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sir-silly · 3 years

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TWDG S2 First Playthrough

E1 - Omid’s death is always such a bitchslap. It’s so stupid. Literally, why did they send her in there on her own? Are you kidding me? It’s ridiculous. Omid didn’t have to die. 16 months later?? What??? It would have made way more sense to have made the DLC about those sixteen months and then start at Christa’s camp with no baby or Omid instead of what we got instead. Bull. AND WE STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO CHRISTA.

I think out of the entirety of season 2, Clementine and Luke’s relationship in the first three episodes is my favorite. He becomes an alien after episode two, but he becomes intolerable after three. He’s just such a big brother to her and knows that she can take care of herself. Their relationship is similar to what I think Clem and Ben’s would have been if they ended up alone together after season 1.

I stole Nick’s watch, I’m not sure if I’ll give it back yet just because I think it’s hilarious that you can take it and not give it to him. Speaking of Nick, he 110% sees you when you look through the kitchen door if you never back out and he doesn’t say anything. I decided to go with Pete at the end just because I’ve never seen it played out before.

E2 - Well, ironically enough I prefer going with Nick. The first few times I saw it, I hated it, but it’s really grown on me throughout the years. Pete’s just didn’t feel as emotional or like it had much of an affect on Clementine. I also prefer him telling her about his mom in that shed rather than later on.

Another thing I love about Luke and Clem’s relationship, even though he knows she can take care of herself, he still tries to protect her. He holds his arm out in front of her when Matthew is approaching them on the bridge and is the one that pulls her down to keep her from getting shot. The banter they have is just really sweet and I miss that dynamic between them, I wish it carried throughout the rest of the season.

I was thinking about a missed opportunity the writer’s had while I was playing. Instead of having Walter die no matter what and Nick either die in episode two or four, whether you tell him the truth and/or convince him to forgive Nick should have a different outcome. Only one of them makes it to Howe’s depending on what you decided. You couldn’t convince Walter to forgive him? Nick goes out of his way to save Walter and Carver kills him. You told him Nick was a good guy? Walter sacrifices himself for Nick and gets killed instead. It would give a bigger variety and it would be really interesting to see how Walter would deal with being at Howe’s.

E3 - Troy makes me so uncomfortable. I know they were planning to have him do a lot worse, but he’s still just so ugh, you know? I’m physically incapable of liking Bonnie the more I see season 2. I just know that literally everything is because of her. She finds the group at the ski lodge, she blames Clementine for Luke’s death if she shoots the walkers LIKE HE ASKED, and she’s fully prepared to fucking leave her with a couple maniacs and a baby. Just her presence pisses me off.

I know I’m talking a lot about Clem and Luke, but I don’t care because I just love their relationship before he becomes an alien. I had her hug him which was really cute but I also want to see his reaction if she hits him which I think I’ll do next time. I know he pushes her to do things like every adult in this season, but he still actually seems to worry about her because he is hesitant about sending her to turn on the PA and he stands up to Carver when he says that Clem has seen more things than they could imagine.

E4 - I had no clue what I was going to do with Sarita, but I did end up chopping off her arm. I will forever hate how the adults are like "Kenny's being so scary, he's yelling, I thought he was gonna shoot me" and then they force Clem to go over there even if she says she doesn't want to.

I didn't know this until I looked it up just now, but apparently Nick died from a bite on the neck? This whole time, I thought he somehow just bled out from the gunshot to his shoulder, and I honestly don't know which is worse. His death is such bullshit. You know what else is bullshit? Alien Luke. Literally Rebecca shows more emotion than he does, and it was for all of 2 damn seconds. You know what I would have preferred?

Have Luke start breaking down. Make him just as unable to move as Sarah. Let him lose his mind over the fact that he just lost his best friend of "damn near 20 years" and make us decide whether we convince Luke or Sarah to escape. It's not convince Sarah or leave her, it's you can only save one of them. Again, more variety for those who aren't a fan of Luke and actually make it a hard decision because I feel like I would have a WAY harder time with that than whether to leave Sarah (I didn't by the way).

When Clem looks at the cannon and Jane says, "check the muzzle, napoleon" I really wish there was an option to be like, "Jane, I have a first grade education. I don't know my times tables, who the hell napoleon is, or what the fuck versatility means OR how to spell it. Keep yo damn nail file."

Another thing they could have done with Sarah, is if you saved her in the trailer park, she could have potentially saved herself. And this would be a really interesting one, because the determining factor would have been a thing that appeared as a dialogue option, not a choice choice. In episode two, you can teach her how to use a gun if you pick the right choice. Instead of having her die no matter what, if you showed her, let her actually show that she learned something and is capable of learning how to survive.

Rebecca’s whole situation is bullshit, too. You know, I’d be okay with it if it was changed. If you didn’t give her the pills, the coat and you left the observation deck early, I could buy her dying from hypothermia, exposure, blood loss, etc. But if you give her those things and you stay a few days, I would rather her have died in the firefight. It would have made way more sense. Like, I know a hell of a lot of things can go wrong during giving birth, especially without medical care, but after THREE damn days? I don’t know about that. Whatever you wanna say it was, a placental abruption, hemorrhaging, whatever - she would have died way quicker, not taken three days.

E5 - The writers had two good opportunities to get a chance to kill Kenny before the rest stop was ever a thing. They could have made Natasha go for him and you have the choice of shooting her or not. The could have been done later on when they’re walking through the woods and one comes up behind him. So, say you don’t let him get bitten the first time, but you’re seeing how unhinged he’s becoming, so you let it happen the second time. After that, you don’t get another opportunity.

Another thing about the pills, they’re so annoying. Like, you can only give them to one person. Rebecca, Luke or I think maybe Kenny. Because apparently there were only two damn pills in that bottle that shook like it was full. It’s so annoying. You should be able to give it to whoever you want, not just one of them.

I have so many problems with the ice scene. Yes, Luke, there are in fact TWO ways around. You see those trees? There’s these things called GAPS between them and the lake isn’t so damn big that you couldn’t walk around the damn lake. GRRRRR. When the ice started cracking, where were the choices to tell Luke to throw his gun away from him and to tell Bonnie to keep her fat ass put? “The small child is light, let them do it!” small child: no “Guess I’m just as light as her!” FUCK YOU BONNIE! THEN YOU HAVE THE FUCKING AUDACITY TO BLAME CLEMENTINE WHEN IT WAS CLEARLY YOUR FUCKING FAULT! YOU LITTLE WHORE ASS BITCH-

Sorry. I’m never going to get over Luke’s death or how fucking pissed I am at Bonnie and Mike. They can get fucked for all I care. Can I say, it’s also BULLSHIT that Bonnie makes it out of the ice but Luke doesn’t. Are you kidding me? She can find the hole, but he can’t (😳)?! GRRRR.

I was dreading that rest stop this whole damn game. I had no fucking clue what I was going to do when I finally got there, but I did end up deciding to shoot Kenny and leave Jane behind. I really struggled with deciding and I almost ended up not picking anything (which results in Jane’s death anyway). As much as I despise season 2 Kenny, I also despise Jane for what she did. I kinda wish I had looked away and then shot Kenny afterwards, but it is what it is.

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harringrovehouse · 5 years

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You know what still blows my mind completely! That the DBros hit a fucking goldmine with Billy fucking Hargrove. They hit paydirt and yet they wasted him. In season 2 we get SIX scenes with Steve and Billy, SIX (6) and half of them are under 2 minutes. And yet here we all are!!!!!!! Lets recap shall we!

The first scene, S2 E1: Mad Max. Is shot from Steve’s POV, the camera turns from Steve and Nancy as they get out of Steve’s car, and directly to Billy’s car. It ends still in the same perspective having only changed once, to glance at Carol and her friends, to a shot of Billy’s ass in those jeans. Billy gets Steve’s, and by extension our, attention immediately. Even the song choice say ‘pay attention to this character, he is important’. They end that scene with Billy in frame, we’re supposed to keep Billy in mind.

The next time they’re together is in Trick or Treat, Freak (S2 E3). Billy’s fresh off a keg win, Steve’s dancing like an idiot in a corner and yet the second Billy sees Steve he abandons dancing with any of the girls at the party or checking them out to stomp across the house to stare into his eyes. And Steve instead of saying anything normal teenage boys would say ‘tf you want man?’ ‘Got a staring problem?’, he takes his shades off and doesn’t say anything. It takes Tommy H and some random to actually say anything, and to clue the audience into the fact that ‘yes, this is a RIVALRY!’ Because Billy and Steve weren’t going to as they stared into each other’s eyes, and instead of having them exchanged heated words the camera leaves them to follow Nancy, which it could have done after a few jabs and someone goes ‘yeah Harrington better watch your girl too. Looks like she’s ready to party’ and then have Steve seeing Nancy chugging that punch like a pro and then leaving Billy, Tommy and Rando.

Scene three is from The Pollywog (S2 E3) Basketball practice. As Steve’s dribbling down court he choses to go right towards Billy, he picks Billy out and goes for him. Billy is all up on Steve’s shit immediately, and Steve puts himself closer to Billy on purpose. The whole time Billy is pulling Steve’s pigtails, he’s mocking him, getting a rise out of him but it’s still playful. The end of this scene where Billy takes that shot and then turns to waggle his tounge at Steve is just the icing on the cake. Very gay. It’s also not even a full minute. (Also watch the extras moving around in the background, it’s hilarious)

Fourth scene, Will the Wise (S2 E4). It opens with them playing basketball. This open along with the Max/Billy scenes is suppsoed to show case that Billy’s a mean asshole, but still it shows Billy pulling Steve’s pigtail, he goes right into Steve’s space and Steve willing lets him. Even willingly takes Billy’s hand, shocked that he would offer him help, and Billy pulls Steve in close and again, pulls his pigtails, then lets him fall back to the floor. It’s a mix of Billy putting off gay vibes ans them trying to show us that ‘pay attention this guy sucks!’ so we do and the scene IMMEDIATELY flows into the next, which is the Shower Scene™️. Steve’s in the shower, naked, wet and mad/sad about practice and Nancy and then who immediately joins the frame, nakes Billy Hargrove. The angle sets it up like it’s only them in there, Billy’s wet, Steve’s wet and Billy’s eyes are just boring into Steve, they’re up and then down and then up again, taking in every inch of Steve they can. Until Tommy opens his mouth and the shot expands to include Tommy harassing Steve. The whole time Billy is still watching Steve, he’s got his towel in hand but he doesn leave, he watches Steve agonize over his ex and then calls him Pretty and touches him. Which I’ve never been a naked man in a boy’s locker room shower but I’m pretty sure touching isn’t what’s cool, especially in the 1980s. Before he touches Steve he tries to regain Steve’s attention, tries to pull it back from Tommy and then when he fails at that, he turns Steve’s water off so Steve has no choice BUT to look at him, and then he makes sure Steve sees his naked body leave the shower. Straight™️ behavior. Which Steve watches and does nothing about, even after Billy dropped his ass back onto the court like 10 seconds prior.

We don’t see them again until the fight scene. S2 E9, The Gate. By now they clearly want us to believe that Steve and Billy are rivals, and that Billy’s this seasons ‘human antagonist’, but honestly the first time I saw this I thought a Demodog was gonna show up and attack them again. Not that Billy and Steve were gfoing to fight because even though Billy’s a dickhole, all the things I took away from his interactions with Steve were ‘yeah he dtf’ but anyway, it opens with Billy peacocking with his car, loud and brash just like the first episode. We see him step out of the car and what does he say ‘is that mean Harrington, or am I dreaming’. He picks that out of everything he could have said, he could have immediately gone to ‘Maxine I know you’re in that house get your ass in the fucking car!’ But he sees Steve and he’s distracted by him. Steve replies with ‘yeah it’s me, don’t cream your pants’, instead of immediately going to ‘what tf do you want Hargrove’ or anything other than implying Billy creams his pants at the mir sight of Steve. He gets out, takes his jacket off which opens his chest up for Steve to see, and they walk toward each other. They get close again. Billy hears Steve out, and Steve lets Billy in even closer. Tounge wiggle, Steve’s eyes watching Billy’s face, the way they lean into each. They’re not immediately cluing that a fight is going to take place, the music aside. Billy doesn’t even get visibly mad until he lets Steve lie and then points out Max and the Party in the window, to which Steve then tries to cover up, and then Billy gets physical. Billy then goes after Lucas (not okay in the slightest) and Steve comes in to defend his kids, and Billy’s taken aback when instead of wanting to continue their fight (like Billy clearly does. He wants to hurt someone like he just got hurt) he stares at Steve, unbelieving that Steve just wants him to go, and then when Steve touches him, it’s not a hard shove or quick grab. Steve rests his fingers on Billy’s chest and pushes, softly. The following fight is dirty and violent and the first time I watched it I was like

👁👄👁

because I didn’t think it was going to get that bad. I thought forsure they’d fight and then something Upsidedown related would happen and put a stop to it, because depsite how shit Billy was all the context clues and the literal smack across the face from his dad had shown me that he was an angry absued kid who was still trapped with his abuser and was taking it out on people different than him while clearly trying to gain the attention of the cute boy he just met.

They gave us Billy Hargrove as he was, gay and all, and then in S3 they shoved boob mags in our faces, had Max talk about Billy making bitches screams and whatever tf Karen/Billy tried to be. They wasted Billy Hargrove, and didn’t even bother to give him a good backstory other than ‘yeah he gets abused’. Pathetic.

#harringrove #billy hargrove #spoilers

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papermoonloveslucy · 6 years

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LUCY MAKES A FEW EXTRA DOLLARS

S4;E6 ~ October 18, 1971

Directed by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Phil Leslie and Ralph Goodman

Synopsis

Lucy is in desperate need of a raise to balance her budget so she takes desperate measures to convince Harry she deserves it.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)

Guest Cast

Gary Morton (Carnival Barker) was a comedian who worked the famed ‘Borscht Belt’ in the Catskills Mountains. He met Lucille Ball shortly after her divorce from Desi Arnaz and they married in November 1961. At her request, Morton gave up his nightclub career and became a producer of “The Lucy Show.” Morton also served as a warm-up comic for the show’s studio audience. He appeared in “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (S2;E6) and “Lucy and Sammy Davis Jr.” (S3;E3). Morton passed away in 1999.

The final credits list Morton as “Pitchman”.

Larry J. Blake (Fireman) first appeared as a Native American Medicine Man in “Lucy the Rain Goddess” (TLS S4;E15). He was an ex-vaudevillian making the fourth of his eight “Here’s Lucy” appearances.

Jack Berle (Restaurant Patron, uncredited) was the older brother of Milton Berle. This is one of his eleven uncredited appearances on the series. He previously did two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”

Charles Cirillo (Carnival Worker, uncredited) played a singing and dancing truck driver in “Lucy Helps Ken Berry” (TLS S6;E21). This is his last appearance on “Here's Lucy.”

Victor Romito (Carnival Worker, uncredited) was seen as the Bartender in “Lucy Meets John Wayne” (TLS S5;E10). He also appeared in four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Romito was an extra in the 1960 Lucille Ball / Bob Hope film Critic’s Choice.

Walter Smith (Carnival Patron, uncredited) made 13 mostly uncredited appearances on the series. He also did one episode of “The Lucy Show.”

The other diners at the restaurant, other carnival patrons, and the two firemen who enter with Larry J. Blake, all go uncredited.

In order to get Harry to give her a raise, Lucy and Kim employ the following tactics:

Flatter him by hanging a portrait of him at the office with the inscription “Our Beloved Founder.”

Take him to lunch at his favorite restaurant where Kim has been forced to take a job waiting tables, despite having no skill for the work.

Hosting lunch for the other secretaries in the building and selling them soft drinks, then returning the cans for the deposit.

Using their life savings to pretend to operate a counterfeiting outfit at the office.

The photograph of Gale Gordon used in both “The Lucy Show” and “Here's Lucy” has returned! Lucy correctly says that the photograph was taken about ten years ago!

It was originally a black and white portrait of Gale Gordon as Mr. Mooney on “The Lucy Show” used on posters and billboards when he ran for comptroller in “Lucy Goes Into Politics” (TLS S2;E25). After that it was seen above Mr. Mooney's mantle in his living room. It then turns up on “Here's Lucy” colorized in “Lucy Goes on Strike” (S1;E16)...

...and “Lucy Protects Her Job” (S2;E14) where it was impaled on ram's horns.

It was transformed into Harry's great grandfather in “Lucy Takes Over” (S2;E23).

Harry says he feels like a gigolo having Lucy pay the check at lunch. When she asks if he would like to pick up the check instead, Harry sings a few bars of “Just a gigolo, everywhere I go.” “Just a Gigolo” was a popular song, adapted by Irving Caesar in 1929 from an Austrian tango. It was most famously covered by Louis Prima in 1956.

Harry's favorite waitress at his favorite lunch spot is named Charlotte.

To help pay the bills, Kim takes a job waiting tables earning forty cents an hour! She could make $10 an hour if she worked topless, a scandalous reference for the normally squeaky clean “Here’s Lucy”!

Harry says he started working delivering newspapers at 6 years old!

Clumsy Kim dumps a plate of salad on her Uncle Harry as well as a glass of iced tea! It is clear that Lucie Arnaz is following in her mother's footsteps. This fulfills one of “Here's Lucy”'s comic requirements – getting Harry wet. In this episode, Harry gets revenge when Lucy moonlights at a carnival dunk tank! They both get soaked while trying to put out a waste basket fire with the water cooler jug!

Lucy says her life-savings is $150. In today’s economy, Lucy has just $950 in the bank!

Lucy calls the printing press her 'Jolly Green Budget Balancer.' Harry calls it her 'Private Edition of Fort Knox.' This is one of several references to The Jolly Green Giant, the cartoon mascot of Green Giant frozen vegetables. It is also one of many references (usually by Gale Gordon) to Fort Knox, the Kentucky military installation that houses most of the country's gold reserves.

A carnival was also the setting for “Lucy Misplaces $2,000” (TLS S1;E4) in 1962.

Gulp! After Lucy comes up from her dunk in the tank, she has her cheeks puffed out looking as if she's about to spit out some water. This would be a typical follow up to the joke itself. But when Lucy opens her mouth, no water comes out. It is possible she swallowed it!

Harry's Old Flame! Even after being doused with water and foam from the fire extinguisher, the waste paper basket fire flares up again. Gale Gordon still tries to set Lucy's employment contract ablaze using a cigarette lighter instead of just the flames in the waste basket.

Working Girl! This is not the first time Kim has taken a job, she worked in a boutique in “Lucy's Working Daughter” (S1;E10).

“Lucy Makes a Few Extra Dollars” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

The fun of this episode is the variety of schemes Lucy has to get her raise! Any episode with Lucy in a carnival dunk tank (with Gary Morton as the barker), can’t be all bad! Perhaps the comedy might have been helped with one less scheme - giving the others more screen time for Lucy’s antics.

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papermoonloveslucy · 6 years

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LUCY, THE PART-TIME WIFE

S3;E14 ~ December 14, 1970

Directed by Ross Martin ~ Written by Larry Rhine and Lou Derman

Synopsis

Harry is panicked when he thinks an old college girlfriend wants to marry him, so he recruits Lucy to pretend to be his wife – complete with two teenage kids and another one on the way!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)

Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter) does not appear in this episode. He is, however, mentioned in the dialogue and his name appears in the opening credits. Harry claims Craig is “on vacation.”

Guest Cast

Jean Willes (Gertrude Krebs) appeared in The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) and A Woman of Distinction (1950) with Lucille Ball. This is her only series appearance.

Gertrude is a college friend of Harry’s.

Carole Cook (Lillian Rylander) played Thelma Green on “The Lucy Show” as well as a host of other characters. She was a protege of Lucille Ball’s during the Desilu Playhouse years. Although born as Mildred Cook, Ball suggested she take the name Carole, in honor of Lucy’s great friend, Carole Lombard. Cook appeared in five episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Lillian is a member of Lucy’s bridge club. The surname Rylander has been used many times by Gale Gordon when dictating letters to Lucy in both “Here’s Lucy” and “The Lucy Show.”

Eddie Quillan (Cab Driver) appeared in the Lucille Ball film A Guide for the Married Man (1967) and in two episodes of “The Lucy Show.” This is the first of his two “Here’s Lucy” installments.

Billy Benedict (Delivery Man) played Whitey in the original Bowery Boys / East Side Kids film serials. He married for the first time at age 52 while working as an extra on Hello, Dolly (1969) – coincidentally to a girl named Dolly! This is his only time (in more than 300 films and television shows) working with Lucille Ball.

Gary Morton (Airport Announcer Voice, uncredited) was a comedian who worked the famed ‘Borscht Belt’ in the Catskills Mountains. He met Lucille Ball shortly after her divorce from Desi Arnaz and they married in November 1961. At her request, Morton gave up his nightclub career and became a producer of “The Lucy Show.” Morton also served as a warm-up comic for the show’s studio audience. He appeared in “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (S2;E6) and “Lucy and Sammy Davis Jr.” (S3;E3). Morton passed away in 1999.

The voice delivers the news that Gertrude’s flight has been delayed five hours.

Unusually, the character of Dr. Brogan (above), who has dialogue in the episode’s final scene, is not identified or credited in the end credits. Other airport travelers are played by uncredited background performers.

This is the first episode to be directed by actor Ross Martin, who was a good friend of Lucille Ball’s. In a 1970 TV special (two weeks before this episode first aired) titled “Swing Out, Sweet Land” - a history of America hosted by John Wayne - Lucille Ball did the voice of the Statue of Liberty and Martin played Alexander Hamilton. He will direct one more episode of “Here’s Lucy.”

The title of this episode is often listed without the article: “Lucy, Part-Time Wife.”

Gary Morton’s loud laughter from the studio audience is particularly noticeable in this episode. Perhaps, as her husband, he was wildly amused at the idea of Lucille being pregnant?

When Harry pleads with Lucy saying “it’s a matter of life or death” Lucy immediately assumes he’s been drafted. From 1940 until 1973 men were drafted to fill vacancies in the United States Armed Forces that could not be filled through voluntary means. The draft came to an end when the United States Armed Forces moved to an all-volunteer military force. In 1970, the Vietnam War made the draft a hot button issue on TV and politics.

To get Lucy to play along as his expectant wife, Harry bribes Lucy with a steam cabinet and an all-expenses paid trip to the Grand Canyon.

Gertrude is in Los Angeles on a layover on her way to Honolulu. At the end of season three, Lucy and Vivian will go to Hawaii, but by cruise ship, not plane.

Gertrude’s college nicknamed was ‘Blood and Guts’, the nickname of General Patton. General George Smith Patton Jr. (1885-1945) was a senior officer of the United States Army who commanded in the Mediterranean and European theaters of World War II, but is best known for his leadership in France and Germany following the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. A biopic of his life starring George C. Scott (inset) opened in spring 1970 making this reference topical.

Lillian Rylander says she’s at the airport on her way to Chicago with Hilda and Jane for a bridge tournament. When Lucy’s Bridge Club was introduced in “Lucy and Eva Gabor” (S1;E7) it consisted of Dolores, Maude and Nelly. Hilda was mentioned as a Bridge Club member in “Lucy the Helpful Mother” (S2;E15). This is the first mention of a member named Jane.

Lucy tells Gertrude that she’s had cravings for pickles and ice cream, the usual TV trope craving for expectant mothers.

When Lucy is reading baby names from a book, she stops on the name 'Anabell.’ Lucille Ball starred as Annabel Allison in the films The Affairs of Annabel (1938) and Annabel Takes a Tour (1938).

Lucie breaks out the doll she had as a child, which was named Clarabelle.

At the end of the episode, Lucy kisses Harry, her brother-in-law, on the lips!

Interestingly, the last time Lucille Ball was pregnant on camera was with Desi Arnaz Jr., who is coincidentally absent from this episode of “Here’s Lucy.”

In 1952, when Lucy Ricardo was expecting, CBS censors forbade the writers from using the word ‘pregnant.’ Throughout this episode – eighteen years later – the word is still not used!

When Lucy Ricardo was pregnant she craved pistachio ice cream and sardines.

Lucy Ricardo also worried about picking a name for the baby, wanting names that were “unique and euphonious.”

Lucy Ricardo spends some time in a steam cabinet in “The Diet” (ILL S3;E1).

Sitcom Logic Gap Chasm! Lucille Ball was 59 years old when she filmed this episode!

Also, Harry tells Gertrude that Lucy is having a baby “any day now.” Could they not simply tell Gertrude that the baby came early and disguise a doll (or a cheese!) as the baby?

“Lucy, the Part-Time Wife” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

This episode has the shoe on the other foot: Harry has a wild scheme that he must convince Lucy to go along with. Despite the preposterous premise, the episode proves to be funny. The last scene, however, fails to build to a climax quite in the way it should have. But Lucy gets to do a good amount of her trademark physical comedy, including her funny faces when eating the pickles and ice cream!

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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Lucy is a Soda Jerk

S1;E23 ~ March 4, 1963

Synopsis

To pay for her school drum majorette uniform, Lucy's daughter Chris takes a job as a waitress at an ice cream parlor. When Chris can't make it one day, Lucy and Viv take over with disastrous results!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley), Jimmy Garrett (Jerry Carmichael), Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley), Candy Moore (Chris Carmichael)

Guest Cast

Paul Hartman (Mr. Wilbur) was 'born in a trunk' in 1904 to a theatrical father known as 'the Ziegfeld of the Pacific Coast'. He performed as part of a family act from the age of six weeks and was part of a tour to Japan in the cast of The Mikado at the age of two. With his wife Grace he formed a famous ballroom-dancing partnership, touring the vaudeville circuit and also appearing on Broadway. In 1948, they had a huge hit with the revue Angel in the Wings, both winning Tony Awards as Best Leading Players in a Musical, the first such awards ever given out. He is probably best remembered as Emmett Clark on “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Mayberry R.F.D.” This is his only appearance on “The Lucy Show.”

Lucie Arnaz (Cynthia) is the real-life 12 year-old daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. She was born in 1951 just before the premiere of “I Love Lucy.” Lucille Ball was actually pregnant during the filming of the show’s pilot. Despite rumors to the contrary, Lucie Arnaz never appeared on “I Love Lucy.” She made an uncredited appearance on this series in “Lucy is a Referee” (S1;E3) as one of the spectators at the football game. Here she plays Chris’s friend Cynthia, a character mentioned in the premiere and in many subsequent episodes. Lucie also appeared with her mother and brother Desi Jr. on “Here’s Lucy.”

Although her arrival was much-anticipated, the character of Cynthia returns in just one more episode, “Lucy is a Chaperone” (S1;E27). Lucie Arnaz, however, returned to the show in later seasons in other roles.

The Customers at Mr. Wilbur's Ice Cream Parlor are played by:

Ruth Crews was previously seen as Dorothy in “Lucy and Viv Are Volunteer Firemen” (S1;E16), although the role of Dorothy was taken over by Dorothy Konrad in “Lucy's Barbershop Quartet” (S1;E19) probably because the character needed to be able to sing well enough to carry four part harmony. This is Ruth Crews’ final appearance on the series.

James Gonzales (above left) was a popular Hollywood extra who first acted with Lucille Ball in the 1953 film The Long, Long Trailer. He was previously seen on the show as Stan Williams, a friend of Harry's he brings along to date Viv when “Lucy Digs Up a Date” (S1;E2). He will be seen in 21 future episodes of “The Lucy Show” and 3 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

James Gonzales is seated with Desi Arnaz Jr. in the final scene.

Desi Arnaz Jr. is, of course, the real-life son of Lucille Ball. His 1953 birth was worked into the plot of “I Love Lucy” although Desi Jr. never played the role of Little Ricky Ricardo. He did, however, appear on the final half-hour episode of the series “The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue” (ILL S6;E27) in a crowd scene. His first series appearance was as one of the pee-wee football players in “Lucy is a Referee (S1;E3). He plays Billy Simmons in four future episodes of the series and also appeared with his mother and sister on “Here’s Lucy.”

Jerry Hausner marks his return to the Desilu family. He was featured as Jerry, Ricky's agent in the pilot and first three seasons of “I Love Lucy.” He left the show after a disagreement with Desi Arnaz. Interestingly, Desi Arnaz left “The Lucy Show” and Desilu before Hausner's return. Although this is his only appearance on this series, he does return for a 1973 episode of “Here's Lucy.”

The original script was titled “Lucy is a Drum Majorette.” Jimmy Garrett's mother, Helen Moore Garrett, coached Lucy and Chris in baton twirling. Helen had been a champion baton twirler and marched in the Rose Parade for many years. It is likely that the original version had Lucy filling in for Chris as a drum majorette rather than as a soda jerk.

The title refers to the employee behind the soda fountain that makes the ice cream sodas and milkshakes which was a popular mid-20th century hangout for teenagers. During this time drug stores often featured food counters and were not strictly places that distributed pharmaceuticals.

When she was starting out in New York City, auditioning for Broadway shows, Lucille Ball worked as a soda jerk at Walgreens. She later said that she was fired for forgetting to put bananas in the banana splits!

Broadway icon Ethel Merman was in the studio audience for this episode's filming. Desilu produced a pilot for Merman called “Maggie Brown” (above) which was aired as part of CBS's “Vacation Playhouse” in September 1963. In return, Lucille Ball and Gary Morton attended the filming of Merman's pilot, which was not picked-up for series. Instead, Merman would be featured in the season two opener of “The Lucy Show.” In 1963, Merman had left her Broadway career behind for a bit, to concentrate on films such as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World (1963). Vivian Vance understudied Merman on Broadway in Anything Goes (1934).

Lucy fell asleep reading Elite Magazine, a periodical that appears to have been made-up by the props department. On “I Love Lucy” Desilu often used the names of real magazines in order to thank them for promoting their show.

Chris's high school team is the Danfield Bears and Chris and Cynthia have been selected as drum majorettes. Lucy is enthusiastic at first, but she loses her enthusiasm when she hears that the uniform will cost $40. Lucy says she won a twirling cup for Jamestown High School. Viv adds that she was 19th runner up. Lucy says that her uniform only cost $7.50. If we go buy Lucille Ball's real age, that would put the date around 1925 and be the equivalent of $13 in 1963's economy.

Lucille Ball demonstrates some baton twirling and marching that are similar to the moves she displayed singing “Hey Look Me Over” in Broadway's Wildcat.

Chris wonders if Doris Day started out as a Soda Jerk. Doris Day, a popular singer and actor of the time, was previously mentioned on “No More Double Dates” (S1;E21) and will be mentioned again in “Lucy Goes to a Hollywood Premiere” (S4;E20).

Much of the action of the episode is set at Wilbur's Ice Cream Parlor. According to the signs, Malts and Hot Fudge Sundaes cost 55 cents. The average cost of a one-scoop sundae at Baskin Robbins today is about $4.50 so the cost has kept up with the rate of inflation. Another sign says “Try Wilbur's Special” but it is never stated what the special actually is.

Lucy and Viv's rhyme for remembering the ice cream flavors is sung to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”:

“Chocolate, Strawberry, Rocky road, Coffee Coconut, Tooty-Fruity, Huckleberry, Toffee Peppermint, Pistachio, Chocolate Chip Cinnamon, Burnt Pecan, Tangerine Whip Cranberry, Fudge Ripple, Lime, Vanilla Pineapple, Lemon Crunch and Marshmilla

(to the tune of “Shave and a Haircut”)

….the flavor of the month is - Kumquat!”

This episode features the age-old TV trope of sliding drinks down a long bar to the server. In this case it is ice cream sodas and the bar is a counter. In comedies, the items usually hit the floor, which they do here as well. This same gag was part of the “Western Frolics” in “Milton Berle Hides Out at the Ricardos,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”

Lucille Ball serves ice cream again in a 1973 episode of “Here's Lucy” titled “Lucy and the Franchise Fiasco.”

The day this episode aired, March 4, 1963, was the last day that the Mona Lisa was exhibited in the USA. Lucy has a disastrous encounter with a replica Mona Lisa in “Lucy Goes To Art Class” (S2;E4) as well as on a 1977 TV special.

Callbacks!

Lucy filling in for Chris at the ice cream parlor is reminiscent of when Lucy Ricardo filled in for Mario at Mr. Martinelli's Pizzeria in “Visitor from Italy” (ILL S6;E5).

Blooper Alerts!

Melody Mistake! When Lucy sings the Ice Cream flavors for Customer #2 (Jerry Hausner), she sings the wrong melody for a portion of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” but gets back on track again for the rest of the song.

“Lucy is a Soda Jerk” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

#Lucy is a Soda Jerk #The Lucy Show #Vivian Vance #Lucille Ball #1963 #TV #CBS #Ice Cream #Soda Fountain #Soda Jerk #Lucie Arnaz #Desi Arnaz Jr.#Ruth Crews #James Gonzales #Paul Hartman

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