Lucy Show DVD Box Sets? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff#]

I think Gary Morton (Lucille Ball's second husband) did just fine producing The Lucy Show, although Lucy herself was the true Executive Producer. I've never seen any clips of Morton doing his stand-up on stage, but as with Desi he too rode Ms. Ball's gravy train to success.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

There's nothing special about either one of them (as compared to their parents, especially), and their subsequent careers prove that.

They couldn't act at all when HERE'S LUCY started -- and Lucille Ball's insistence that everyone say every line at full volume didn't help any.

 

[Jeff#]

Actually, Lucie and Desi, Jr. got their acting starts in the final epsiode of I Love Lucy "Lucy Dedicates a Statue". Her kids appeared in various roles in several episodes of The Lucy Show also. So they weren't exactly newcomers when their mom cast them as regulars in her third sitcom, although there was definitely some family nepotism going on there.

I agree that they both didn't add much to the Here's Lucy show other than their photogenic good looks. Desi left the show in 1971 after 3 years, and he was relegated to doing bad dramatic TV movies and guest shots on other shows. Then he became a producer.

Lucie dropped out of acting, and has since cashed in on their mom's success by developing specials and primarily milking I Love Lucy for all it was worth. Maybe she should do the same for her mom's other series while she's at it.

There was a PASSWORD show from 1964 that had Lucy, Gary, Lucie, and Desi, Jr. all playing the game in teams both with and against each other. The Game Show Network still shows that.

 

[Ethan Riley]

I think that TLS did well originally because people simply wanted to keep watching Lucy out of habit. Anyone can see that it's an inferior show to its predecessor. But I think it's simply because Lucy & Ricky Ricardo had become this legendary couple. I think at this point those two are probably the most popular couple in tv history and to break them up isn't very endearing. I do want to see at least the first season of TLS and see how it goes--

 

[Joe Lugoff]

No, she didn't -- it just seemed as if she did. For example, last summer she took over a part in the Broadway musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," and the show closed about three weeks later.

 

[Jeff#]

Any of you classic radio fans out there know if Vivian Vance ever acted in radio dramas or comedies?

 

[Theodore J. Mooney]

I agree!!!

The Lucy Show's first three seasons were just as good as I Love Lucy if not better considering that the 2nd and 3rd seasons were in color!!! It's those last three seasons that give the show a bad name/reputation. And it is unfortunate that the general public measures the quality of the series based on those last three seasons. Granted, they are not as good as the first three; but that doesn't mean they were plain out bad. Remember, some great episodes came out of those last three seasons like "Lucy Gets Roommate" (w/Carol Burnett), "Lucy the Bean Queen", "Lucy Gets Jack Benny's Account", "Lucy Gets Mooney Fired", "Lucy the Gun Moll", ect. In fact, the last three seasons ranked higher than the first three seasons in the show's original run!!! And to top it off, Ms. Ball earned two Emmy awards for her work on The Lucy Show in 1967 and 1968.

Anyways, I do hope we will get to see the entire series be released on DVD one of these days ... that would be a dream come true!!!

 

[Theodore J. Mooney]

I've seen all 156 episodes of the show and I can tell you that Dick Martin only appeared in the first season. His character was written out because Lucille Ball decided that she didn't want a romantic interest for Lucy Carmichael. I don't blame her for making that decision since the viewing public probably didn't want to see her Lucy character to be in the arms with a man other than Ricky Ricardo.

 

[Theodore J. Mooney]

I don't know. There is a difference between these sets of shows. One set is parent/spin-off combo and the other set stars the same actress.

 

[Theodore J. Mooney]

Well, according to the TV Land To Go book that is the greatest episode of the series! I know .... a bit unbelievable.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

OMG, Wayne Newton must have paid for that!

Seriously, I'm watching this show again on RTN (Retro TV Network), and it's amazing how different the last three seasons are from the first three.

Besides losing Viv and moving to California, Lucy Carmichael's personality changes. It's difficult to think of that as being the same person.

I'm finally beginning to zero in on the major difference. Lucy Ricardo and the original Lucy Carmichael were the driving force behind the stories. She usually wanted something, and went about getting it, usually in a wacky or unusual way. The suspense of the story came from seeing how she'd foul things up and then try to get out of her new mess.

Lucy Carmichael Version 2 usually had things happen TO her -- and fairly dumb things at that. And she often wouldn't really do anything about it. A perfect example of the abrupt change in character is the second episode from Season Four where she goes on a blind date with a ridiculous little man who goes nuts when he hears Greek music. Besides not making the least sense, it's unfunny and has almost nothing to do with Lucy herself.

Some episodes from the second half of the series are OK, if you can accept the unrealistic premises and development. But I sure prefer the scheming, conniving, quick-witted Lucy Carmichael from the first three seasons; she was a clone of Lucy Ricardo.

 

[Theodore J. Mooney]

Well, Lucy Carmichael was based on Lucy Ricardo as stated in the writer's contracts. Jess Oppenheimer, the one who created the Lucy character, tried suing Lucy for that but they just ended up settling out of court.

 

[Garysb]

On the Lucy Show they seem to do things without explanation . Lucy quits her job with Mr. Mooney to work as an airline hostess for 2 shows with Carol Burnett . Next show she is back with Mr. Mooney. How did she lose her airline job and how and why did Mr. Mooney take her back?
She moves to California, her kids are off at school, Viv is married. It all happened off camera and the kids were never heard from again.

Did she damage her vocal cords when she did the Broadway musical "Wildcat" ? She never sounded
like Lucy Ricardo or any of the characters she played on film in the 30's and 40's when she started the Lucy Show. Was this just aging and the fact that she smoked.

I think they just ran out of stuff for the Lucy character to do. People didn't want Lucille Ball to play anyone else but Lucy and there was nothing more to do with the character.
(See Life with Lucy, her last show.)

It would have been the same with Gracie Allen if she hadn't retired in the late '50's.
She played the one character her whole career.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

The episode that really depresses me is the one where she becomes Super Lucy. It does have some good sight gags which would have worked well for the Three Stooges, but it's just so dumb. And just when you think it can't get worse, it ends with her flying into the air, AFTER she returned to normal.

Most of the books on Lucille Ball say she really wasn't very bright and that Desi Arnaz was the real brains behind the great success of "I Love Lucy." Watching some episodes of "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy" make me believe it. Of course, the real problem was her nepotism: When you make your husband the Executive Producer and your cousin the Producer, and neither one of them have the slightest idea what they're doing, "Here's Lucy" is the result.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I have to quote those books about her again (I've read way too many of them). They blame the deterioration of her voice on these things: Not projecting her voice correctly, too much Scotch, and, above all, too much smoking. Of course, aging was the final cause, when it all caught up with her.

 

[Gregory V]

The HERE'S LUCY box set of last year apparently didn't do well despite the efforts of the Arnaz family and Paul Brownstein to produce a first rate collection. I don't see how that can be anything but bad news for the prospects of THE LUCY SHOW.

Steve[/quote]


I bought the Here's Lucy boxset, apparently remembering it more with my heart than with my head......most of the episodes just werent very funny. The Lucy Show was far superior to Here's Lucy...particularly the seasons with Vivian Vance.....In my opinion Lucy was just not as funny without Viv. The two played off each other perfectly......Lucy without Vivian Vance is like George Burns without Gracie Allen.....it JUST AINT RIGHT!!!!

 

[Randy Korstick]

I bought the Here's Lucy boxset, apparently remembering it more with my heart than with my head......most of the episodes just werent very funny. The Lucy Show was far superior to Here's Lucy...particularly the seasons with Vivian Vance.....In my opinion Lucy was just not as funny without Viv. The two played off each other perfectly......Lucy without Vivian Vance is like George Burns without Gracie Allen.....it JUST AINT RIGHT!!!![/quote]

I think you mean the Here's Lucy box set of 2005. I was really hoping they would do another set it was well done and I like this series better than "The Lucy Show".

 

[Robert13]

I don't think the Here's Lucy box-set has any influence on the possiblity of The Lucy Show coming out on dvd officially. The two shows are looked at in completely different ways by fans. Over the years, from chatting several forums, I was surprised to find out that there are actually fans out there who prefer The Lucy Show over I Love Lucy. They watched it when it was on in heavy rotation on Nick-at-Nite and they loved it. So there are both ILL-fans and TLS-fans who are clamouring for the show to be released properly on dvd. I think it is definitely a possibility considering ILL and LDCH are both out in entirety on dvd. It's the next logical step if CBS/Paramount are looking for the next Lucy product to release. Fans will definitely buy it.

 

[Larry.P]

It is a misconception that the "Here's Lucy" box set sales were disappointing. I know people who were directly involved in the release. Shout Factory was actually interested in doing a 2nd volume, however they did not want to continue working with the DVD producer. I can't saying anything more than that so please don't ask. Perhaps when the distribution deal is up and it falls back to Lucie Arnaz we will see more.
I don't think Paramount is comparing "The Lucy Show" to "Here's Lucy". "I Love Lucy" is their crown jewel, and unfortunately they compare all their Lucy products to that. If "The Lucy Show" were owned by another company we probably would have seen a release a long time ago. Paramount is afraid of all the public domain rip-offs out there and also think that not enough people remember the show.
In my opinion they missed a golden opportunity to promote season one of "The Lucy Show" on the "I Love Lucy" complete series set. A non-committal "coming soon" trailer touting the continuing adventures of Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance would have done wonders. I think showing scenes of Lucy and Viv in the shower, on the roof, in the rumpus room, etc. would have gotten "I Love Lucy" fans who don't know about or don't remember the show very excited.
I think if Paramount ever wakes up they will be shocked at how well "The Lucy Show" season 1 sells.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I agree that many fans of "I Love Lucy" would love the first season of "The Lucy Show" if they'd give it a chance.

I wouldn't mind another "Here's Lucy" set. It was one of the best TV sets I've ever seen, even though the shows themselves weren't very good. But they were stunning transfers, with lots of great extras.