Here's Lucy

This was to be the least successful of Lucy's series but yet is not a big loss from the Lucy Show. It actually kind of spun in from the old show with almost no break. The difference is Lucy is finally considered more mature in her role here.

A lot of the same folks who worked on her previous series as writers and guest stars (Milton Berle for example) are here too. Lucie Arnez and Desi Jr. came on board here with mom. Some of us teens thought Lucie Arnez was pretty attractive when we saw her. She never got the chance to try as much comedy as mom was still the star.

While this is not quite as strong as the earlier series, it still has some great moments. The divorced mom character struck a cord as in real life this woman was becoming more common. The only thing is most divorced moms in real life were bitter while Lucy was funny. I take funny over bitter myself, but that is why this show like many situation comedies put a little realty in, but still were living in a never-never land.

This series can't come close to replicating the success of "I Love Lucy" but at times it gives "The Lucy Show" a run for its money-"Here's Lucy" had scads of big-name guest stars, including, in one episode, my fave Ann-Margret.

The song she's given to perform along with Desi Jr is beneath their considerable talents, but they shine anyway. (Besides, Ann-Margret could be hawking tuna fish in commercials and she'd still outshine every actress In Hollywood.) People tuned in because they loved Lucy, so even the weaker stories slid by, carried by the skills of Ball, the appeal of Desi Jr & Lucie, and curmudgeon poster-boy Gale Gordon. All in all, it's a pleasant series that leaves you with a good feeling.

I highly recommend this set to Lucy fans. I think it is very well produced and I appreciate the voice over's done by Luci and Desi Jr.

However.....If I were to suggest a few things, I would rather have this show released in a complete season by season format instead of selected episodes. For instance, the Mary Tyler Moore shows would be a good example of how to release this as they are being released (although very very slowly) in a season by season packaging format. I'm not sure this will happen with "Here's Lucy" but it would sure be nice.....so here's hoping for some future volumes of this great show on DVD. Highly recommended to all even though I wished they would release ALL the shows instead of selected episodes. I give it 10 stars!

Recently, I watched the four-DVD set highlighting episodes from the several seasons of this show. Considering that the final years of this ratings winner ran concurrently with such sophisticated CBS series as "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Bob Newhart," it is surprising that it lasted as long as it did. I suppose it filled a void, but seeing Lucy cavort in what is basically a fifties-format sitcom that played in the turbulent 60s/70s, is still a bit of a shock.

Granted, the production quality is great, and the near-Technicolor hues are beautiful, but the plots are hackneyed, at best.

Lucy would once again rehash the format in the disastrous "Life with Lucy" misfire of the mid-eighties.

This series plays better than its previous existence as "The Lucy Show," which itself was a mutation of "The Lucille Ball Show." Business considerations in 1968 required Lucy to reformat the show, in order to maintain ownership. Plus, she finally made it a total family affair. Lucie and Desi Jr. are fine in their roles, albeit with a tendency to over-emote. Gale Gordon is an acquired taste, although he is always the consummate professional in whatever shenanigans the script requires.

The "extras" on the DVD set are quite revealing. Lucy was known as being tyrannical on the set, and it is quite evident in the outtakes and behind-the-scenes bits. Also, it is quite disconcerting to watch Lucy blatantly read the cue-cards in almost every episode.

Vivian Vance and Ball always had great chemistry, and the episodes joining the two are among the best. The guest-star format got a bit ridiculous in this series, with seemingly 75% of the episodes revolving around a celebrity.

Gary Morton, Lucy's husband, executive produced the show, as he did its previous lives throughout the 60s. He was also the warm-up for the show, as seen in the DVD extras. I hate to say it, but there was a reason he didn't find the success that many of his fellow Borscht Belt comedians enjoyed. Obviously, Lucy wanted a producer she could control. In the outtakes, you see her yelling "cut" time and time again, and believe me, that practice isn't kosher in the business.

Certainly, I recommend catching a few episodes of this series, if only to see how a top-notch comedienne manages to strait-jacket herself with a format that limits her own talents.

I recently watched quite a bit of a 4-DVD set of "Here's Lucy!" episodes including extras such as rehearsal footage, syndication sales tapes, Thalians award show, commentary by Lucie and Desi, Jr., etc.

In spite of Lucy's neediness, bitterness, volume and high vocal pitch, I quite enjoyed her honed technique, especially in the Burton/Taylor episode where she seems to really give a damn.

Also, her clothes are very chic for the most part (nicer than all the other actors' costumes) and I especially loved the once-familiar "fallout shelter" sign in the hallway outside Uncle Harry's office! The dance number Ann-Margret does with Desi, Jr. is something to behold. The Wayne Newton episode, believe it or not, is fun. And Lucy, Lucie and Ginger Rogers dancing the Charleston is cute. Lucy loved a Charleston!

The animated Lucy puppet during the credits is adorable, but you get sick of it if you watch too many episodes!

What I really want to see are "The Lucy Show" (before "Here's Lucy!") episodes and extras, when Viv was Lucy's housemate and there were three kids living with them (not Lucy's own kids).