I Love Lucy: Season 3

Over 50 years ago during the early years of broadcast television, the very inspired talents of Lucille Ball (1911-1989) and her then husband Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) were showcased on their hilarious television show "I Love Lucy". TV execs had initially rejected the plausibility of the show because of Desi and because they intended to tape the shows. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of Lucille Ball and Desi's obvious talents, the show first aired in 1951 and quickly became one of the most successful TV shows during all six of its regular seasons. As Lucy and Ricky Ricardo on "I Love Lucy", Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were joined by William Frawley (1877-1966) and Viviane Vance (1909-1979) as their best-friends/apartment landlords of Fred and Ethel Mertz.

The third season of "I Love Lucy" that aired between 1953 and 1954 has 31 memorable episodes:

1. "Ricky's 'Life' Story": Not happy about being ignored in Ricky's magazine interview, Lucy gets back at Ricky.

2. "The Girls Go Into Business": Lucy & Ethel purchase a dress shop, but things don't turn out as profitably as they had imagined.

3. "Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress": Getting a rare opportunity to perform on TV for their women's club, Lucy & Ethel purchase the same dress.

4. "Equal Rights": When Lucy & Ethel demand equal rights from Ricky & Fred, the men only think that they are getting back at them at a restaurant.

5. "Baby Pictures": Lucy's jealousy over Carolyn Appleby's (Doris Singleton) baby as compared with Little Ricky is not advantageous to Ricky's upcoming appearance on a TV show hosted by Carolyn's husband.

6. "Lucy Tells the Truth": Lucy bets Ricky that she can tell the truth for 24 hours and drives everyone crazy.

7. "The French Revue": Ricky bets Lucy $50 that she won't be able to sneak into his new French review club act.

8. "Redecorating the Mertzes' Apartment": Lucy helps Ethel & Fred redecorate their apartment, including new paint and new upholstery with obvious results.

9. "Too Many Crooks": Ricky thinks Lucy is the notorious "Madame X" that has been robbing nearby apartments; she's really been collecting objects for a club bazaar.

10. "Changing the Boys' Wardrobe": Disgusted by Ricky & Fred's aging wardrobe, Lucy & Ethel sell their husband's old clothes to a second-hand man.

11. "Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined": A visit to an eye doctor doesn't help Lucy audition for a jitterbug number that she has practiced for.

12. "Ricky's Old Girlfriend": Lucy's worried about Ricky's reaction to a visit in NY by one of his old Cuban girlfriends: Carlotta Romero.

13. "The Million-Dollar Idea": Lucy & Ethel's TV commercial to sell Lucy's salad dressing ends up doing much better than expected.

14. "Ricky Minds the Baby": Ricky doesn't do as good a job as Lucy of taking care of Little Ricky.

15. "The Charm School": Lucy & Ethel go to charm school to keep Ricky & Fred interested in them.

16. "Sentimental Anniversary": Lucy & Ricky want to have a quiet wedding anniversary, but Fred & Ethel have other ideas.

17. "Fan Magazine Interview": Lucy & Ricky prepare for a fan magazine interview, but a quarrel between them could change the interview outcome.

18. "Oil Wells": The Ricardos' new neighbors want them to invest in oil wells.

19. "Ricky Loses His Temper": Lucy bets Ricky that he can't keep his temper and that she won't buy any new hats.

20. "Home Movies": When Ricky gets the opportunity to do a film audition, Lucy, Ethel & Fred create their own film that Lucy edits with Ricky's home movies of Little Ricky.

21. "Bonus Bucks": Lucy & Ethel become obsessed with trying to win money with 'bonus bucks'.

22. "Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation": Lucy & Ethel go on a game show to try and win a trip to Hawaii to be with Ricky.

23. "Lucy Is Envious": Lucy is too ashamed to admit that she can't afford a $500 donation to a rich friend's charity.

24. "Lucy Writes a Novel": Lucy decides to write a novel, but doesn't like the response that she gets from an interested publisher.

25. "Lucy's Club Dance": When Lucy & Ethel's 'all-girl' orchestra rehearse horribly for a club dance, Ricky has to think fast since Lucy put his name as their orchestra leader.

26. "The Black Wig": To test Ricky's fidelity, Lucy dons a black wig to tempt him; but Fred knows all about the scheme.

27. "The Diner": When Ricky decides to quit show business, he & Fred purchase a diner; but everyone isn't too happy with their new duties.

28. "Tennessee Ernie Visits": When Cousin Ernie (Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1919-1991) pays the Ricardos an unexpected visit, Lucy tries to scare him away.

29. "Tennessee Ernie Hangs On": Still staying with the Ricardos, Lucy once again tries to get him to leave by pretending that she & Ricky are impoverished.

30. "The Golf Game": Wanting to spend more time with Ricky & Fred, Lucy & Ethel get the men to teach them how to play golf; but it isn't how most people play the game.

31. "The Sublease": Planning to be gone for a while, Lucy & Ricky sublet their apartment; but Lucy (per usual) changes her mind and wants to get their apartment back from the timid Mr. Beecher (Jay Novello, 1904-1982).

Paramount Home Video's superb job of packaging all 32 episodes of the second season of "I Love Lucy" onto 5 DVD's is a good indication as to how they will similarly package the third season. Overall, for superb packaging and a great price, I rate the "I Love Lucy: The Complete Third Season" DVD box set with an anticipatory 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it!

In season two Lucy had little Ricky. Most of the season dealt with the pregnancy and the joys of a newborn. In season three Little Ricky is now a toddler. The 31 episodes are on five discs.

Disc One:

Ricky's "LIFE" Story - A pictorial spread on Ricky appears in LIFE magazine but Lucy is nowhere to be scene (well her elbow can be scene). Lucy blames Ricky for this. Fred comes up with a scheme to quite Lucy forever. Ricky gives Lucy a starring role in a dance number. The plan is to make it so strenuous that Lucy will quit. It works until Fred blurts out the plan to Lucy. This creates a great revenge scene.

The Girls Go Into Business - Lucy and Ethel's favorite dress shop is up for sale and the girls decide to buy it. What they find out is it appears that they are the shop's only customers.

Lucy and Ethel buy the Same Dress - When the girls Ladies' Club is given 30 minutes on television for a show, Lucy promises the club Ricky so she can take control of the show. Lucy and Ethel decide to perform Cole Porter's Friendship for the finale. But when they show up in the same dress, the number goes from friendship to fiendship!

Equal Rights - Lucy demands that Ricky and Fred treat Ethel and her as equals. The catch is Ricky and Fred decide to enforce this at dinner and have the maitre d' give the girls separate checks. When they can't pay, they are forced to clean dishes. The girls play a phone prank to get the boys back to the restaurant but the boys find out and turn the tables on the girls but have the girls get the last laugh.

Baby Pictures - Lucy and Ricky make a vow not to bore everyone with pictures of Little Ricky. But when Caroline and Charlie Appleby start showing pictures of their son, Stevie, and putting down Little Ricky, Lucy pulls the gloves off and almost costs Ricky a job on Charlie's show.

Lucy Tells the Truth - This is one of the classic shows. Lucy bets the others that she can tell the absolute truth for 24 hours but forgets that she has a bridge game with the girls the next afternoon. Ethel prods Lucy but to everyone's amazement and disdain, Lucy tells them exactly what she is thinking.

The French Revue - The gang goes to a posh French restaurant but cannot read the menu. Lucy and Ethel get the waiter to give them lessons. That is if he gets an audition with Ricky. After resisting it, Ricky decides to do a French Revue but tells Lucy to stay out of it. But Lucy bets Ricky that she will get in the show!

Disc Two:

Redecorating the Mertz's Apartment - Ricky is going to buy Lucy a mink stole. Lucy wants to wear it to the Lady's Club meeting but Ethel doesn't want to have the meeting at her apartment because it is shabby. Lucy decides that all it needs is a coat of paint and the furniture reupholstered. All goes well until the feather chair!

Too Many Crooks - There is a cat burglar working the area and the police think that it is a woman. When Mrs. Trumball sees Lucy taking one of Fred's suits from Ethel's apartment, Ethel thinks that Lucy is the crook. Ethel decides to stake out Lucy but when she gets cold, Fred gives her his coat and hat. Lucy sees Ethel on the fire escape and assumes that Ethel is Madame X.

Changing the Boys' Wardrobe - When the boys insist on wearing "comfortable" clothes to the movies, the girls decide to sell the guys old clothes. But the store owner makes his living from selling the old clothes back to the husbands. So when Ricky invites Lucy and Ethel to have dinner at the club, the girls decide to get even by showing up in the boys old clothes. What they didn't know is Ricky was receiving an award and photographers are at the club.

Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined - An old friend of Ricky's is casting a new musical. When Ricky invites him for dinner, the gang decides to audition. Fred and Ethel are asked to perform a Charleston and Lucy a jitterbug. Lucy hires a partner who is a gas / way gone....(He is hilarious). The substory is Ricky is having headaches and Lucy takes him to the optometrist but it turns out she needs to have her eyes tested. Unfortunately, her eyes are dilated and she can't see her dance partner.

Ricky's Old Girlfriend - Lucy becomes obsessed with an old flame of Ricky. And when Carlotta makes an appearance at a New York nightclub, Lucy thinks the worst (with one of her great over the top dream sequences.) To resolve this Ricky invites Carlota over and she doesn't turn out to be what either Ricky remembers or Lucy expects.

The Million Dollar Idea - When Fred tells Lucy that her salad dressing is great, Lucy and Ethel decide to go into business selling it. To advertise it they use Charlie Appleby's TV station - this is of course is one of the classic scenes. But when Ricky finds out, he figures out what is costing to make and the girls are losing money. The problem is Fred arrives with three bags of orders. Lucy comes up with the idea to do another commercial saying the salad dressing is bad but this only generates more orders!

Disc Three:

Ricky Minds the Baby - Ricky has the week off and offers to mind Little Ricky while he is at home. Lucy has separation pains and when Little Ricky toddles off, Lucy decides to teach the boys a lesson.

The Charm School - When the boys pay too much attention to a beautiful woman, the girls decide to attend charm school to improve their allure. (Note: the head of the charm school is played by Natalie Schaeffer better known as Mrs. Thurston Howell III). But when they unveil their new models, the boys are less than complimentary.

Sentimental Anniversary - Ricky gets his anniversary off but Lucy wants a quite dinner at home. But Ethel and Fred are planning a surprise party.

Fan Magazine Interview - Ricky and Lucy become the subject of a magazine photo essay.

Oil Wells - The new tenants, Mr. & Mrs. Johnson are oil investors and the gang buy the final shares for the field. After the initial giddiness from the expected wealth, they begin to ask the question, is this a scam?

Ricky Loses His Temper - Lucy bets Ricky that she can go longer not buying a hat than he can hold his temper. The problem is that the hat shop is having a sale and she cannot resist. Therefore, she must get Ricky to lose his temper before the shop delivers the new hat.

DISC FOUR:

Home Movies - Everyone, including Lucy, is sick of Ricky's home movies. But when Ricky makes one for a TV special and he excludes the gang, Lucy creates one of her own. The end result is truly unique!

Bonus Bucks - The local newspaper has a contest where if you have a dollar bill with the winning serial number you win up to $300. When Ricky finds one, he puts it in Lucy's purse so she will think she found it. But Lucy gives it to the grocery boy, who gives it to Ethel. This starts a feud on who owns it that ends at the laundry.

Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation - Ricky gets an offer to bring the show to Honolulu but can't bring the gang. So Lucy comes up with a plan to win the trip on a radio show and gets herself in a sticky mess.

Lucy is Envious - A successfully married school chum is in town and is raising funds for one of her charities. Lucy cannot let her know her financial circumstances and accidentally pledges $500. When Ethel also pledges the same, the girls get a job doing a publicity stunt to raise the money.

Lucy Writes a Novel - The title describes the episode. But this is a hack novel about the gang. Lucy gets an offer to publish it by accident.

Lucy's Club Dance - The club is broke and decides to have a dance. But they can't afford a band, so they start one with the members. In a great scene, Lucy gets Ricky to help out. But even Ricky can't help this group. This episodes end in a variation of Some Like it Hot.

DISC FIVE:

The Black Wig - Ricky won't let Lucy cut her hair, so when she has her hair cut she tries on a brunette wig. Then gets the idea to test Ricky but he gets tipped off and decides to "take her for a ride."

The Diner - This is another get rich scheme which involves the whole gang this time. The gang buys a diner. But when Fred and Ethel get tired of being behind the counter and quit, Ricky and Lucy cannot fend for themselves.

Tennessee Ernie Visits - The middle son of one of Lucy's mother's friends is coming to NYC and the Ricardo's are asked to host him. The difference between city life and country life becomes evident. Singer / celebrity Tennessee Ernie Ford makes his first of three appearances.

Tennessee Ernie Hangs On - Lucy devises a plan to get rid of Cousin Ernie by pretending to be broke. It worked at first but Ernie decides he can't leave until they are back on their feet. It ends with an appearance on Milikin's Chicken-Mash Hour with Ernie Ford and His Four Hot Chicken Pickers.

The Golf Game - Since Lucy gave Ricky the golf clubs for their anniversary, the boys spend all their time talking or practicing. So Lucy decides if she can't beat them join them. But the guys don't like that idea and decide to make the game so difficult the girls will quit. But Lucy gets her revenge in spades. Special Guest Appearance by then three time Masters Champion Jimmy Demaret

The Sublease - Ricky's band gets an out of town booking and they decide to sublease the apartment. This causes a rift between the couples but of course it is resolved. But worse things happen the gig gets cancelled and now Lucy has to figure how to get the new tenant out.

The interesting thing with larger TV's and digital images is that background scenery that looked fine on old sets now really looks fake (See The Golf Game). But for shows like this it adds a bit of nostalgic charm.

DVD EXTRAS:

Each disc has FLUBS which shows flubs made by the actors or an error made in shooting a scene. Each flub has a written explanation of what went wrong. This is needed because most are not obvious.

Each disc has GUEST CAST which lists each episode's cast other than the four stars. You can get a brief history on each guest by clicking on their name.

Each disc has SPECIAL FOOTAGE which might be a promo spot for the show, the annual Christmas tag or

Each disc has the ORIGINAL animated OPENINGs used when the episodes were first aired. (The satin heart was used for syndication only.)

Each disc has an LUCY ON THE RADIO which is and episode of the Lucille Ball radio series My Favorite Husband which inspire an episode of I Love Lucy.

Each disc has PRODUCTION NOTES on an episode of the series.

Disc 1 has BEHIND THE SCENES a book excerpt from Laughs, Luck...and Lucy by Jess Oppenheimer read by Larry Dobkin.

Disc 5 has SLIDE SHOW with one still from each episode.

I am happy that CBS and Paramount have released another season of "I Love Lucy." I have watched this series in its perpetual repeats my entire life and owning these DVD sets and being able to watch classic "Lucy" anytime I want is terrific.

I'm a big fan of "I Love Lucy" episodes set in the Ricardo's New York City apartment. Season Three contains 31 really enjoyable episodes of this variety. There are no Hollywood stars or European locales just fun situations involving Lucy, Ricky, Ethel and Fred. Of course, there are still all of our favorite "Lucy" antics. She tries to get into Ricky's show ("The French Revue"), she fights with Ethel ("Lucy and Ethel Buy The Same Dress") and she gets into those outrageous situations only she can get into ("Bonus Bucks").

This set also includes one of my all-time favorite "I Love Lucy" episodes, "Lucy is Envious." This is the one where Lucy and Ethel pledge $500 to a charity of Lucy's snotty school friend and in order to raise the money they take a job dressing up as Martian women for a publicity stunt for a movie. The ending scene in this episode is especially funny.

As with Season Two, they have packaged the entire season (31 episodes) into a cardboard sleeve that holds five slim cases containing the five DVD discs. The whole season of classic episodes will take up a spot on your DVD shelf about two inches wide but the entertainment is much more enormous.

The extras are comparable to the Season Two set. You will find original openings and transitions, some deleted scenes used to bridge continuity when shows were rerun, some commercials that Lucy and Desi did to promote their films, etc., there are flubs, and some radio shows of Lucy's "My Favorite Husband" series. What is missing is commentaries by either Lucy experts or surviving cast members or crew. I would have found it interesting to have had "Lucy" writers Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Pugh's commentaries included. Commentaries probably would have meant a bigger investment from CBS, so maybe that's why we have none.

For the most part the visual quality of the episodes is outstanding. I have never seen some of these shows look so sharp and clear with rich shades of gray and lots of picture detail. This is the good news. The bad news is there are two episodes, "Sentimental Anniversary" and "Bonus Bucks" (a favorite of mine), that are of far inferior quality. These two episodes have a muddy look with very little picture definition. When these are played side by side with the pristine episodes they really look bad. I don't know how they slipped these two poor quality transfers onto the DVD set. This is my biggest complaint. I hope CBS doesn't let this happen on any more Lucy sets.