In the Bart Andrews' book I just finished, he wrote that most of the Hollywood shows were
gems with "only a few clunkers."
I can't think of one Hollywood clunker. True, "Don Juan and the Starlets isn't a classic offering,
but it's far from terrible.
Of course, it is all subjective. Anyone else think there are true Hollywood clunkers. And if
so, which ones do you think qualify as being that bad?
I wouldn't go so far as to call any of them "clunkers". But a few were not as funny as they could've been. Lucy in Palm Springs is one. The opening bit with everyone annoying each other with previously unseen bad habits is funny but rather unrealistic. Lucy never stirred her coffee like she was"banging out the anvil chorus" in her up cup. And Ethel never ate like a cow.
The unfunniest thing was Lucy moping around their hotel room when she knew Rock Hudson was staying there. She was at her funniest when hunting down movie stars.
Rock Hudson's cameo was dull and uninspired.
The funniest line was Ethel's. 'Would you like a piece of rock, Mr. Candy?"
Runner-up (for me) was the episode that wrapped up their Hollywood stay. Lucy's purse full of shaving cream which she tried to clean up in the living room, the "pool cue" bit that was flat and unfunny, etc.
The rest were mostly gems.
How about "My Mother the Car"?
shareThe only Hollywood episode I'm not too crazy about is Harpo Marx, but even that's by no means a bad episode.
I actually just watched Lucy Gets in Pictures again. Definitely in the top ten episodes of all time for me.
"Wouldn't you like to see me die?"
"Don't tempt me Mrs. Ricardo." One of the funniest exchanges on ILL.
Considering the Harpo Marx ep is considered a classic offering, I'd be hard-pressed in calling that a clunker. It's too
bad the writers couldn't have conceived Caroline's eyesight issues better.
When I was a kid, I LOVED "In Palm Springs", not so much now. But I still think it's funny, and no clunker.
Yes, I guess many consider "Ricky Sells the Car" as among the most staid of the Hollywood shows (even though it
does contain Fred and Ethel's most hilarious scene together).
I don't care for the Don Loper episode, and feel it's "European" remake ("Lucy Wants a Paris Gown") to be far more
inspired (I'm also turned off by how NASTY Lucy is to Ethel in the dress shop).
Caroline's eyesight- it sure got worse when she went west. lol
Palm Springs wasn't bad. The second act just felt out of character for Lucy. She was moping around the hotel room. Lucy was at her best when she was doing something, even if it was the wrong thing!
I love the Don Loper episode. But you already knew that!! I wasn't too fond of the European version, but I have come to appreciate it more after our discussions about it. Lucy IS rude to Ethel at the Don Loper salon, but it was in character for her. She had a lot of pride and liked to put on airs.
When she told Ethel to sit down and be quiet, Ethel was perfectly capable of saying, "Stick it in your ear. I'm leaving!"
But part of their dynamic was that Lucy was always the boss.
Well I like both of those episodes a lot, but I think Paris Gown definitely has the funnier ending, "We burned them", lol.
shareIt was even funnier when they walked around in burlap with feed bags on their heads! I used to think of the Paris episode as a retread of the Don Loper one. I never thought it was as good until gbennett set me straight. ha!
He pointed out everything that was funny in it and I gave it another chance.
I just like the Hollywood episode a bit more. I love all those dresses that the stars' wives wear. That episode must've had more personal meaning to Lucy since Sheila MacRae was a friend of hers. The Arnazes and the MacRaes were good pals.
I read Sheila MacRae's autobiography and the charity in the episode,"Share Incorporated" was a real charity that she founded. Other celebrities volunteered their time to help her with fund raising events for needy children.
Sheila MacRae (briefly) took over the role of Alice Kramden from Audrey Meadows.
shareOh yes, I read Audrey Meadows book too. When Jackie Gleason moved The Honeymooners to Florida (so he could play golf more often), he asked her repeatedly to rejoin the show. But Audrey Meadows did not want to leave her husband for long stretches of time to do the show.
shareWell I don't think the Harpo Marx episode is by any means a clunker (which is what I'd call something like Drafted or The Black Eye), to me though it's just one of the weaker Hollywood episodes, along with In Palm Springs.
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