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Here's Lucy -- Season Six -- Reviews and First Impressions!


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The "OJ Episode" is actually a very funny installment, despite the guest star. LOL

 

Agreed....To enjoy it you have to forget what was to happen 20 or so years later---and ignore how queasy his references to his wife make you feel.

I know OJ had something of an acting career but this is the only thing I saw him in and......well....all I can say is that he's better than Eydie Gorme

(and I do like Eydie's singing....just not this example of her acting). These sports figures have no business in the acting profession IMO.

 

The great thing about this episode is that it has a plot that keeps moving along....not something a lot of these episodes have. I don't like Brockhead's acting style....too hammily presentational. More effective to have someone playing this character completely straight...like Don Porter. I feel the same about Irwin Sharone.

 

Though probably not my least favorite episode, if someone were to say: what is Here's Lucy at its worst, I would have to say "Lucy and Andy Griffith". Was it a given that if you guested on Lucy's show, you didn't have to memorize your lines? There's an awful lot of cue card eye-darting by Andy.

What a waste of Andy Griffith and the potential of the teaming of the two.

 

AND were grown women still getting spanked in 1973????

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Agreed....To enjoy it you have to forget what was to happen 20 or so years later---and ignore how queasy his references to his wife make you feel.

I know OJ had something of an acting career but this is the only thing I saw him in and......well....all I can say is that he's better than Eydie Gorme

(and I do like Eydie's singing....just not this example of her acting). These sports figures have no business in the acting profession IMO.

 

The great thing about this episode is that it has a plot that keeps moving along....not something a lot of these episodes have. I don't like Brockhead's acting style....too hammily presentational. More effective to have someone playing this character completely straight...like Don Porter. I feel the same about Irwin Sharone.

 

Though probably not my least favorite episode, if someone were to say: what is Here's Lucy at its worst, I would have to say "Lucy and Andy Griffith". Was it a given that if you guested on Lucy's show, you didn't have to memorize your lines? There's an awful lot of cue card eye-darting by Andy.

What a waste of Andy Griffith and the potential of the teaming of the two.

 

AND were grown women still getting spanked in 1973????

 

Andy spanking Lucie was totally cringe worthy to me. It just felt ... gross, like Andy's a dirty old man.

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Agreed....To enjoy it you have to forget what was to happen 20 or so years later---and ignore how queasy his references to his wife make you feel.

I know OJ had something of an acting career but this is the only thing I saw him in and......well....all I can say is that he's better than Eydie Gorme

(and I do like Eydie's singing....just not this example of her acting). These sports figures have no business in the acting profession IMO.

 

The great thing about this episode is that it has a plot that keeps moving along....not something a lot of these episodes have. I don't like Brockhead's acting style....too hammily presentational. More effective to have someone playing this character completely straight...like Don Porter. I feel the same about Irwin Sharone.

 

Though probably not my least favorite episode, if someone were to say: what is Here's Lucy at its worst, I would have to say "Lucy and Andy Griffith". Was it a given that if you guested on Lucy's show, you didn't have to memorize your lines? There's an awful lot of cue card eye-darting by Andy.

What a waste of Andy Griffith and the potential of the teaming of the two.

 

AND were grown women still getting spanked in 1973????

Yes, Andy and Lucy, two of tv's all time best and wasted on this lousy show.
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The other "genre" of Here's Lucy that's on the bottom of my list is exemplified by "Carters Meet Frankie Avalon" where TOO MUCH of somebody's act is featured, as filler it seems to me, at the expense of any real plot.

Lucy must have been a real Frankie booster, because I think by 1973 his career had long ago peaked and he was only 33 (or 34 depending on your source). Not his fault really, the "scene" had moved on and he was already sort of a nostalgia act.

 

This is the 2nd time I've heard that Kim's job is a receptionist at a talent agency.....so why no storylines with that?? Was it only mentioned in Bob O'Brien's scripts? Who was in charge of continuity? Alvy Moore??

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The other "genre" of Here's Lucy that's on the bottom of my list is exemplified by "Carters Meet Frankie Avalon" where TOO MUCH of somebody's act is featured, as filler it seems to me, at the expense of any real plot.

Lucy must have been a real Frankie booster, because I think by 1973 his career had long ago peaked and he was only 33 (or 34 depending on your source). Not his fault really, the "scene" had moved on and he was already sort of a nostalgia act.

 

 

Lucy worshipped Frankie's talent, she kept attending his shows and there's a famous quote where she's on the phone talking about him and it goes something like this . . . I CAN'T POSSIBLY GO TO THAT SHOW AGAIN, IF I SHOW UP AT RINGSIDE AGAIN THEY'LL SAY WE'RE IN LOVE OR SOMETHING, HE'S FOUR FEET TWO . . . which was the clue that gave us his name, LOL!
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Although it's been said "Meanwhile, Back at the Office" was the last episode filmed, I don't think it's true. Coby Ruskin is credited as director, while Jack Donohue directed the last six episodes of the series. Lucie has longer hair in this one, while in "Where is My Wandering Mother Tonight?" she has a new, very short hairstyle. I can't imagine that "Meanwhile, Back at the Office" would be filmed after this one.

 

I've never heard the story of why Coby Ruskin left with only a few episodes remaining to film. Notice the "Sheriff" directorial credit is Coby Ruskin AND Lucille Ball; then the next week it's Jack Donahue again.

It's possible that Coby got sick OR they had a control battle and Coby walked.

It would be interesting to know what episode was filmed last. It would certainly seem "Fights the System" was pegged as the last one to be shown with Gale giving his great line "I knew it would end like this" pretty much summing up the abuse he took in the series.

I know Lucy Meets Lucy was filmed some time in December of 1973 because I was in California briefly and wanted to see the show but was told this one had no audience because of the "trick photography" involved.

 

I agree with Lucie in her "Wandering Mother" intro lamenting there weren't more scripts like this one (and less shows like "The Carters meet Frankie Avalon"---which Lucie does not add)

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Got this wonderful set for Christmas and have paced myself. Only watched half of the episodes so far. All of them for the first time.

 

"Lucy And Danny Thomas" - Love them both, fine story, some funny moments, some overly sentimental moments, it was OKAY

"The Big Game" - Really enjoyed this episode, Lucy was loose and fun, VERY GOOD

"Lucy's Tenant" - Really enjoyed this episode too, some great zingers and Lucy was great, VERY GOOD

"Lucy And Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty" - Great episode, Lucy and Joan were great and funny, the charades bit is overrated, but the episode is well written and funny, GREAT

"Tipsy Through The Tulips" - Never was a huge fan of his, but it was an okay episode, OKAY

"Lucy Plays Cops And Robbers" - Some really fun moments, very funny spots, great guests, VERY GOOD

"Lucy And Chuck Connors Have A Surprise Slumber Party" - Okay episode, nothing struck me as hilarious, OKAY

"Lucy Is N.G. As An RN" - Heard great things about this episode, didn't find it to be anything special, OKAY

"Lucy, The Sheriff" - Okay episode, some really stupid moments, OKAY

"Mary Jane's Boyfriend" - Mary Jane was really strong here, but the writing was subpar, OKAY

"Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball" - Inventive plot, but an obvious plug for MAME, and not many huge laughs, OKAY

"Where Is My Wandering Mother Tonight?" - Funny episode, best Kim episode I've seen yet, GREAT

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More on "Peacemaker". Lucy is cute trying out as Steve's new partner singing and dancing to "Together Wherever We Go". I prefer her slightly off key vocal attempts to this style where it's unrealistic that even SHE wouldn't know she's off. The best example of her off-key but sincere vocals is when she's warbling "Sweet Sue" to herself in the kitchen as Ricky prepares to ask her to do "Mr. and Mrs. TV Show" together. Especially the high note "Knows" in "Every star above KNOWS the one I love" where her voice cracks.

 

And one more thing about "Peacemaker": For the purpose of getting the two of them together LUCY RENTS an addtional suite? Who paid that bill? Steve? Or did Carter's Unique have to eat that one. Love her British accent on the phone and the way she hangs it up satisfied with herself.

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"Lucy Is N.G. As An RN" - Heard great things about this episode, didn't find it to be anything special, OKAY

 

 

yes, I suppose we have built it up so much that people who haven't seen it expect something like "LA at Last".

What we love about this episode is that it is consistently funny, everybody gets a moment to shine, and a throwback to when Lucy did more realistic, natural feeling comedy......a hallmark of the ILL days when she could go from urabane sophisticate to wild slapstick episode to episode and sometimes within the same episode.

 

As Fidelman so rightly points out, this is a good example of what the show could have been: more of an ensemble piece. Granted it's not exactly a thick plot and would only qualify as a 2 1/2 to 3 star ILL or early TLS....but on the Here's Lucy scale, it's thoroughly enjoyable. HL had many wonderful moments but I can't say "THOROUGHLY enjoyable" about too many episodes.

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Lucy is NG--pretty good, I enjoyed the "three way" with Mary Jane yelling from upstairs to Harry downstairs, then Harry telling Lucy what Mary Jane wanted, then the doctor thinking Harry Carter was being treated like a cat.

Back At the Office--really slow start so I started to lose interest but I liked the bit where they were answering all the phones.

Lucy the Sheriff--it was OK, the little old lady was really funny, and the cake looked soooooooo good. I LOL'ed at Lucy accidentally shooting the blank guns during the ceremony

Mary Jane's Boyfriend--saw it coming at the end when Lucy was immediately smitten with MJ's new boyfriend, and LOL'ed at Lucy mimicking MJ's charm school homework. "I AM beautiful!" Weren't cassette tapes invented back then? I didn't know they called them records.

 

I don't know where they got the info that "Back at the Office" was the last one shot. I looked at the guide on Youns.com, which lists the episodes in production order, and that one was NOT listed last.

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Just finished season six of Here's Lucy. I must say the bonues features are excellent as they have been through all the Here's Lucy and Lucy Show releases. I have to say season six was the weakest of all the Lucy seasons, but, there are quite a few GEMS in the bunch which include:

 

Lucy Gives Eddie Albert The Old Song and Dance (love the musical number)

Lucy's Tenant (very funny)

Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty (very funny - Lucy & Joan work well together)

Lucy Play Cops and Robbers (very funny - good supporting cast of actors)

Lucy and Chuck Connors (very funny)

Lucy is N.G. As An R.N. (the second best episode of season six)

Milton Berle Is The Life of the Party (very funny even thought I don't like Milton Berle)

Mary Jane's Boyfriend (very funny)

Where Is My Wandering Mother Tonight? (THE BEST EPISODE OF SEASON SIX)

Lucy Fights The System (Very funny and Lucie Arnaz is quite good as the waitress)

 

I also liked:

Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball (funny - but was more an infomercial for "Mame") and

Lucy and Phil Harris Strike Up The Band (good)

 

Episodes that were just okay -

The Big Game (had a few good moments)

The Carters Meet Frankie Avalon (Lucie and Frankie did a good job impersonating Sonny & Cher)

 

The Here's Lucy seasons 1-5 always (in my opinion) had about four episodes in each season that were bad, but the sixth season had 10 awful episodes:

Lucy and Danny Thomas (Lucy and Danny work well together as they have in the past but this had to be the worst season opener for a Lucy show)

Lucy, the Peacemaker (Eydie Gorme ruined the entire episode - she can't act)

Lucy, the Wealty Widow (not funny)

Lucy & Andy Griffith (terrible, especially, when Andy spanks Lucie Arnaz)

Tipsy Through The Tulips (not a Foster Brooks fan)

Harry Catches Gold Fever (Horrible, tied for first place with Lucy, The Sheriff as the worst episodes)

Lucy Is A Bird-Sitter (not funny - Arte Johnson very annoying)

Meanwhile, Back At The Office (w/Don Porter - horrible script almost tied Harry Catches Gold Fever and Lucy, The Sheriff)

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Lucy Is A Bird-Sitter (not funny - Arte Johnson very annoying)

 

 

Believe it or note, this script, at least in concept form, was originally conceived as the re-teaming of Lucy with guest star WILLIAM HOLDEN!

I got this straight from Madelyn Davis. Bob and Madelyn got his idea because of Holden's wildlife conservation activities. Like the script written by Holden's character in Sunset Boulevard about Okies in the dustbowl that eventually played on a torpedo boat, this one was altered beyond recognition for Arte Johnson, who Is annoying unfunny. I haven't re-watched this one yet because of my memory of him. I'm sure he was not the second choice after Holden.

Many times after Bob and Madelyn submitted a script, it was altered without their knowledge....and they usually weren't happy about it. (Two I can think of: "Franchise Fiasco" and "Goodby Mr. Hips")

Evidently Lucy forgave Johnson for his rather imperious and sarcastic end of Laugh In "Good night, Lucy" as the German soldier. Lucy got the last laugh though. The only time in her TV history her competition was more popular in the ratings than her series....for two years anyway. Then she was back on top and HL outlasted Laugh-In by a year..

How many Laugh In alums appeared on HL when the show switched to 9:00 and they were no longer direct competition? Just Arte and Ruth Buzzi?

Lucie Arnaz was the guest on a Laugh In during this period. I wonder if they ever approached Lucy herself....Might have been funny if Arte did his 'Good night Lucy' (if he was still doing it) and Lucy joined him in the bushes in her Ironman soldier drag from the Bob Crane episode.

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Believe it or note, this script, at least in concept form, was originally conceived as the re-teaming of Lucy with guest star WILLIAM HOLDEN!

I got this straight from Madelyn Davis. Bob and Madelyn got his idea because of Holden's wildlife conservation activities. Like the script written by Holden's character in Sunset Boulevard about Okies in the dustbowl that eventually played on a torpedo boat, this one was altered beyond recognition for Arte Johnson, who Is annoying unfunny. I haven't re-watched this one yet because of my memory of him. I'm sure he was not the second choice after Holden.

Many times after Bob and Madelyn submitted a script, it was altered without their knowledge....and they usually weren't happy about it. (Two I can think of: "Franchise Fiasco" and "Goodby Mr. Hips")

Evidently Lucy forgave Johnson for his rather imperious and sarcastic end of Laugh In "Good night, Lucy" as the German soldier. Lucy got the last laugh though. The only time in her TV history her competition was more popular in the ratings than her series....for two years anyway. Then she was back on top and HL outlasted Laugh-In by a year..

How many Laugh In alums appeared on HL when the show switched to 9:00 and they were no longer direct competition? Just Arte and Ruth Buzzi?

Lucie Arnaz was the guest on a Laugh In during this period. I wonder if they ever approached Lucy herself....Might have been funny if Arte did his 'Good night Lucy' (if he was still doing it) and Lucy joined him in the bushes in her Ironman soldier drag from the Bob Crane episode.

I was thrilled when he first did that, i thought it was an acknowledgemernt of their main competition, he even said a few as GOOD NIGHT LUCY, YOU TOO GARY.
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Lucy worshipped Frankie's talent, she kept attending his shows and there's a famous quote where she's on the phone talking about him and it goes something like this . . . I CAN'T POSSIBLY GO TO THAT SHOW AGAIN, IF I SHOW UP AT RINGSIDE AGAIN THEY'LL SAY WE'RE IN LOVE OR SOMETHING, HE'S FOUR FEET TWO . . . which was the clue that gave us his name, LOL!

 

That's a funny story. I don't think there are too many entertainers with that type of multi-generational appeal anymore.

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And one more thing about "Peacemaker": For the purpose of getting the two of them together LUCY RENTS an addtional suite? Who paid that bill? Steve? Or did Carter's Unique have to eat that one. Love her British accent on the phone and the way she hangs it up satisfied with herself.

 

I've always wondered this too. Maybe Lucy figured Steve and Eydie would be so happy about being reunited that they would pay the bill.

Another kind of nitpicky thing about an episode this season. In "Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty" there are five woman jurors. Lucy and Joan are sharing one room. Alice Backes' character and the other woman who comes in when they break the window are sharing another. Does Shirley Anthony's character have a room all to herself? I can't imagine she would be sharing a room with a male juror. Is she in the other room with the other two women, but not concerned at all when Lucy and Joan break the window? If she does have a room to herself, why didn't she and Joan share her room so no one would have to be with Lucy?

 

I know I'm one of the very few in the world, but I've always loved "Lucy is a Bird Sitter."

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Another kind of nitpicky thing about an episode this season. In "Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty" there are five woman jurors. Lucy and Joan are sharing one room. Alice Backes' character and the other woman who comes in when they break the window are sharing another. Does Shirley Anthony's character have a room all to herself? I can't imagine she would be sharing a room with a male juror. Is she in the other room with the other two women, but not concerned at all when Lucy and Joan break the window? If she does have a room to herself, why didn't she and Joan share her room so no one would have to be with Lucy?

 

 

You know, you should do more analyzing, you're not examining every detail behind every show.
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I have now seen every episode. Thanks CBS and MPI and Tom Watson and Lucie/Desi Jr. for the hours of all the hard work put in to making all of Lucy's work available with enough extras to make another full dvd set! I may not have the LDCH but I have every episode of Lucy's later work that nobody ever bothered to rerun in my town when I was old enough to care. I missed seeing reruns of TLS on Nick at Nite in 1992-1996 because I was 3 through 7 years old and obviously was in bed by then, but they were edited beyond belief so not really a total loss.

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I have now seen every episode. Thanks CBS and MPI and Tom Watson and Lucie/Desi Jr. for the hours of all the hard work put in to making all of Lucy's work available with enough extras to make another full dvd set! I may not have the LDCH but I have every episode of Lucy's later work that nobody ever bothered to rerun in my town when I was old enough to care. I missed seeing reruns of TLS on Nick at Nite in 1992-1996 because I was 3 through 7 years old and obviously was in bed by then, but they were edited beyond belief so not really a total loss.

Why don't you have the Lucy Desi comedy hours?
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Too depressing to watch knowing what was really happening behind the scenes.

 

That's a silly reason chedderchester - enjoy it for what it is - don't think too much about what's happening "behind the scenes" with things you watch otherwise you will never enjoy anything in life. Peace, Miki xx

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