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Lucy: The Ultimate Collection (76 episodes of ALL Lucy's shows on DVD!)


HarryCarter

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Time Life is releasing a Lucy DVD collection featuring 76 episodes of Lucy's series including four episodes of Life with Lucy! 

https://timelife.com/products/lucy-the-ultimate-collection

Except for the booklet included, it looks like the many extras are all things that were released on the previous DVD set. 

As always with these "Best Of" sets, there are many weird inclusions ("Lucy the Fight Manager??!!") and exclusions. 

Groovy commercial!

 

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LUCY: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION VOLUME 1 (6 DVDS)

Volume 1 will take you back to the beginning of Lucy’s television career. You’ll get 32 episodes of I Love Lucy and 2 episodes of The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, featuring guest stars Bob Hope, Harpo Marx, Rudy Vallee, Tallulah Bankhead and more! Bonus features include the I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Special, the lost I Love Lucy pilot, an interview with Lucie Arnaz, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s I Love Lucy Costume & Makeup Tests and more!

  • Volume 1: Disc 1 – I Love Lucy

    •  
    • Breaking the Lease 
    • Original Air Date: February 11, 1952
    •  
    • The Ballet
    • Original Air Date: February 18, 1952
    •  
    • Pioneer Women
    • Original Air Date: March 31, 1952
    •  
    • The Freezer
    • Original Air Date: April 28, 1952
    •  
    • Lucy Does a TV Commercial
    • Original Air Date: May 5, 1952
    •  
    • Ricky Thinks He’s Getting Bald
    • Original Air Date: June 2, 1952
    •  
    • The Courtroom
    • Original Air Date: November 10, 1952
    •  
    • Lucy Is Enceinte
    • Original Air Date: December 8, 1952
  • Volume 1: Disc 2 – I Love Lucy

    •  
    • Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable
    • Original Air Date: December 15, 1952
    •  
    • Ricky Has Labor Pains
    • Original Air Date: January 5, 1953
    •  
    • Lucy Goes to the Hospital
    • Original Air Date: January 19, 1953
    •  
    • Lucy’s Last Birthday
    • Original Air Date: May 11, 1953
    •  
    • Lucy Wants New Furniture
    • Original Air Date: June 1, 1953
    •  
    • Ricky’s ‘Life’ Story
    • Original Air Date: October 5, 1953
    •  
    • Lucy Tells the Truth
    • Original Air Date: November 9, 1953
    •  
    • Getting Ready
    • Original Air Date: December 13, 1954
  • Volume 1: Disc 3 – I Love Lucy

    •  
    • First Stop
    • Original Air Date: January 17, 1955
    •  
    • The Fashion Show
    • Original Air Date: February 28, 1955
    •  
    • In Palm Springs
    • Original Air Date: April 25, 1955
    • Guest Star: Rock Hudson
    •  
    • Harpo Marx
    • Original Air Date: May 9, 1955
    • Guest Star: Harpo Marx
    •  
    • Ricky Needs an Agent
    • Original Air Date: May 16, 1955
    •  
    • Bon Voyage
    • Original Air Date: January 16, 1956
    •  
    • Paris at Last
    • Original Air Date: February 27, 1956
    •  
    • Lucy’s Bicycle Trip
    • Original Air Date: April 23, 1956
  • Volume 1: Disc 4 – I Love Lucy and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour

    •  
    • Lucy and Bob Hope
    • Original Air Date: October 1, 1956
    • Guest Star: Bob Hope
    •  
    • Christmas Show
    • Original Air Date: December 24, 1956
    •  
    • Lucy Does the Tango
    • Original Air Date: March 11, 1957
    •  
    • Lucy Raises Tulips
    • Original Air Date: April 29, 1957
    •  
    • Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana
    • Original Air Date: November 6, 1957
    • Guest Stars: Ann Sothern, Rudy Vallee, Hedda Hopper
    •  
    • The Celebrity Next Door
    • Original Air Date: December 3, 1957
    • Guest Star: Tallulah Bankhead
  • Volume 1: Disc 5 – Bonus Features

    • I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Special
      • Original Air Date: November 11, 2001
    • The Lost I Love Lucy Pilot, Kinescoped March 2, 1951
    • Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s I Love Lucy Costume & Makeup Tests, Presented by Robert Osborne
    • 1951 On-Set Color Footage
    • Bloopers
    • Funny Outtakes
    • 25 Years of Savings Bonds
    • Interview with Lucie Arnaz
  • Volume 1: Disc 6 – Bonus I Love Lucy Colorized and B&W Episodes

    •  
    • Job Switching
    • (Colorized and B&W)
    • Original Air Date: September 15, 1952
    •  
    • L.A. at Last
    • (Colorized and B&W)
    • Original Air Date: February 7, 1955
    • Guest Star: William Holden
    •  
    • Lucy’s Italian Movie
    •  (Colorized and B&W)
    • Original Air Date: April 16, 1956
    •  
    • Lucy and Superman
    • (Colorized and B&W)
    • Original Air Date: January 14, 1957
    • Guest Star: George Reeves
  • LUCY: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION VOLUME 2 (6 DVDS)

    After Lucy became the Queen of Comedy, she went on to create hit show after hit show and kept us laughing for decades. Volume 2 features the best episodes from The Lucy Show, Here’s Lucy, and Life with Lucy. Guest stars include Carol Burnett, Dean Martin, Don Rickles, George Burns, Johnny Carson, Milton Berle and more! Bonus features include Meet the Carters, Lucy and Desi On Tour, Home Movies, and more!

    • Volume 2: Disc 1 – The Lucy Show

      •  
      • Lucy Is a Kangaroo for a Day
      • Original Air Date: November 12, 1962
      •  
      • Lucy Puts Up a TV Antenna
      • Original Air Date: November 26, 1962
      •  
      • Lucy and Her Electric Mattress
      • Original Air Date: December 17, 1962
      •  
      • Together for Christmas
      • Original Air Date: December 24, 1962
      •  
      • Lucy’s Sister Pays a Visit
      • Original Air Date: January 7, 1963
      • Guest Star: Peter Marshall
      •  
      • Lucy and Viv Put In a Shower
      • Original Air Date: January 28, 1963
      •  
      • Lucy Buys a Boat
      • Original Air Date: April 29, 1963
      •  
      • Lucy Conducts the Symphony
      • Original Air Date: December 30, 1963
    • Volume 2: Disc 2 – The Lucy Show

      •  
      • Lucy Takes a Job at the Bank
      • Original Air Date: February 24, 1964
      •  
      • Lucy, the Good Skate
      • Original Air Date: September 21, 1964
      •  
      • Lucy and the Plumber
      • Original Air Date: September 28, 1964
      • Guest Star: Jack Benny
      •  
      • Lucy and the Ceramic Cat
      • Original Air Date: January 11, 1965
      •  
      • Lucy and the Monsters
      • Original Air Date: January 25, 1965
      •  
      • Lucy Dates Dean Martin
      • Original Air Date: February 14, 1966
      • Guest Star: Dean Martin
      •  
      • Lucy and George Burns
      • Original Air Date: September 12, 1966
      • Guest Star: George Burns
      •  
      • Lucy, the Bean Queen
      • Original Air Date: September 26, 1966
    • Volume 2: Disc 3 – The Lucy Show

      •  
      • Lucy Gets a Roommate
      • Original Air Date: October 31, 1966
      • Guest Star: Carol Burnett
      •  
      • Lucy and Carol in Palm Springs
      • Original Air Date: November 7, 1966
      • Guest Star: Carol Burnett
      •  
      • Lucy Gets Caught in the Draft
      • Original Air Date: November 14, 1966
      •  
      • Viv Visits Lucy
      • Original Air Date: January 9, 1967
      •  
      • Lucy, the Fight Manager
      • Original Air Date: February 20, 1967
      • Guest Star: Don Rickles
      •  
      • Lucy Meets the Berles
      • Original Air Date: September 11, 1967
      • Guest Star: Milton Berle
      •  
      • Lucy Gets Trapped
      • Original Air Date: September 18, 1967
      •  
      • Lucy Gets Her Diploma
      • Original Air Date: October 9, 1967
    • Volume 2: Disc 4 – Here’s Lucy

      •  
      • Lucy and Eva Gabor
      • With Introduction by Peggy Rea
      • Original Air Date: November 11, 1968
      • Guest Star: Eva Gabor
      •  
      • Lucy and Carol Burnett
      • With Introduction by Lucie Arnaz
      • Original Air Date: January 27, 1969
      • Guest Star: Carol Burnett
      •  
      • Lucy and Johnny Carson
      • With Introduction by Lucie Arnaz
      • Original Air Date: December 1, 1969
      • Guest Stars: Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson
      •  
      • Lucy and the Bogie Affair
      • With Introduction by Desi Arnaz Jr.
      • Original Air Date: December 15, 1969
      • Guest Star: Jack LaLanne
      •  
      • Lucy the Helpful Mother
      • With Introduction by Anita Mann
      • Original Air Date: December 29, 1969
      •  
      • Lucy Takes Over
      • With Introduction by Anita Mann
      • Original Air Date: February 23, 1970
      •  
      • Lucy and Carol Burnett
      • With Introduction by Anita Mann
      • Original Air Date: March 2, 1970
      • Guest Star: Carol Burnett
      •  
      • Bonus Features:
      •  
        • Featurette: Meet the Carters
        • I Love Lucy Cast Home Movies
    • Volume 2: Disc 5 – Here’s Lucy

      •  
      • Lucy Meets the Burtons
      • With Introduction by Lucie Arnaz
      • Original Air Date: September 14, 1970
      • Guest Stars: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton
      •  
      • Lucy and Carol Burnett
      • With Introduction by Carole Cook
      • Original Air Date: February 8, 1971
      • Guest Star: Carol Burnett
      •  
      • Someone’s on the Ski Lift with Dinah
      • With Introduction by Lucie Arnaz
      • Original Air Date: October 25, 1971
      • Guest Star: Dinah Shore
      •  
      • Lucy and Donny Osmond
      • With Introduction by Lucie Arnaz & Donny Osmond
      • Original Air Date: November 20, 1972
      • Guest Star: Donny Osmond
      •  
      • Lucy Is Really in a Pickle
      • With Introduction by Lucie Arnaz
      • Original Air Date: January 1, 1973
      •  
      • Lucy and Uncle Harry’s Pot
      • With Introduction by Lucie Arnaz
      • Original Air Date: February 12, 1973
      •  
      • Lucy and Danny Thomas
      • With Introduction by Shirley Anthony
      • Original Air Date: September 10, 1973
      • Guest Star: Danny Thomas

       

      Bonus Features: 

      • Goofy Golf
      • Fun in Palm Springs
      • Lucy & Desi on Tour
      • Home Movies: Family Fun
    • Volume 2: Disc 6 – Life with Lucy

      •  
      • One Good Grandparent Deserves Another
      • Original Air Date: September 20, 1986
      •  
      • Lucy Makes a Hit with John Ritter
      • Original Air Date: September 27, 1986
      • Guest Star: John Ritter
      •  
      • Lucy Is a Sax Symbol
      • Original Air Date: October 25, 1986
      •  
      • Mother of the Bride
      • Original Air Date: November 15, 1986
      • Guest Star: Audrey Meadows
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How interesting that out of all the shows, the most recent one has the poorest picture quality. The two brief LWL shots are still miles better than the bootlegs that make the show seem like it took place underwater. I probably won't be picking this up unless they make a deluxe edition that includes a "Best Of Sid Gould" bonus disc. 

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I hope this means all of Life With Lucy will get released someday!

This is a really clever idea and I'm glad TimeLife was able to make it happen. Some of the episodes chosen are weird (at least Lucy's Safari isn't there) but it's nonetheless a great sampler for newcomers. 

Given the number of episodes from her other shows, it's too bad they couldn't stick all of Life With Lucy on there. I hope all the master tapes still survive. 

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2 hours ago, Freddie2 said:

How interesting that out of all the shows, the most recent one has the poorest picture quality.

That's because her previous shows were mastered on film, whereas "Life" was transferred to tape and then edited, as was the standard at the time. So it won't look as good as the others, but like you said, will still be miles above the taped copies that have circulated for years.

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4 hours ago, rickylu said:

Copies of each episode of Life were Lucy were donated to the Lucy Desi Center. I don't remember if they were the master tapes.

Why were shows filmed but edited onto tape back then considering the decline in picture quality?

Cheaper, I think. I don't think the decision makers would've been thinking about HD possibilities or anything like that. I'm sure it was about what was most economical at the time.

A lot of 90s sitcoms used tape masters, which later were utilised for DVD releases. It wasn't that obvious on SDTVs but it's very obvious on today's screens. Some of the more popular ones (Seinfeld, Friends) have gone back to the film negatives for new prints, but I doubt that'd be cost effective for less remembered shows. 

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I don't think I knew that LWL was edited to tape. And honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Newhart was done the same way. I bought the whole shebang on Amazon recently and was expecting stellar picture quality after years of seeing syndicated prints. The actual result is not that great (very difficult to watch on a 56-inch screen), and either the film prints are in very poor quality or the show edited in the same way as LWL. Sometimes I wish I still had a box TV lying around because some shows are just easier to watch that way.

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After learning here of this somewhat surprising release, especially given the refreshing, different way they've decided to arrange the episodes, including even LWL (which I'm tickled about, honestly -- wish they'd managed to include the ENTIRE series but oh well, maybe that'll happen down the road), I was a little surprised to see that they're including the bonus features from the "Here's Lucy" DVDs, so I spoke to one of the producers and while he'd heard that TimeLife was doing this, he was unaware they were "appropriating" (ahem) their work from those prior releases; a little surprising (there's that word again) given it doesn't look like they're literally taking say, a HL Season Six Disc #1 and slapping a Time Life label on it, given the episodes chosen and order listed.  Speaking of Season Six, that is perhaps my biggest disappointment about this release, and that is the dearth of S6 episodes, which are sadly lacking on this release and should have comprised at least a single disc of 7 or 8 episodes itself as they were some of the best of the six season run!! (Lucy and Danny Thomas??!! Really!!?? Uh..I don't think so!)

Ive said it many times in many different posts and this release makes me say it again, I'll never understand but would LOVE to know who all sits in a room and gets to decide, argue over, etc. out of a list of what, over 300+ classic Lucy TV episodes which ones get to "appear" on releases like this!! And I sure wish I could be one of those people, I'd certainly have plenty to say!!! :HALKING:

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Yes, why is "Lucy and Danny Thomas" the only episode from the brilliant sixth season of Here's Lucy? Why are there seven fifth season Lucy Show episodes? 

There is an offer on the Time Life site that combines this Lucy release with Carll Burnett DVDs so that explains why so many of Carol Burnett's appearances made this collection. 

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Just now, HarryCarter said:

Yes, why is "Lucy and Danny Thomas" the only episode from the brilliant sixth season of Here's Lucy? Why are there seven fifth season Lucy Show episodes? 

There is an offer on the Time Life site that combines this Lucy release with Carll Burnett DVDs so that explains why so many of Carol Burnett's appearances made this collection. 

Because we didn't get a vote!! :lucythrill:

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The plethora of fifth season Lucy Shows is odd, considering those are in the public domain and therefore some of the most widely available. You'd think they'd have gone for some of the non-PD shows, as this release seems to be aimed at more casual fans, and casual fans are more likely to own those bargain sets.

Many of the episodes they've picked are great choices, but some are truly head scratchers. I'm with Joey, I'd love to know who gets to choose what and why.

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There aren't really any episodes selected that I'd consider criminal, but the lack of some are disappointing. Most saddening for me is the lack of third season ILL episodes. Though they aren't as "flashy" as most of the best-remembered entries, I think the quality is almost as great as the fourth season (which is very favorably represented). If I remember correctly, "Life Story" was held over from season two, so there's really only ONE third season episode included ("Tells The Truth"), which is a great one, but I think it gets a boost because of the iconic shot of Lucy and the balloons. Every season (and episode) of the show has its own unique representation of the series, and I think the third season stands out as especially ahead of its time. A lot of the episodes are "smaller" than we usually see, so they prominently feature the dynamics between the cast and the show's "Men vs Women" theme. I especially like "Tells The Truth" because it explores a specific facet of the Lucy character: her pathological duplicity. Even The Jack Benny Program, which is praised for pioneering "character-driven comedy", hardly ever explored what made its characters tick. 

 

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As far as episode selections of Life with Lucy, I'd switch out "Sax Symbol" with "Love Among the Two by Fours". It had some touching moments, to me anyways. At least about one third of the series will have an official release. Who has the rights? CBS?

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40 minutes ago, rickylu said:

As far as episode selections of Life with Lucy, I'd switch out "Sax Symbol" with "Love Among the Two by Fours". It had some touching moments, to me anyways. At least about one third of the series will have an official release. Who has the rights? CBS?

CBS has all the Spelling shows, so they should have the rights to Life with Lucy. Lucy is a Sax Symbol is my least favorite episode of the run!

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Overall, I'm thrilled with this release and its concept, but there are a few other things worth nitpicking:

  • Looking at the disc contents, it's kind of sneaky of them to put The Lucy Show bloopers and outtakes on the bonus disc for the I Love Lucy volume. Are they trying to trick people into thinking these are I Love Lucy bloopers?  
  • The selection of colorized episodes. It's great they've included Job Switching, but the other three have previously been released on easily available DVDs. This could've been the chance to include some of the unreleased titles, like TV Commercial, Gets in Pictures, plus the fully-colorized Christmas episode.
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15 hours ago, HarryCarter said:

CBS has all the Spelling shows, so they should have the rights to Life with Lucy. Lucy is a Sax Symbol is my least favorite episode of the run!

I'm assuming you mean of the LWL shows that AIRED.  I don't remember much about "Sax" but the unaired "Guard Goose", "Gigantigrow" and "Up a Tree" must have been worse.  I'm disappointed that my favorite LWL "Legal Eagle" wasn't included.  Lucy in the courtroom was the "old Lucy" back again.  "Curtis Retires" (can't remember actual title) and "Greatest Grandmother" were worth including.  

ILL: I could do without Bob Hope, Christmas Show, Tango, Ricky Going Bald and Courtroom when there are so many that are better.

Disappointed in the majority of their Lucy Show selections: only TWO from my favorite season #2 (but both good picks); and ONE from season #4 that contained a lot of gems besides "Dean" which is probably the best of the season.   Their HL selections: OY! I know they have to include Burtons and I'm on board with Ski Lift/Dinah, OK with Pickle, and maybe even "Harry's Pot" but the rest of them you can have: "Bogie Affair" "Donnie Osmond" "L and Johnny Carson?....SHEESH!  I'm not fond any of the HL Lucy and Carol Burnett HLs (dubbed vocals!). "Lucy and Danny Thomas" was perhaps the weakest season opener of any Lucy series, including LWL.  There are about 10 to 20 HL gems IMO and they only have two of them.

But I'll probably buy the set anyway.

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Clearly with this collection, the emphasis is on I Love Lucy with it getting a volume by itself while The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy share a volume. I would have given all three of her six-season shows each a volume. Yes, I Love Lucy is what made Lucy a star; however, there's more to Lucy than just I Love Lucy. Moreover, there has already been several "best of" collections of I Love Lucy made through the years why keep rehashing it? Why deny her other two long-running shows their long-overdo spotlight?

And yes some of their episode selections are just odd. "Lucy, the Fight Manager" over "Lucy and the Ring-a-Ding Ring"? "Lucy Gets Her Diploma" over "Lucy Gets Mooney Fired"? "Breaking the Lease" over "Never Do Business With Friends"? "Getting Ready" over "Lucy Learns To Drive"? "Lucy Takes a Job at the Bank" over "Lucy Enters a Baking Contest"? "Lucy and Carol Burnett (S1) over "Lucy, the Fixer"? "Lucy Meets Bob Hope" over "Lucy and the Loving Cup"? ""Lucy and the Plumber" over "My Fair Lucy"? Ricky Has Labor Pains" over "The Million Dollar Idea"? "Lucy and George Burns" over "Lucy at Marineland"? "Ricky Gets an Agent" over "The Star Upstairs"? "Lucy and Donny Osmond" over "Goodbye, Mrs. Hips"? ""Ricky's Life Story" over "Redecorating the Mertzes' Apartment"? "Lucy and Eva Gabor" over "Lucy, the Matchmaker"? "In Palm Springs" over "Lucy and John Wayne"? "Lucy and Danny Thomas" over "Lucy Is N.G. as a R.N."? "Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable" over "The Operetta"? "Christmas Show" over "Off To Florida"? "Lucy and Carol In Palm Springs" over "Lucy Meets the Law"? "Lucy and Carol Burnett" (S3) over "Lucy, the Crusader"? And while "Getting Bald" is a good selection I would have instead went with "Lucy's Schedule" since that was Gale Gordon's (the only Lucy player to appear in all five Lucy TV series) first appearance on a Lucy TV series. THAT episode was significant. And I must say ... this surely isn't the "Ultimate Lucy TV Collection". Not with these choices and omissions. It seems like most of the episodes were picked at random. It makes one wonder what criteria they were using in selecting episodes. I guess it would be guest stars by looks of it.

And not all Lucy seasons are equally represented. Some have one or two episodes while others have as many as six or seven. For example, there's seven episodes of TLS season 1 compared to two episodes of TLS season 2 or six episodes of ILL season 1 compared to one episode of ILL season 3.

Of the Vivian Vance years of The Lucy Show (first half/seasons 1-3) the emphasis is on season 1 (with seven of the thirteen episodes). With Here's Lucy, the emphasis is placed on season 2 (with five of the fourteen episodes).

The one Lucy guest star that seems to be clearly the favorite in this collection is Carol Burnett as five episodes (out of her seven) are included. Meanwhile, there's not a one Here's Lucy episode featuring Vivian Vance (Lucy's Partner-in-Crime) in this set. Shocking. And you can forget Bill Frawley's cameo appearance on The Lucy Show (in "Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest"). Not even here. Shocking as well.

IMHO, the main reason for a casual fan to get this set are for those four episodes of Life with Lucy that are included. Otherwise, it's a wash. There's nothing really new here and the episode selections are a hit and miss.

 

  

 

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Episode selecting:  I don't know why they never ask US.   Or more specifically: ME!! ---(I just picked one of us at random and it turned out to be me.  I'm just as surprised as you are.)

Harrison wrote----And while "Getting Bald" is a good selection I would have instead went with "Lucy's Schedule" since that was Gale Gordon's ----

I agree "Bald" is a good one and that "Schedule" is even better but of those last 1st season shows my absolute favorite is "Ricky's Raise".  How can you beat Fred Mertz in drag making flirtatious faces? !!  And that falsetto voice "Hazel!  Look!" followed by his bump and grind exit.   And then there's Lucy: a stellar episode for her.  She inhabits each of the characters she's impersonating but my favorite is her "Miss McGillicuddy" : "Do I have a reservation??"--laughs--"only 17 people that's all.....McGillicuddy".

In the "little things they do together" category, I love how they come up with the plan.  They've made all the reservations, then Fred points out that this will only make Xavier look bad.  "Oh yeah. they have to know it's because of Ricky";  "Well, I guess we could come in and leave a couple of times" "Oh, but they'd recognize us"....then the plot is hatched.   You do have to feel sorry for poor Xavier Valdez--who probably gives up show business and goes back to cleaning canary cages. 

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