is a little hokey in a couple places but doesn't bother me too much. Overall, that was a pretty solid episode IMO.

I loved Lucy and Ann Margaret. it was like a big musical extravaganza

And that musical scene looked polished as well, but it made sense that it would because this was supposed to be a national televised Ann-Margret special.

Maybe it was only 2-3 minutes but it felt like forever. It was just not entertaining.

One yelling scene that irritates me is the scene in Lucy And The 20/20 Vision. The scene in the office when Harry yells at Lucy so loud, stuff falls off the walls. He really yelled at her loud. I was thinking, "That's borderline verbal abuse!"

One yelling scene that irritates me is the scene in Lucy And The 20/20 Vision. The scene in the office when Harry yells at Lucy so loud, stuff falls off the walls. He really yelled at her loud. I was thinking, "That's borderline verbal abuse!"


Sometimes it almost was like that man is going to have a stroke yelling at her so much and so loud!!! :eek:

Maybe it was only 2-3 minutes but it felt like forever. It was just not entertaining.

I recently bought the complete series DVD and am getting re-acquainted with the show. It seems that Gale Gordon does a lot of yelling in this show, usually directed towards Lucy. Have you noticed this also? I don't think he yells that much as Mr. Mooney in The Lucy Show. Maybe as part of the format change with Here's Lucy, it was decided that Gale Gordon's character would be more aggressive, outspoken and borderline verbally abusive. Since Gale and Lucy were now playing roles as relatives, the writers might have thought he could yell at her more now and get away with it. :lol:

I'm glad The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy are complete on DVD. Both shows tend to get overlooked and not seen often on TV because I Love Lucy has always been so popular. But for me, I prefer The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy over I Love Lucy.