I Love Lucy: The Complete 2nd Season box art (1 Viewer)

Kevin Porter · Nov 27, 2003

Click here for the box art and article. Looks like a pretty good set and I am thankful they're dropping the single disc releases in favor of the traditional box sets. The set is 5 discs with 31 episodes. I wish we would go back to the good ol' days in which a season consituted more than 20-22 episodes. Heck 24 is the only show that actually has 24 episodes a season. Enjoy and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Jefferson · Nov 27, 2003

Hooray.
Cant wait for it.

The box set will take up less shelf room
than the individual first season releases.

Greg_S_H · Nov 27, 2003

From episode guides, it appears it was season 4 where they went to Hollywood. Is that right, or did that start in season 3? It looks like it bled over a little into season 5. Either way, that had to be extrememly groundbreaking to have what we would now call a season+-long "arc."

David Lambert · Nov 28, 2003

Most episode guides for the show list the eps in production order. This can be really misleading. For example, a look at "Season 2" shows 32 episodes, when there were only 31. That's because the one called "Ricky's Life Story" was produced during the S2 production schedule, but was aired as the season premiere of Season 3 on Oct. 5, 1953.

When you straighten them out into airdate order, things become clearer.

I mention this first because there is one exception: "The Mr. and Mrs. TV Show" was supposed to air near the beginning of Season 4, but was pre-empted (I don't know why). They finally ran it for the first time, right in the middle of the "Trip to California" arc near the end of Season 4.

Taking that one into account, you'll see that the entire California arc took up 18 episodes in Season 4 (starting with "California Here We Come") and 6 episodes in Season 5 (ending with "Homecoming").

It's also worth noting that the European trip arc took up 17 episodes at the end of Season 5, closing the season with "Return Home From Europe".

This was very ambitious stuff, and it's rare to see arcs of that length at all in television today, much less in a sitcom. It will be interesting to see how this is done on DVD. I hope they just stick with the Season sets, even though it will leave fans hanging for a bit right in the middle of California. But it will be worth building up anticipation for the John Wayne episode.

Ronald Epstein · Nov 28, 2003

Question....

How many seasons of I LOVE LUCY were there?

Off the top of my head, I think there were 174
episodes. I may not be correct on this and I
am sure someone will have the exact number.

David Lambert · Nov 28, 2003

Six. Here's a good episode guide.

Ronald Epstein · Nov 28, 2003

David,

Shoulda known you'd be the first to reply.

Very much appreciate your presence in these
recent TV threads that have been popping up
all over the forum.

Your knowledge is appreciated.

David Lambert · Nov 28, 2003

:b Ron, that's very nice of you to say! Thank you for the kudos; that means a lot to me.

I'll add that there are a LOT more threads about TV product, now that the studios have started the ball rolling on so many different series. Very different from the time 2-3 years ago, when there was a few threads expressing desire for this sort of thing and not enough talking about them actually coming! And so Gord recognized right here at HTF that there was a need for a site like TVShowsOnDVD, and thus it was born. I think this forum has a LOT to do with all the progress that has been made on the TV-on-DVD front, in many other ways besides that. So, THANK YOU for providing this forum.

MattHR · Nov 28, 2003

Have there been any indications that Paramount will repackage season one similar to season 2? BTW, has there been a retail price set for season 2?

Greg_S_H · Nov 28, 2003

Thanks for the info, David. The Hollywood episodes were a lot of fun. I guess after all the variety, the apartment seemed dull. From the guide you posted, it looks like they were only back there a handful of episodes before it was off to the country.

Joseph Bolus · Nov 28, 2003

What about those one hour episodes that depicted their life in their country home? How do those fit in?

george kaplan · Nov 28, 2003

Those were specials that aired after the series ended. Hopefully they'll make their way onto dvd after the last season.

David Von Pein · Nov 28, 2003

It will be interesting to see how this [the "California Trip" episodes] is done on DVD. I hope they just stick with the Season sets, even though it will leave fans hanging for a bit...

I hadn't even realized until David Lambert's post (above) that the "California Trip" episodes were NOT part of one single season (even though I have this information at my proverbial fingertips by just looking at the air dates on the back of the VHS packages I have. *Duh!* ). I had assumed these were all within a single season's run. But they were indeed spread over two seasons: 1954-1955 and 1955-1956.

This is actually kinda sad news for me, regarding a possible purchase of JUST the California episodes on DVD (which I deem to be, by far, the best and most highly-rewatchable programs of the entire six-season "Lucy" run)....Because, it'll encompass having to buy TWO boxed season sets in order to garner all 24 to 27 of the "Road Trip" eps. :frowning:

Decisions, decisions. Oh, the decisions. :frowning: :frowning:

Anyway...I might just stick with my two excellent VHS boxed sets put out by CBS Video in 1992, called "I Love Lucy's Zany Road Trip".

These are really good transfers utilized on the VHS tapes. Anyone else concur? I'm just wondering how many times better the eventual DVDs will actually end up being in comparison.

Those California eps. are great, IMO. The two VHS sets actually contain three extra episodes, "setting up" the West Coast programs, starting with the very funny "Ricky's Contract", making it a 27-episode six-tape collection.

And who can ever fail to savor "First Stop", which has the gang stopping at a "Lower Slavobia" motel on their way west?! (The "bed that moves by itself" as each train roars past is a real Classic scene!) --- "I wonder if this bed stops in Chicago?!"

Click to expand...

David Lambert · Nov 29, 2003

David VP, do you not like the European trip? Because buying S4 & S5 pretty much gives you the California and European trips with very few "regular, apartment-based" episodes along the way.

I can't imagine anyone not wanting to own the apartment-based episodes...those are the ones that everyone thinks of automatically when they think of the series. But if you are going to skip the majority of those, then I can't imagine you not being happy with just getting S4/S5 and enjoying the two "trip" arcs together.

george kaplan · Nov 29, 2003

The trips are definitely my favorite episodes, especially the trip to California, but I enjoy a number of other shows. In particular, from Season 2, I love the Operetta, and there's enough other good ones to make this a no-brainer. BTW, does anyone know what the music from the Operetta is from? I've never been able to find it anywhere.

David Lambert · Nov 29, 2003

It just occurred to me that there is a concern about Season 6.

Between this posting about the Christmas Special that aired during Season 6, and news about the release of The Jetsons next year on DVD, it occurred to me that the boy who played Elroy Jetson's voice had appeared in Season 6 as the son of Caroline Appleby, the long-time neighbor of the Ricardos.

I then recalled which episode that was. It was the same one that guest-starred George Reeves, complete in his Superman outfit.

If Warner and Fox have this holdup about Batman DVDs, then I must wonder aloud whether or not there will be a problem with the "Lucy and Superman" episode of I Love Lucy.

Probably not, though, as we are dealing with a guest appearance in a single episode rather than an entire series. However, I wanted to at least bring up the point. It could be a cause of contention.

Any thoughts?

David Von Pein · Nov 29, 2003

I can't imagine anyone not wanting to own the apartment-based episodes...

Really?? I can ... Me, for one.
But, naturally (and rightly so), to each his own.

In fact, upon buying and watching the first 6 individual disc releases of "I Love Lucy" (which I've subsequently sold off), I was amazed at how unfunny most of the shows are. (IMO, of course.)

Perhaps I'm spoiled by what I deem to be the "ultimate" in "realistic" situation comedy TV programs by obtaining the recent releases of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show. Because, by comparison, I just don't think ANY of the three "Lucy" TV series can hold a candle to Mary or Dick. (With the exception, as previously noted, of the "Trip To California" episodes...and "Vitameatavegamin". "Vitameat..." WAS indeed hilarious! )

Click to expand...

David Lambert · Nov 29, 2003

As you say, to each their own!

Jim*F · Nov 29, 2003

Matt asks a great question above. Season 1 contains 9 discs with 4 episodes each, while Season 2 contains 5 discs with 6 episodes each (and, based on the episode total, one disc with 7 episodes). It would be nice to have Season 1 in the same type of packaging as the upcoming seasons, and they could make the package with only 6 discs (6 episodes per disc).

However, Season 1 was just released in a "box set" (the 9 solo discs repackaged into one box), so are the chances slim that a "second version" of the Season 1 box set would ever appear?

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

Archives

I Love Lucy: The Complete 2nd Season box art (1 Viewer)

Supporting Actor

Supporting Actor

Founder

Founder

Screenwriter

Stunt Coordinator

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Sign up for our newsletter

and receive essential news, curated deals, and much more

Forum statistics