Which format of "The Lucy Show" did you like better?

[ILuvCarolBurnett]

I like the "Lucy & Viv" years the best, but the LA format (the final three seasons) were not bad, either. She relied heavily on major guest stars to help, but the fact that essentially she and Gale Gordon were the only two regulars on a sitcom for three seasons is pretty amazing. Especially in today's world of sitcoms when casts are at least 4 people and more.

[Crusinforabrusin]

I love the first format better. It was when Vivian Vance and the kids were still part of the show. After the transition to California, the show wasn't nearly as good but it was ok

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

I liked the second format better when she moved to California!

I liked when it started to be in color, and Mr. Mooney was in it all the time! That did start when she still was in Danfield! So either one than!

[warp9p65]

The first format was superior to the second in my opinion. I felt like Vivian Vance's presence on the show as Lucy's partner in crime made for unmatched comedy. The situations those two could get themselves into were just pure comedic gold. The small(er) town setting, the two families living together under one roof always in need of more money and sometimes at odds with each other, a core group of friends and neighbors, and the stingy banker's unsympathetic attitude made an ideal set-up for Lucy's whacky schemes. The children were not utilized to their fullest extent though. They could have been given more to do.

The 4th season's huge revamp of the setting, particularly with the complete disappearance of Vivian Vance and all the children, basically resulted in a brand new series. It was virtually unrecognizable from the first three years. There were some very funny episodes (like Lucy's Substitute Secretary), and Mary Jane Croft, a favorite of mine, was given a larger role. I have the entire boxed set on dvd, but I always enjoy the episodes from the first three seasons the best.

[Kittykittykittycats]

Originally Posted by warp9p65

The first format was superior to the second in my opinion. I felt like Vivian Vance's presence on the show as Lucy's partner in crime made for unmatched comedy. The situations those two could get themselves into were just pure comedic gold. The small(er) town setting, the two families living together under one roof always in need of more money and sometimes at odds with each other, a core group of friends and neighbors, and the stingy banker's unsympathetic attitude made an ideal set-up for Lucy's whacky schemes. The children were not utilized to their fullest extent though. They could have been given more to do.

The 4th season's huge revamp of the setting, particularly with the complete disappearance of Vivian Vance and all the children, basically resulted in a brand new series. It was virtually unrecognizable from the first three years. There were some very funny episodes (like Lucy's Substitute Secretary), and Mary Jane Croft, a favorite of mine, was given a larger role. I have the entire boxed set on dvd, but I always enjoy the episodes from the first three seasons the best.

It's kind of like how that sitcom in the 80s with Nell Carter called "Gimme a Break!" completely revamped the show by the final season. They already had retooled it once or twice. They brought in a young Joey Lawrence halfway into the series, then the father passed away (in real life, and they wrote his death into the show) and then in the final season, Nell and Telma Hopkins and Joey ended up moving from California to NYC. There were 3 sisters on the first 5 seasons but by season 6, all but one of them got fired because of how the show got retooled and the newer characters (The neighbors at Nell's apartment, one of whom was a young Rosie O'Donnell) being brought on. They also brought Joey's little brother Matthew onto the show in the final season as well and it was mostly focused on the 2 boys. The youngest daughter ended up going to college in CT, thats why they moved to NYC. They were going to try and have a 7th season where Nell became a house mother at Samantha's college but they did all they could do with the show.

[CJMD03]

The Vivian years, for sure.

[TheLittleFaerie]

The show's first life always felt like an I Love Lucy sequel, if not for the name changes lol

I could totally see Fred and Ethel splitting up at some point, and sadly if Ricky was killed in a car crash or something, I could see Lucy and Ethel getting a house together some place