Life With Lucy Ep 13

[@viggianoj]

This last episode (and the final time we ever saw her preform) really encompassed what she was going through and feeling when her show was cancelled.

[@HomeRuleNews]

And the sad part this episode didnt air until after her death when NICK AT NITE did a tribute to her airing The Lucy Show and this show as a marathons. I remember they did these as world premiere LOST episodes of LWL on a special night as it was 5 unaired episodes and the tossed in the Audrey Meadows episode to balance it out to kick it off since that was the last aired episode. The companion show to LWL, the Ellen Burstyn Show was canceled the same time with Lucy. Ellens show was able to burn off 5 of 6 unaired episodes in summer 1987. A fun fact was while this was being filmed, ABC announced the cancelation but her husband waited until they finished production and the audience left then broke the news. She was devasted. Talk about life imitating art, like you said, this episode was an unintended tribute to her struggles of trying to redo what she did in previous episodes.

[@davida8833]

I thought this was the sweetest and most poignant episode of the series. I think if she'd had better writers, she could have spoken to the condition of growing old America with a comedic grace that would have had us laughing and crying at the same time. May our beloved Lucy rest in peace.

[@willmack5909]

For all the laughter Lucy brought to me in all my 55 years of life, for the first time in my life, I was moved to tears.

[@douglassmith2989]

me too

[@thesoundchekguy]

A fitting end. She will always be a winner to us.

[@HomeRuleNews]

Knowing that she never did anything else after this and died 3 years later, I tend to look at this as a good finale and viewed the trophy as the kids being a modern audience saying thanks for everything

[@mikeq5807]

Wow! This one stands out! Hat's off, well done! That monologue was delivered perfectly.

[@groovygirl23]

FYI - the monologue was Lucy reciting the lyrics of "Sunrise Sunset" a song from Fiddler on the Roof.

[@mikeq5807]

@@groovygirl23 That doesn't diminish her exceptional delivery. In that moment, Lucy interpreted the lyrics with all of the soul and flair of a true artist.

[@GroovyShelly]

@@mikeq5807 I agree. Just putting it in context

[@yamil.343]

Besides Vivian.. I think Gale Gordon was awesome as well as her foil. Their chemistry & friendship of over 40 yrs is inspiring

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

When you compare him to the wonderful actor who would turn and say, "Yesssss?" or "May I help you?", his range of reactions and statements is vast.

[@susanluster9301]

Excellent!!! Lucy was magnificent in this last episode of this series.

[@deslardesslok]

Just finished watching this show Life with Lucy at 7:56p.m. 9/27/2024 and it was really good it's a shame it got cancelled though but I now have watched every single Lucille Ball TV show and I really enjoyed all of them 8:04p.m. 9/27/2024

[@douglassmith2989]

I am 66 years old and I remember lucy then I was a child in kindergarten. And of course that vitameatavegamin commercial which has me in stiches every time I watch it. Lucy's birthday is coming up Aug. 6 the same date as my mom who passed away a long time ago. I miss my mom and I miss lucy. I recently viewed the movie stone pillow a very important serious movie, which starred Lucy in 1985. And this episode of life with Lucy was funny and serious at the same time. I think it was a message, that summed up her life and the life of all of us who are luck to grow old.

[@HelloooThere]

This show might have worked better on CBS which was skewed towards an older audience.

[@rrhea222]

Considering this as it should be considered - Lucy's very last television episode - unaired and unseen until the DVD release - it's quite a charming and heart-warming finale to her 60 year career. The acting throughout this series was universally good, particularly Gale Gordon and the adorable future music star Jenny Lewis. The spoken word rendition of Sunrise Sunset, undoubtedly viewed by critics at the time as cringe worthy, today brings a tear to my eye, knowing that this was Lucy's last TV performance.

[@HomeRuleNews]

It was sad this was never aired until the 1990s after she died on Nick at Nite and they, to their credit, did a promo saying, we have the unaired Life with Lucy episodes that all aired together on the same night in the way that ABC would have aired them. I remember my late grandparents were so glad to see the final work of Lucy and Gale together. I think this aired shortly before Gale died in 1995

[@fjccommish]

Her talent performance was terrific.

[@mthivier]

I wonder if the young actors who played Lucy's grandchildren understood the significance that, by appearing with Lucy and Gale, that they got to touch the Golden Age of Television, however so briefly.

[@keithlatimer4433]

This Lucy character was far more developed than her previous versions. We never saw Lucy’s extended family. nor did we ever know much about her past or see her struggle with real life emotions. She was historically more slapstick and silly. I have to say I really enjoyed how Life with Lucy included Lucy’s classic bits while developing a more in depth family dynamic. It’s a shame they didn’t record all 22 episodes. I would say this show lives up to her previous series. Unfortunately society had moved past this type of sitcom by the late 80’s.

[@stuartehrlich4499]

your stupidity is showing

[@ЭкобиотехнологияиЭвтрофикация]

I agree.

[@rickhatch1]

This show is funnier than any situation comedy on today!

[@renesagahon4477]

It certainly wasn’t back then

[@ericnelson9100]

No it isn't, it's pure crap.

[@mmckee7]

ummm….no….but thanks for playing…

[@brendafuller907]

Nope. Nope. Nope.

[@watchawant8309]

Unexpectedly farting in the bath is funnier than this

[@beachbunny8021]

So sad this show got canceled, this looked like a good show.

[@organist1982]

It's been interesting seeing all 13 of these episodes. Many thanks to Jonathan for uploading them. My feeling is that Lucy's previous series were more successful because they largely contained humor that adults could appreciate while still being family-friendly, while this final series seemed to mostly contain child-level humor and therefore came across as mostly LAME to adults. The only one of these 13 episodes that seemed to contain any real substance for adults was the one about her sister trying to take over the planning of the wedding ceremony.

[@HomeRuleNews]

Some insiders have alleged that episode was a sort of retooling producers wanted to do with the show bringing on Audrey Meadows as a series regular. Meadows who was retired saying she didn't want to do a regular series again but would only do cameos here and there. That episode along with this one and when Curtis retired should have been the foundation of the show. Given it was a boomerang era, I can see why the family was there but it could have been them moving in with Lucy and Curtis as the daughter was theirs but the family was struggling and needed a place so you could have gotten millage of an empty nest being occupied again for a few episodes. Ann Dusenbury was not the right actress for that role, it should have been more of a comedic foil where the daughter was always thinking of hairbrained efforts to make money while struggling to find work. She could have been the Deacon Frye of this series of things always backfiring in a silly way.

[@ginadyson4214]

i still love Lucy forever and ever!!!

[@stuartehrlich4499]

she sucked

[@ЭкобиотехнологияиЭвтрофикация]

Well, Lucy's grandma is wanted today ! Her voice is a perfect grandma's voice. It's a completely lovable family as it is.

[@Lulu7898]

Haha, that Dixieland band was on the Golden Girls too ❤

[@ladyagnes7781]

It is a shame the network didn't give this a bit more time. The first few episodes didn't deliver amazing ratings, so it was dropped. I think it started to hit its stride a few episodes in( as many hit shows do). The episodes that never aired were probably better than the initial ones that the network graded it on.It was not given a proper chance, & that was unfair to someone as great as Lucille Ball. Had the 13 run, it would have found its audience.l

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

I think the lack of respect for her was the worst part.

[@mthivier]

No, Lucy doesn't have a high school trophy. She just has four Emmys.

[@debbirbodner5358]

Each time I see Lucy I see how she change the entertainment in our country.

[@kenthuang436]

She definitely paved the way for future comediennes.

[@stuartehrlich4499]

yeah for the worse

[@Heart.SoulfulIndian]

In India, we saw the Lucy Show and Here' s Lucy !! But we never got to see Life with Lucy ! It's true that comedians age well on stand up shows or talk shows but she was a pioneer back then !! She became victim of a miscalculation of her director as to what would suit her. Writing roles for senior artistes is a problem world over !! Refreshing her legacy of dancing in the previous episode, this is her swansong !! We miss you, Lucille!! 🧑‍🎄😇🥲

[@jodwise]

That recitation scene is probably one of the most poignant scenes ever made for television. I’m sorry it was never broadcast. Given the context of what she was going through at the time, I can’t imagine how she must have felt. The meaning and emotion behind that performance is apparent, and really something to behold. It always brings me to tears when I watch it. My heart just breaks for her. I hope she is resting well and surrounded by love. ❤

[@HomeRuleNews]

Had Lucy allowed more modern writers and producers to have some creative control, they could have played on the senior citizens trying to stay relevant in a world getting younger. I would have loved to see Lucy deal with issues of aging in a humorous yet serious way. They really should have made Lucy and Curtis a married couple and had a son in graduate school living at home to save money and a divorced daughter with kids coming in trying to make it work as a family.

[@ald668]

GREAT SHOW!

[@vcs206]

Lucy doesn't stop to surprise. EP13, just not to forget

[@shawnblohm9291]

I think she shouldn't of given up on the magic act so quickly. With a little more practice, she'd of knocked that act out of the park and received her trophy.

[@deepachand9689]

I don't know why the powers that be thought of pulling off this heart-warming ,beautiful series where lucy still evokes her trademark timing and magic....maybe the violence and sex we see today and saw even then overpowered all that was sweet and beautiful about this wonderful series

[@happydayz7857]

It went head to head with Facts Of Life and it lost out.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Yes, it did seem rather out of step, out of context. If it had been on a "Christian" channel, it would have stayed.

[@mthivier]

@@happydayz7857 When it aired it also had to compete with countless reruns of "I Love Lucy", "The Lucy Show" and even "Here's Lucy". Given the choice, I suspect much of the public preferred to watch Lucy "as she was'.

[@DonnaBrooks]

@@happydayz7857 The difference was that Lucy was about a grandmother, while The Facts of Life was about young teens & pre-teens.

[@DonnaBrooks]

The Facts of Life was another wholesome show, though, which beat this show in the ratings. (See my other comment about that.)

[@ЭкобиотехнологияиЭвтрофикация]

This show is gracious. This episode is bitter.

[@monkeypodtreeministries704]

Broke her heart when this show was canceled. She passed away 2.5 years later. I think she did an amazing job in this series for a 75 year old…..it just seemed a little forced. And Gale was amazing for 80…..his acting flowed a little better. I enjoyed watching these 13 episodes. After Desi & she split up I never watched The Lucy Show or Here’s Lucy or Life With Lucy because I didn’t like it that he wasn’t with her & I didn’t like her voice (which was damaged when she did some exercises to make her voice lower & actually caused damage instead). But just very recently I watched all episodes of all 3 of these shows. Now I’m going to watch all 6 seasons of I Love Lucy. She was a big part of my life growing up. I remember in the summer as a teenager crawling out of bed so I could watch her every morning at 9am. I feel like she was a big role model in my life….and looking back, I can see her influence. Haha

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

I don't know that it would have killed her...

[@stuartehrlich4499]

STINKO

[@Uridien]

Nostalgia only goes so far. 50s schtick in the 80s? Eh.

[@fjccommish]

All those who plaaaaaaaaaaaay....Lucy's family can't act to save their lives...

[@TheVerbalVolley]

This was the last, unaired episode of the series. Lucy did NOT want to do another series, but Gary Morton (her then husband) went behind her back and secured a litany of people that meant a lot to Lucy, including Gale Gordon, Madelyn Davis, Bob Carroll, as well as many behind the scenes people that had worked with her for decades. He then presented the entire package to her, and she reluctantly agreed to do the series. Sadly, once shooting started, Lucy knew that she had a flop on her hands, and it sent her into a severe depression. When friends and family came over to view the first episode at her home, they all watched it on the television set, but Lucy sat alone in her den, and didn't want to watch it. She told her friend, Lee Tannen, about how bad the show was, (even nicknaming the show "Life with Angst") and Lee told her to just quit. She started to cry and said that she couldn't do so because she had a signed contract that committed her to it. Gary made SO MANY bad decisions regarding Lucy's career that I won't go into here, but he did secure a $1,000,000.00 cancellation fee if the show was cancelled in the first year. Gary always saw $$ signs when it came to Lucy.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Well, he was a good manager. The one fault I'd say is her make-up being a little overdone, rather too much like a funeral home would do. The over-arched eyebrows, too-heavy shadow, and always wearing pants, etc. Not her best look.

[@devontehuntley6274]

If it was such a flop why did she even do it for thirteen episodes? Contracts aside, she could always counter them and break agreement. Or better yet, why not just see what wasn't working out and quickly change it? They should have used their time to figure things out instead of rushing to air it in the fall season. They went about this without even a proper PILOT to test things out so that was their first mistake. As a result, they should have cancelled its fall premiere and screened all the episodes shot so far for potential reshoots/retooling whatever to make sure nothing in it would give it the low blow. If it took holding this off until a mid-season 1987 release then so be it.

[@HomeRuleNews]

@@devontehuntley6274 Many shows often do an initial 13 episode but Life with Lucy was given a full season order that was aborted when it failed. Most shows often finish producing the initial 13 around late September-early October. There was a script ready for a Christmas episode that never went into production with storyboards for 4 more episodes that are likely in someone's attic at this point. I do agree that with her star power, she could have said, we need to do some different things but ABC gave Lucy the keys to everything so she controlled everything on the show and did what worked previously. Keep i n mind with these episodes started airing the production was done for most and given how bad it did, ABC was unforgiving especially after giving Lucy everything she wanted--her writers, her producers, let her cast the show and of course the big pay checks. Lucy was used by Gary and ABC, she was happily retired and enjoying herself, got convinced to do it and after being back on set, she realized she missed working. She loved to entertain but deep down she didn't have the right people around her. She had too many yes men not enough Lucy, lets revisit this.

[@devontehuntley6274]

@@HomeRuleNews Lucy basically failed herself too. People are saying she knew the show would fail as the user above did but that's like...well she was running everything so how could she allow this or continue it in this fashion? I don't get what the truth is or who felt what but either way, Lucy went along with everything and had the most star power to change and avoid disaster.

[@HomeRuleNews]

@@devontehuntley6274 Times had changed, she didn't. When you had successful shows, you really think you have the answer which was probably her mindset. All her shows did well, none of them were canceled. She also knew when to pull the plug as well. A spinoff of her last show in the 1970s didn't sell centered around her daughter. We also have to remember Lucy and Vivivan made up towards the end of Here's Lucy with talks of her coming back but Viv got diagnosed with breast cancer and had a stroke and of course, she moved back east so that was out. Likely, had Viv was able to do the show, we likely would have saw two more seasons of Here's Lucy. Lucy did things her way. She was a star and even the late Aaron Spelling confessed years later after she died saying, we gave her too much control and didn't push back on things when we should have. Like I said earlier, too many 'yes men' around for the money but failing to realize them numbers didn't like. Spelling went back to dramas after this flop and said, if you fail with someone like Lucille Ball, that means you shouldn't be doing something. Sherman Hemsley did the physical comedy of the era on Amen as he was in his late 40s so folks could laugh at him having a snake crawl on him, bear lick his foot, slung cross a room in a neck harness, being tossed in the mud and even when he hit 50, Sherman pulled back on the physical comedy outside of kitchen mishaps and working with children. When Lucy did a few of her stunts where laughs were, there were noted gaps especially when she was on the moving ladder. She was in her early 70s so naturally, she probably wasn't up to hearing anyone, she had the 4 emmys, first woman to own and lead a television company so she was the queen of the business. I do agree, she did fail herself in that aspect.

[@johnmangham2802]

It was a different, older Lucy and given time we would have got to know her. They didn’t give her time. They let her down.

[@HomeRuleNews]

NBC and CBS were dominating the ratings at the time, ABC was desperate for a hit as so many networks were doing the 'one more time' concept with those who had hits from the past Flip Wilson had a short lived show on CBS, Bea Arthur/Rue McClannan (sp)/Betty White on the successful Golden Girls, Marla Gibbs with 227, Sherman Hemsley and Clifton Davis with Amen, and a few others at the time. Lucy was ABC trying to cash on the trend and they even gave Ellen Burtsyn a show to be a companion with Life with Lucy. Burstyn like Lucy were accomplished actresses who were given horrible vehicles. Burstyn was not a laugh at loud performer and should have been given a dramedy or drama if they wanted her on television and Lucy was getting older so I can see having her do mild stunts with her daughter who was ditzy as her but both Ball and Burtsyn were given big checks and awful starring vehicles. Burtsyn rarely talks about her show and Megan Mullally (sp) says its how she got her start and looking back while appreciative, the writing was not there.

[@stephentaege6255]

We still love ❣️ LUCY ❤️ this was a family show not like the garbage and reality shows today,👎RIP LUCY DESI VIVIAN WILLIAM AND GALE 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️YOU WERE ALL SO UNIQUE AND BLESSED WITH TALENT 🗽 Cheers Stephen 🤠⭐

[@walterburns1789]

Love this ❤

[@deslardesslok]

2 YEARS LATE SQUAD WHERE YOU AT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? 7:17p.m. 9/27/2024

[@ElizabethandOdowd]

Lifewithlucywasgreat🎉❤😊😮😂

[@BackWordsJane]

Why is the character Leonard hanging around like he's a member of the family? I found him annoying

[@MauriceRivers415]

The thing about all the "Lucy" shows, is that they were always a copy of a copy of a copy. "I Love Lucy" being the original copy, and then the other ones to follow. And all getting a bit inferior as they went along, and "Life With Lucy" being the absolute worst. I think at this point, Lucy needed to become more of a supportive character, instead of having the plot centered around her. She was at an age here where people aren't really interested in what an old lady is doing during the day. Each show got worse as time went on, relying on old/played-out jokes and gags that couldn't keep up with the times. She never really outgrew her original character or stretched her acting chops: she was forever "Lucy Ricardo", trapped in 1951. "Life With Lucy" was an idea that should've been left on the cutting-room floor: her heart wasn't in it, anyway, because Desi was dying at the time. At some point as a Hollywood actor, you have to hang it up and realize you've had your time already: you're too old and/or washed-up. LET IT GO!

[@christya2488]

The writing was absolute garbage, and the supporting actors were atrocious. She deserved better.

[@stuartehrlich4499]

stunk to high heaven

[@MissX905]

Not the same Lucy :(. I wonder why she agreed to try do a comeback with this show? Was she low on $? So she married Mr. Mooney lol. In her other shows he didn't like Lucy's character very much. Then he married her lol

They aren't married. His son is married to her daughter. They are bickering in-laws who also co-own a hardware store.

[@randysills4418]

I think I read that she got $250,000 per episode and her husband got $100,000! Anyway, she shouldn't have attempted this...

[@deslardesslok]

7:17p.m. 9/27/2024

[@ps4455]

In the age of video rentals and cable tv, she really needed to up her game. A grandma moving into her kids house and working at a hardware store was just plain boring and limited.

[@HomeRuleNews]

This was Lucy trying to stay loyal to her 'day ones' as those writers and producers were relics of the past. The writing of this episode was one of the better ones along with the Curtis Retirement and Audrey Meadows episodes. The John Ritter episode while praised heavily at the time given his star power was lame to me.

[@ryan92335]

This is painful... Too bad she smoke for 50+ years. Sounds like she's been gargling with Jack Daniels 🥃

[@kaledadam3955]

Dam jack daniels😅

[@renesagahon4477]

Everyone needed a jack daniels watching this series

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Well, her generation certainly loved their cocktails, and voices get lower with age. It's clear and projects easily, and that's what matters. She never had a high voice unless she was exclaiming something or wailing.

[@tbec3011]

How ironic. She was known to enjoy Jack-n-Coke before interviews to loosen up.

[@johnbrowneyes7534]

She damaged her voice doing the Lucy Ricardo voice in the ‘50s. If you listen, she speaks in a higher tone than her normal voice. It was a character voice yet it caused damage.

[@renesagahon4477]

Only because Ball and Gordon on tv again people watched. But most of the episodes were Terrible compared to what she did before; the audience expected more and we’re dissapointed

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Not true at all. They are on the exact same level. And the problem was, we had gotten used to Roseanne, and she was doing the same kind of thing.

[@DonnaBrooks]

@@nonenoneonenonenone No. Roseanne ran for 9 years, from 1988 to 1997. This show was cancelled well before Roseanne began, so we had NOT "gotten used to" her.

[@johnflynn9619]

Lucy was Magnificent. RIP But, this sitcom is Stupid.

[@frankswisher6342]

No stupider than some of the so called comedy today Lucy was a gem in all 4 of her shows I love Lucy if you don't that's on you

[@renesagahon4477]

This episode is a better one for this series but it never aired the show was cancelled during filming of this and she was told after It wrapped and was devastated. With the exception of Gordon the supporting cast usually werent much help in helping this show at all

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

@@renesagahon4477 They all did their best. There were other family shows where they really stunk. Kids can ruin a show so easily. Roseanne really scored with her kids.

[@DonnaBrooks]

Why do you say it's stupid? I Love Lucy is one of the stupidest comedies to ever be created, but it's endured & has been loved for 70 years! Lucy Ricardo is a cartoon character compared to most TV characters!

[@1dannaa]

altered storyline from the 1960's show. why? !!!!!!

[@sidviscus]

What an absolutely miserable episode. No wonder it was cancelled after this.

[@renesagahon4477]

Some scenes might have been better than others which isn’t saying much and that goes for the whole series

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

@@renesagahon4477 The magic act was genuine fun, and dropped too quickly, just because one thing went wrong. This Lucy character was quite vulnerable which was a new dimension. No mention though, of her previous marriage at all, which is interesting.