This week’s Review Review is brought to you from my couch as I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Luckily though this leaves me a lot of television time this week. Recovering from a fun Christmas and cold and lounging about this week has left me a lot of time to think about the future. What am I doing with my life, where are we going…you know… that stuff. Before those questions get answered though, let’s dive back into the past one last time and finish off Classic December. I didn’t know what I wanted to write about this week, mainly because I just got the Dr. Katz Box Set and I didn’t want to watch anything else. Luckily, I felt so bad that I decided not to move to put in a new disc and turned back to the regular television. This led me to stumbling upon my entry this week…
I LOVE LUCY! Yes, America’s favorite red head and her antics that make her seem to be an unfit mother. I will give Ms. Ball her do, as her show was unbelievably popular. And somehow she made being married to a Cuban in the 1950s okay, hats off to her. She also accomplished something only Andy Griffith and Jerry Seinfeld could, ending her shows run at the top of the ratings. That’s a pretty good list of funny people there. Maybe all these crappy doctor and cop shows can take a hint, go away, and let funny stuff take center stage. I certainly hope so, and I know you do to. Or not, whatever.
I really don’t love Lucy. She’s a big dummy and stuffing chocolate in your face is not funny unless you’re a baby. You know who I love? Fred Mertz. That’s right, the man who put crotchety old men on the map. He also gave hope to old men that you could bag a younger woman and hang out with a cool Cuban musician, if either one of those are your dream. The actor William Frawley portrayed Fred, and was under constant threat of his job. He was a drunk and unreliable, so he was told he’d be written out if he couldn’t hang. So whatever was he to do? He cleaned up and schooled them by remembering all his lines in one reading. Take that hot shots. The real reason I love this man? He can hold a grudge.
You bet your ass I can.
He heard his on screen with Ethel, played by Vivian Vance say she didn’t want to play the wife of such an old man. He heard her, and never stopped being a jerk to her. My favorite quote of his about Vance comes from the heart of a mean spirit: “”She’s one of the finest girls to come out of Kansas, but I often wish she’d go back there.” Hilarious right? He also wrote into his contract that if the Yankees made the World Series, he didn’t have to work. Well, they of course made it every year the show aired except two. This caused him to miss two episodes. The man is a hoot.
I guess I’ll start reviewing the actual show now, but the Mertz’s were so much fun. When Vance heard that Frawley died she bought drinks for everyone where she was. That is love people. They also share a last name with one my pals, so it makes me take notice.
Mainly as a child I grew up watching Lucy’s other shows with my grandma, but this one was on often enough. I’d watch this dumb red headed lady do dumb things with her dumb friend and her cool husband would make her explain stuff. If I ever have to watch her look dead at the camera and start to cry again, I may break my set. Like most things though, I must be wrong. This show was voted the second best of all time by TV Guide and the amount of Emmys they were nominated for is staggering. For the show and all 4 stars, there were 17. Somehow there was none for Desi Arnaz, which I would mainly blame on racism.
Babaloo?
Maybe I expect more, but this show was so hammy. I know it was a comedy and it was made a long time ago, but it seemed so forced. Andy Griffith managed to have a funny and smart show and not be a clown. Two different animals I assume, but the slapstick is not for me. I guess I don’t have much to say; maybe I just wanted to be against the grain and hate this show. Who knows, but I feel really delirious from my meds, so I have to stop or these words will never reach you, as I’ll be passed out on couch.
Fine! Here's the damn chocolate belt.