I Love Lucy: The Complete Series: The Timeless Sitcom Classic Celebrates a Milestone (75th Anniversary DVD)

The Show:

It's an undisputed fact that no list of the greatest sitcoms of all time would be complete without the one that truly started it all. "I Love Lucy," which originally ran for six seasons from 1951-1957 (with additional specials that would form three more seasons), would lay the foundation for your standard multi-camera comedy with a live studio audience, essentially forming the blueprint for all others that would come after.

Even as it celebrates its incredible 75th anniversary this year, it continues to make audiences laugh hysterically at the misadventures of Lucy (Lucille Ball), her husband, famous band leader Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz), and their neighbors/landlords Fred (William Frawley) & Ethel Mertz (Vivan Vance). From Lucy's constant attempts to get into Ricky's show to various new hobbies to multiple misunderstandings & schemes, there was very little that this fascinating group of characters didn't get up to at one point or another over the course of about a decade. With it reaching such an incredible milestone, Paramount is reissuing the entire series in a special 33-disc DVD set and packing it with tons of special features, giving us the perfect excuse to dive into one of the most classic shows around to see why it continues to resonate so strongly with viewers so many decades later.

Before we really get into it, there's a small, rather shameful confession that must be made: Up until a few weeks ago, I had never seen an entire episode of "I Love Lucy." Of course, various amusing clips have crossed my path over the years, including famous segments like Lucy & Ethel's conveyor belt antics at the chocolate factory, Lucy stomping grapes, and Ricky finding out that he's going to be a father, but never a full episode. Over the course of the last several weeks, this has been corrected with the viewing of dozens & dozens of episodes to give myself a taste of what I had been missing out on for all these years, and after doing so, it's wonderful to be able to say that the show more than lives up to its reputation for being one of the very best of its kind.

With a show like "I Love Lucy," it's truly a situation where you have to ask yourself: What else can be said about it that hasn't already been said in the past 75 years? It was an absolute game-changer, not only for its basic format, but also for the wild & hilarious situations that these four would get up to. From episode to episode, you never knew what crazy hijinks would occur. One week could have Lucy trying to break into show business, the next could involve something affecting Lucy & Ricky's relationship, and the next could be something that comes between the Ricardos & the Mertzs. Other times it could be something completely out there, like one of the very best early episodes that involves a plot in which Lucy think Ricky is trying to kill her, all of which stems from her reading an enthralling murder mystery.

Its variety, freshness, and spontaneity kept it going strong for several years, and kept audiences laughing the entire time, which, as mentioned earlier, remains true even now. Just to give a small measure of its continued effectiveness in terms of personal appraisal, modern comedies typically don't make me laugh very much, if at all. "I Love Lucy" had me laughing, and laughing quite a lot, showing how wacky scenarios from several decades ago can be more amusing than what writers are able to come up with today, but then again, it's also fair to say that it's a bit unfair to compare today's sitcoms, where just about everything that can possibly be done has been done, to the one that really kicked off the genre. Still, there's no denying that it doesn't really have any kind of equal in terms of contemporary sitcoms.

As we come to a close, we need to mentioned those aforementioned "specials" that came after the original program. For the first six seasons, the show had episodes that typically ran around 25 minutes, but for some strange reason, after six years, Desi Arnaz insisted on turning it into an hour-long program. From a sampling of these, it quickly became apparent that the show did not work nearly as well when stretched out to such a length. One of the original program's biggest strengths was its brevity, which had the characters getting into some kind of mischief & wrapping it up within a quick 25 minutes. Dragging out the scenario to a full hour just made it feel long & overdone, making it no surprise that only 13 of these episodes were made over the course of a couple of years before getting canceled.

However, it hardly affects the power & legacy of the show's original run. Its influence has been felt for decades, with many trying very hard to be just like it, and very few even capturing a small glimmer of its brilliance. As noted several times already, it's been making people laugh for an incredible 75 years now, and it shows no signs of wearing down. Its excellent writing gave us such universal, relatable, and just downright amusing situations that it will forever be one of those shows that people can come back to at any time, get pulled right in, and have a good chuckle. There's most certainly a reason that it's considered one of the all-time greats, and that's a fact that will never change.

Video/Audio:

This new 75th Anniversary Edition of "I Love Lucy: The Complete Series" is presented in 4:3 (enhanced to 1.85:1 for widescreen TVs), 480p Standard Definition transfers of excellent quality. It may be regular DVD, but the picture is surprisingly sharp throughout each classic episode, making it look quite nice despite the remarkable age of the program. Likewise, the Mono Dolby Digital audio tracks are marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue & music in outstanding quality. Overall, Paramount has done a wonderful job in both areas for this incredible new collection.

Special Features:

Bonus material is spread across all 33 discs and includes the following:

Original Opening/Closing

Flubs

Lost Scenes

Restored Music

Behind the Scenes

Lucy on the Radio

Slide Show

Color Montage Videos, Footage, and Home Movies

Production Notes

Audience Participation

Vintage Sponsor Spots

...and more!

Conclusion:

"I Love Lucy" remains one of the all-time greatest sitcoms ever made, one that utilized wonderful performances from its marvelous ensemble and clever writing that used relatable & highly-amusing situations to great effect. Even after 75 years, the show continues to make audiences laugh at its hilarious hijinks, with many trying to recapture its brilliance and seldom coming anywhere near it. Simply put, its legacy & power remain untouched in the genre, ultimately leaving us with a timeless comedy classic.

Score: 5/5

Available on 75th Anniversary DVD starting today.

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