Watch I Love Lucy

Name: I Love Lucy
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1951-10-15
Cast: Lucille BallDesi ArnazVivian VanceWilliam FrawleyKeith Thibodeaux

TV-Y
1951
6 Seasons
8.5 (27,608)

I Love Lucy is a classic American sitcom. This ground-breaking, award-winning comedy show is one of the most popular shows of all time. During its six-year run, I Love Lucy was the number one show in the Nielsen ratings four times. The final season of I Love Lucy also captured the top spot, making I Love Lucy the first show to ever end its run on top. This show remains popular even today, attracting more than 40 million viewers each year. The show, which aired from 1951 to 1957, follows the life of title character Lucy Ricardo, played by legendary comedienne Lucille Ball. Lucy is married to Ricky Ricardo, a Cuban American played by Ball's husband at the time, Desi Arnaz. Ricky, like Arnaz, is a bandleader and singer who is slowly making his way in the world. Lucy is ambitious but untalented and dreams of joining Ricky in show business. The pair form a deep friendship with their upstairs neighbors and landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz, played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance. Several episodes of I Love Lucy are counted among the best television episodes of all time. Many critics and fans are especially fond of Lucy Does a TV Commercial. In this episode, Lucy schemes her way into acting in a commercial. However, the product she tries to pitch is foul-tasting and incredibly intoxicating. As filming progresses, Lucy becomes completely inebriated and her attempts to pitch the product, Vitameatavegamin, become increasingly inept. I Love Lucy was the first television show to be filmed on 35mm film; the stars of the show, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, insisted that the show be filmed on 35mm film so that the show could be produced in Hollywood instead of New York. I Love Lucy was also one of the first shows to be filmed with multiple cameras in front of a live studio audience, giving the show an authenticity and continuity that would set it apart from its rivals. In addition to its use of 35mm cameras, I Love Lucy also pioneered the idea of the rerun. During the second season of I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball needed extra time off due to her advanced pregnancy. Rather than take the show off the air, Desi Arnaz convinced the studio to re-air episodes from the first season. These reruns were an unexpected hit, keeping viewers engaged and interested in the show.

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27. The "I Love Lucy" Christmas Episode

December 24, 1956

Colorized version of the Christmas show. It's Christmas Eve and Ricky warns his young son: "Santa won't bring the tree and the presents until you go to sleep." It takes some effort to cajole the boy, but after Lucy convinces him that Santa will have no trouble coming down the chimney ("he brings the North Pole with him and slides down it like a fireman."), he's off to bed. The coast clear, Fred and Ethel arrive with a Christmas tree. "It's a gift from me and Ebenezer," Ethel reveals about the five-dollar fir. The four friends begin to trim the tree until Lucy discovers "a branch on the right side that spoils the shape." Fred solves the symmetry problem with a pocket saw as Ricky says to Lucy, "Our lives have sure been different ever since you told me you were going to have a baby." We flash back to the sentimental moment at the Tropicana in 1952 when Lucy breaks the baby news to Ricky (from "Lucy is Enceinte"). This reminiscence over, we discover that Fred got carried away with his saw while listening to the baby tale - the tree is now a spindly stripling. While Fred goes off in search of a replacement, Ethel and Ricky start singing "Jingle Bells," but when Lucy joins in with her off-key rendition, they recall, once again in a flashback sequence, the barbershop quartet harmonizing of "Sweet Adeline" (from "Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song"). With the last note sung, we return to the Ricardo apartment just as Fred enters with a new tree - he got this "last minute" one for only fifty cents. The foursome starts decorating the tree and discussing Little Ricky's Christmas gifts, as Ethel realizes: "It seems like only yesterday he was born." This is the perfect lead-in to a flashback of Ricky, Fred, and Ethel rehearsing Lucy's trip to the hospital (from "Lucy Goes to the Hospital"). Finally, it's Christmas morning. The four principals are up early and wearing Santa outfits. When they hear Little Ricky approaching the living room, they hasten to the kitchen so the boy won't be disillusioned by seeing four Santas. Suddenly, however, there are five St. Nicks crowding the kitchen - who's the real one? The "real" one disappears optically as the Ricardos and Mertzes stare into the camera and say, hesitantly, "Merry Christmas, everybody."

26. The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue

May 6, 1957

Lucy accidentally destroys a commissioned statue and must impersonate it for the unveiling ceremony.

25. Lucy Raises Tulips

April 29, 1957

Lucy tries to win "Best Looking Garden" but her neighbor's garden and a power mower stand in her way

24. Country Club Dance

April 22, 1957

Lucy leads a glamour revolt among the suburban housewives when their husbands are momentarily overwhelmed by a pretty visitor at a country club dance.

23. Building a B.B.Q.

April 8, 1957

Lucy's loses her wedding ring and thinks it's in the newly constructed brick barbecue

22. Housewarming

April 1, 1957

Lucy becomes jealous of the fast friendship between Ethel and her neighbor Betty Ramsey

21. Lucy's Night in Town

March 25, 1957

After spending six whole weeks in their new Connecticut home, Lucy dreams of a night in New York City and it turns into a nightmare. Four carefully hoarded tickets to the Broadway musical hit "The Most Happy Fella" are supposed to get the Ricardos and the Mertzes in to see the sold-out show. But difficulties arise when Fred Mertz gets nervous about pickpockets because he's carrying $500 in cash in his pockets.

20. Ragtime Band

March 18, 1957

Lucy decides to take part in the fundraising campaign of the Westport Historical Society, and offers to get her husband and his band to perform for their kickoff function. There's only one hitch -- Ricky won't do it. So Lucy decides to form her own band featuring herself, Little Ricky, and Fred and Ethel Mertz.

19. Lucy Does the Tango

March 11, 1957

Chicken-raising and practicing a tango for Little Ricky's school PTA meeting combine to get the Ricardos and the Mertzes in a verbal battle. It's up to Ricky, Jr. and his neighborhood pal Bruce Ramsey to straighten things out.

18. Lucy Raises Chickens

March 4, 1957

Five hundred chicks, part of Lucy's latest moneymaking scheme, have taken over the house!

17. Lucy Gets Chummy With the Neighbors

February 18, 1957

A misunderstanding with their new neighbors makes life in the country very uncomfortable for the Ricardos

16. Lucy Misses the Mertzes

February 11, 1957

Missing each other after the Ricardos move to the country, the Mertzes and Ricardos decide to surprise the other couple with a

15. Lucy Hates to Leave

February 4, 1957

The Ricardos must move into the cramped apartment of the Mertzes before taking possession of their new country home.

14. Lucy Wants to Move to the Country

January 28, 1957

Lucy wants to move to the country but dreads leaving the Mertzes.

13. Lucy and Superman

January 14, 1957

Lucy looks for unusual entertainment to lure kids to Little Ricky's party when she finds out another boy has a planned a party for the same day

12. Little Ricky Gets A Dog

January 21, 1957

Little Ricky's noisy new puppy keeps the neighbors up at night.

11. Lucy and the Loving Cup

January 7, 1957

Ricky's disapproval of Lucy's new hat leads her to try a trophy cup on for size.

10. Little Ricky's School Pageant

December 17, 1956

Little Ricky's school pageant - "The Enchanted Forest" - is coming up and it's coming up short on cast members, so the Ricardos and Mertzes volunteer. Ricky's a hollow stump, Fred's a frog and Ethel's the fairy princess (because she can fit into the costume). And Lucy? She's a witch.

9. The Ricardos Visit Cuba

December 3, 1956

Still on their vacation, the Ricardos go to Cuba, where Ricky wants to introduce his relatives to Lucy and Little Ricky.

8. Desert Island

November 26, 1956

To keep their husbands from judging a beauty contest, Lucy and Ethel scheme to have their pleasure boat run out of gas at sea so the guys will miss the pageant.

7. Deep Sea Fishing

November 19, 1956

The misadventures of the Ricardos and the Mertzes take them deep sea fishing, and their lines get tangled

6. Off to Florida

November 12, 1956

When Lucy misplaces their train tickets, she and Ethel must share a drive to Florida with a woman they fear is a murderess.

5. Visitor from Italy

October 29, 1956

Lucy tries to reunite a Venetian gondolier with his brother, who lives in America.

4. Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright

October 22, 1956

Lucy must help Little Ricky overcome his stage fright when he is scheduled to play the drums with a children's orchestra.

3. Lucy Meets Orson Welles

October 15, 1956

Lucy calls up her old drama teacher when she believes that she will be in a play with Orson Welles, and her teacher ends up bringing the whole class down to watch. But what Lucy didn't realize was that Orson Welles really just wanted her as his assistant in a magic trick.

2. Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums

October 8, 1956

When Little Ricky shows an interest in playing the drums, Lucy and Ricky decide to get him a set to play, but they don't realize the effects that it will have on the entire apartment building and their best friends, the Mertzes.

1. Lucy and Bob Hope

October 1, 1956

After Lucy overhears that Ricky will invite a celebrity to his new commercial, it leaves her curious to see his performance and introduce herself.

Description

The show, which aired from 1951 to 1957, follows the life of title character Lucy Ricardo, played by legendary comedienne Lucille Ball. Lucy is married to Ricky Ricardo, a Cuban American played by Ball's husband at the time, Desi Arnaz. Ricky, like Arnaz, is a bandleader and singer who is slowly making his way in the world. Lucy is ambitious but untalented and dreams of joining Ricky in show business. The pair form a deep friendship with their upstairs neighbors and landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz, played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance.

Several episodes of I Love Lucy are counted among the best television episodes of all time. Many critics and fans are especially fond of Lucy Does a TV Commercial. In this episode, Lucy schemes her way into acting in a commercial. However, the product she tries to pitch is foul-tasting and incredibly intoxicating. As filming progresses, Lucy becomes completely inebriated and her attempts to pitch the product, Vitameatavegamin, become increasingly inept.

I Love Lucy was the first television show to be filmed on 35mm film; the stars of the show, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, insisted that the show be filmed on 35mm film so that the show could be produced in Hollywood instead of New York. I Love Lucy was also one of the first shows to be filmed with multiple cameras in front of a live studio audience, giving the show an authenticity and continuity that would set it apart from its rivals.

In addition to its use of 35mm cameras, I Love Lucy also pioneered the idea of the rerun. During the second season of I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball needed extra time off due to her advanced pregnancy. Rather than take the show off the air, Desi Arnaz convinced the studio to re-air episodes from the first season. These reruns were an unexpected hit, keeping viewers engaged and interested in the show.

I Love Lucy is a series that is currently running and has 6 seasons (181 episodes). The series first aired on October 15, 1951.

Where to Watch I Love Lucy

I Love Lucy is available for streaming on the CBS website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch I Love Lucy on demand at Apple TV and Pluto TV.