It's the little things they do together...

[JoeySanJoaquin]

On 2/17/2019 at 10:50 AM, Neil said:

"No Children Allowed" is really a wonderful episode.  Nothing outlandish happens.  The plot moves along briskly and plenty of true-to-life laughs along the way.  The "little things...." in this episode that I've never noticed before:  the very last shot of Mrs. Trumball holding the baby.  It's quick but when the camera zooms in as Mrs. T is saying her "don't worry, you'll always have me" speech, she looks up from the baby and gives the 4 a quick side glance  look.  So real and a perfect ending to this perfect little episode.  And it sets up that Mrs. Trumble would, in the future be their on-call willing baby-sitter.   I wish during the Europe arc, they had had a "Meanwhile Back in New York" episode with Trumble and Mrs. M. ( where scatterbrained Mrs. M brings the wrong "baby" home from nursery school and the two panic.)    Spin-off material!

 

Inspired!

[Mot Morenzi]

In the opening scene of "The Fashion Show," I love Ethel's blasé reaction to Fred's coughing fit. The resigned look on her face as if to say "what else is new?" is so well done. Nobody could do the long-suffering wife facial expressions like Vivian. 

[Mot Morenzi]

I know Lucille once said that whenever she caught I Love Lucy reruns, she couldn't take her eyes off Vivian. I find I'm doing that more and more as well. So many of the "little things" belonged to Vance. For some reason, I've had "Fred, for your information, May the third happens to be OUR wedding anniversary" running through my head and it always makes me chuckle.

[HarryCarter]

In Ricky and Fred are TV Fans, I love how Lucy snips her scissors at Sergeant Frank Nelson when they are released.  

[Neil]

In "Housewarming", probably the best of the Connecticut episodes,  when it's obvious there's no surprise party, Ricky tells Lucy she must have been mistaken.  Lucy: "Yes there is, honey.  That Ethel.  She's a sly one.  She might just make us wait the whole evening...." and then that split-second transition to the cry.  NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE else could have done this.  (and I'm not quoting Lucy's full line correctly).  It's a marvelous moment. 

[Luvsbway]

3 hours ago, Neil said:

In "Housewarming", probably the best of the Connecticut episodes,  when it's obvious there's no surprise party, Ricky tells Lucy she must have been mistaken.  Lucy: "Yes there is, honey.  That Ethel.  She's a sly one.  She might just make us wait the whole evening...." and then that split-second transition to the cry.  NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE else could have done this.  (and I'm not quoting Lucy's full line correctly).  It's a marvelous moment. 

This really is one of my favorite real moments on the show. Ricky just let's her go because he knows she needs to work it out on her own, then holds her when she starts crying because he knew it was coming. The heart of the series.

[Mot Morenzi]

That's one of the saddest scenes in the whole series. And you're right, so well done. It's made all the more touching by Ethel's genuinely horrified reaction to the misunderstanding. 

I wish her later shows had had more scenes of emotional resonance like this. I know it wasn't necessarily fitting with the era or tone of the show, but Lucy Carmichael had plenty to be sad about. A Catherine Curtis-esque monologue in the final season could've packed a punch.