The 5 best episodes are without a doubt the one's concerning the
drive to California. In this order:
5. The episode in Alberquerque when they do the act with Ethel.
4. The episode when Fred buys a new car, and its an old Cadillac.
3. The following episode where they return the old Cadillac, and
Lucy crashes the new Buick and the two cars get stuck
together.
2. The episode when they are arrested in a small town and they
have to sing and dance with the sheriff to escape.
1. The episode in the road-side shack where the train keeps
passing during the night. ***** Best Episode Ever!!!

The expressions on everyone's faces in the train passing scene
are priceless.
Does anyone else agree with my choices?

The Hollywood episodes have always been my favorites of the whole series, and i saw last night the one you refer to at the shack where they spend the night, it was indeed a riot from start to finish!

Yes, except for 3 & 4.

Yes, and I love your number one pick- it is called First Stop. But I think I like Hollywood Anniversary rather than Lucy Learns to Drive better. I also thought that the Bill Holden episode was Hilarious.

Episodes like Hollywood anniversary made us fall in love with the characters, it was so touching, still funny, but also showing how real life is, people fight, get really angry and say things they shouldn't, but if they REALLY love one another, they make up like they did on that show, i get all mushy inside when i see that one, my all time favorite for the number of times i've played it. We might all remember Bill Holden's show better, but this one is the most heartwarming to me! And Heart is what this show was all about!

The whole Hollywood saga from start to finish was excellent. They are my favorites of the entire series. I think the "William Holden" one is nearly everyones favorite of the major star guest appearances (runner up John Wayne) is becuz it is so much fun and Holden works so well with Lucy.

Here at TV Land Canada, it was shown last night, i left the room and only came back for the spaguetti sequence and the nose on fire ending, as i know that one by heart. You're right, she LOVED Bill and it shows in both their performances. When they did Miss Grant takes Richmond together they both claimed it was one of the best film experiences they ever had, so they got together here again, and made tv history!

Originally posted by CHUCK T
(runner up John Wayne)

Am I the only person who hates the John Wayne episodes? Not because of John, I just thought the plot was stupid.

No, you're not the only one. I never liked the redundant plot and predictable jokes in episodes like this.

Originally posted by dawsongirl


Am I the only person who hates the John Wayne episodes? Not because of John, I just thought the plot was stupid.

The John Wayne episodes stupid? I can't say that I agree with you at all on that. I think those episodes were unforgettable, brilliant masterpieces.

Originally posted by akirafan
No, you're not the only one. I never liked the redundant plot and predictable jokes in episodes like this.

How was the plot redundant? And what jokes were predictable? Be specific, please.

I think the Hollywood saga is great too, but I have to agree that the John Wayne episodes are a bit far fetched. My goodness, Lucy and Ethel are committing robbery (or is it burglary?) It still is a fun episode, but it is silly. But then Lucy trespasses onto Richard Widmark's property and connives her way into Cornel Wilde's hotel room. There was something about being around celebriteis that brought the larceny out in our favorite red head. hmm, come to think of it this would make an interesting topic--crimes committed by Lucy that she was never caught or prosecuted for:lol:

Okay, with my rather limited number of shows to choose from, here goes:-

5. The Handcuffs
Mostly because it's the first episode I ever saw; the second half, more or less accidentally, at about quarter to six one morning in around 1989. I never did find out how they got into the cuffs in the first place!

4. The 'Lost' Pilot
I love this one, posibly because it's almost more their cabaret tour than an actual episode of the show. I love that Desi keeps giggling, and that we get to see him interacting more with the audience and the band than usual. His performance of The Cuban Cabby is wonderful.

3. The Girls Want To Go To A Nightclub
Improbable, yes, but I don't mind that sort of thing and never did. I especially love the expressions Desi makes when Lucy is coming on to him while he sings Guadelajara.

2. Lucy Does A TV Commerical
I remember very little of this episode, but it was the first episode I ever saw all the way through (guess they weren't being shown in order, huh!) and I remember the TV commercial itself and little else. Still funny though.

1. The Bob Hope Episode
What can I say? He's Bob Hope, and he's one of the greatest entertainers ever. His skill at what he does makes everything he's in something special, and the chemistry between the three of them is perfect. Leads me on to thinking about a list of stars I wish had appeared on the show but never did.


I'll come back and write another list when the DVDs have finally all been released!

:wave:

Never thought i'd live to see the day when The Girls Want to go to a Nightclub would make a top five list! Gee Mickey, you must really have FEW shows! AND WELCOME BACK JANE, WE ALL MISSED YOU! I swear i just read a PM that asked me where you were! You see, i'm not the only one that looks forward to your posts!

You know, Splain, something tells me that we don't really agree on which are good episodes! :) Like I said, I don't care about things like improbable plots. It's a comedy show, not Shakespeare, and TGWTGTAN is a funny episode, IMHO. So far the only one I'm aware of that I don't like is The Amateur. Too Lucy orientated perhaps.

:wave:

Originally posted by SPLAIN
Never thought i'd live to see the day when The Girls Want to go to a Nightclub would make a top five list!

What's wrong with that episode? I think it's funnier than many of the later ones. But then, I like season one best. :D

YOU, of all people saying that! The man doesn't recognize his own wife? Maybe the one about getting his eyes examined should have followed. I don't LOVE season one, characters weren't developed properly yet, maybe by the Fur Coat, they were getting better!

I know you meant that in a humorous way Mickey, but it's true, i'm a Lucy fan, you are a Desi/Ricky fan, that's the problem right there! I'm a Lucyfan who over the years has come to appreciate all the great people around her, but one of the biggest Lucy fans nonetheless!

Hard pressed I would say my five personal favorite Lucy's are:

1) The Diet (where Lucy/Ricky perform Cuban Pete/Sally Sweet)

2) The Freezer

3) Job Switching

4) Lucy is Enciente

5) LA at Last

**My second favorite ILL episode with a famous guest star would be Lucy Meets Charles Boyer.

You bet, Boyer munching on her arm reminded me of the one in The Lucy Desi comedy hour where Danny Thomas munched on her neck, boy she must have been one tasty actress!

Originally posted by Splain
The man doesn't recognize his own wife?

Yeah, that is funny, isn't it! Especially since in some other episodes he recognises her without looking. Remember the one when they were in Cuba, and Lucy is hiding in the cigar shop? She's hunched over a table with a hat pulled over her face, but he still recognises her without being able to see a thing! All the same, I still like The Girls Want To Go To A Nightclub. It's funny. When Lucy is throwing Ricky about, and he's bouncing off the furniture looking terrified, and Fred looks like he wants to cry. And Ethel's old woman act is good too. She did it again in Men Are Messy, and that was good too.

Originally posted by buddy love
1) The Diet (where Lucy/Ricky perform Cuban Pete/Sally Sweet)

Good call. That's another great routine. One from their cabaret act again, isn't it? They're just so smooth in that routine, nicely forgetting the fact that Lucy wasn't supposed to be able to dance! It works so well, and they look so good doing it together. It must have been great for viewers who were already so familiar with Cuban Pete, one of the songs that Desi used to do so often, seeing it done there with the Sally Sweet bit added. Lucy did it so suggestively, and Desi/Ricky's reactions to her moves are so cool!

:wave:

All right Mickey, i take it back, Lucy thinks Ricky is trying to murder her is worse, at least the hillbilly routine was funny! And i loved your remark about Lucy's dancing, on the Golden Girls once, Sophia mentionned the fact that Lucy could never get into show business but proved her talent all the way through the series. And i admit i stole the comment about not recognizing his own wife from another episode of the golden Girls!

Hmm. Of course you're probably not going to be surprised to hear (read?) me say this, but I like "Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her" too! It's so completely improbable, but again, I don't care about that kind of thing. I like Ricky's piece at the beginning, when he's thinking of all the possible ways to kill somebody, and he's miming them all, and basically just the complete insanity of the whole show. Lucy thinking that hanging a saucepan lid on her backside will save her life, and her reactions when she thinks she's been poisoned. I like it when she collapses at Ricky's feet, and then forgives him for what he's done, and he doesn't have a clue what she's on about. Okay, I'm kind of seeing why you might dislike it now, it is daft! But I still think it's funny.

http://freespace.virgin.net/xenon.swordznsorcery/image4.jpg
"I got a Micky from Ricky."

:wave:

The first half to two-thirds of season 1 wasn't that great. The writers did know how to write for Lucy yet and things just hadn't jellied together yet. But by the last third of season 1 it was excellent. Great episodes of that final third season include The Freezer, Lucy Does a Commercial, and Job Switching.

In response to JaneTVFan's question:
I said the plot of the John Wayne episode was redundant and
predictable because Lucy kept ruining the footprints over and
over. The first two times it was funny, but then it just got old.
The only good part of this episode was John Wayne's reaction
at the end, that was priceless.

I love the first season.

I know you do! I do too, i love all six, but season one didn't have the characters developed fully yet, seing Lucy make the pot fall by releasing it was amateurish, when she had gotten to develop the character better by the fur coat, now it was hilarious! And i agree Mickey, that's what i always tell people, it was a comedy show made to entertain and make people laugh, it wasn't a mystery that had to make perfect sense!

I also love the European saga too.. they have some great episodes there! Like Lucy wants a Paris gown, ( thats my very favorite) the only one that I thought was horrible was Lucy goes to scotland. :(

Yep, Ash, Scotland is the Drafted of the European shows. But as much as i used to despise it, i LOVE the musical numbers now that i'm older!