MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Ricky's Life Story/The Business Manager

Ricky's Life Story/The Business Manager

posted 5 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
4 replies | jump to latest

In several ILL books (and/or online discussions), it has been suggested that "Ricky's Life
Story" and "The Business Manager" were weak season openers. "Life Story" in particular,
was singled out by a few TV critics back in the fall of 1953 for lacking the "spark" of
the season one opener "Lucy Wants to Go to a Nightclub" and season two's opener, "Job
switching." Both were regarded as routine episodes.

I love this period of the show so much, that I either don't agree, or don't care. Not sure
which. I find both episodes highly enjoyable, but agree that neither are as "classic"
as "Job Switching." But even "Nightclub" isn't even as classic as "Switching", mainly
because the episode is broader, stagier, and the actors were still green.

Now, of course, it doesn't matter. I would NEVER watch the show straight from beginning
to end. I pick and choose episodes based upon my mood. Some I can watch over and
over (basically anything from late season two, through three, early four, and in
Connecticut. Others I need to shelve for longer periods).

Incidentally, there doesn't seem to be any argument about the rest of the season
openers....

"Lucy and John Wayne"
"Lucy Meets Bob Hope"

Neither of these (three) are super faves, but I enjoy when I watch them. This despite
my general non-interest in Wayne or Hope.

[–] steven1660 (140) 5 years ago

I've always liked 'the business manager' but of course it's not as classic as 'job switching' It was the 100th episode of the show. Maybe 'Ricky's movie offer' would have been a more solid opener, I've always loved that one. I thought "Lucy visits Grauman's' was a great opener. I remember reading an original review of the 'grauman's' episode a few years back and the critic said Lucy and Vivian's ad libbing made the episode great, not the writing. We all know that they didn't do much ad libbing, it was all the writers mostly, so he was wrong ahah.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 5 years ago

No surprise to you gb, I'm often in the mood for season three. I also get in the mood for the Hollywood arc and the Connecticut episodes. There are a few season one episodes that I get in the mood for, but I'd never watch season one straight through.

"Ricky's Life Story" is one that I can watch over and over. It's not a top favorites. But I do like it. "The Business Manager" however, that definitely rates rate up at the top. I don't know why either. Maybe it's Mr Hickox who suddenly discovers "a set of books" even he can't figure out! Or maybe it's Lucy's newfound hobby of buying groceries.
I always get a kick out of the prices! Mrs. Trumbull's list includes sherry (COOKING sherry) and a roasting chicken and her bill is under ten dollars. I mentally tally up what both she and Ethel buy and I always end up saying, "Wow! Today's prices would be so much more!"
Well, inflation ya know...

"Lucy Visits Grauman's" was a solid opener. It was the episode which influenced me to step in John Wayne's block when I visited there. Of course it wasn't loose.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

I always thought it interesting that ILL didn't air "Ricky's movie offer" first. It was such a major plot point in the series.
I think it's kind of odd that his offer comes in about episode eight, or so, into season four. I also think it's odd that
the fourth season ends while they're still in Hollywood, then picks up with about five, or or, in season five. I think
they're returning home to the apartment (where Ricky feigns a big ego) would've been a cleaner season four
end, with "Face to Face" opening season five.

I do know that once the company finished shooting season three in around April of '54, they took a very short
break, then shot five for season four:

The Business Manager
Mertz and Kurtz
Lucy Cries Wolf
The Matchmaker
Mr. and Mrs. TV show

There was another longer break, then in late summer they all returned for a full season's work with:

Lucy's Mother-in-Law
Ethel's Birthday

Then around September they started filming the Hollywood arc.

I wonder if it was intentionally planned to have the Hollywood theme run through season five, or they just kept
thinking up new scripts and carried it on. There's no question that in "Lucy and the Dummy" Ethel's comment
about Fred's getting seasick if she has too many waves in her hair, is planting a seed for the Europe shows.

[–] [email protected] (5495) 5 years ago

It is a bit odd that they didn't kick off season four with "Ricky's Movie Offer." What I think is stranger is that they put the episode when Ricky's mother visits right in the middle of the Hollywood arc and they never mention Ricky's movie offer to her.

Of course you have pointed out before that even though we didn't see a particular event, it doesn't mean it didn't happen off screen. Ricky could have
told his mother about his movie any time during her visit.

It just seems that either Ricky or Lucy could've said something like, "What a great time for her to visit. We have this big news about a screen test and we may be going to Hollywood!"

Still, not the oddest thing. Even in the course of making preparations for a trip a lot of other things can happen in a person's life. Mama Ricardo's visit was a fun episode. I just wonder why they decided to bring in the character at that point on the show.