I Love Lucy: Men Are Messy

I Love Lucy: Men Are Messy

Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, December 3, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Lucy thinks Ricky is an incurable slob, so she plots a trick to teach Ricky a lesson when a photographer comes over.

Analysis: This is textbook Lucy – taking a common situation that everyone can relate to and taking it to the most absurd conclusion. I believe this is also the first use of Lucy’s trademark “Ewwwwwww…” when a situation goes wrong.

I have not mentioned it before, but occasionally during some of these first seasons episodes, first with The Audition and again here, the screen goes a little soft when there is either a reference to Philip Morris or anything that could be viewed as advertising smoking. The reason for that is two-fold: Morris was the original sponsor for I Love Lucy and when the show was in syndication and no longer sponsored by Morris, those references, including the opening credits, needed to be replaced. Add to that that later in the show’s life, scenes of the smoking were gradually pared back as the side effects of cigarette use became better known. I may discuss this more as I am thinking about doing a Special Comment on cigarette manufactures as television sponsors.

The Bottom Line: Not a bad episode, just helps to establish the prototype of what a Lucy episode would be, especially later in the show’s run, when you get more of Lucy and her latest madcap scheme and Ricky’s reaction. Lucy is always relate-able, to be sure, by families and more often than not, a consistently funny show.

Men Are Messy is found on I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) as well as I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1), depending on your income and interest in the show.

Next time, another ride with the Cisco Kid.