The second season of The Lucy Show is finally here Above is one of my all time favorite shows, The Lucy Show. Lucille Ball, Vivian Vance, Mary Wickes and Mary Jane Croft all feature in Lucy's hilarious second season. It's a true comedy classic. I purchased the first season last year and even told the girl behind the counter at Amoeba, that the second season was the one I really wanted. The second season of The Lucy Show was top of my list of wanted DVDs. (The second is the Sherwood Schwartz comedy, It's About Time.) The second season was the first Lucille Ball TV series to film in color. Production for the first eight episodes started filming four weeks after season one, allowing a head start on production.
The opening episode, Lucy plays Cleopatra is hysterical and laugh out loud funny, her ensemble cast who have never been better (or funnier). It's followed by the brilliant, Kiddie Parties Inc. As a child, the site of Lucy being carried away by balloons was one of the funniest things I ever saw. This was long before Pixar made, Up!. The second season is notable for the first regular appearance of Gale Gordon who would work with Lucy in every series she made until her death. I was never a fan of Gale Gordon as a child, all he seemed to do was shout. Today, I can see he's a master at his craft.
Vivian Vance again steals the show with her dry wit and total exasperation at Lucy's antics. This was her last full season. She misses six episodes of season three before bowing out. The Lucy Show was never the same. Vivian looks terrific in this season, finally escaping her frumpy Ethel Mertz persona. The Lucy Show is proof that Lucy liked working with familiar people. Her stand-in from the original I Love Lucy, Hazel Pierce is often seen in background shots, as is Desi Arnaz's stand-in, Bennett Green. Mary Wickes, Carole Cook, Mary Jane Croft even Kathleen Freeman has a few episodes as one of Lucy's friends.
There are plenty of bonus features on this release too! Carole Cook shares her memories about portraying the character, Thelma Green and living in Lucy's home. Carole is always a delight to see on camera. Plenty of original cast commercials, vintage openings and closings and also features a 1964 special, Mr & Mrs, something I've never seen before. CBS certainly deliver the goods when it comes to Lucy, so lets hope the fans support season two allowing for more Lucy Show seasons to be released.
The opening episode, Lucy plays Cleopatra is hysterical and laugh out loud funny, her ensemble cast who have never been better (or funnier). It's followed by the brilliant, Kiddie Parties Inc. As a child, the site of Lucy being carried away by balloons was one of the funniest things I ever saw. This was long before Pixar made, Up!. The second season is notable for the first regular appearance of Gale Gordon who would work with Lucy in every series she made until her death. I was never a fan of Gale Gordon as a child, all he seemed to do was shout. Today, I can see he's a master at his craft.
There are plenty of bonus features on this release too! Carole Cook shares her memories about portraying the character, Thelma Green and living in Lucy's home. Carole is always a delight to see on camera. Plenty of original cast commercials, vintage openings and closings and also features a 1964 special, Mr & Mrs, something I've never seen before. CBS certainly deliver the goods when it comes to Lucy, so lets hope the fans support season two allowing for more Lucy Show seasons to be released.
