TV Show Review: I Love Lucy Season 1 Volume 7

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: You will laugh until it hurts

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Comedy growing

With four more funny stories

You won't want to miss

Four More Reasons to Laugh

We're well into the second half of season one of I Love Lucy, and the laughs just keep coming. While there was lots of focus during the first half on Lucy Ricardo's (Lucille Ball) desire to get into her husband Ricky's (Desi Arnaz) nightclub act, these episode focus a little more on husband/wife dynamics. Yes, they often had "battle of the sexes" episodes. Getting drawn into the debates were the Ricardo's neighbors Fred and Ethel Mertz (Willian Frawley and Vivian Vance). And there are some classic episodes here.

"The Gossip" - After Lucy shares an extra juicy piece of gossip with Ethel, the couple makes a bet about who can go longer without gossiping, the men or the women. With the stakes being breakfast in bed for a month, Ricky and Fred set out to trick their wives into losing. This episode usually doesn't make any top lists for the series, and I don't know why because it is a favorite of mine. Lucy's pantomime at the beginning is hysterical, and the ending is classic. And watch for the first appearance of Bob Jellison as the Milkman (he would play Bobby the Bellhop in season four of the show.)

"Pioneer Women" - Another episode revolving around a bet, this time the couples make a bet over who can survive living in the year 1900 the longer. While Fred and Ricky have to shave with a straight razor, Lucy and Ethel have to learn how to churn butter and bake bread. Oh, and did I mention that the women are being considered for a high society league? The highlight of this one is Lucy being attacked by a giant loaf of bread.

"The Marriage License" - When Lucy discovers a mistake on the Ricardo's marriage license, she concludes that she and Ricky aren't married. In an attempt to recreate their marriage, Lucy insists that they do everything over again, including Ricky "forgetting" his wallet at home. Unfortunately, they wind up in a small town where two people wear all the hats. The banter between Lucy and Ricky is great, and that town is very funny as well. Watch for a brief appearance by Elizabeth Patterson as Mother. Starting in season two, she would play the Ricardo's neighbor Mrs. Trumbull.

"The Kleptomaniac" - Lucy is chairing her club's rummage sale, but she doesn't want Ricky to know. When he finds all the rummage items and a wad of cash, he concludes that Lucy is a kleptomaniac. I always confuse this episode with a less funny one from a different season. Which means I am always surprised at just how funny the episode is. And the final gag is priceless.

Really, there isn't much bad to say about these four episodes. The actors, regular and guest alike, are perfect. Everything from line delivery to body language and facial expressions is spot on. The writing is also strong, giving everyone something funny to say or do and leading us into wildly unexpected directions. Yet every episode is logical and funny.

And the extras on the disc are still great. It's the same stuff we've been getting on the others, including "flubs," info on the guest stars, the original animated openings, behind the scenes trivia, and the episode of "My Favorite Husband" that inspired "The Marriage License."

But I must close with the same warning I've been giving all along. The cheapest way to get these episodes is with the complete season set. If you only want something here, get this. Otherwise, pass right on by and enjoy all the laughs from season one.