"Lucy Enters A Baking Contest" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bweir · 07-12-2003, 11:41 PM

We all know that Lucy hated this episode of The Lucy Show and at this point she and her regular writers went separate ways after "creative disagreements", but what do you guys think of this episode?

I find it to be a very dark episode in terms of atmosphere and I don't know why. I also saw things that I didn't like in the plot line that maybe Lucy saw as well. It is noticable that Viv, Audrey Simmons, and Kathleen are very annoyed with Lucy Carmichael and instead of giving her good natured ribbing like they usually do, they were much more bitter and insulting to to her than in previous scripts. Lucy's friends were much more demanding and rude to her and it made the character of Lucy Carmichael seem very weak and intimidated. She is also portrayed as stupid and unlike other episodes, she doesn't ultimately win at the end. She only wins because Viv switched pies with her. It is one of the few "viv" episodes where Lucy does not come out on top. It is a very unusual episode for the "Viv" episodes and I can see why Lucy was so displeased with it.

Any thoughts?

bb25 · 07-21-2003, 01:14 AM

I've never personally seen this ep, but I've heard from others (including my mom who called it "cute") that it wasn't bad...

talltideman@aol.com · 07-23-2003, 06:19 AM

This episode doesn't jive with another episode "Lucy's Contact Lenses." In this episode Mrs. Mooney wants the cake that Lucy baked at the bakesale because Lucy is supposed to be the best baker in town. Doesn't make much sense.

SPLAIN · 07-23-2003, 09:59 AM

The writers were BIG on laughs, but NEVER on continuity!

bb25 · 07-23-2003, 11:24 PM

"Lucy's Contact Lenses" was actually a 3rd season episode I believe and "Baking Contest" from the 2nd, and by the 3rd season, all her original writers were gone and they seemingly hired just anyone to write any given episode, so of course there was no continuity at all, except basically just the characters names...that's what happens when you get too many different writers...facts get muddled, characters change weekly...you may get funny shows but not necessarily factual shows...anyway I think I've made my point...

That Other Fan · 07-25-2003, 04:38 AM

That same type of inconsistency can be found on ILL as well.

Ex.

- Ethel can drive one episode, another episode she can't.

- One year Ricky completely forgets his anniversary (Lucy as well, who had fibbed about it so much to Ricky that she doesn't remember it anymore). A season of two later they've both remembered and are hiding gifts from one another. Another season or two later and Ricky has forgotten it again and must have the date wired to him.

Little to do with the fact that the original “Lucy” writers were gone, as that's just something that happens on most sitcoms...inconsistency.

bb25 · 07-26-2003, 02:04 AM

Exactly, I mean, really, who, inculding writers, keeps track of those small kind of things other than dedicated fans like us? It's not as if the average viewer will actually take notice or anything, it's just that the more different writers you have the greater the inconsistency...

SPLAIN · 07-28-2003, 02:40 PM

Yes, true, but what we're saying is on I Love Lucy, they only had 5 writers for the whole series and they still had no continuity whatsoever. However, you try and get three writers to write 30 plus shows a season, like Bob and Madelyn did until the other two Bobs showed up. Saturday Night live has 39 writers to write 22 shows and they are all terrible!

NCVARick · 08-27-2003, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bweir
We all know that Lucy hated this episode of The Lucy Show and at this point she and her regular writers went separate ways after "creative disagreements", but what do you guys think of this episode?

I find it to be a very dark episode in terms of atmosphere and I don't know why. I also saw things that I didn't like in the plot line that maybe Lucy saw as well. It is noticable that Viv, Audrey Simmons, and Kathleen are very annoyed with Lucy Carmichael and instead of giving her good natured ribbing like they usually do, they were much more bitter and insulting to to her than in previous scripts. Lucy's friends were much more demanding and rude to her and it made the character of Lucy Carmichael seem very weak and intimidated. She is also portrayed as stupid and unlike other episodes, she doesn't ultimately win at the end. She only wins because Viv switched pies with her. It is one of the few "viv" episodes where Lucy does not come out on top. It is a very unusual episode for the "Viv" episodes and I can see why Lucy was so displeased with it.

Any thoughts?

I'm about as baffled by your comment as I always have been by Lucille Ball's supposed disdain for this episode. A dark episode? This episode was written in about as traditional a manner as any. It's a quintessential "Lucy" script from beginning to end and parallels so many others before it in terms of style and the relationships between the characters. When you say the supporting characters seemed bitter, can you give examples? I don't sense any bitterness anywhere in this script. Sure, they gave Lucy a hard time, like they did so many times before when Lucy made a fool of herself. And like all those previous times, she deserved it! She lied to them, for gosh sakes (like she did so many times before) so of course they're going to give her a hard time (like they always did). Remember the hard time they gave her about her singing in the "Barbershop Quartet" episode, or in "Lucy Drives a Dump Truck" when they kicked her out of her club? As for Lucy usually coming out on top in the episodes with Viv, really??? How about "No More Double Dates" or "Lucy Goes to Art Class" or "Lucy Takes Up Chemistry" (to name just a few)? Lucy was clearly the loser in those. In fact, it seems Lucy was the loser more often than not.

Like so many Bob and Madelyn scripts, this one made Lucy seem very human. She had flaws, but she also had a conscience. I watched this episode recently and found myself laughing out loud (again) and appreciating how very well crafted it was. If Lucille Ball was upset at this episode, but would accept nonsense like "Lucy, the Robot" and those wretched Ironman Carmichael episodes and the numerous other crappy episodes that would come her way later on, she had to have been quite irrational and DESPERATELY needed Desi's career guidance.

07-12-2003, 11:41 PM	#1
bweir Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 23, 2001 Posts: 293	"Lucy Enters A Baking Contest" We all know that Lucy hated this episode of The Lucy Show and at this point she and her regular writers went separate ways after "creative disagreements", but what do you guys think of this episode? I find it to be a very dark episode in terms of atmosphere and I don't know why. I also saw things that I didn't like in the plot line that maybe Lucy saw as well. It is noticable that Viv, Audrey Simmons, and Kathleen are very annoyed with Lucy Carmichael and instead of giving her good natured ribbing like they usually do, they were much more bitter and insulting to to her than in previous scripts. Lucy's friends were much more demanding and rude to her and it made the character of Lucy Carmichael seem very weak and intimidated. She is also portrayed as stupid and unlike other episodes, she doesn't ultimately win at the end. She only wins because Viv switched pies with her. It is one of the few "viv" episodes where Lucy does not come out on top. It is a very unusual episode for the "Viv" episodes and I can see why Lucy was so displeased with it. Any thoughts?
	__________________ Lucy: Oh Mr. Mooney! You scared me half out of my wits! Mooney: Oh never give me an opening like that.

07-23-2003, 06:19 AM	#3
talltideman@aol.com Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 27, 2002 Location: indiana Posts: 30	Inconsistant scripts This episode doesn't jive with another episode "Lucy's Contact Lenses." In this episode Mrs. Mooney wants the cake that Lucy baked at the bakesale because Lucy is supposed to be the best baker in town. Doesn't make much sense.

07-21-2003, 01:14 AM	#2
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	I've never personally seen this ep, but I've heard from others (including my mom who called it "cute") that it wasn't bad...

07-23-2003, 09:59 AM	#4
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	The writers were BIG on laughs, but NEVER on continuity!

07-23-2003, 11:24 PM	#5
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	"Lucy's Contact Lenses" was actually a 3rd season episode I believe and "Baking Contest" from the 2nd, and by the 3rd season, all her original writers were gone and they seemingly hired just anyone to write any given episode, so of course there was no continuity at all, except basically just the characters names...that's what happens when you get too many different writers...facts get muddled, characters change weekly...you may get funny shows but not necessarily factual shows...anyway I think I've made my point...

07-25-2003, 04:38 AM	#6
That Other Fan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 27, 2001 Posts: 191	That same type of inconsistency can be found on ILL as well. Ex. - Ethel can drive one episode, another episode she can't. - One year Ricky completely forgets his anniversary (Lucy as well, who had fibbed about it so much to Ricky that she doesn't remember it anymore). A season of two later they've both remembered and are hiding gifts from one another. Another season or two later and Ricky has forgotten it again and must have the date wired to him. Little to do with the fact that the original “Lucy” writers were gone, as that's just something that happens on most sitcoms...inconsistency.

07-26-2003, 02:04 AM	#7
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	Exactly, I mean, really, who, inculding writers, keeps track of those small kind of things other than dedicated fans like us? It's not as if the average viewer will actually take notice or anything, it's just that the more different writers you have the greater the inconsistency...

07-28-2003, 02:40 PM	#8
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	Yes, true, but what we're saying is on I Love Lucy, they only had 5 writers for the whole series and they still had no continuity whatsoever. However, you try and get three writers to write 30 plus shows a season, like Bob and Madelyn did until the other two Bobs showed up. Saturday Night live has 39 writers to write 22 shows and they are all terrible!