LittleRickyII Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 I'm not sure what category this topic should be under. It's not news, it's not about any of the "Lucy" cast or Lucille Ball's family, and it's not about a Lucille Ball movie, festival or trivia. But it is indirectly about Lucille Ball's various TV shows, so I'm placing it here. Anyway, I'm just curious about people's take on Laverne & Shirley. Ever since that show first aired, the titular characters have been compared to Lucy and Ethel. I used to watch Laverne & Shirley when I was a kid and I enjoyed it, but now I can't stand it. I'm guessing that I've seen every episode of I Love Lucy at least a hundred times. To this day I continue to laugh out loud at I Love Lucy, in spite of the number of times I've seen the episodes, and even though I am anticipating what is about to happen or to be said. Last night I watched an episode of Laverne & Shirley on Youtube. The particular episode I watched I chose to watch because a fan of the show had posted a comment that it was one of the best episodes of the series. It was an episode titled "Playing the Roxy." I watched the whole thing through, but mostly wishing it would hurry up and end. I didn't laugh one single time. If this is one of the best episodes, the rest of the series has to be intolerable. But the studio audience seemed to be having a great time. I, on the other hand, sat there thinking how silly and juvenile the show was, and imagining the audience was packed with kids. Like I said, I did enjoy L&S when I was a kid, but I feel like I long ago outgrew it and won't be going back for seconds and thirds. But Lucy I never tire of. Any thoughts on Laverne & Shirley and the comparisons to Lucy and Ethel, the plots, the writing, the acting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 I haven't seen L&S in probably five years, but I remember liking it. Never thought of the ILL comparison. It definitely went downhill later on, but I remember it having some very funny moments. It was certainly better than Happy Days. I never cared for Lenny and Squiggy. I think it was #1 in the Nielsens for a couple of years so it must have something good going for it. I'd definitely say try and find another one to watch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 I'm not sure what category this topic should be under. It's not news, it's not about any of the "Lucy" cast or Lucille Ball's family, and it's not about a Lucille Ball movie, festival or trivia. But it is indirectly about Lucille Ball's various TV shows, so I'm placing it here. Anyway, I'm just curious about people's take on Laverne & Shirley. Ever since that show first aired, the titular characters have been compared to Lucy and Ethel. I used to watch Laverne & Shirley when I was a kid and I enjoyed it, but now I can't stand it. I'm guessing that I've seen every episode of I Love Lucy at least a hundred times. To this day I continue to laugh out loud at I Love Lucy, in spite of the number of times I've seen the episodes, and even though I am anticipating what is about to happen or to be said. Last night I watched an episode of Laverne & Shirley on Youtube. The particular episode I watched I chose to watch because a fan of the show had posted a comment that it was one of the best episodes of the series. It was an episode titled "Playing the Roxy." I watched the whole thing through, but mostly wishing it would hurry up and end. I didn't laugh one single time. If this is one of the best episodes, the rest of the series has to be intolerable. But the studio audience seemed to be having a great time. I, on the other hand, sat there thinking how silly and juvenile the show was, and imagining the audience was packed with kids. Like I said, I did enjoy L&S when I was a kid, but I feel like I long ago outgrew it and won't be going back for seconds and thirds. But Lucy I never tire of. Any thoughts on Laverne & Shirley and the comparisons to Lucy and Ethel, the plots, the writing, the acting? Yes, it was known as Blue collar Lucy and Ethel. Same as Kate and Allie were also similar, they even did a parody of Lucy on the show once. Then there was Absolutely Fabulous which was like Lucy and Ethel on drugs, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 I haven't seen L&S in probably five years, but I remember liking it. Never thought of the ILL comparison. It definitely went downhill later on, but I remember it having some very funny moments. It was certainly better than Happy Days. I never cared for Lenny and Squiggy. I think it was #1 in the Nielsens for a couple of years so it must have something good going for it. I'd definitely say try and find another one to watch. Again, you are right about everything you say, i used to love it, i think it did well because it was part of that great trio, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley and Three's Company, all ABC huge hits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleRickyII Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Yes, it was known as Blue collar Lucy and Ethel. Same as Kate and Allie were also similar, they even did a parody of Lucy on the show once. Then there was Absolutely Fabulous which was like Lucy and Ethel on drugs, LOL! Kate and Allie was watchable, though I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. Absolutely Fabulous was hilarious. Laverne & Shirley just seemed like a lot of screaming and acting silly. Their behavior did not ever seem natural to me the way that it does on Lucy. Lucille Ball had a lot of nuance and subtlety in her performance that I find brilliant. Nothing done on L&S was ever subtle. I haven't seen L&S in probably five years, but I remember liking it. Never thought of the ILL comparison. It definitely went downhill later on, but I remember it having some very funny moments. It was certainly better than Happy Days. I never cared for Lenny and Squiggy. I think it was #1 in the Nielsens for a couple of years so it must have something good going for it. I'd definitely say try and find another one to watch. Well, it wasn't just this one episode. In the last couple years I have tried a few times. I've pulled up a Youtube clip that some big L&S fan thinks is classic, but I watch and find it totally annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Kate and Allie was watchable, though I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. Absolutely Fabulous was hilarious. Laverne & Shirley just seemed like a lot of screaming and acting silly. Their behavior did not ever seem natural to me the way that it does on Lucy. Lucille Ball had a lot of nuance and subtlety in her performance that I find brilliant. Nothing done on L&S was ever subtle. Well, it wasn't just this one episode. In the last couple years I have tried a few times. I've pulled up a Youtube clip that some big L&S fan thinks is classic, but I watch and find it totally annoying. They once did a clip special and i found it amusing but always cringe at Lenny and Squiggy, but the mom and dad were good, Foster was a great comic actor and the lady was a friend of Lucy's married to Larry Parks i think but i forget her name. Oh wait, Betty Garret, finally came back to me, she was also on that Gene Kelly special with Lucy. The ONE clip that still makes me laugh was the one where they are hanging on a wall, but i forget the circumstances, very Lucyish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 They once did a clip special and i found it amusing but always cringe at Lenny and Squiggy, but the mom and dad were good, Foster was a great comic actor and the lady was a friend of Lucy's married to Larry Parks i think but i forget her name. Oh wait, Betty Garret, finally came back to me, she was also on that Gene Kelly special with Lucy. The ONE clip that still makes me laugh was the one where they are hanging on a wall, but i forget the circumstances, very Lucyish. They were in some criminals apartment and he hung them up on a coat rack. You'd think they could have taken off their coats and slipped out. Other funny physical comedy moments I remember would be when they were in a vat of beer to catch a criminal and when they were on an apartment roof with the plungers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I wish they still had TV franchises like in the 70s. Sitcoms of that time were basically dominated by Garry Marshall, Norman Lear, and Mary Tyler Moore. By around 1975, all of the sitcoms in the top 10 were part of a franchise, and something like 4 or 5 of them were spin offs. Even Alice and Three's Company had spin offs that ran for abbreviated, yet highly rated first seasons. Nowadays the only related shows are all those Law & Order, CSI, CSI: Miami, etc. etc. And those are basically the same thing over and over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I wish they still had TV franchises like in the 70s. Sitcoms of that time were basically dominated by Garry Marshall, Norman Lear, and Mary Tyler Moore. By around 1975, all of the sitcoms in the top 10 were part of a franchise, and something like 4 or 5 of them were spin offs. Even Alice and Three's Company had spin offs that ran for abbreviated, yet highly rated first seasons. Nowadays the only related shows are all those Law & Order, CSI, CSI: Miami, etc. etc. And those are basically the same thing over and over again. Yeah, no kidding. There used to be this famous article back in the day that said that any drama on television only had like eight or so basic plots and they just getting rehashed all the time or changed around for each show. Guess the same thing might be said for great comedies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I saw something that there are only 103 plot ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I saw something that there are only 103 plot ideas. Well, to be fair, the article i saw was about the 60's or 70's. Maybe even the 50's and 60's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Has anyone seen the METV ads featuring members of the cast? Apparently they'll be airing handpicked favorites from the series this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Has anyone seen the METV ads featuring members of the cast? Apparently they'll be airing handpicked favorites from the series this summer. That's cool. While I'll always consider "L&S" "Lucy Lite" I do admire what Penny & Cindy were able to do, especially since the writing was often lacking; they more than made up with it with their characterizations and physicality. I certainly don't find the episodes as enjoyable as I did when they first aired but then I was still sort of a kid! I say B+ for effort, good for the old college try and all that rot. BTW Cindy Williams is currently on an autograph book tour for her autobiography....it'll be interesting to hear (read) her take on her abrupt exit from the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 That's cool. While I'll always consider "L&S" "Lucy Lite" I do admire what Penny & Cindy were able to do, especially since the writing was often lacking; they more than made up with it with their characterizations and physicality. I certainly don't find the episodes as enjoyable as I did when they first aired but then I was still sort of a kid! I say B+ for effort, good for the old college try and all that rot. BTW Cindy Williams is currently on an autograph book tour for her autobiography....it'll be interesting to hear (read) her take on her abrupt exit from the series. I'm not familiar with the universe of L&S, but didn't she just leave because she was pregnant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 I'm not familiar with the universe of L&S, but didn't she just leave because she was pregnant? Yes she was pregnant but she didn't "just leave", some reports are that she was fired some that her management advised her to walk given they supposedly weren't treating a pregnant working woman right, so ...it's another reason I'd like to read her version of events! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Yes she was pregnant but she didn't "just leave", some reports are that she was fired some that her management advised her to walk given they supposedly weren't treating a pregnant working woman right, so ...it's another reason I'd like to read her version of events! I looked it up a couple of days ago. Like you said, she left because they wouldn't listen to her list of demands. Michael McKean also was not in the last four episodes of the series because he was filming This Is Spinal Tap. Apparently the show was still around the top 20, so was expected to continue, but Penny Marshall made the decision to exit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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