Was "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" Basically Considered As An Hour ILL Episode? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 02-02-2008, 03:54 PM

I really don't consider it as a seperate series. It really seems to be an hour "Lucy" episode. Is that what it was meant to be?

Bill S. · 02-02-2008, 04:53 PM

I don't consider it a separate series either. It was actually released on DVD as Seasons 7-9 of I Love Lucy.

Ireneparalegal · 02-02-2008, 05:37 PM

For the longest time when ILL was shown in syndication in my area, they NEVER aired the hour long episodes. It wasn't until abt ten years ago that I actually seen them for the first time. My local area began airing them right after the final 30 minute episode of ILL.

However, the fact that the show has a different title, makes it in my mind, a separate show. It is called the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, not I Love Lucy.

Desi had wanted to change the format of the show (ILL) but was told no by CBS executives. Desi's idea was to have one hour Lucy "specials" not episodes and have guest stars in each episode. So, to the creator, Desi Arnaz, these specials that initially ran 1 hour and 15 minutes, ended up being the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour. BTW, in my local area they call it WE LOVE LUCY.

Even Vivian Vance was not up to anymore ILL shows, but changed her mind when she saw the formula for the "specials", the guest stars, the wardrobe changes, etc.

There is a whole chapter in my ILL book on this very topic, so after having read that, it made me feel the "specials" were in fact a different show.

JMO.

Larry Surrell · 02-02-2008, 05:57 PM

This is a tough one! Although the format and title were different, it was the same cast playing the same parts on (for the most part) the same set as the previous ILL season, so who knows?

Now I'm all confused

Benno123 · 02-02-2008, 06:11 PM

I've always considered the hour shows a spin-off from the 30 minutes shows. It's the same characters in the same setting, yet it is a different show ..... to a certain point. For one thing, a higher budget which allowed for more elaborate (spelling?) musical numbers, more on-location shooting, bigger and fancier sets. Yet, to me the show hit its mark when the Ricardos and Mertzes were home in Connecticut (except for the 1st one set in Cuba) and the ones set outside of the house seemed a little forced and slow paced. I don't think the location scenes ever added anything, and by the time the show ended the final 4 had been filmed without an audience and the timing seemed to suffer because of it.

I do think "The Celebrity Next Door" and "Lucy Makes Room For Danny" are top-notch shows, ranking up there with some of the best episodes of Lucy's entire career. I have yet to ever rewatch "Lucy's Summer Vacation" or "The Ricardos Go To Japan" after having seen them for the first time, I just find those shows dull and boring. Maybe if I rewatched them now, I may enjoy them.

*ClassicPinUp* · 02-02-2008, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benno123

"The Ricardos Go To Japan" after having seen them for the first time, I just find those shows dull and boring. Maybe if I rewatched them now, I may enjoy them.

The Japan episode is probably one of my favorites out of the Lucy-Desi Comedy hour. You shoud try it again you might like it this time

Lucy and Ethel falling through the wall while he's in the tub is a classic! So is Lucy dropping the pearls in the tub and than almost reaching right in for them. Made Bob Cummings (who I think was very sexy

) a little jumpy

YELLOW11 · 02-02-2008, 07:15 PM

Yeah, I love The Ricardos Go To Japan, but dislike Lucy's Summer Vacation--mainly because the Mertzes had very little screentime.

Benno123 · 02-02-2008, 08:22 PM

I will agree with you about the scene where they pop through the thin paper walls, that is a very funny moment! I remember enjoying Fred and his moneybelt and it shrinking on him, too. I should watch the show again, I just haven't had the chance. Maybe tomorrow before the big game!

PirateKris · 02-02-2008, 08:30 PM

I never really considered it different from ILL,I always thought of it as an hour long ILL episode

drewfussclass101 · 02-03-2008, 01:27 AM

i agree with forever. The Ricardos go to Japan is probably one of my ALL time favorites. The scene where lucy does the geisha dance and has to fake the japanese language is histerical to me. But i have never really considered the LDCH as a "Different" Show. It took up where i love lucy left off....the house in conneticut...ricky still working in the night club...lucy still trying to get in the show...the mertzes still working as farm hands. it was just like an added bounus to me....a hour worth of lucy instead of just thirty min.

Ireneparalegal · 02-03-2008, 05:14 PM

It is great in one sense to see the fab four for 1 hour rather than 30 mins. but the acting seems a tad bit different. I don't know, I can't really get into the comedy hour. I have watched them, but they are not up to par with ILL. I can give the Japan episode a thumbs up

but other than that, no.

*ClassicPinUp* · 02-03-2008, 05:57 PM

I loved that the show was an hour long but I never could get use to them no longer being in the city. No matter how many times I watch... it still feels "off" not seeing them in the apartment.

JaneTVFan · 02-03-2008, 06:53 PM

Just because the show was longer, had a new name and a bigger budget, it was a different series? First of all, when those hour shows were produced, they were NOT called THE LUCY-DESI COMEDY HOUR. During the 1957-58 season, they were THE WESTINGHOUSE LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW. Then from 1958 to 1960, it was simply called THE LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW. Lots of shows have name changes, but a name change doesn't make it a different show. Danny Thomas's show was called MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY before the name was changed to THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW. But it was the same cast, the same premise, the same show. Also, having a longer run-time doesn't make it a different show, either. Lots of shows have done that, like GUNSMOKE, which started out as a half hour show, then became an hour. Or THE TWILIGHT ZONE. They weren't new snows, just longer ones. And as for the bigger budget, all that meant was that they could do more. I LOVE LUCY had a small budget when it started out, but after 1952 or '53 the budget got a lot bigger. But that didn't make it a different show. It was still I LOVE LUCY. These hour shows were nothing but a different version of the same show. It's like a poor, hungry woman who marries into wealth and changes her name (and gains weight). Those changes don't make her a different person! She's the same person, just wealthier, heavier, and with a new last name.

02-02-2008, 03:54 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,120	Was "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" Basically Considered As An Hour ILL Episode? I really don't consider it as a seperate series. It really seems to be an hour "Lucy" episode. Is that what it was meant to be?

02-02-2008, 05:37 PM	#3
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	For the longest time when ILL was shown in syndication in my area, they NEVER aired the hour long episodes. It wasn't until abt ten years ago that I actually seen them for the first time. My local area began airing them right after the final 30 minute episode of ILL. However, the fact that the show has a different title, makes it in my mind, a separate show. It is called the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, not I Love Lucy. Desi had wanted to change the format of the show (ILL) but was told no by CBS executives. Desi's idea was to have one hour Lucy "specials" not episodes and have guest stars in each episode. So, to the creator, Desi Arnaz, these specials that initially ran 1 hour and 15 minutes, ended up being the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour. BTW, in my local area they call it WE LOVE LUCY. Even Vivian Vance was not up to anymore ILL shows, but changed her mind when she saw the formula for the "specials", the guest stars, the wardrobe changes, etc. There is a whole chapter in my ILL book on this very topic, so after having read that, it made me feel the "specials" were in fact a different show. JMO.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

02-02-2008, 04:53 PM	#2
Bill S. Member Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2003 Posts: 1,112	I don't consider it a separate series either. It was actually released on DVD as Seasons 7-9 of I Love Lucy.

02-02-2008, 05:57 PM	#4
Larry Surrell Ed M. 1918-2006 RIP Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 702	This is a tough one! Although the format and title were different, it was the same cast playing the same parts on (for the most part) the same set as the previous ILL season, so who knows? Now I'm all confused

02-02-2008, 06:11 PM	#5
Benno123 Jenna Fischer Rocks My World!! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,036	I've always considered the hour shows a spin-off from the 30 minutes shows. It's the same characters in the same setting, yet it is a different show ..... to a certain point. For one thing, a higher budget which allowed for more elaborate (spelling?) musical numbers, more on-location shooting, bigger and fancier sets. Yet, to me the show hit its mark when the Ricardos and Mertzes were home in Connecticut (except for the 1st one set in Cuba) and the ones set outside of the house seemed a little forced and slow paced. I don't think the location scenes ever added anything, and by the time the show ended the final 4 had been filmed without an audience and the timing seemed to suffer because of it. I do think "The Celebrity Next Door" and "Lucy Makes Room For Danny" are top-notch shows, ranking up there with some of the best episodes of Lucy's entire career. I have yet to ever rewatch "Lucy's Summer Vacation" or "The Ricardos Go To Japan" after having seen them for the first time, I just find those shows dull and boring. Maybe if I rewatched them now, I may enjoy them.

02-02-2008, 07:15 PM	#7
YELLOW11 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 19, 2007 Posts: 54	Yeah, I love The Ricardos Go To Japan, but dislike Lucy's Summer Vacation--mainly because the Mertzes had very little screentime.

02-02-2008, 08:22 PM	#8
Benno123 Jenna Fischer Rocks My World!! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,036	I will agree with you about the scene where they pop through the thin paper walls, that is a very funny moment! I remember enjoying Fred and his moneybelt and it shrinking on him, too. I should watch the show again, I just haven't had the chance. Maybe tomorrow before the big game!

02-02-2008, 08:30 PM	#9
PirateKris Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4	I never really considered it different from ILL,I always thought of it as an hour long ILL episode

02-03-2008, 01:27 AM	#10
drewfussclass101 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 27, 2004 Location: TN Posts: 156	i agree with forever. The Ricardos go to Japan is probably one of my ALL time favorites. The scene where lucy does the geisha dance and has to fake the japanese language is histerical to me. But i have never really considered the LDCH as a "Different" Show. It took up where i love lucy left off....the house in conneticut...ricky still working in the night club...lucy still trying to get in the show...the mertzes still working as farm hands. it was just like an added bounus to me....a hour worth of lucy instead of just thirty min.

02-03-2008, 05:14 PM	#11
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	It is great in one sense to see the fab four for 1 hour rather than 30 mins. but the acting seems a tad bit different. I don't know, I can't really get into the comedy hour. I have watched them, but they are not up to par with ILL. I can give the Japan episode a thumbs up but other than that, no.

02-03-2008, 05:57 PM	#12
ClassicPinUp ***** Senior Member** Join Date: Oct 28, 2006 Posts: 2,246	I loved that the show was an hour long but I never could get use to them no longer being in the city. No matter how many times I watch... it still feels "off" not seeing them in the apartment.

02-03-2008, 06:53 PM	#13
JaneTVFan Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 06, 2001 Posts: 641	Just because the show was longer, had a new name and a bigger budget, it was a different series? First of all, when those hour shows were produced, they were NOT called THE LUCY-DESI COMEDY HOUR. During the 1957-58 season, they were THE WESTINGHOUSE LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW. Then from 1958 to 1960, it was simply called THE LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW. Lots of shows have name changes, but a name change doesn't make it a different show. Danny Thomas's show was called MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY before the name was changed to THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW. But it was the same cast, the same premise, the same show. Also, having a longer run-time doesn't make it a different show, either. Lots of shows have done that, like GUNSMOKE, which started out as a half hour show, then became an hour. Or THE TWILIGHT ZONE. They weren't new snows, just longer ones. And as for the bigger budget, all that meant was that they could do more. I LOVE LUCY had a small budget when it started out, but after 1952 or '53 the budget got a lot bigger. But that didn't make it a different show. It was still I LOVE LUCY. These hour shows were nothing but a different version of the same show. It's like a poor, hungry woman who marries into wealth and changes her name (and gains weight). Those changes don't make her a different person! She's the same person, just wealthier, heavier, and with a new last name.