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Best episodes of Life With Lucy


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That show does have a few good episodes. The others are bad but there are good ones. The computer one was funny up until Lucy stupidly ordered 111 lawnmowers because she pressed the 1 button too long. They should've had it so she pressed it once, nothing happens. Then she did it again, nothing happens. A 3rd time, something finally happens. Curtis's "veggie time!" line was epic. As was Lucy tapping him on his sunburned nose in the "pilot." I thought the industrial sized fire extinguisher was not very funny. They should've aired the Audrey Meadows episode earlier in the run because that one was probably the best one of the whole 13 episodes. Does anyone like the Legal Beagle or Saxophone or Wires Crossed episodes? Out of those 3, Wires Crossed isn't that funny.

 

Just saw a very VERY  bad quality version of Breaking Up on Youtube yesterday. Not only could you barely see anything but it was sped up so it sounded like they were all on helium. I feel like somebody had a better screenshot from that one, with Lucy blowing bubbles. I thought the plot was good--Lucy thought she could run the store by herself but I had a feeling she'd end up losing a ton of money because of all the balloons and gimmicks. I loved her drum/kazoo/whistle shtick at the sale. Clearest photos I could see from that episode were on Gettyimages. I could see that the balloons were blue, yellow, red and orange. What was that yellow bottle on the ground? The helium tank? lol

http://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do-shoot-date-october-23-1986-news-photo/462252572

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I'm just dying to see Mother of The Bride. I've seen the first two and the last two, so I can give you my rundown on those.

One Good Grandparent: This episode has a distinct energy to it that works. The bubble scene is a bit sloppy but it's passable. I do like the tapping Gale's nose bit.

John Ritter: This is fun because you can tell John and Lucy are having a ball working together. I believe this was the first one filmed so Lucy was probably in great spirits. Favorite moments are the part where she feeds him because you can see an entire conversation go on between their eyes; and the very end with the harmonica where they just sort of give up and hug each other amidst the cheers of the audience. Notice in the credits the last few pictures were not part of the episode.

Breaking Up: I feel especially close to this one because to me it felt like after nearly 25 years of arguing, the Lucy and Gale characters finally reconciled. Unfortunately we only see the fruits of that new friendship for one more episode.

World's Greatest: For being Lucy's final TV episode, it works. I like the magic stuff and her rendition of Sunrise, Sunset is pretty good.

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I'm just dying to see Mother of The Bride. I've seen the first two and the last two, so I can give you my rundown on those.

One Good Grandparent: This episode has a distinct energy to it that works. The bubble scene is a bit sloppy but it's passable. I do like the tapping Gale's nose bit.

John Ritter: This is fun because you can tell John and Lucy are having a ball working together. I believe this was the first one filmed so Lucy was probably in great spirits. Favorite moments are the part where she feeds him because you can see an entire conversation go on between their eyes; and the very end with the harmonica where they just sort of give up and hug each other amidst the cheers of the audience. Notice in the credits the last few pictures were not part of the episode.

Breaking Up: I feel especially close to this one because to me it felt like after nearly 25 years of arguing, the Lucy and Gale characters finally reconciled. Unfortunately we only see the fruits of that new friendship for one more episode.

World's Greatest: For being Lucy's final TV episode, it works. I like the magic stuff and her rendition of Sunrise, Sunset is pretty good.

That's the thing, it was more about seeing Lucy working again than it ever was about anything in those scripts.  Like many say, the reception she got from the crowd in the audience just never did translate onto the screen.  Unfortunately.  If only the producers had hired the best writers and had given her sophisticated comedic lines to read instead of this falling back on old glories.

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Regarding Breaking Up, Lucy did look pretty adorable with the bubble machine and when she was in that getup with the drum and kazoo and whistle. lol. I heard on the set, she had a whistle and constantly blew it like a referee. Maybe she didn't feel like yelling with her gargling bullfrog voice. Yes, Ball had a BALL working with Ritter and she had to yell CUT because he made her laugh too hard. She kept saying "I have Ritter-itis!" the entire week they were rehearsing said episode. I don't know where this tidbit of info came from but I read it on TV.com. I'm sure she would've been devastated upon learning of his untimely death in 2003.

I am pretty sure that if Viv was still alive she would've guest starred. And if Desi wasn't dying he would've been able to help as well.\

Did the network really give her a truckload of money? Or was it just an expression?

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They gave her $100,000 an episode with a clause that even if cancelled she got paid for all 26. Rumor was Gary got $150,000.

 

I like the one with Peter Marshall. Feminity next to a good looking guy. The last scene in the kitchen about not sure if she should spend the weekend with him. Adult situation handled well. Lucy makes me teary when talking about the dead Mr. Barker.

 

Many of those serious scenes I think she tapped into those off screen emotions that she had at this time.

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100 grand for all 26 episodes? I'd be upset that my show got cancelled if I was Lucy, but at the same time, happy about earning about 2 million dollars for nothing. lol. Had the show been on in 1987 or 1988, do you think it would've been much different or lasted longer? I don't know if her health was affected due to the cancellation/Desi dying or for other reasons, but in May 1988 she had the stroke and stayed home for 6 months. She died in 1989 so I don't think it would've lasted long anyway, whether it began in 1986, 1987 or even 1988. I wonder why they didn't have her do the show in say, 1983 or 1984. It may have been on for a few seasons if that was the case. I forgot why she didn't want to guest star on The Golden Girls either. Can you also imagine her being a guest star on ALF? lol. ALF premiered the same year as LWL--2 days after. It ran until 1990. I wonder if they did ask her but she flat out refused.

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They gave her $100,000 an episode with a clause that even if cancelled she got paid for all 26. Rumor was Gary got $150,000.

 

I like the one with Peter Marshall. Feminity next to a good looking guy. The last scene in the kitchen about not sure if she should spend the weekend with him. Adult situation handled well. Lucy makes me teary when talking about the dead Mr. Barker.

 

Many of those serious scenes I think she tapped into those off screen emotions that she had at this time.

Actually it was Peter Graves of Mission Impossible fame (another long-running hit Desilu production on CBS!). :peachonthebeach:

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Regarding Breaking Up, Lucy did look pretty adorable with the bubble machine and when she was in that getup with the drum and kazoo and whistle. lol. I heard on the set, she had a whistle and constantly blew it like a referee. Maybe she didn't feel like yelling with her gargling bullfrog voice. Yes, Ball had a BALL working with Ritter and she had to yell CUT because he made her laugh too hard. She kept saying "I have Ritter-itis!" the entire week they were rehearsing said episode. I don't know where this tidbit of info came from but I read it on TV.com. I'm sure she would've been devastated upon learning of his untimely death in 2003.

I am pretty sure that if Viv was still alive she would've guest starred. And if Desi wasn't dying he would've been able to help as well.\

Did the network really give her a truckload of money? Or was it just an expression?

OLD%2BTV%2BMASTER%2BSHELL%2Binc%2BLWL%2B

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I'm just dying to see Mother of The Bride. I've seen the first two and the last two, so I can give you my rundown on those.

One Good Grandparent: This episode has a distinct energy to it that works. The bubble scene is a bit sloppy but it's passable. I do like the tapping Gale's nose bit.

John Ritter: This is fun because you can tell John and Lucy are having a ball working together. I believe this was the first one filmed so Lucy was probably in great spirits. Favorite moments are the part where she feeds him because you can see an entire conversation go on between their eyes; and the very end with the harmonica where they just sort of give up and hug each other amidst the cheers of the audience. Notice in the credits the last few pictures were not part of the episode.

Breaking Up: I feel especially close to this one because to me it felt like after nearly 25 years of arguing, the Lucy and Gale characters finally reconciled. Unfortunately we only see the fruits of that new friendship for one more episode.

World's Greatest: For being Lucy's final TV episode, it works. I like the magic stuff and her rendition of Sunrise, Sunset is pretty good.

"One Good Grandparent" with the tapping Gale's nose bit was the first episode filmed and aired (while not technically a "pilot", it sets up the premise of the series and introduces all the main characters.  Note the difference between Lucy and Gale's first respective entrances: Lucy's was cut for time (we must have stood and clapped for a good five minutes!) but due to how it was edited, Gale's was not -- and it lasted nearly as long as Lucy's! (Also look for her pulling him at one point to hit his mark -- she never stopped "directing"!!)

 

Next filmed was my least favorite episode of the series -- and the one in which Lucille looked liked hell (she reportedly was suffering from a head cold that week) "Guard Goose", which never aired.  "Wires Crossed" (with the hilarious runaway recliner scene, one of my favorite Lucy "bits" from any series!) filmed next then "John Ritter" 4th but aired the week after the premiere ostensibly due to its inherent "star power" plus the obvious affection and admiration Ritter and Lucy had for each other, which was a kick to watch (too bad the show didn't run long enough for him to make a return appearance!)!! :lucydesi:

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"One Good Grandparent" with the tapping Gale's nose bit was the first episode filmed and aired (while not technically a "pilot", it sets up the premise of the series and introduces all the main characters.  Note the difference between Lucy and Gale's first respective entrances: Lucy's was cut for time (we must have stood and clapped for a good five minutes!) but due to how it was edited, Gale's was not -- and it lasted nearly as long as Lucy's! (Also look for her pulling him at one point to hit his mark -- she never stopped "directing"!!)

 

Next filmed was my least favorite episode of the series -- and the one in which Lucille looked liked hell (she reportedly was suffering from a head cold that week) "Guard Goose", which never aired.  "Wires Crossed" (with the hilarious runaway recliner scene, one of my favorite Lucy "bits" from any series!) filmed next then "John Ritter" 4th but aired the week after the premiere ostensibly due to its inherent "star power" plus the obvious affection and admiration Ritter and Lucy had for each other, which was a kick to watch (too bad the show didn't run long enough for him to make a return appearance!)!! :lucydesi:

Yeah it looks like they're having a good time with John Ritter.  But the epsiode bugs me. TOO much hurting John physically and him comically writhing in pain.  Ritter is hailed as a great physical comedian of the Lucy school, but he's not in the same league.  He can be funny but a lot of what he does has that "I'm doing this on purpose for a laugh" quality, the absence of that is what made Lucy's brand so great. Must be VERY hard to pull off as so few besides Lucy have.  That said, I do like Ritter as a performer, the only element that's passable in "3's Company" but not enough of a draw for me to sit through an entire episode.   Way too overdone and SMARMY.   I didn't see any of the Don Knotts episodes. so I can't say if Knotts elevated the series.  Also didn't catch any episodes of John's many other series: Hooperman, 8 Rules.  It's seems like there were at least two additional stabs at sitcoms and only '8' being a semi-hit.

But back to LWL Ritter:  the likelihood of John going to the Barker/McGibbon home to recover from his injuries with a nap....and Lucy force feeding him her health food glop, not likely and shows lose me when they get TOO far-fetched without gingerly taking us there first.   I like the play rehearsal and the play itself to a point.  My favorite bit of the epsiode is Lucy reacting to "Hi, Grandma" in the audience and pushing John offstage in the wheelchair.  Particularly Lucy's look of horror when she hears John crash.   But they lose me big time when they go for the cheapest of the cheap bits in  the finale, more worthy of a Three Stooges short (where it was once done), John swallowing the harmonica and making musical sounds including the "shave and a haircut, 2 bits" tune.  Stooping that low so early in the show's run in unforgivable.  Unless there was subtle and substantial sweetening involved (and it doesn't sound like it), the studio audience reaction seems to be overwhelmingly positive, unfortunately leading them down the path of thinking they were putting out great comedy.  BUT as I have said many times, the shows were improving.  Every episode done after the premiere date was better than the previous efforts, which leads one to believe that SOMEONE was paying attention to the reviews and making changes.

 

Cheddarchester: put me down as one who liked "Legal Eagle": IMO opinion the best episode of the series.  Lucy acting all lawyer-y, snapping herself with her suspenders was the one time in the series where she was the Lucy of yore.  And for me,  the only LWL- LOL moment. 

 

Commercials for the Ritter episode aired the previous week featured the scene with Lucy pushing John in the wheelchair and the announcer proclaiming "Life with Lucy' is on a roll!!"  But unfortunately, ratings-wise it was rolling the wrong way.  After its debut at a respectable, if not great, #23, the Ritter show was #57 for the week when there were only about 68 shows on the ratings chart (Fox was not yet counted).  At least that episode did well enough to escape the bottom 10 (barely) but every one after that had the 'bottom 10' distinction.  As Bob Carroll optimistically proclaimed "We're in the TOP SEVENTY!!"

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I think "Mother of the Bride" is good, but not great. The cake smearing scene looks too rehearsed. But Lucy and Audrey worked well together and it's unfortunate Meadows didn't appear in more episodes.

 

I really can't say I have a favorite. There are many moments I like but no one episode really jumps out at me as being the best. One Good Grandparent and Wires Crossed are, I suppose, the ones I rewatch the most. Bytes the Dust was the worst of the bunch for me. I liked Legal Eagle, except for Dena Dietrich. Her character wasn't well conceived and was a bit one note. I would've rather seen Ruth Kobart in the role (she appeared in the first episode as the grumpy customer).

 

Many sitcoms seem to always have one character that the writers don't know what to do with, and that happened with Ted on this show. He pretty much got relegated to delivering standard "dad" lines and was never a focus in any of the plots, really. It's too bad, too, since Larry Anderson seemed like one of the stronger actors of the company. He later admitted his disappointment in not having more to do in an interview, though he loved working with Lucille.

 

Jenny Lewis has pretty much disowned every bit of acting she did, as she never wanted to be an actress and was only pushed into it by her mother. When an interviewer confessed he'd never seen any of her work, she bluntly responded, "you're not missing much."

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Jenny Lewis has pretty much disowned every bit of acting she did, as she never wanted to be an actress and was only pushed into it by her mother. When an interviewer confessed he'd never seen any of her work, she bluntly responded,                                                                            "you're not missing much."

Can't argue with that.

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Jenny Lewis recreates moments from her child acting days, including her Golden Girls guest spot, in her new music video. No Life with Lucy, though.

Thanks for sharing that! Glad to see she has a sense of humor about it all.

 

God, Vanessa Bayer is just everywhere today. I personally don't quite get her popularity, though she does a mean Snow White!

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Jenny Lewis recreates moments from her child acting days, including her Golden Girls guest spot, in her new music video. No Life with Lucy, though.

 

I was just about to post this! Jenny really doesn't seem to care for her child acting days, but I'm glad she did this. I love Fred Armisen as Sophia!

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Thanks for sharing that! Glad to see she has a sense of humor about it all.

 

God, Vanessa Bayer is just everywhere today. I personally don't quite get her popularity, though she does a mean Snow White!

As long as she doesn't do that annoying and totally unfunny Jewish kid on SNL.

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That episode of the Golden Girls is one of my absolute favorites. I mean it has the totally sentimental scenes of Sophia and Alvin on the boardwalk, with Sophia comforting Alvin as he cried, and then the scenes where you wanted to strangle Daisy for holding Fernando ransom.

"I have a right to sing the blues . . . I lost my teddy!"

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