A better format for The Lucy Show would have been... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

likewow · 12-19-2003, 11:21 PM

I've been listening to the My Favorite Husband radio show on the Internet, and I really like the relationship of Liz Cooper to Mr. Atterbury, played by Gale Gordon. They aren't protagonists, always at odds, like Mr. Mooney and Lucy were. Instead, on the radio show, Liz and Mr. Atterbury were fond of each other. He was the spouse of Liz's best friend and the boss of Liz's husband, so instead of being a mean cranky authority figure, Mr. Atterbury was just sometimes exasperated by Liz's shenanigans, whereas Mr. Mooney seemed to hate being in charge of Lucy's finances and wanted as little to do with her as possible.

This premise was sort of limiting to the comedy of The Lucy Show. Wouldn't it have been better if Mr. Mooney were more like Mr. Atterbury? There could have been a friendliness between the characters instead of them always being at odds.

Maybe instead of Lucy Carmichael, the character could have been Liz Cooper herself! Remember, The Lucy Show was based on the book "Life Without George." That was Liz Cooper's husband on the radio show! Perfect! And Gale Gordon could have played Mr. Atterbury, and he could have been a widower. That way, there would have been some history between the characters and some fond feelings.

What do you folks think of these ideas?

PracTz · 12-20-2003, 07:04 PM

I kinda think it would have been better had Lucy and Viv stayed mothers of kids and they actually developed more storylines with the kids instead of barely sketching them out then turning them into near-ghosts before wiping out all traces of their existances by December,1965!
Fighting Mr. Mooney on behalf of the kids was something that made Lucy far more empathetic to viewers and also gave her (and Viv) something to motivate intelligence and plans instead of turning Lucy into a total moron and Mr. Mooney into a screaming hysteric who had no real reason to employ her other than to have someone at the office to be mean to!

SPLAIN · 12-20-2003, 07:31 PM

Very well said and i agree about the screaming, friends used to tell me they stopped watching because of the decibel level on the next series. As for the kids, i don't agree, people tuned in to see Lucy get into and out of her jams, her showcasing her own daughter on the next series is what eventually killed it. It started off great with Lucy trying to bridge the generation gap, but eventually it went much too far, i'm sorry i realize this belongs more in Here's Lucy than here.

bweir · 12-22-2003, 01:12 AM

That is why I love the sixth season of TLS so much. Lucy and Mr. Mooney seem more friendly and comfortable with each other. For example, Lucy trying to help Mooney get out of the Nannette situation in Mooney's Other Wife, and Mooney arranging Viv to come out to look after Lucy when she broke her leg. Their relationship seemed to be less harsh and the new TLS format hit its stride in the 6th season...it was a shame that they went so abruptly into Here's Lucy. After that it took the writers 3 seasons to get the relationships between Lucy and Harry, and Lucy and Mary Jane back on track.

SPLAIN · 12-22-2003, 10:59 AM

True, very true! The problem was Lucy needed an authority figure like Mooney, then again she needed a co conspirator also, and he couldn't very well do both. Mary Jane's part should have been expanded, she was terrific but wasted, as any Lucy Co stars were. At the end, Lucy needed a Mary Tyler Moore ensemble group, but she never got it from her producers and writers.

12-19-2003, 11:21 PM	#1
likewow Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 28, 2003 Posts: 217	A better format for The Lucy Show would have been... I've been listening to the My Favorite Husband radio show on the Internet, and I really like the relationship of Liz Cooper to Mr. Atterbury, played by Gale Gordon. They aren't protagonists, always at odds, like Mr. Mooney and Lucy were. Instead, on the radio show, Liz and Mr. Atterbury were fond of each other. He was the spouse of Liz's best friend and the boss of Liz's husband, so instead of being a mean cranky authority figure, Mr. Atterbury was just sometimes exasperated by Liz's shenanigans, whereas Mr. Mooney seemed to hate being in charge of Lucy's finances and wanted as little to do with her as possible. This premise was sort of limiting to the comedy of The Lucy Show. Wouldn't it have been better if Mr. Mooney were more like Mr. Atterbury? There could have been a friendliness between the characters instead of them always being at odds. Maybe instead of Lucy Carmichael, the character could have been Liz Cooper herself! Remember, The Lucy Show was based on the book "Life Without George." That was Liz Cooper's husband on the radio show! Perfect! And Gale Gordon could have played Mr. Atterbury, and he could have been a widower. That way, there would have been some history between the characters and some fond feelings. What do you folks think of these ideas?

12-22-2003, 01:12 AM	#4
bweir Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 23, 2001 Posts: 293	That is why I love the sixth season of TLS so much. Lucy and Mr. Mooney seem more friendly and comfortable with each other. For example, Lucy trying to help Mooney get out of the Nannette situation in Mooney's Other Wife, and Mooney arranging Viv to come out to look after Lucy when she broke her leg. Their relationship seemed to be less harsh and the new TLS format hit its stride in the 6th season...it was a shame that they went so abruptly into Here's Lucy. After that it took the writers 3 seasons to get the relationships between Lucy and Harry, and Lucy and Mary Jane back on track.
	__________________ Lucy: Oh Mr. Mooney! You scared me half out of my wits! Mooney: Oh never give me an opening like that.

12-20-2003, 07:04 PM	#2
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	I kinda think it would have been better had Lucy and Viv stayed mothers of kids and they actually developed more storylines with the kids instead of barely sketching them out then turning them into near-ghosts before wiping out all traces of their existances by December,1965! Fighting Mr. Mooney on behalf of the kids was something that made Lucy far more empathetic to viewers and also gave her (and Viv) something to motivate intelligence and plans instead of turning Lucy into a total moron and Mr. Mooney into a screaming hysteric who had no real reason to employ her other than to have someone at the office to be mean to!

12-20-2003, 07:31 PM	#3
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	Very well said and i agree about the screaming, friends used to tell me they stopped watching because of the decibel level on the next series. As for the kids, i don't agree, people tuned in to see Lucy get into and out of her jams, her showcasing her own daughter on the next series is what eventually killed it. It started off great with Lucy trying to bridge the generation gap, but eventually it went much too far, i'm sorry i realize this belongs more in Here's Lucy than here.

12-22-2003, 10:59 AM	#5
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	True, very true! The problem was Lucy needed an authority figure like Mooney, then again she needed a co conspirator also, and he couldn't very well do both. Mary Jane's part should have been expanded, she was terrific but wasted, as any Lucy Co stars were. At the end, Lucy needed a Mary Tyler Moore ensemble group, but she never got it from her producers and writers.