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Corryveckan45's Replies
Well said, Gary.
That would have been a reasonable and appropriate reason for Lucys change in attitude, and a good compliment to the "Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable" episode.
Given how gifted and invested in the show the writers were, I'm surprised they didn't think of it, but everyone's entitled to a "miss" now and then.
Very true, PJ!
How could Lucy believe that her old boyfriend had undergone such a drastic physical change, even if it was over 10 years since she'd seen him? Especially someone who went on to play "The Lone Ranger." lol
It was definitely supposed to be an off-color joke, as indicated by Ethel's reaction.
I've never understood this episode. It seems to me that a key element of the "Lucy Ricardo" character is her unshakable belief that her way is always THE way, and her talents are limitless. That Lucy should suddenly develop an inferiority complex because of a few reservations expressed by Ricky and the Mertzes seems to against the basic premise of the series.
True PJ and Gary,
But I still maintain that any "normal" person would not have taken it for granted that "babies" traveled for free. It would only have taken a phone call, which she could have done anonymously, and Lucy just assumed there wouldn't be any trouble.
Just as she assumed that she wasn't doing anything wrong in creating and promoting the fraudulent "Ladies Overseas Aid" charity and that it was okay to kidnap and tie up that girl so she could do the "Cuban Pete" number with Ricky, stealing John Wayne's footprints, etc.
It would be an insult to the post to say that Lucy is as dumb as a post.
Sure Gary, Lucy's Mother in law. lol
I'm sorry. I can't stand Lucy's mother. She's so awful to Ricky, I don't understand why anyone finds that funny.
That said, you're not alone. Many people think she was the greatest comedic thing since sliced bread and find her treatment of Ricky hilarious, and appropriate.
I liked the actress (Kathryn Card) much more in the episode where she played the frump who had a "date" with Ricky, courtesy of his agent's wild publicity stunt. Card was a talented actress, and she did a good job playing "Mrs. McGillicoody" as written by the ILL writing team. I just don't like the character.
To each his own, Gary. I appreciate your insights, but I stand by my opinions. Lucy already knew that babies didn't travel for free in the U.S. at least on flights from New York to California, and I don't think there's any reason she should expect that a flight from Europe to the U.S. would be any different.
As for the furniture, no matter how badly Lucy wanted it, it's clear this was a top-line, elegant furniture store with expensive products. Before Lucy discovers her mistake, Betty Ramsey comments that they've already purchased: a couch, an entire buffet, 2 end chairs and a bench, and for Lucy to believe, no matter how badly she wanted the furniture, and even accounting for the trade in on her old furniture and the discount, that she could get all of that for $500 seems impossible to me. It's just as impossible as when Ethel reprimands Lucy for purchasing the "Don Loper original" without looking at the price tag first.
Even if I empathize with Lucy and Ethel's disbelief that that "plain simple dress" could cost $500! lol
How about when Lucy and Betty Ramsey go to the furniture store and Lucy believes that the load of furniture they purchase is under $500 because she mistakes the stock numbers on the furniture for prices? I don't care if she did make the mistake, how could she believe that all the furniture she'd bought up to that point would be under $500?
Also, when the Ricardos and Mertzes return from Europe, Lucy believes that babies travel for free, but in the preparing for the trip for Hollywood episode, when Lucy's mother, "Gorgon McGillicuddy," suggests that she come out to Hollywood later by plane and that she bring Little Ricky, Lucy tells Ricky it doesn't cost much for the baby to travel by plane.
Yes, Uncle Alberto definitely had a chip on his shoulder when it came to Lucy since he had wanted Ricky to marry "a Cuban girl," and apparently thought Cuban women generally superior to American women. Still, I didn't get the impression that he would continue to resent Lucy after he saw not only how talented Little Ricky was, but how steeped Little Ricky was in Cuban music and culture.While much of this would have come from Ricky, Lucy was Little Ricky's primary parental caretaker, and Little Ricky's demeanor and talent obviously were a refection of her wanting him to be proud of his Dad's Cuban roots.
In any case, despite Ricky's increasingly successful career, which included starring in a Hollywood film and becoming such a successful international celebrity that he made a successful tour of Europe, NOTHING he ever did impressed the vituperative "Mrs. MacGillicoody!" lol
Watching this episode makes me wonder when Ricky's dad passed away because Ricky mentions that Uncle Alberto practically raised him.
Another interesting aspect of this episode for me, and other viewers like me who often find the "Lucy Ricardo" character selfish and unlikable, is how sympathetically Lucy is portrayed here. Unlike most episodes in which her "wacky" behavior arises from her ruthless, single-minded ambition to prove that she can be a star no matter what the cost to Ricky or to get back at Ricky for some slight ("The Mr. and Mrs. TV Show" episode), etc., here we get to see how much Lucy's marriage means to her. The only reason she keeps making the wrong impression on Uncle Alberto is because she's so nervous about making a good impression on him (and Ricky's many other relatives) that she just can't be herself.
I also wondered if Mrs. MacGillicoody was out visiting someone at the time of the party. I recall her mentioning that snooty lady in a neighboring hotel room who "thinks her daughter is such-a-MUCH!" I think this was also the "Hollywood Anniversary" episode?
Maybe she was hanging out with her "good friend Hedda Hooper!"
Mrs. MacGillicuddy was certainly a dippy woman, as that letter she wrote to Lucy but sent to Ethel and several other incidents (her crazy telegram informing them she was arriving in Hollywood, etc.), but I think there was real calculated malice/contempt in the way she treated Ricky. At least as "calculated" as a dippy woman like Mrs. MacGillicuddy could manage!
Endora's messing up Darrin's name was unquestionably intentional and intended to show her contempt for her son-in-law, and she wasn't alone. Most of Samantha's relatives had insulting monikers for Darrin.
I always thought Samantha was pretty passive in defending Darrin during Endora's verbal assaults. I think Samantha should have made it clear to Endora and her family in general that they weren't welcome in the Stephens' home or around Tabitha and Adam if they couldn't at least be civil to Darrin during their visits.
Even I wish Samantha had been more authoritative with her family about their treatment of Darrin, she was more proactive than Lucy in defending Ricky from her mother. I guess Lucy figured her mom was too "gone" for it to do any good.
True, Mrs. MacGillicuddy wasn't as outright hostile to Ricky like Alice's mother was to Ralph, but she was pretty contemptuous toward him: shrieking with laughter when Lucy tells her Ricky is being groomed by MGM as another "Rudolph Valentino," never addressing him by his correct name and badmouthing him at just about every opportunity. Of course, she doesn't in any way appreciate that she wouldn't be in Hollywood at all if it weren't for Ricky and his successful career.
Incidentally, in the episode where Lucy and Ethel steal John Wayne's footprints from the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, it begins with Lucy and the Mertzes throwing a party for Ricky to celebrate the completion of his picture. Where is Mrs. MacGillicuddy during the celebration? I caught this scene a few days ago, and I don't recall seeing her or anyone mentioning her or explaining her absence. Usually, she's the one who tends to Little Ricky, but even though he makes an appearance, she doesn't.
Yes, I think I mentioned the one with the pretty art instructor in my previous. She definitely had Rob in her sights! I haven't watched that episode in a long time, but I recall even one of the other students noticed that Rob was the "Teacher's Pet." I'm not sure, but I think Laura comments to neighbor "Millie Helper" how naive Rob can be.
I really like the ending of this episode when Laura shows up early to meet Rob at the school and sees the teacher hitting on him (kissing his hand?). Later, Rob asks Laura when she arrived and she shows him by taking his hand and kissing it.
Rob: "Honey, am I glad for my sake that I'm a good boy!"
Anyway, since this is the I LOVE LUCY forum, I'll close by mentioning that one interesting aspect of the "Lucy is Jealous" episodes, is how frightened Ricky can be at the thought of Lucy's jealousy. I saw this in an episode where he casually mentioned an old girlfriend, "Carlotta Romero," thinking he'd made the name up, and then she was advertised as appearing in New York. Ricky's dismayed, fearful reaction at the thought of how Lucy would respond to the news was great!
As for the "Janie Layton" episode, she makes no effort whatsoever to hide her ambition, so I'm always a little surprised that Laura and Rob are shocked when she publicly thanks poor Mel Cooley for her success after finishing her number on THE ALAN BRADY SHOW. Even Rob knew she was a ruthless opportunist and told Buddy and Sally, "I knew she was the type of person who would never be 'eternally grateful' to anyone!"
Well, I'd say Laura sometimes started out as conventionally "jealous" of the attention attractive women paid to Rob, but after her first burst of jealousy, she usually (and appropriately) showed why she didn't like/trust them.
For instance, she's initially jealous of ruthlessly ambitious "Janie Leyton" (understandably)because she walks in on her and Rob kissing. Also, Janie is beautiful and an old classmate of Rob's, and she's paying him undue attention. But Laura's right when she points out to Rob that "Janie" took longer than she needed to in identifying herself to Rob after he kissed her, and she's also right when she tells Rob: "Rob, she's pushy, and I don't like the idea of her pushing my husband around just because you have a kind nature." I think it's in this episode when Laura explains to Rob that she understands that an attractive, charming man like him, in his profession will attract the attention of many beautiful women, and that she understands this, but that there are exceptions (and "Janie" is one of them!)
I also don't think Paula Marshall had romantic designs on Rob, but as "Janie Layton" tried to do, she did walk all over Rob and it was Laura, by virtue of being the disciplinarian in the Petrie household, who showed Rob how to handle her.
Rob is really impossible (but hilarious) in the "No Rice at My Wedding" episode with Van Williams. He doesn't even give Laura time to break up with "Clark,' but I always laugh at the scene where a tearful and frustrated Laura tries to explain why she's fallen in love with Rob and keeps stumbling over the phrase: "He's so ador- ador..." and a dejected Williams says, "Adorable?" and Laura replies: "You see it too, don't you?!"
In addition to Sally's classic "PRIEST!" comment, I also laugh when Laura offers to take her wrap and she shrieks, "NO!" and clutches it to her chest. She must have followed Buddy's advice to wear the top of one sexy outfit and the bottom of another!
Rob has
I know many people find the character hilarious, and, as I said, I think Katherine Card did a really good job of playing the character as written. I just don't find her very funny because she's so awful to Ricky, and without provocation.
I might feel differently if Ricky fought back when she insulted him, like Darrin Stephens and Endora on "Bewitched," but he usually doesn't.
Hi PJ, I love THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, so yes, I'm pretty familiar with it, though I don't own DVDs of the show.
You may be right that technically there are more episodes of Laura Petrie being jealous of the attention that Rob was receiving from other women than Lucy did with Ricky (I haven't counted), but it seemed to me that Laura was often correct in her suspicions, not about suspecting Rob of being unfaithful (which doesn't generally seem to be her concern),but of the predatory nature of many of the women he encounters as the writer of a hit variety show. A few examples would be the egocentric "Paula Marshall," and career obsessed former classmate "Janie Layton" ("The Foul Weather Girl"). I think it's in that episode that Laura clarifies Rob her feelings of "jealousy." As you've pointed out the only episode of ILL where a woman openly pursued Ricky was "Angela Randall." At least she was up front about it. ("He's a prize!") Lucy's "box of Cracker Jack response is great.)
Also, the DVD show seemed to balance out Laura's jealousy episodes by having ones featuring Rob, such as the episode with Laura's former boyfriend, Robert Vaughn, now a millionaire and new sponsor of THE ALAN BRADY SHOW, or the one with future Green Hornet Van Williams winning a date with Laura in an Army camp raffle ("Bivouac Baby"), and the one where the pretty art instructor wants Rob to take private lessons. Myy favorite is probably "The Life and Love of Joe Coogan," in which Rob discovers at a very inopportune moment that Laura's old boyfriend, who he's sure is out to break up the Petrie marriage, is now a priest! Michael Forrest was terrific in the role I always wondered why he didn't have a bigger career) and it provides Rose Marie with one her best "Sally Rogers" moments.
I like the Bob Hope episode, though I think he could be a little more understanding about Ricky's desire to avoid having Lucy participate in his club numbers, especially after all the trouble Lucy caused Hope at the baseball game.
In the episode about Little Ricky's School Pageant, Lucy also sets a good example by not raising a fuss over being cast as the Witch. I like her comment that the casting is "ridiculous" because she's a Witch and Ethel's a Fairy Princess.
I thought Welles was excellent, and because of his performance I liked that episode a lot. I like his response on meeting Lucy in her scuba gear: "My War of the Worlds" broadcast was 17 years ago. Where were you?" and then the one about every woman he's ever met having played Juliet to an audience that's "practically awash with overactive tear ducts!"
As I said, the only Florida episode I've liked is the one with Elsa Lanchester. You're right, PJ, she does sing her lines, and I like when she tells Lucy and Ethel: "I'm sure you won't mind changing a TI-RE!" When the three women are trying to mime the danger they're in to counterman Strother Martin, Lanchester's gestures are a riot, gritting her teeth, raising her hands about her head and miming the downward blow of the hatchet.
I like "Lucy Goes To Monte Carlo" a lot as it's one of the few episodes from the series where I have no issues with Lucy, except perhaps for her lying to Ricky about her accidental winnings (even if her frightened reaction to her pledge "If I'm lying may I drop dead!" is funny).
Unlike many episodes, in "Monte Carlo," Lucy not only doesn't do anything wrong, the poor woman tries again and again to do the RIGHT thing by pointing out she wasn't playing the game and pushing the chips away from her ("I wash my hands!"). I have to admit it does make me wonder about the solidness of the Lucy/Ricky marriage that she's terrified to tell him she won a fortune, however it happened. I do have an issue with Fred, though, because it once again shows that the only time he has any real affection for Ethel is when money comes in to it.
"Lucy and John Wayne" is a funny episode, except Lucy and Ethel commit several felonies in the previous episode when they swipe Wayne's cement block from the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre and seem completely unconcerned about it. In the episode where they're trying to raise money for the trip to Europe by holding a phony raffle, Lucy tells the District Attorney she wouldn't have staged the raffle if she'd known it was a crime. Here, she and Ethel (and Fred) all must know that what they're doing is a set of serious crimes, but they just don't care.
I also dislike the Richard Widmark episode for the Trophy Room scene. I generally turn it off when they camera shows the Water Buffalo head. Also, I don't think the rest of it is very funny, except for Benny Rubin's bit as the bus driver fed up with Lucy.
"Lucy Meets the Queen" is just silly. Are you trying to tell me that every woman who's presented to Her Majesty has to do that very low, to the ground, curtsey? I did like the bellboy's comment about Danny Kaye, though, a sly acknowledgement by the show of Kaye's phenomenal success at the London Palladium.
I've found catching up with the shows after work, etc. on the Pluto App (as I think they're uncut), that there are some episodes I don't like much overall, but they stick out for a funny line/situation. "Ragtime Band" is one of these. I like when Lucy Fred, Ethel and Little Ricky each come in individually to complain about the lack of talent of the others. Ethel's line about Lucy's saxophone playing ("Lucy's saxophone sounds like a WOUNDED MOOSE calling to its' mate!") is great as is Ethel's expression when she says it to Ricky.
That said, I think Lucy's lack of instrumental musical talent was a plot hook that had been done to death by this point. I suppose the writers felt they were freshening it up by adding the Mertzes, but I think there was at least one other episode where Ethel's lack of ability on the piano was referenced (the one in which Ethel kicks Lucy out of the band she and the other members of the womens' club are planning to form).And how is it that the only tune Lucy can play is "Sweet Sue" when in at least one previous episode she played an equally horrific, off key version of "Glow Worm"?
I've found I do overall like the Connecticut episodes. They inject some fresh ideas into the series. I wish there were more of them and that the Ramseys were featured more often. I thought Mary Jane Croft and Frank Nelson worked very well with the established star foursome.