Annaleigh Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Viv was originally in it and Fred wasn't. In the original script there was a tag scene where Ethel brings her a bottle of you know what to cure her hangover. Not sure what caused Bill to take her place in it. But Ethel's absence has always made me sad about that episode a little bit.I wish that would've happened. I would love to see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Do you have the first act of Catherine Curtis on a loop? You kill me! :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Do you have the first act of Catherine Curtis on a loop? No, just sick of hearing these damned comments like wish Viv were in the TV Commercial episode, geez! Why can't he just accept that it's Lucy's shining moment and nobody else was needed in that particular ep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I know you've always had a clear preference for the post-Viv years of THE LUCY SHOW, and that's great. It's not THE LUCY AND VIV SHOW. It's THE LUCY SHOW. But I will always prefer the earlier seasons, in which I felt the scripts were stronger. Though different strokes for different folks. My point here isn't about the various formats of THE LUCY SHOW. It's about the necessity of the ensemble in I LOVE LUCY. I truly believe that they're integral to the series' success. I'm a bit confused about your point-of-view, however. Do you think Lucy ever produced work that was consistently of the same caliber as I LOVE LUCY? And if you don't, to what do you attribute I LOVE LUCY's unique success? For me, it's the writing. But part of that is also the format that allowed for richer characters -- the ensemble included. To clarify my feelings about Lucy's importance to the show. Lucy + writing = brilliance in "Lucy Does A TV Commercial." Nothing else. BUT generally Lucy + Writing + Ensemble = brilliance in I LOVE LUCY. For me, an episode where Lucy AND the ensemble get chances to shine is usually going to take precedence over an episode in which only Lucy gets to shine. But there are exceptions to every rule, and everyone's mileage varies. I know you probably feel that any episode that Lucy gets to shine is paramount, regardless of anyone else. And I see the point -- it's Lucy. She should always shine, and I always WANT Lucy to shine. But part of what I think made I LOVE LUCY special is that others shone too. So, as far as I'm concerned, "Lucy Does A TV Commercial" is not the best representation of the series. But it's a nitpick. A funny episode is a funny episode. Fine, fine, my comments referred to the Vita commercial especially. As for The Lucy show, I am the first to agree with you and I used to say that when I saw The Mary Tyler Moore show and saw this terrific assemblage of great talents surrounding her, I wished Lucy had had that also. Let's face it, Mary was not that funny on her own, it was the people next to her that usually. But I wanted that for Here's Lucy. As for The Lucy Show, I did not find anything funny about those mundane plots revolving around the kids playing baseball, I preferred Lucy meeting big stars and getting into jams with them, hence my love for her later shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 You kill me! :lol: Yeah, I agree, I don't mind an INTELLIGENT Lucy related PUT DOWN, they don't bother me at all. What people forget though is I come here to post, fast, while watching tv or a movie and don't think out my replies as some do. I'm not here to cure cancer or any other society ill, I just enjoy talking about Lucy, sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Upperco, your observations are dead on. Her later series aside, I Love Lucy was truly an ensemble show. Lucille was the pivotal centre of course, but without the support she received from the other three the show would not have been as it was. And for anyone to say the show could've worked without them is absurd. Lucy even said that whenever she watched reruns, she never looked at herself but always zeroed in on Vivian, astounded at the support Viv gave her. As much as I love seeing Lucy, to me it isn't complete unless Ethel is by her side. To me that friendship was the soul of the series. Her love of Ricky was the heart. And as marvelous as solo bits like Vita were, I always prefer her joint comedy bits with Viv and the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 No, just sick of hearing these damned comments like wish Viv were in the TV Commercial episode, geez! Why can't he just accept that it's Lucy's shining moment and nobody else was needed in that particular ep. I think what we were saying was that it would've been cute to see that original scripted tag scene with Ethel bringing her a bottle to cure her hangover. Obviously nobody else was needed in the key scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I think what we were saying was that it would've been cute to see that original scripted tag scene with Ethel bringing her a bottle to cure her hangover. Obviously nobody else was needed in the key scene. Good point. I forget what the original set up was, telling Fred she'd take the call for the girl wanting to DO the commercial, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Good point. I forget what the original set up was, telling Fred she'd take the call for the girl wanting to DO the commercial, right? Correct. And initially all of Fred's lines were Ethel's. The tag was cut for time and for whatever reason Vivian was replaced by Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Correct. And initially all of Fred's lines were Ethel's. The tag was cut for time and for whatever reason Vivian was replaced by Bill. Oh she must have really loved that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chedderchester Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 I honestly just cannot get into Lucy Meets Charles Boyer. Tried to but the plot seemed kind of eh for me. Only saw it once. And while First Stop is one of my favorites, (Fred: I FEEL LIKE I'M BREAKIN OUT OF PRISON!) the beds sliding across the floor didn't make me laugh as hard as I thought I would. Maybe because everybody kept telling me it was hysterically funny. I didn't get a chance to discover it on my own. The cabin shaking was funny though, as was Ethel coming out of the bathroom with toothpaste all over her face Lucy Tells the Truth was funny at the end but it's not one of my favorites that I'll go back and watch over and over. Neither is Lucy Changes Her Mind. The best scene was at the beginning in the restaurant, then when Lucy pretended to be a mannequin in the store window. The Dummy had a few funny scenes, like Ricky going "hello hello" while holding up the fake head. But I didn't really LOL during the I Get Ideas scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chedderchester Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Lucy Does the Tango wasn't THAT funny, especially the eggs scene but the studio audience sure thought different. Her face when she smashes the eggs was funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Lucy Does the Tango wasn't THAT funny, especially the eggs scene but the studio audience sure thought different. Her face when she smashes the eggs was funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Yeah, make mine a double. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Lucy Does the Tango wasn't THAT funny, especially the eggs scene but the studio audience sure thought different. Her face when she smashes the eggs was funny. It's a good one but not my personal favorite from the Connecticut episodes. I'm more partial to "Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors" and "Lucy Raises Tulips". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 It's a good one but not my personal favorite from the Connecticut episodes. I'm more partial to "Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors" and "Lucy Raises Tulips". Man, do we HAVE to disagree on absolutely everything? LOL! Hated tulips but LOVES me some Tango with eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Hated tulips I've never heard of such a thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I've never heard of such a thing. Well, I meant compared to Tango/eggs, Tulips is certainly better than the totally unfunny STATUE though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Well, I meant compared to Tango/eggs, Tulips is certainly better than the totally unfunny STATUE though. I do agree with that. Did not care for Statue much at all. One of the Bobs even said he was really disappointed it wound up being the last aired episode because he hated it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I do agree with that. Did not care for Statue much at all. One of the Bobs even said he was really disappointed it wound up being the last aired episode because he hated it. Hope he then went to a comedy writing course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chedderchester Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I think the best part of the Statue episode was when Ricky went "On Doodle Dandy Day ..." then his bug eyed double take when he sees the "statue" move. that made me die laughing. I appreciate the Tango episode for what it is. The eggs scene stands out as the best part, as well as when they keep finding chickens all over the place. And Ricky going "ETHEL! Are you carrying eggs too?" *SMASH* I bet Bill was really looking forward to whacking Viv's tuchus with the door. I love how the audience started laughing even before Lucy smashed the eggs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upperco Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Just watched "With Viv As A Friend, Who Needs An Enemy?" and still can't appreciate it. I adore Vivian, but the reason for their conflict -- Viv taking the newly opened job as Harry's secretary -- is illogical and unmotivated. Not buying that Viv would do that. This plot point sort of ruins the whole episode for me, even though there are a few great lines and some really nice Lucy/Harry moments. (Many cite Season Five as the year their relationship warmed, but having watched the first four seasons straight through, I think it started with Bob and Madelyn's return at the start of Season Four.) Also, I really don't like the ending where Lucy pretends to be decrepit. Though we learn right beforehand that Vivian wants to leave the job, am I supposed to believe Lucy and Harry really think Viv will believe their scheme? The silliness is at odds with an otherwise realistic story about Lucy and Harry's dependance and fondness for one another. It's indicative of the series eternal conflict: logic vs. illogic, and I've never understood why many found it so favorable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 That is my least favourite of the Viv episodes. Installments with the "old lady" impersonations do nothing for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 It's ok, God got her back for portraying all those little old ladies by making her one. Talk about payback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 I'm somewhat intrigued by her old lady character. She plays it different than what she normally is doing and the change of pace is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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