C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 FIVE... "Green Thumb" was filmed the week right after the premiere... Basically, I agree with Neil's thoughts about being skittish about digging up all the bad press about the show... It was a bitter-sweet experience for everyone. There was SUCH a HUGE difference betweeen seeing these shows "live" in the studio on Thursday evening -- where the entire audience seemed to relish just being in the same room with Lucy -- and seeing them a few weeks later, "canned" on TV, where the episodes seemed to die... A very strange experience... Yes, true, a lot has been said about the greeting she got from those audiences, the endless love and wild cheering, none of that came through on the tv airing that`s fer dang shur. Then again, those loving Lucy audiences laughed at her straight lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desilufan2 Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 FIVE... "Green Thumb" was filmed the week right after the premiere... Basically, I agree with Neil's thoughts about being skittish about digging up all the bad press about the show... It was a bitter-sweet experience for everyone. There was SUCH a HUGE difference betweeen seeing these shows "live" in the studio on Thursday evening -- where the entire audience seemed to relish just being in the same room with Lucy -- and seeing them a few weeks later, "canned" on TV, where the episodes seemed to die... A very strange experience... Im courious,what do you think was the biggest problem with the show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Im courious,what do you think was the biggest problem with the show? The producer who put it all together. Even Lucy later admitted that she should have tried something totally new and different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yendor1152 Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Whatever the case, Life with Lucy is Lucy history and as such deserves to be examined. Surely, if the DVD set were done right, with all the bells and whistles, and perhaps even a documentary on "what went wrong," everything about LWL would finally be put in perspective. I personally think it's important to have the show out there, as a testament to what the woman could do in her old age. At 75, she was much older than any of the Golden Girls and was still game. I watched all the episodes, and while I didn't think they were very good, they were no worse than the sometimes horrible episodes of Here's Lucy. I actually liked the idea of concentrating on Lucy and foregoing guest stars--though the John Ritter episode works. It's quite ironic that both John and Lucy passed away from the same ailment! I'm all for a Life with Lucy DVD set. I'd buy that before shelling out $$$ for another set of I Love Lucy. And, on another note, is it just me or are The Lucy Show sets rather expensive? I mean, they're almost 30 bucks! I was interested enough to pony up for the first three seasons, but I admit to a little hesitance about the last three--especially at non-reduced prices. These should be no more than 19 bucks a pop, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikidiki Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Bad reviews or good reviews, all fanatical Lucy fans will be grateful for the release of this short lived series onto DVD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desilufan2 Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 The producer who put it all together. Even Lucy later admitted that she should have tried something totally new and different. Well yes there was that I read an interview Larry Amderson did not to long ago and he did say that Gary was a nice enough guy but was a problem for the show. I also found a very interesting blog post from a guy who worked on the set. He had many things to say about working on the show but flat out stated that Gary didn't have a clue what he was doing. Very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Whatever the case, Life with Lucy is Lucy history and as such deserves to be examined. Surely, if the DVD set were done right, with all the bells and whistles, and perhaps even a documentary on "what went wrong," everything about LWL would finally be put in perspective. I personally think it's important to have the show out there, as a testament to what the woman could do in her old age. At 75, she was much older than any of the Golden Girls and was still game. I watched all the episodes, and while I didn't think they were very good, they were no worse than the sometimes horrible episodes of Here's Lucy. I actually liked the idea of concentrating on Lucy and foregoing guest stars--though the John Ritter episode works. It's quite ironic that both John and Lucy passed away from the same ailment! I'm all for a Life with Lucy DVD set. I'd buy that before shelling out $$$ for another set of I Love Lucy. And, on another note, is it just me or are The Lucy Show sets rather expensive? I mean, they're almost 30 bucks! I was interested enough to pony up for the first three seasons, but I admit to a little hesitance about the last three--especially at non-reduced prices. These should be no more than 19 bucks a pop, in my opinion. You pay more money for all the extras you receive on the sets, not just the shows. That's why it's a little more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Well yes there was that I read an interview Larry Amderson did not to long ago and he did say that Gary was a nice enough guy but was a problem for the show. I also found a very interesting blog post from a guy who worked on the set. He had many things to say about working on the show but flat out stated that Gary didn't have a clue what he was doing. Very interesting. Of course, that's because Gary was all about getting paid the big dough. He didn't care about the product they were putting out and he certainly gambled with his wife's career, and in my opinion, put a major dent in it. What a dumbass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desilufan2 Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Do you think Lucy understood that while Gary was good for her personaly he wasn't a constructive influence for her career? I just don't understand why she gave him so much influence in her professional life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Do you think Lucy understood that while Gary was good for her personaly he wasn't a constructive influence for her career? I just don't understand why she gave him so much influence in her professional life. I don't get it either. Perhaps she felt like she needed to have him feel useful but I think she knew he could never be another Desi, running and producing a show successfully, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 FIVE... "Green Thumb" was filmed the week right after the premiere... Basically, I agree with Neil's thoughts about being skittish about digging up all the bad press about the show... It was a bitter-sweet experience for everyone. There was SUCH a HUGE difference betweeen seeing these shows "live" in the studio on Thursday evening -- where the entire audience seemed to relish just being in the same room with Lucy -- and seeing them a few weeks later, "canned" on TV, where the episodes seemed to die... A very strange experience... "Green Thumb"? Well then, 4 out of the 5 post-premiere shows were good. "Thumb" was definitely the worst type of old school comedy. (At least they didn't do a remake entitled "Curtis, the Monkey"!) And since it was done the week after the premiere, this episode must have already been set before the reviews came out. Tell us, were you around the set when the ratings for the first week came out? I remember watching Entertainment Tonight when they announced the top 10 for the week and I was surprised "Life with.." was not among them. Was there disappointment at #23? What about the next week with Ritter? at #57--which with only 66 shows was the top of the bottom 10. (Bob Carroll: "We're in the top SIXTY!") I don't think the ratings ever improved, each week was a little worse than the last. They must have realized at some point it was simply not going to fly. Was there a change in the mood on the set? Was there ever an episode of a Lucy series that placed so low? The Academy Awards used to run on Mondays, so I imagine the ratings weren't great on those nights. They used to sacrifice a rerun to go up against the Oscars. I know of only one other bottom 10 Lucy rating. Surprisingly the NBC network premiere of "Mame" on Saturday Night at the Movies posted very poor numbers. That one still baffles me. At the show I saw filmed, Gary introduced the whole cast except for Lucy to inspire that wild applause greeting upon her entrance a reaction Gary egged on "When Lucy makes her entrance, you can do whatever you want". That may have been ok for the first show, but not this far into the run. During breaks in the filming, Gary made some snide remarks 'in jest' to ABC execs in the audience along the lines of 'geez, it would be nice if SOMEBODY at the network promoted the show'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desilufan2 Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 I don't get it either. Perhaps she felt like she needed to have him feel useful but I think she knew he could never be another Desi, running and producing a show successfully, etc. My best guess is she did it for his own ego so that he felt useful. I also think she was just very loyal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 And, on another note, is it just me or are The Lucy Show sets rather expensive? I mean, they're almost 30 bucks! I was interested enough to pony up for the first three seasons, but I admit to a little hesitance about the last three--especially at non-reduced prices. These should be no more than 19 bucks a pop, in my opinion. My boyfriend paid $41.95 for mine so i agree. And i was thinking of YOU today and this thread, IT SURE HAS L E G S! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Bad reviews or good reviews, all fanatical Lucy fans will be grateful for the release of this short lived series onto DVD! Well, it's just that now that we almost completely have her entire series output on dvd, we're grasping at straws to find something else and we want it all brother! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Well yes there was that I read an interview Larry Amderson did not to long ago and he did say that Gary was a nice enough guy but was a problem for the show. I also found a very interesting blog post from a guy who worked on the set. He had many things to say about working on the show but flat out stated that Gary didn't have a clue what he was doing. Very interesting. Gary was definitely in it for the money, he had this cancellation clause and if they played or not, they had to pay for the whole shebang, that was his main pride in the show, that he got them to pay the million dollar penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 You pay more money for all the extras you receive on the sets, not just the shows. That's why it's a little more expensive. I would gladly have added a couple bucks to the purchase price had Lucy in Nashville been on there, LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 And, on another note, is it just me or are The Lucy Show sets rather expensive? I mean, they're almost 30 bucks! I was interested enough to pony up for the first three seasons, but I admit to a little hesitance about the last three--especially at non-reduced prices. These should be no more than 19 bucks a pop, in my opinion. How do you arrive at that figure? LOL With all the extras on all six of these sets, $30 is a pretty damn good deal, IMO. If we're going with random figures, I would pay up to -- and including -- $41.96 per season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Of course, that's because Gary was all about getting paid the big dough. He didn't care about the product they were putting out and he certainly gambled with his wife's career, and in my opinion, put a major dent in it. What a dumbass. That was THE main thing that upset me years later when i read that he was paid 125 thousand a week and Lucy got 100 thousand, but thankfully, i later read that it was not so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Do you think Lucy understood that while Gary was good for her personaly he wasn't a constructive influence for her career? I just don't understand why she gave him so much influence in her professional life. He was definitely her Marty Melcher. Loved the story in WHERE THE HELL IS DESILU? Where she asked the author of the book who worked with both of them at the studio and she said WHAT'S GARY'S PROBLEM? He answered HIS MOUTH, he tells everybody what to do and has no idea how to do their jobs. She thanked him and asked that he keep it to himself, which he did till they both passed away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 I don't get it either. Perhaps she felt like she needed to have him feel useful but I think she knew he could never be another Desi, running and producing a show successfully, etc. She A L W A Y S built up her hubbies in the eyes of the public but she had to be disapointed that number two was nothing compared to number one. She only cared that he be faithful to her, not capable in comedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyilove Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 The producer who put it all together. Even Lucy later admitted that she should have tried something totally new and different. Actually, I have always felt the #1 problem with LWL is it was too "new and different". This was not true "Lucy" - it was more of an update of The Donna Reed Show/ Ozzie & Harriet / Father Knows Best, that kind of light sitcom, corny wholesome "family" comedy which none of Lucy's shows ever were. I think her age scared her off trying to do a lot of classic Lucyesque bits on this show, as much because those bastard critics would be in lying in wait than perhaps thinking she herself couldn't do it anymore. The irony of course is they did jump all over her saying she was too old to be doing slapstick when she was almost never doing it on the show! She did play for nostalgia, but not the nostalgia of her shows, those completely out-of-date Ozzie & Harriet type shows which nobody could have pulled off in the 1980's. And much as everybody might hate Gary, he wasn't the writer - the scripts were bad, and certainly the supporting cast like Larry Anderson and Ann Dusenberry didn't bring anything memorable to the program. Gary was right in one respect - ABC should have taken more of an interest in the show and fine tooled it rather than just expecting Lucy's fan following to support whatever she did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyilove Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Actually I think FOUR were filmed after the premiere. The unaired "Breaking Up" and "World's Greatest Grandma", plus the two that aired: the final show "Mother of Bride" and my personal favorite of the entire series "Legal Eagle". While none of these would probably make anyone's list of greatest Lucy episodes of all time (or even post-I Love Lucy), they were as good as the bulk of the comedies being churned out in 1986. I agree completely and let's face it, ABC has always been the king of shitcoms, most of their comedies on the air at the time weren't the least bit better than LWL. WHO'S THE BOSS? GROWING PAINS? Please! Or such later gems as FAMLY MATTERS, STEP BY STEP, and FULL HOUSE? Did they ever have a really good one beyond BEWITCHED and possibly LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY? THAT GIRL and HAPPY DAYS were ok, not great, and I never really liked THREE'S COMPANY with it's broad dinner-theater acting and never thought ROSANNE was particularly good, just different. The trouble was the bitch press knew what a big story it was for Lucy to have a tv flop and ABC just didn't care to fight against it or improve things for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikidiki Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 I agree completely and let's face it, ABC has always been the king of shitcoms, most of their comedies on the air at the time weren't the least bit better than LWL. WHO'S THE BOSS? GROWING PAINS? Please! Or such later gems as FAMLY MATTERS, STEP BY STEP, and FULL HOUSE? Did they ever have a really good one beyond BEWITCHED and possibly LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY? THAT GIRL and HAPPY DAYS were ok, not great, and I never really liked THREE'S COMPANY with it's broad dinner-theater acting and never thought ROSANNE was particularly good, just different. The trouble was the bitch press knew what a big story it was for Lucy to have a tv flop and ABC just didn't care to fight against it or improve things for her. Well said Lucyilove! (I +1 your post - feel free to do it to mine as well) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Actually, I have always felt the #1 problem with LWL is it was too "new and different". This was not true "Lucy" - it was more of an update of The Donna Reed Show/ Ozzie & Harriet / Father Knows Best, that kind of light sitcom, corny wholesome "family" comedy which none of Lucy's shows ever were. I think her age scared her off trying to do a lot of classic Lucyesque bits on this show, as much because those bastard critics would be in lying in wait than perhaps thinking she herself couldn't do it anymore. The irony of course is they did jump all over her saying she was too old to be doing slapstick when she was almost never doing it on the show! She did play for nostalgia, but not the nostalgia of her shows, those completely out-of-date Ozzie & Harriet type shows which nobody could have pulled off in the 1980's. And much as everybody might hate Gary, he wasn't the writer - the scripts were bad, and certainly the supporting cast like Larry Anderson and Ann Dusenberry didn't bring anything memorable to the program. Gary was right in one respect - ABC should have taken more of an interest in the show and fine tooled it rather than just expecting Lucy's fan following to support whatever she did. ABC just thought they were getting the Queen of Comedy, didn't matter what they were putting her in as long as she was their new Golden Girl. Yes, they should have retooled the show the minute they saw the first footage of it, had they not seen Lucy moves to NBC and the horrible pilot inserted into that? With Lucy, everybody knew what they were getting, old fashioned comedy heightened by her presence in it. Now imagine her with three other girlfriends living together and doing that repartee, dishing out smart lines instead of stale old slapstick. Facing the real world instead of guard gooses and miracle grow for plants, trying something NEW and updated now grandma Lucy Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yendor1152 Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 I don't get it either. Perhaps she felt like she needed to have him feel useful but I think she knew he could never be another Desi, running and producing a show successfully, etc. But did she really want another Desi, especially one involved heavily in her show? Seems to me that was one of the things that drove Lucy and Desi apart. He was overworked, stressed out, and obviously distracted. Personally, I think it would've been better for Gary to keep a hands-off attitude. But, of course, his own career was nothing spectacular, and perhaps Lucy was afraid of him becoming "Mr. Ball." So, she threw him a bone with her show, much to the chagrin of everyone else involved. I doubt he really had much of a clue. I wonder, have any of you seen and read the letters Lucy wrote to Gary? They're all in her own hand and appear on eBay regularly. From the ones I've seen, Lucy seems head over heels in love with the man, while he strikes me as distant. One of them led me to believe he was about to leave her. Very interesting stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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