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The Lucy Show OR Here's Lucy


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I've watched the episodes for both series plenty of times. But The Lucy Show has to take the crown. I love everything from Danfield to California and I do laugh a bit more!

 

I've been watching The Lucy Show even more than I Love Lucy nowdays. Could be because I wanna know that show inside and out like I do with ILL. After I'm done with TLS, HL is next!

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In my opinion, The Lucy Show is much more funnier than Here's Lucy. I love them both, but The Lucy Show is better written and I know the episodes, just like I Love Lucy, by heart. Here's Lucy is good but in each season you have about four terrible episodes except for season six which I think has about 10 or 11 good episodes and 13 bad. Season six should not have been produced. Lucy came back because she was asked to by Fred Silverman. Lucy came back for sentimental reasons. She should have quit at the end of season five, but don't get me wrong I still love Here's Lucy and there were some great episodes produced (even in season six) and Lucy should have won an Emmy for the Burton/Taylor episode for Best Actress In A Comedy Series. Lucy was totally ignored for all six seasons of Here's Lucy.

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LS is my pick over HL for sentimental reasons. It’s the first series I discovered Lucy on. Before Comedy Central started this station called HA ran the series in the afternoon, I was about 11/12 years old. That got me into watching ILL in the mornings at 9 on my local FOX affiliate, but once school started I missed ILL but still had LS in the afternoons. The format change and the many other jobs Lucy had other than working at the bank confused me. I was only able to piece some of this together after repeat viewings on Nick at Night. For much of the 90’s LS took a back seat to me learning ILL.

 

HL was the illusive show for me. It wasn’t until the Season 6 DVD set came out that I could say I had seen them all. I got a few thru tape trading, and read about each episode in The Lucy Book. This station called PAX when it first started around 2000 ran the series (minus the OJ one) once through then no more. I didn’t get the station but my best friend at college did and she got about 20+ episodes taped for me. It was nice once the DVD’s came out that I had so much new Lucy to discover. Right now I can only look at about half the episode titles and tell you what the plot is. I think after my ILL run through in episodic order I am going to tackle this series in as much detail, thus forcing me to watch the awful animal ones. I think my favorite thing with this series is watching the kids, the family interaction and how the talents blossom over the seasons.

 

As for which is better, LS wins for me based mostly on the first three seasons. Good writing, the character was still crafty not stupid and Gale’s role was done well and needed. Four and five have some good episodes (Dean Martin being my all time fav) but it feels so disjointed from week to week.

 

HL had many ups and downs but the family dynamic remained good, the musical performances were better than the LS, much of that had to do with the kids talent’s being used and I felt that it remained the same show throughout. I’m happy they toned Harry’s meanness down by Season 5, it was getting a little much.

 

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Definately the Lucy Show.... I think it is.funnier than heres.Lucy and I can say there arent as mqny bad ones as opposed to Heres Lucy... I also like the look of the Lucy.Show... So crisp and fresh..and I like.her appearance in it.too... She looks nice in Heres Lucy but great on The Lucy Show

Can`t argue with THAT one.

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The only good thing about Here`s Lucy was seeing her interact with her own kids.

 

The ONLY good thing? Seriously? lol

 

LucyImHome, on second thought I wish you were a bit more specific in your question. The first three seasons and the last three seasons of TLS feel like two separate series for me. Its the same with HL. Seasons 1 - 3 seem almost like a satire compared to how wonderful seasons 4 - 6 were when Bob and Madelyn had more of a steady influence in the series. If you broke it down that way, I think I prefer Here's Lucy "Part 2" compared to the rest. In fact, having blitzed through Season 5 of Here's Lucy in its entirety this week, it is the most completely satisfying post-ILL season overall, IMO.

 

So...

 

1. Here's Lucy Pt. 2

2. The Lucy Show Pt. 1

3. The Lucy Show Pt. 2

4. Here's Lucy Pt. 1

 

(Positions 3 & 4 Subject to Change)

 

After finishing Season Five tonight I looped back to Season One at the beginning and they do indeed feel worlds apart.

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The ONLY good thing? Seriously? lol

 

LucyImHome, on second thought I wish you were a bit more specific in your question. The first three seasons and the last three seasons of TLS feel like two separate series for me. Its the same with HL. Seasons 1 - 3 seem almost like a satire compared to how wonderful seasons 4 - 6 were when Bob and Madelyn had more of a steady influence in the series. If you broke it down that way, I think I prefer Here's Lucy "Part 2" compared to the rest. In fact, having blitzed through Season 5 of Here's Lucy in its entirety this week, it is the most completely satisfying post-ILL season overall, IMO.

 

So...

 

1. Here's Lucy Pt. 2

2. The Lucy Show Pt. 1

3. The Lucy Show Pt. 2

4. Here's Lucy Pt. 1

 

(Positions 3 & 4 Subject to Change)

 

After finishing Season Five tonight I looped back to Season One at the beginning and they do indeed feel worlds apart.

Hey, different strokes for different folks, know what I mean, Vern. Lucy show 4 5 6 were superior to me to 1 2 and 3 because I was a LUCY BALL fan. 1 2 and 3 Here`s Lucy were better than 4 5 and 6 because it was nice seeing her as a REAL mom to those kids who proved they did have talent. Then, again, they ran out of ideas for her.

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The ONLY good thing? Seriously? lol

 

LucyImHome, on second thought I wish you were a bit more specific in your question. The first three seasons and the last three seasons of TLS feel like two separate series for me. Its the same with HL. Seasons 1 - 3 seem almost like a satire compared to how wonderful seasons 4 - 6 were when Bob and Madelyn had more of a steady influence in the series. If you broke it down that way, I think I prefer Here's Lucy "Part 2" compared to the rest. In fact, having blitzed through Season 5 of Here's Lucy in its entirety this week, it is the most completely satisfying post-ILL season overall, IMO.

 

So...

 

1. Here's Lucy Pt. 2

2. The Lucy Show Pt. 1

3. The Lucy Show Pt. 2

4. Here's Lucy Pt. 1

 

(Positions 3 & 4 Subject to Change)

 

After finishing Season Five tonight I looped back to Season One at the beginning and they do indeed feel worlds apart.

 

I agree with all this. The fifth season of Here's Lucy is, in my opinion, the most consistent post-I Love Lucy season.

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I agree with all this. The fifth season of Here's Lucy is, in my opinion, the most consistent post-I Love Lucy season.

 

I rarely disagree with Harrry (3 r's ...could be a typo....you figure it out) Carter but for my money, TLS season 2 is the most consistent. As in every season of every series, there's a weaker one her or there, but I can't think of an episode that doesn't have at least one very enjoyable moment.

 

I'll have to look at the HL season 5 roster of episodes. It does have the strongest opening of an post-ill season with the 1-2-3 punch of Big Break, Eva and HC, Male Nurse.all of which make my HL top Ten.

More of my favorite HL episodes come from the ocassionally-maligned 6th season than any other. True, the first half is below average, but then you've got NG as RN, Wandering Mother, Lucy Meets Lucy and Fights the System.

Throw in Someone's on Ski Lift with Dinah, Ginger Rogers Comes to Tea, Lucy's Working Daughter, Craig's Drivers License and I think there's my top 10 (actually 11). 7 of them written by Bob and Madelyn, 3 by Bob O'Brien and I'm not sure who wrote "Craig's License" but I think it might be *gasp* Milt and Ray Singer!

I'm one of the few who does not include Burtons in their top HLs. I certainly like it. It dwarfs all others in notoriety, but there are many I like better.

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I rarely disagree with Harrry (3 r's ...could be a typo....you figure it out) Carter but for my money, TLS season 2 is the most consistent. As in every season of every series, there's a weaker one her or there, but I can't think of an episode that doesn't have at least one very enjoyable moment.

 

I'll have to look at the HL season 5 roster of episodes. It does have the strongest opening of an post-ill season with the 1-2-3 punch of Big Break, Eva and HC, Male Nurse.all of which make my HL top Ten.

More of my favorite HL episodes come from the ocassionally-maligned 6th season than any other. True, the first half is below average, but then you've got NG as RN, Wandering Mother, Lucy Meets Lucy and Fights the System.

Throw in Someone's on Ski Lift with Dinah, Ginger Rogers Comes to Tea, Lucy's Working Daughter, Craig's Drivers License and I think there's my top 10 (actually 11). 7 of them written by Bob and Madelyn, 3 by Bob O'Brien and I'm not sure who wrote "Craig's License" but I think it might be *gasp* Milt and Ray Singer!

I'm one of the few who does not include Burtons in their top HLs. I certainly like it. It dwarfs all others in notoriety, but there are many I like better.

Sorry to say this yet again but Here's Lucy suffered from too much Harry yelling and screaming and too much Lucie and not enough LUCY. Lucie's waitress was so subtle and her secretary likewise, she made Ruth Buzzi look restrained.

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Sorry, eh? lol You keep saying it and I keep disagreeing. This is a vicious cycle. lol

LOL! I do love Lucie singing and dancing though, and she is gorgeous, looks much younger than her real age and is one talented performer. And hey, what could she do with the lousy material they handed her on the series? I think that the series became too similar to those horrible Bob Hope comedy sketches, fake and all, BUT, for me, as long as Lucy was in it and she gave us terrific guest stars, that was fine by me as she had done every comedic situation imaginable by then.

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I think that the series became too similar to those horrible Bob Hope comedy sketches, fake and all, BUT, for me, as long as Lucy was in it and she gave us terrific guest stars, that was fine by me as she had done every comedic situation imaginable by then.

 

I suppose it started as something like that, but it evolved into something so much different...and so much better!

 

And Lucie's "Kim" material was far better once Bob and Madelyn came on board -- and probably far closer to her own personality and talents -- as the series progressed.

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I suppose it started as something like that, but it evolved into something so much different...and so much better!

 

And Lucie's "Kim" material was far better once Bob and Madelyn came on board -- and probably far closer to her own personality and talents -- as the series progressed.

Did Bob and Madelyn CREATE those sensational characters for her like the secretary from hell and the waitress with the same address?

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Maybe this is the place to ask the question.... Why is Heres Lucy lessentertaining than her other tv shows? I want to like it as much.or.more so can anyone tell me why I find it less entertaining? And if it is the.writing......why wasnt it immediately adsressed? Surely people involved knew how to increase the quality....what wws the blockade? If it was Lucille..what were her reasons? If anyone knows I wud appreciate an answer.....thanks... By the way its hard.to.type on this crappy phone lol

 

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Sorry to say this yet again but Here's Lucy suffered from too much Harry yelling and screaming and too much Lucie and not enough LUCY. Lucie's waitress was so subtle and her secretary likewise, she made Ruth Buzzi look restrained.

 

I have to confess I'm no scholar on either TLS or HL, certainly haven't watched them to the point I can tell you what episode was from what season as you guys can do and like I can for ILL, but to me I much prefer the Lucy/Gale interaction from HL to TLS. I felt Gale screamed way more on TLS and frankly had a meaner edge to his performances; "Mr Mooney" could barely tolerate "Mrs Carmichael" while Harry merely got exasperated with Lucille on occasion.

 

I give HL the slight edge as the more appealing show even though I think TLS was generally funnier however I feel it has a much more forced flavor in the humor than we usually associate with Lucy and the "star" guest appearances here are usually more tiresome than in her other shows, the kids are boring, there's a whiff of sadness (Lucy & Viv, no Desi & Bill), the very unpleasant (to me) Mr Mooney/Mrs Carmichael flareups, and frankly I think you can often feel the stress Lucy was going through at the time.

 

I prefer the much more relaxed HL; the star appearances here can be silly too but Lucy Carter isn't as wowed by every second-tier celebrity as Lucy Carmichael was, I think the Lucy/star interactions are better here, she's happy to meet them for two minutes and then it's just another person in her orbit. Also enjoy seeing Lucy with her real kids, she was obviously very proud of them and enjoyed working with them and it shows. There's much less hostility in the Lucy/Gale combo than before and that's a relief. I'm rarely knocked out by HL episodes but most of them leave you with a good feeling while sometimes with TLS I feel I've spent a half hour on a block that's being ripped apart by construction workers with noisy equipment.

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