What episodes are you watching on "I Love Lucy"?

[C L A U D E]

Tonight I bought a raffle ticket for a television set and then suddenly became younger when Sydney appeared on the screen.

Didn't Justin Bieber used to push your baby carriage?

[Brock]

Didn't Justin Bieber used to push your baby carriage?

 

Yes, but he was the one who wore -- and is still wearing -- droopy drawers.

[C L A U D E]

Yes, but he was the one who wore -- and is still wearing -- droopy drawers.

Now T H A T ' S funny!

[C L A U D E]

Tonight, it was The Black Wig and yes, it does look great on Lucy, she was still youngish then, and The Diner.

[Irene Kampen Tripp]

I always felt sorry for the Mertzes in that episode... seems a bit cruddy of the Ricardos to not once offer help behind the counter!

[Brock]

Well, the Mertzes had the know-how and the Ricardos had the name.

[JoeySanJoaquin]

She instantaneously received a new hat with beautiful blue pearls all over it on their fastest, speediest delivery!

[C L A U D E]

Had to sit through Mertz and Kurtz yet again, but it`s starting to grow on me, great music in that fake beach number at the end.

[Luvsbway]

I gave myself a challenge 2 weeks ago that so far is going pretty well. My normal routine has been to watch at least one Lucy thing every day (movie, episode from any series, etc..). What I realized was that in watching episodes on my DVDs I’ll either grab a disk and watch only some of the episodes in totally random order. I frequently seem to be watching the same episodes over and over and skipping a lot of others. My challenge has been this. Whenever I am in the mood to watch an episode from a Lucy show I must watch ILL and I must watch them in order. This way it forces me to watch the ones I never pick. So far so good, I’m currently in the baby episodes now.

 

As I progress in the sequential path it really offers some good insights, I remember things I forgot about, and I realize the often talked about bad ones, really are not that bad.

 

My random observations.

 

Furniture-We’ve remarked how often Lucy got new furniture. Redecorating was the first episode with this theme. I was getting really tired of seeing that 1st season furniture and am glad by this point they got new stuff. It didn’t look so cheap anymore.

 

Beds-The beds in the 1st season were pushed together with the covers splitting them. People often say that once the baby happens the beds are pushed apart. This actually happens right before the baby announcement and matches with the new furniture placement. I have to keep a watch out to see if they ever make it back to the one bed configuration again as I don’t recall it happening.

 

Lucy’s hair- I loved her hair length in the pilot but when the first episode rolls around it’s back to being short again. Much of the first season the styling is sort of all over the place. Up, down, half pulled up. Some episodes it get’s the traditional poodle look, but this really doesn’t start remaining consistent until towards the end of Season 1.

 

Clothes- So far we still have not picked up Eloise doing the costumes yet and are still stuck in off the rack land. I have noticed that Lucy’s wardrobe tends to steadily improve. Much of the stuff in the first season was really not very flattering, but it starts getting better towards the end of the first and into the second seasons. I know off the rack was the way to go at first due to budget but you can see the budget starts to increase yet we are not compromising it by putting a middle class housewife in anything expensive, just better looking. Ricky’s wardrobe changes as we near Season 2 as well. Once we are in the baby episodes is when I really see the wardrobe establish itself and this is what I am use to Ricky wearing. Never liked much of the first season stuff, sweater vests, turtlenecks. The more relaxed shirts look so much better.

 

Episodes- I’m still sticking with my least favorite episode being Lucy babysitting those annoying twins. Too bratty to watch, can’t stand the song Ricky sings as it seems so out of the norm and just don’t like the ending either.

I still don’t think Drafted is as bad an episode as the above mentioned. Yes the plot is stupid but it’s not annoying for me to watch. I think New Neighbors is boring to sit through. There is way too much time spent on the rehearsing of the scene. I know you need it to set up the misunderstanding but it’s too long to give characters we just met and never see again without one of the 4 main characters being present.

 

I’m starting to really like Young Fans. At a time when the Lucy character I think is at her height of childlikeness this episode doesn’t exhibit this. The first time I think we start to see a different take on the character. Lucy’s acting, especially when she talks to Peggy is rather reserved. Aren’t Lucy and Ricky cute as the old couple.

 

Things on my to watch list for when they start to change.

 

1st episode with Eloise designing and how this elevates the look of the Lucy character.

When Lucy starts taking some of the high pitched sound out of her voice. I think we may be getting there. She sounds terrible in those early episodes.

 

The time span between each new furniture delivery.

 

If there are any big gaps when Lucy is not wanting to be in the show. It really is very heavy in the first season and it still feels like a strong theme as we are moving through the baby episodes.

 

How much the baby shows up. Nice to have the uncut as I think when these episodes got cut the small baby bits were the first thing to go.

 

How Ethel’s hair changes over the course of time.

 

Does the lovey dovey feeling between Lucy and Ricky diminish much and when. There is a lot of it in Season 1 and you feel less by Season 6, but how does it feel as the series progresses.

 

As I continue the journey I’ll stop back to answer these.

 

 

[JoeySanJoaquin]

This is one of the most insightful posts I can recall ever reading on this or any other board about our beloved show!! I think perhaps "Mr. Carter" just may have some stiff competition should you ever decide you want to write a book!! Wow!

[C L A U D E]

I gave myself a challenge 2 weeks ago that so far is going pretty well. My normal routine has been to watch at least one Lucy thing every day (movie, episode from any series, etc..). What I realized was that in watching episodes on my DVDs I’ll either grab a disk and watch only some of the episodes in totally random order. I frequently seem to be watching the same episodes over and over and skipping a lot of others. My challenge has been this. Whenever I am in the mood to watch an episode from a Lucy show I must watch ILL and I must watch them in order. This way it forces me to watch the ones I never pick. So far so good, I’m currently in the baby episodes now.

 

As I progress in the sequential path it really offers some good insights, I remember things I forgot about, and I realize the often talked about bad ones, really are not that bad.

 

My random observations.

 

Furniture-We’ve remarked how often Lucy got new furniture. Redecorating was the first episode with this theme. I was getting really tired of seeing that 1st season furniture and am glad by this point they got new stuff. It didn’t look so cheap anymore.

 

Beds-The beds in the 1st season were pushed together with the covers splitting them. People often say that once the baby happens the beds are pushed apart. This actually happens right before the baby announcement and matches with the new furniture placement. I have to keep a watch out to see if they ever make it back to the one bed configuration again as I don’t recall it happening.

 

Lucy’s hair- I loved her hair length in the pilot but when the first episode rolls around it’s back to being short again. Much of the first season the styling is sort of all over the place. Up, down, half pulled up. Some episodes it get’s the traditional poodle look, but this really doesn’t start remaining consistent until towards the end of Season 1.

 

Clothes- So far we still have not picked up Eloise doing the costumes yet and are still stuck in off the rack land. I have noticed that Lucy’s wardrobe tends to steadily improve. Much of the stuff in the first season was really not very flattering, but it starts getting better towards the end of the first and into the second seasons. I know off the rack was the way to go at first due to budget but you can see the budget starts to increase yet we are not compromising it by putting a middle class housewife in anything expensive, just better looking. Ricky’s wardrobe changes as we near Season 2 as well. Once we are in the baby episodes is when I really see the wardrobe establish itself and this is what I am use to Ricky wearing. Never liked much of the first season stuff, sweater vests, turtlenecks. The more relaxed shirts look so much better.

 

Episodes- I’m still sticking with my least favorite episode being Lucy babysitting those annoying twins. Too bratty to watch, can’t stand the song Ricky sings as it seems so out of the norm and just don’t like the ending either.

I still don’t think Drafted is as bad an episode as the above mentioned. Yes the plot is stupid but it’s not annoying for me to watch. I think New Neighbors is boring to sit through. There is way too much time spent on the rehearsing of the scene. I know you need it to set up the misunderstanding but it’s too long to give characters we just met and never see again without one of the 4 main characters being present.

 

I’m starting to really like Young Fans. At a time when the Lucy character I think is at her height of childlikeness this episode doesn’t exhibit this. The first time I think we start to see a different take on the character. Lucy’s acting, especially when she talks to Peggy is rather reserved. Aren’t Lucy and Ricky cute as the old couple.

 

Things on my to watch list for when they start to change.

 

1st episode with Eloise designing and how this elevates the look of the Lucy character.

When Lucy starts taking some of the high pitched sound out of her voice. I think we may be getting there. She sounds terrible in those early episodes.

 

The time span between each new furniture delivery.

 

If there are any big gaps when Lucy is not wanting to be in the show. It really is very heavy in the first season and it still feels like a strong theme as we are moving through the baby episodes.

 

How much the baby shows up. Nice to have the uncut as I think when these episodes got cut the small baby bits were the first thing to go.

 

How Ethel’s hair changes over the course of time.

 

Does the lovey dovey feeling between Lucy and Ricky diminish much and when. There is a lot of it in Season 1 and you feel less by Season 6, but how does it feel as the series progresses.

 

As I continue the journey I’ll stop back to answer these.

Yup, you`re really insightful with your comments, can`t wait to get more. The ONLY thing that bugs ME about DRAFTED nowadays is that annoying FAKE CRY both the girls do.

[Luvsbway]

Good article today on AV Club on “Lucy is Enciente”.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/more-than-60-years-ago-a-pregnant-lucille-ball-cou,100629/

 

Who is going to be the first to tackle the plot outline for Ethel is Sterile?

 

[Irene Kampen Tripp]

Yup, you`re really insightful with your comments, can`t wait to get more. The ONLY thing that bugs ME about DRAFTED nowadays is that annoying FAKE CRY both the girls do.

YESSSS!!! THAT is why I detest that episode.... The fake cry ruins the whole show for me.

[C L A U D E]

YESSSS!!! THAT is why I detest that episode.... The fake cry ruins the whole show for me.

Same here, just too fake and them doing it in unison yet.

[Luvsbway]

Watched Baby Pictures the other night. For something being done 60 years ago the theme in this episode is just as relevant today. You just need to replace the actual snapshot showing of the kid pics to bored friends and family with digital photos posted on Facebook. I love how the Ricardos and Mertzes barely look at the pics of Little Stevie as they pass them around and make those ‘I could care less faces”. That’s what it’s like everyday when I scroll through my Facebook and pass over all my friends’ kid pics where they are doing nothing special or are covered in some sort of food, dirt, etc…

[C L A U D E]

Watched Baby Pictures the other night. For something being done 60 years ago the theme in this episode is just as relevant today. You just need to replace the actual snapshot showing of the kid pics to bored friends and family with digital photos posted on Facebook. I love how the Ricardos and Mertzes barely look at the pics of Little Stevie as they pass them around and make those ‘I could care less faces”. That’s what it’s like everyday when I scroll through my Facebook and pass over all my friends’ kid pics where they are doing nothing special or are covered in some sort of food, dirt, etc…

LOL! Funny! I think we all do that, they think they're curing cancer but all they're doing is annoying friends and family with more damned pics of the little buggers, LOL! Back on topic, the Ricardos are off to Hollywood, my all time faves of the entire series, she met Bill Holden at the Brown Derby today and did one of her all time funniest routines, two of them actually.

[sharon]

I watched "Off To Florida" on Hula. One of my favorites. I wish Ethel weren't so clueless during the tire change though.

[C L A U D E]

I watched "Off To Florida" on Hula. One of my favorites. I wish Ethel weren't so clueless during the tire change though.

Hey, remember this is a woman who DROVE to the campsite to bring Lucy the ducks but could not longer DRIVE and had to be taught by Lucy on their trip to Hollywood. Wish Bob and Madelyn had kept notes on this sort of thin. BUT, seeing as they wrote the best television comedy series of all time and brilliantly I might add, a few flaws here and there can be forgiven.

[C L A U D E]

I watched "Off To Florida" on Hula. One of my favorites. I wish Ethel weren't so clueless during the tire change though.

LOVE B O T H YOUR AVATARS BY THE WAY, just bootiful! :wub:

[sharon]

LOVE B O T H YOUR AVATARS BY THE WAY, just bootiful! :wub:

Thank you!

[Luvsbway]

I was watching The Sublease and I think I found a plot hole. The real estate agent Lucy get’s to sublet their apartment says she can get $300 for it. Naturally the Mertz’s are mad about this increased profit they will not see. Lucy points to the lease saying that they have the right to sublet the place. Ethel then points out that only with permission.

 

The real estate agent stops the bickering between them both by having them split the profit. When the agent starts her speech she says” I’ve been subleasing other apartments in this building for years and I am always struck by the friendship you two show….”

 

So other tenants in the building have sublet many times over the years (case in point New Neighbors)? Was the agent getting double the normal tenant’s rental fee for all these other apartments? Based on the wording of the lease the Mertz’s would have to agree to all the other tenants subleasing as well. Why is it now they have a problem with this? Were all the other tenants making the Mertz’s look at this situation through a sweater and not realizing the extra profit they were all making?

 

[Luvsbway]

I’ve now made it to the end of the third season and up to the first start of the episodes that lead us into Hollywood. Here are my observations.

 

Apartment Switch- Really glad this happened, it does generally feel like the set got much bigger and doesn’t have that cramped feel anymore. The addition of the window helps with this feeling. I never noticed it before but the second apartment fireplace is so much better. It’s much bigger and with the nice window the whole place just seems classed up.

 

New Furniture-The first time the new furniture came it really felt needed. Watching these in order it does not seem like much time passes before we are getting new furniture again. I have noticed that it really was only the couch, some tables, and maybe an additional chair. The first furniture go round it was everything, bedroom included. The living room set-up changed from episode to episode as the new split couch and tables were moved around. The third round of new furniture feels like even less time passes. At least the Mertz’s got the old stuff in their apartment redecorating. I wonder if the split couch really was a problem and this was a good way to write it off and get a funny story too. The long sofa and matching chairs will remain until we move to CT.

 

The couch cushions-We have now had four couches since the series began. As we know one side was always slightly higher than the other and this was where Ricky would always sit. This was achieved on the first couch with an additional thinner matching cushion insert below the normal one. The second couch had a cushion made that was thicker than the one beside it. The third couch was the one that split in the middle. The cushions on this couch are even. What I noticed is to make up the height difference Desi will frequently sit on his one leg that props him up a little higher. When we get the long sofa its one long cushion, so the extra height is made up for with the lighter color throw pillow that usually lives on the sofa somewhere being sat on.

 

Beds- As I stated before when the first round of furniture came that is when the beds split to being 2 separate twin beds (with the one exception of Lucy Fakes Illness that I think was done to accommodate all those people). The beds do go back together again, which I had a hunch they did. It’s in the episode Lucy Hires a Maid. Since the premise is the first person to hear the baby cry is the first to get up it makes sense for how the scene is played to have the beds close together. By the time Lucy is to get her new mink stole the beds are apart again.

 

Clothing- Eloise makes her debut in the 3rd Season. The first time I think she really makes the impact is in Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress. The first dress just seems to be tailored so perfect to fit Lucy and they only continue to get better. I am noticing that many of the dresses as well as shirts have a stand up collar. It frames her face very well and when it is a lighter color it will help reflect light on to Lucy’s face. I still feel that we are seeing a good rotation of the same pieces as in the earlier episodes that let us know Lucy did not have an infinite wardrobe. This idea even goes down to repeated jewelry. Ricky has by this point settled into what I feel is the wardrobe that I most associate with the character. I’m noticing more short sleeve shirts for relaxing at home. That man had some great looking arms on him.

 

Little Ricky- We have now moved past infant LR and now are on toddler LR. Claude is right, these kids just did not want to play along and not cry. I noticed a lot of pickup shots and line dubbing to cover or work around the kid as an infant just not having any of this. Once we get to toddler LR the kid’s disposition gets a little better. I wonder if one of the twins was better on camera than the other? Little Stevie though really likes the audience.

 

Lucy’s voice-Although it doesn’t sound as strained and horse there are still times it gets a little high pitched, so we have not hit any drop in tone yet.

 

Lucy wanting to get into the show- This theme is still a frequent visitor in Season 2 and the early part of the third season but as we continue on and into the beginning of the fourth Lucy trying to scheme her way into the show at the club is not there. Yes we have club scenes and even a number or 2, but Lucy just ends up in the show, no scheming needed. If she needs a scheme that is show related it’s done in relation to the Arts League shows and getting Ricky involved.

 

Wedding ring- I knew at some point Desi switched from actually wearing his wedding ring to having it around his neck. I finally pinpointed the episode where this happens. It’s Business Manager which is the start of Season 4 and there was a 2/3 month break in the filming of the last episode and this one. I always wondered what the reason was for this. Another ring observation. There are 3 episodes in a row there Lucy does not wear her ring. It’s rare but from time to time I will catch an episode where she does not have it on, but 3 in a row was rather odd and one of those was Sentimental Anniversary.

 

The general feel I get at this point is you knew the Ricardo’s had a baby but you were not beat over the head with this fact. Those first 2 episodes with the baby had plot points that related directly to a couple as new parents but we got a lot that were not and I don’t feel we had a baby centric episode again until Baby Pictures. What we do have is either a quick scene with the kid being put down for a nap/bedtime, getting dressed, playing in his playpen, etc… Baby Pictures seems like the most air time the kid gets to this point. Even if we do not see LR we get references to him. Even quick throwaway lines about who is taking care of him so Lucy can go run off and get into another mess and not look like she abandoned her child. He is not in every episode either.

 

I’ve been watching the acting of Lucy and Desi with the kids playing LR and it’s very interesting. Lucy the task master that she was seems very good at getting the kid from one mark to the next, ex. ok we put your clothes on, next we need to get you into the crib and lay down or ok now let’s try walking, here play with your toys. She really seems to push through the crying and general crankiness with the kids and keep the scene moving. Come hell or high water this kid is going to do his scene. Even though Lucy was famous for never adlibbing she almost had to in some of these kid scenes, just small things to keep the kid looking at you, or happy, or reacting to a crying jag. I also noticed on a few occasions when she is telling the kid to say goodnight or bye she calls Big Ricky “Poppy” to LR. I like to think that this was a term she used with her kids. I have to say I love Ricky calling LR “old man”, it has to be something he came up with, it’s so natural.

 

 

I feel the series really begins to settle into its format by the baby episodes, which is interesting seeing that they are a pack of themed episodes. By the third season everything is working on all cylinders and we are firmly cemented in overall tone of the show from here on out. I know there have been critiques saying that the third season is not the best but I disagree. Watching them in order I’m really liking this season, partly for the above stated reason and partly because we have a lot of elements to work with. Ricky as manager has more control over the club so it’s used well. The baby offers things to write about if needed but we are still getting new and original ideas that are more based in reality. The reoccurring Fine Arts League gives us steady friends, not just random people who pop up for an episode or two. The first season suffers from the newness of the medium. Technically getting everything to gel, refining the acting, and writing for a visual medium since you don’t have to explain what is happening.

 

 

[C L A U D E]

 

 

Clothing- Eloise makes her debut in the 3rd Season. The first time I think she really makes the impact is in Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress. The first dress just seems to be tailored so perfect to fit Lucy and they only continue to get better. I am noticing that many of the dresses as well as shirts have a stand up collar. It frames her face very well and when it is a lighter color it will help reflect light on to Lucy’s face. I still feel that we are seeing a good rotation of the same pieces as in the earlier episodes that let us know Lucy did not have an infinite wardrobe. This idea even goes down to repeated jewelry. Ricky has by this point settled into what I feel is the wardrobe that I most associate with the character. I’m noticing more short sleeve shirts for relaxing at home. That man had some great looking arms on him.

 

Little Ricky- We have now moved past infant LR and now are on toddler LR. Claude is right, these kids just did not want to play along and not cry. I noticed a lot of pickup shots and line dubbing to cover or work around the kid as an infant just not having any of this. Once we get to toddler LR the kid’s disposition gets a little better. I wonder if one of the twins was better on camera than the other? Little Stevie though really likes the audience.

 

 

 

I’ve been watching the acting of Lucy and Desi with the kids playing LR and it’s very interesting. Lucy the task master that she was seems very good at getting the kid from one mark to the next, ex. ok we put your clothes on, next we need to get you into the crib and lay down or ok now let’s try walking, here play with your toys. She really seems to push through the crying and general crankiness with the kids and keep the scene moving. Come hell or high water this kid is going to do his scene. Even though Lucy was famous for never adlibbing she almost had to in some of these kid scenes, just small things to keep the kid looking at you, or happy, or reacting to a crying jag. I also noticed on a few occasions when she is telling the kid to say goodnight or bye she calls Big Ricky “Poppy” to LR. I like to think that this was a term she used with her kids. I have to say I love Ricky calling LR “old man”, it has to be something he came up with, it’s so natural.

I find it so annoying now every time I watch one of those crabby pains in the ass crying all the time, didn't they have twins for this, couldn't they have used the other one who presumably was NOT crying, or did they do it in unison like Lucy and Ethel in Drafted. And Lucy's clothes got so much more sophisticated as time wore on, she looked so elegant by the third season, but you still see that to this day, check out the make up, hairdos and clothes on the first season of Friends or any other series for that matter. As for Ricky's OLD MAN, I HATED that every time I heard it, talking to Tennessee Ernie or Fred, always saying that, just seemed like a SPRESSION from that era, but I hated it big time. I loved Lucy in one ep with Little Ricky where she just can't get him to do anything and as you said, she ad libs herself out of it and ends with aaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwright as he is SO friggin cranky.

[JoeySanJoaquin]

I’ve now made it to the end of the third season and up to the first start of the episodes that lead us into Hollywood. Here are my observations.

 

Apartment Switch- Really glad this happened, it does generally feel like the set got much bigger and doesn’t have that cramped feel anymore. The addition of the window helps with this feeling. I never noticed it before but the second apartment fireplace is so much better. It’s much bigger and with the nice window the whole place just seems classed up.

 

New Furniture-The first time the new furniture came it really felt needed. Watching these in order it does not seem like much time passes before we are getting new furniture again. I have noticed that it really was only the couch, some tables, and maybe an additional chair. The first furniture go round it was everything, bedroom included. The living room set-up changed from episode to episode as the new split couch and tables were moved around. The third round of new furniture feels like even less time passes. At least the Mertz’s got the old stuff in their apartment redecorating. I wonder if the split couch really was a problem and this was a good way to write it off and get a funny story too. The long sofa and matching chairs will remain until we move to CT.

 

The couch cushions-We have now had four couches since the series began. As we know one side was always slightly higher than the other and this was where Ricky would always sit. This was achieved on the first couch with an additional thinner matching cushion insert below the normal one. The second couch had a cushion made that was thicker than the one beside it. The third couch was the one that split in the middle. The cushions on this couch are even. What I noticed is to make up the height difference Desi will frequently sit on his one leg that props him up a little higher. When we get the long sofa its one long cushion, so the extra height is made up for with the lighter color throw pillow that usually lives on the sofa somewhere being sat on.

 

Beds- As I stated before when the first round of furniture came that is when the beds split to being 2 separate twin beds (with the one exception of Lucy Fakes Illness that I think was done to accommodate all those people). The beds do go back together again, which I had a hunch they did. It’s in the episode Lucy Hires a Maid. Since the premise is the first person to hear the baby cry is the first to get up it makes sense for how the scene is played to have the beds close together. By the time Lucy is to get her new mink stole the beds are apart again.

 

Clothing- Eloise makes her debut in the 3rd Season. The first time I think she really makes the impact is in Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress. The first dress just seems to be tailored so perfect to fit Lucy and they only continue to get better. I am noticing that many of the dresses as well as shirts have a stand up collar. It frames her face very well and when it is a lighter color it will help reflect light on to Lucy’s face. I still feel that we are seeing a good rotation of the same pieces as in the earlier episodes that let us know Lucy did not have an infinite wardrobe. This idea even goes down to repeated jewelry. Ricky has by this point settled into what I feel is the wardrobe that I most associate with the character. I’m noticing more short sleeve shirts for relaxing at home. That man had some great looking arms on him.

 

Little Ricky- We have now moved past infant LR and now are on toddler LR. Claude is right, these kids just did not want to play along and not cry. I noticed a lot of pickup shots and line dubbing to cover or work around the kid as an infant just not having any of this. Once we get to toddler LR the kid’s disposition gets a little better. I wonder if one of the twins was better on camera than the other? Little Stevie though really likes the audience.

 

Lucy’s voice-Although it doesn’t sound as strained and horse there are still times it gets a little high pitched, so we have not hit any drop in tone yet.

 

Lucy wanting to get into the show- This theme is still a frequent visitor in Season 2 and the early part of the third season but as we continue on and into the beginning of the fourth Lucy trying to scheme her way into the show at the club is not there. Yes we have club scenes and even a number or 2, but Lucy just ends up in the show, no scheming needed. If she needs a scheme that is show related it’s done in relation to the Arts League shows and getting Ricky involved.

 

Wedding ring- I knew at some point Desi switched from actually wearing his wedding ring to having it around his neck. I finally pinpointed the episode where this happens. It’s Business Manager which is the start of Season 4 and there was a 2/3 month break in the filming of the last episode and this one. I always wondered what the reason was for this. Another ring observation. There are 3 episodes in a row there Lucy does not wear her ring. It’s rare but from time to time I will catch an episode where she does not have it on, but 3 in a row was rather odd and one of those was Sentimental Anniversary.

 

The general feel I get at this point is you knew the Ricardo’s had a baby but you were not beat over the head with this fact. Those first 2 episodes with the baby had plot points that related directly to a couple as new parents but we got a lot that were not and I don’t feel we had a baby centric episode again until Baby Pictures. What we do have is either a quick scene with the kid being put down for a nap/bedtime, getting dressed, playing in his playpen, etc… Baby Pictures seems like the most air time the kid gets to this point. Even if we do not see LR we get references to him. Even quick throwaway lines about who is taking care of him so Lucy can go run off and get into another mess and not look like she abandoned her child. He is not in every episode either.

 

I’ve been watching the acting of Lucy and Desi with the kids playing LR and it’s very interesting. Lucy the task master that she was seems very good at getting the kid from one mark to the next, ex. ok we put your clothes on, next we need to get you into the crib and lay down or ok now let’s try walking, here play with your toys. She really seems to push through the crying and general crankiness with the kids and keep the scene moving. Come hell or high water this kid is going to do his scene. Even though Lucy was famous for never adlibbing she almost had to in some of these kid scenes, just small things to keep the kid looking at you, or happy, or reacting to a crying jag. I also noticed on a few occasions when she is telling the kid to say goodnight or bye she calls Big Ricky “Poppy” to LR. I like to think that this was a term she used with her kids. I have to say I love Ricky calling LR “old man”, it has to be something he came up with, it’s so natural.

 

 

I feel the series really begins to settle into its format by the baby episodes, which is interesting seeing that they are a pack of themed episodes. By the third season everything is working on all cylinders and we are firmly cemented in overall tone of the show from here on out. I know there have been critiques saying that the third season is not the best but I disagree. Watching them in order I’m really liking this season, partly for the above stated reason and partly because we have a lot of elements to work with. Ricky as manager has more control over the club so it’s used well. The baby offers things to write about if needed but we are still getting new and original ideas that are more based in reality. The reoccurring Fine Arts League gives us steady friends, not just random people who pop up for an episode or two. The first season suffers from the newness of the medium. Technically getting everything to gel, refining the acting, and writing for a visual medium since you don’t have to explain what is happening.

Don't know what you do for a living but you sure could be a detective! Not to mention WRITER!! Wow, such keen observations!! :D

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Don't know what you do for a living but you sure could be a detective! Not to mention WRITER!! Wow, such keen observations!! :D

I know, I was going to say that again also, she`s just incredible, notices everything and analyzes it all so well and makes such great observations and says it so brilliantly.