chedderchester Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I think this is my 2nd favorite season, next to 1 being the best. There are a lot of gems on here, like Lucy the Good Skate, Lucy Tries Winter Sports, Lucy is a camp cook, Lucy the Coin Collector, Lucy's Contact lenses, Lucy and the Ceramic Cat, Lucy Gets the Bird, Lucy and the Monsters . . . not wild about the 2nd half. Old Mansion is probably the best one of the 2nd half. Lucy's Contact Lenses is epic--So they really had to destroy 40 chocolate cakes? Why, did 16 not make a big enough pile? Or did Lucille actually use real cake during rehearsals as well? Why was Arnold Mooney at the house? Was he just across the studio lot for his show, and ran into Miss Ball and she let him guest star again? And why weren't any of the cake boxes labeled with the name of whoever brought them? I bet after that, they never wanted to eat chocolate cake ever again. --When I was in the my senior year spring musical, they gave us free pizza during tech week and during each performance, and it was the same place every night. I am grateful it was free food, but I never want to eat that pizza again. And the fact that my stomach was messed up a lot because of stress due to senior year, my grandma was dying, late nights at school didn't make it any tastier . . . thankfully I didn't throw up but I almost did. My great aunt actually did during one of our performances. All of a sudden she didn't feel good, so my mom (who was an usher) tried escorting her to the bathroom but didn't make it. Luckily it was outside the auditorium. Sorry for going off on a tangent! lol Lucy the Coin Collector--was there a deleted scene that we don't know about? Viv mentions twice that the garbage disposal messed up some of the pennies. We did not see that. And Lucy is lucky that the drain stopper must have been covering the drain when she dumped them in the sink. I also wonder why they didn't go through the first sack of pennies. I hope they got it back! I LOST MY PENNY! Lucy Gets the Bird--with clearer restored picture you can totally tell that the bird is a toy when it's shown from far away. "If we don't get this bird we won't get any place and it won't matter when you got a grass skirt OR NOT!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 In Lucy Gets The Bird I get a local city reference in that they only have enough green stamps to get them to Harrisburg, PA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreddieMertz Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 In my opinion, the 3rd season is actually lower in quality than the second season. The difference is the third season is much more memorable. You could tell 3 Bobs and Madelyn were running out of ideas fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickylu Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 I find myself watching season three more than season two. I love Camp Cook, My Fair Lucy, Disc Jockey, among many others. I like season two, but for some reason I mostly watch episodes from earlier in that season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chedderchester Posted October 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 Agreed, Rickylu. On that note, I think the best late S2 eps are Lucy Goes into Politics, Baking Contest, and Lucy Meets a Millionaire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertz2mertz Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 I like the Ethel Merman ep. I just get a kick out of Lucy saying "Ethel" one more time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Kampen Tripp Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 The 3 Bobs and a babe ought to run out of steam since they didn't write a single episode from season 3 on lol. I really like season three from the fun opening graphics to the colorful escapades that ensue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreddieMertz Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 Season 3 is very cartoonish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONALISAISMONALUCY Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 This is my favorite season of the first three seasons. The shows with Vivian Vance were top notched. There were more special guest stars during this season than the last two. Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Ann Sothern and Danny Kaye, come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 The 3 Bobs and a babe ought to run out of steam since they didn't write a single episode from season 3 on lol. I really like season three from the fun opening graphics to the colorful escapades that ensue. It's by far my favorite opening credit sequence. Bobs minus 1Bob and a Babe wrote 4, though none up to par with their efforts with Babe and third Bob. (People seem to like "Camp Cooks". I love the hitchhiking scene with Madge Blake, but the kitchen scene is too harsh for me). The episodes are to me a let-down from season 2. Even as a kid, before I really internalized that the dialogue was WRITTEN, I knew something was different. Sometimes individual scenes were fun, but the structure just wasn't there. A mish-mash of freelance writers accounted for the uneven quality of the episodes. The best writers of that season IMO were Fred Fox and Iz Elinson. What little continuity the show had had disappeared. Gone were infrequent but recurring characters: Audrey, Franny, Thelma Green (though Carole Cook did pop us as Mrs. Valence, whoever she was supposed to be), Kathleen, Dorothy, Sgt. Wilcox, Professor Gitterman, and even the unseen Grandma Sutton. The delightful women's club: gone. The kids had practically disappeared to the extent that when Sherman was on the first Ann Sothern show, he looked older. At least Audrey Simmons was referenced but that must have been the year the FBI put her in the witness protection program, renamed her Mary Jane Lewis and did SOMETHING to her voice, so much so that the California Lucy didn't recognize her old nemesis and saved her "You remind me of someone I used to know" line for Oil Well's trainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONALISAISMONALUCY Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 It's by far my favorite opening credit sequence. Bobs minus 1Bob and a Babe wrote 4, though none up to par with their efforts with Babe and third Bob. (People seem to like "Camp Cooks". I love the hitchhiking scene with Madge Blake, but the kitchen scene is too harsh for me). The episodes are to me a let-down from season 2. Even as a kid, before I really internalized that the dialogue was WRITTEN, I knew something was different. Sometimes individual scenes were fun, but the structure just wasn't there. A mish-mash of freelance writers accounted for the uneven quality of the episodes. The best writers of that season IMO were Fred Fox and Iz Elinson. What little continuity the show had had disappeared. Gone were infrequent but recurring characters: Audrey, Franny, Thelma Green (though Carole Cook did pop us as Mrs. Valence, whoever she was supposed to be), Kathleen, Dorothy, Sgt. Wilcox, Professor Gitterman, and even the unseen Grandma Sutton. The delightful women's club: gone. The kids had practically disappeared to the extent that when Sherman was on the first Ann Sothern show, he looked older. At least Audrey Simmons was referenced but that must have been the year the FBI put her in the witness protection program, renamed her Mary Jane Lewis and did SOMETHING to her voice, so much so that the California Lucy didn't recognize her old nemesis and saved her "You remind me of someone I used to know" line for Oil Well's trainer. "What a crazy pair? They could be cousins identical cousins... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Kampen Tripp Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 That's right Neil.. only Bob and Madelyn left season 3 ... ITS STILL a great season...she looks just great and sounds good too!! Too bad the kids are pretty much set dressing.. Hands down the neatest opener of the series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 In many ways I find season 3 a bit more refreshing than season 2, just because I personally found season 2 a bit stale on the whole. I think season 3 was responsible for more genuinely funny individual moments, but the new writers definitely create a different feel that year. Neil's right in that it feels off. I remember Candy Moore being quoted in The Lucy Book as saying that the atmosphere was also different that year. Things just weren't the same. This was also the year that Lucy Carmichael lost some of her pizazz and became consistently dumber. The missing stamp episode is a prime example. Had this episode occurred in season one, Lucy would have been a shining saleswoman rather than the bumbling dolt depicted here. My favorite part about this season was the introduction of the Countess. Ann Sothern was a refreshing addition and her 4 episodes created the only arc that season ever had. In fact, it's one of the few arcs the SERIES ever had! Granted, they were doing something different each week, but it showed that Ann was equally as adept in playing opposite Lucy as Viv was. Maybe it's just because we know what went on, but I can sense that Vivian was ready to leave the show by this point. Her performances, though enjoyable, don't have quite the same sparkle they had during the first year. At times she seems to just go through the motions; you half expect to see her glancing at her watch on occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 Maybe it's just because we know what went on, but I can sense that Vivian was ready to leave the show by this point. Her performances, though enjoyable, don't have quite the same sparkle they had during the first year. At times she seems to just go through the motions; you half expect to see her glancing at her watch on occasions. I tend to agree. In Lucy & The Monsters, for example, Viv seems relatively under-rehearsed compared to the rest of the cast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 I tend to agree. In Lucy & The Monsters, for example, Viv seems relatively under-rehearsed compared to the rest of the cast. I plan to rewatch the show soon, and I'm looking forward to seeing this season again, along with season 4. These are the two "middle seasons" and they feel like it. There's definitely a feeling of the winds changing during both of them. Apart from the change to color and the addition of Gale, season 2 carries onwards from season 1. And seasons 5 and 6 feel like more polished versions of what was introduced in season 4. But the two middle years not only represent the series when it was in a state of flux, they also represent the turning point in Lucille Ball's television career; the switchover from her former TV persona to her new one. So while the quality may vary drastically, it marks a historic time in the Lucy canon for that reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 I plan to rewatch the show soon, and I'm looking forward to seeing this season again, along with season 4. These are the two "middle seasons" and they feel like it. There's definitely a feeling of the winds changing during both of them. Apart from the change to color and the addition of Gale, season 2 carries onwards from season 1. And seasons 5 and 6 feel like more polished versions of what was introduced in season 4. But the two middle years not only represent the series when it was in a state of flux, they also represent the turning point in Lucille Ball's television career; the switchover from her former TV persona to her new one. So while the quality may vary drastically, it marks a historic time in the Lucy canon for that reason. True! Well said bud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Kampen Tripp Posted May 23, 2015 Report Share Posted May 23, 2015 I like season 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageluminary Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I usually don't watch any episodes past the second season, aside from the more famous ones ("Lucy Dates Dean Martin," "Lucy Gets Jack Benny's Account," etc.) But since I've been snowed in all weekend, I've been watching some of the Season 3 shows online. Looking back, they're they're really not as terrible as I remembered. I did like that Viv had a lot more to do in some of the early episodes, particularly in "Lucy And The Winter Sports" and "Lucy Gets Amnesia." Also, Lucy herself seemed more energized due to the change in writers. The show gets sillier and more cartoon-like about midway through the season - and once Viv's character starts to get phased out, I lose interest.** To this day, I have not seen most of the California episodes, aside from the ones in the public domain (which I didn't care for very much.) Actually, I prefer the early episodes of "Here's Lucy" to the later episodes of "The Lucy Show" that I've seen, if only because the Lucy character had a "home" life again and had other characters to interact with aside from Gale Gordon.** = I do like the Ann Sothern episodes though, aside from the one where they go to a camp to lose weight (given Ann's well-publicized weight problems, I'm surprised she agreed to do that episode.) It's too bad Ann wasn't willing to be Lucy's permanent co-star once Viv left, because she and Lucy worked very well together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 I usually don't watch any episodes past the second season, aside from the more famous ones ("Lucy Dates Dean Martin," "Lucy Gets Jack Benny's Account," etc.) But since I've been snowed in all weekend, I've been watching some of the Season 3 shows online. Looking back, they're they're really not as terrible as I remembered. I did like that Viv had a lot more to do in some of the early episodes, particularly in "Lucy And The Winter Sports" and "Lucy Gets Amnesia." Also, Lucy herself seemed more energized due to the change in writers. The show gets sillier and more cartoon-like about midway through the season - and once Viv's character starts to get phased out, I lose interest.** To this day, I have not seen most of the California episodes, aside from the ones in the public domain (which I didn't care for very much.) Actually, I prefer the early episodes of "Here's Lucy" to the later episodes of "The Lucy Show" that I've seen, if only because the Lucy character had a "home" life again and had other characters to interact with aside from Gale Gordon. ** = I do like the Ann Sothern episodes though, aside from the one where they go to a camp to lose weight (given Ann's well-publicized weight problems, I'm surprised she agreed to do that episode.) It's too bad Ann wasn't willing to be Lucy's permanent co-star once Viv left, because she and Lucy worked very well together. For all it's silliness and flaws, I know what you mean about Here's Lucy. At least those episodes had the family ingredient and more friends for her to interact with, something that was definitely lacking in the later TLS episodes. And Ann would've made a great costar for Lucy. With all due respect to Mary Jane Croft, she could only do so much with the limited material given to her; having more girlfriends for Lucy to play off of would've balanced the scales. Pity that the countess couldn't have been recurring as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 I'm on to season 3. "Good Skate" certainly kicks the season off with a bang. A great choice for the premiere. It's very amusing, well-paced and believable. The finale at the country club is brilliantly executed. Lucy really pulled this gag off so well and seemingly without effort. Her joint bit with Vivian in the sporting goods store is also a riot, I'd forgotten about the moose heads. Is it me, or did the set for the sporting goods store appear to be the art store from last season redressed? "Plumber" is a great one. Benny's presence more than makes up for Viv's absence. It's little wonder Lucy had trouble with her plumbing, considering how often the stove top and kitchen sink swap positions this season. These new writers certainly had a fondness for water jets. The backdrop outside the plumber's office appears to be the same one outside the sporting goods store in "Good Skate". Danfield must really be a small town. I couldn't help noticing the "Talent Discoveries Program" seemed to take place on the same stage, and with the same curtain, as the Boy Scouts show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Kampen Tripp Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 I just adore season 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 "Plumber" is a great one. Benny's presence more than makes up for Viv's absence. It's little wonder Lucy had trouble with her plumbing, considering how often the stove top and kitchen sink swap positions this season. These new writers certainly had a fondness for water jets. The backdrop outside the plumber's office appears to be the same one outside the sporting goods store in "Good Skate". Danfield must really be a small town. I couldn't help noticing the "Talent Discoveries Program" seemed to take place on the same stage, and with the same curtain, as the Boy Scouts show. Great eye on the curtain! I think this is a particularly underrated episode, but any time Lucy and Benny are together it is joyous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 Decades ran this one today (Jack Benny/Plumber)....they're toasting Bob Hope today and probably thought his role was bigger. They didn't run it right from the beginning. Is there some reference to Viv being away? Secret rendezvous with Vern Bunson perhaps? I had enough trouble with the faucets turning on the wrong water--ridiculous and more importantly, not particularly funny. But the water coming out of two places on the stove??? Right up there with water coming out of the "loose wires" Kim discovers in "Fixer". The cleverest writing in this show is the name they came up with: Lucrecia Carmucci. When Lucy almost made good on her threat to quit at the end of the 63-64 season, serious enough that CBS's fall schedule had her time slot given to the 2nd season of "Petticoat Junction", there was talk of her coming back in an hour-long variety show format. I don't know how long that idea was on the table, but her bit as the Italian Tamale proved that she would have been great at sketch comedy characterizations. This whole episode plays more like a variety show skit than a sitcom. This was the period where her singing voice was at its best. Perhaps not good enough for solos like Carol Burnett but certainly duets with guests and production numbers. She could have introduced each guest with a customized "That's What I Want for Janie"----"ladies and gentlemen, Miss Jane Powell!!" Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 A Lucy variety show would've been great! Didn't Desi want to turn ILL into an hour long variety type thing? The first Comedy Hour certainly seems like a semi-variety show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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