MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Ricky and Fred are TV Fans/Ricky Minds t...

Ricky and Fred are TV Fans/Ricky Minds the Baby...

posted 5 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
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...are just two examples of how Lucy honestly thought Ricky didn't deserve any free time
or interests of his own - simply because he was married!

While I get that in "TV fans", part of Lucy's issue is that Ricky only gets one night off, and
he shouldn't be spending it watching the fights. Fair enough. But last night, I watched
"Ricky Minds the Baby", and I still find it odd that Lucy is so selfish that she thinks that
Ricky shouldn't get ANY fun on his week off - he should be washing the baby's laundry,
feeding him, etc. Basically spending the whole week at home.

Why is it Lucy is allowed to go shopping, have her club meetings, etc., while Ricky
is at daytime rehearsal (uh, working), but Ricky doesn't get just one night with the fights,
or any fun on his vacation???

I get his getting up early to tend to Little Ricky's needs for the week so Lucy can sleep in,
but no personal fun/hobbies for Ricky that WHOLE vacation week???

Thoughts?

[–] [email protected] (5517) 5 years ago

Ricky was a typical husband and father, a self centered jerk! LOLOL

Actually I never thought it was a big deal that Ricky wanted to watch the fights on his night off. I never understood wives who sit around so bored and sad because their husbands are doing something without them. It never bothered me! My ex watched football for about 16 hours on the weekends and I found plenty to do without him. But I was always the independent type.

As for Ricky's week off, I think he deserved at least a few days to himself to have fun. Of course on the other days he could have taken Little Ricky with him, like to the park or the zoo. But asking him to do the baby's laundry? Good luck with that Lucy!

Coincidentally, I was watching this episode last night. There was one little thing I caught that I never noticed before. Lucy is eating her dinner and trying to watch her program because Ricky got home late. So their dinner was delayed.

Ricky says that he's sorry but, "I have to earn a living."
Then a few minutes later he tells Fred that his week vacation had already started because they were painting the club. So WHY was he working late? haha Maybe he had paperwork in his office to do? But he tells Lucy he had to work late and never mentions that they are painting the club? How did he forget that?

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

How weird that we were watching the same ep last night (bet you weren't drinking Fresca, though!).

I just think Ricky was finishing up paperwork. As is, the scene feels like something between Ward and June Cleaver,
as he had a "day" job. Normally, Ricky was either off for a later dinner, or at the club.

Speaking of "Cut" episodes: When I was a kid, this ep OPENED in the living room, so that when Ethel says, "Oh,
I'm not gonna eat 'em. I'm afraid they might start throwing things (or however the line goes...this is not a fave
offering of mine), and if they use those brownies, they'll kill each other!" First off, the line isn't funny anyway. But
when one doesn't get that Lucy offered Ethel hard, stale brownies, the joke doesn't come off at all.

One other thing I noticed last night: While it's funny that nosy Ethel is hanging out her front door, enabling Fred
to take Little Ricky through the kitchen, WHY would Ethel be hanging out her front door??? Lucy closed the Ricardo
door after she entered to "check" on Little Ricky. (I think better direction would've been for Lucy to keep the door
open...which would explain why Ethel was straining to hear what was going on, making it so easy for Fred to take
the baby).

While we've always debated WHO found out WHAT at an episode's conclusion, certainly everyone must've fessed up
here! Everyone but Fred was so baffled.

[–] [email protected] (5517) 5 years ago

Haha Haven't had a Fresca in decades! In fact I lost my taste for soft drinks many years ago except for a ginger ale once in a while. Now I'm hooked on diet decaf orange iced tea. But yesterday I was in the mood for a cheese steak sandwich. I always watch Lucy when I eat one of those. I'm very predictable!

I suppose Fred finally 'fessed up to what he did. Everyone looked so confused that he probably had to tell them what he did.

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

I loooooooooooooooooooooooooove Fresca (essentially diet grapefruit soda). I have since I was a kid. But they
don't sell it everywhere, so I have to go to certain markets. Its "copycat" diet Squirt isn't nearly as good.

Have you tried the Ice drinks??? They've become so popular here in L.A. They're in tall, very thin, single-
serving plastic bottles. They come in peach, black cherry, strawberry/kiwi and others, but my fave is the
pink grapefruit. So many people I know dislike grapefruit soda, but I love it. However, my REAL nemesis
is diet cola (or, specifically, Diet Coke). My doctor bugs me about how bad soda (especially diet) soda is
for your body, but it's my vice. I dig the rush, as I HATE coffee. (Yes, I drink Diet Coke first thing in the
morning).

A cheese steak sandwich sounds great, but since I only watch ILL before bed, it's just the Fresca - no food
or caffeine, or I won't sleep.

[–] [email protected] (5517) 5 years ago

Everyone has there favorite beverage. My sister's is Coke. She loves the burn. When they changed the formula, she was ready to riot. Then they went to "New Coke" and "Classic Coke". I am cynical enough to believe that it was a marketing ploy all along, trying to capture a bigger market.

I have tried the iced drinks and grapefruit is one of the better flavors.

I just read an article about how bad soda really is for you, even diet soda. I recall reading years ago that there's something in it, maybe the phosphorus(?), that leeches calcium from your bones. I'm glad i don't like it anymore.

A co-worker of mine likes coffee, but if she has one cup in the morning she has to "go". She's in the bathroom, so she gets her caffeine rush from Mountain Dew. I hardly ever have coffee when I'm not working, but I need a cup to start my work day.

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

Yuck! I hate Mountain Dew. To this day, I don't understand its massive popularity. What FLAVOR is it
supposed to be, anyway?

I love the SMELL of coffee. To me, it invokes breakfast - pancakes, waffles, bacon, etc. (even though I
don't eat that stuff anymore). I also enjoy coffee-flavored hard candies, as well as coffee ice cream.
Go figure. (But then I like I Love Lucy, but not The Lucy Show, so it shows you how my brain works!).

Your co-worker! Years ago, I read that the WORST thing to do is drink coffee and eat a glazed donut
before going into morning traffic. I never got it, but apparently, the two make you need "to go", and
you DON'T want to be stuck on the freeway!

[–] [email protected] (5517) 5 years ago

All I know is that the bright yellow color of Mountain Dew reminds me of pee. haha I haven't had one in years, but I recall that it's a very sickeningly sweet flavor. (sweet pee? lol)

I grew up in a house of hardcore coffee drinkers. They drank it day and night. Every time someone came over it was, "I'll put a pot of coffee on." Probably because they smoked like chimneys, coffee and cigarettes! I acquired the coffee habit but not the smokes.

It is possible to like food in one form but not the other. For instance, my sister loves pizza but hates tomatoes.

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

I came from parents who smoked, too, but both instilled in both my brother and myself NEVER to
smoke. We never did.

MY INTERPRETATION of HOW "Ricky Minds the Baby" might've ended:

Fred holding Little Ricky. Ricky (hand in mouth), Lucy and Ethel confused.

LUCY: What's going on here?! (to Ethel) You were minding the baby at...uh...
ETHEL: I don't know! I turned around and he was gone...and...uh...
RICKY: WHAT?!? ETHEL had the baby?! Luuuuuccccy.....'Splain.
LUCY: For your information, Ethel and I found him right outside the Mertz's door when we
were about to go shopping!
RICKY: HE WAN'ERED OUT?!
LUCY: Yes, he 'wan'nerd' out! So Ethel and I decided to teach you a lesson and make you think
he was REALLY lost.
RICKY: Well, how did he wind up here?!
ETHEL: Freeeeedddd....
FRED: (Bursting into laughter) While Mrs. Budinsky was peering out the front door, I grabbed him!
ETHEL: Fred Mertz!!
LUCY: Oh, for heaven's sake.

Not bad. Anything I should add, or change PJ? You know the gang as well as I do.

[–] [email protected] (5517) 5 years ago

That sums it up pretty nicely! Lucy would have added a stipulation that the next time Ricky "minds the baby", he can't be watching sports!

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

Good point.

Btw, my "dialogue" is only the characters explaining things after. I certainly don't think that
long exchange between the characters was necessary - just fun to imagine.