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The Movie: The fifth season of "I Love Lucy" builds upon the successful fourth season and even provides another departure for the characters - this time, they're sent overseas. However, before all that, the season continues the Hollywood tale that the fourth season concentrated on, with Ricky trying to start a movie career. This lasts until the fifth episode, "The Great Train Robbery", where the gang head on a train back to NYC, only to run into some trouble with a jewel thief. The group isn't home for long, however, as Ricky soon finds his popularity rising and a European tour in the works. In "Ricky's European Booking", the girls aren't allowed to go along unless they pay their own way, resulting in Lucy and Ethel deciding to do a fundraiser for their "Ladies' Overseas Aid". "Bon Voyage" and "Second Honeymoon" follow the group as they head overseas on an ocean voyage, with Lucy missing the boat in "Bon Voyage". Lucy always gets into trouble, but she finds herself in some especially bad situations overseas, as she gets Ricky to let her dance during his performance for the Queen, only to end up with a bad leg cramp in "Lucy Meets the Queen". She also gets caught accidentally using counterfit cash in "Paris At Last". Lucy goes on a hunger strike until Ricky agrees to buy her a gown, only to have Ricky find out she was sneaking snacks - leading him to plot a way to get back at her. The final quarter of the season also includes more highlights, such as Lucy's being hired for a movie in "Lucy's Italian Movie", winning at the casino in "Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo", losing her passport in "Lucy's Bicycle Trip" and stashing imported heese in "Return Home From Europe". Also, everyone finds out more than they wanted to know about each other when they get snowbound in a mountain cabin in "Lucy in the Swiss Alps". 5- 1 3 Oct 55 Lucy Visits Grauman's 5- 2 10 Oct 55 Lucy and John Wayne 5- 3 17 Oct 55 Lucy and the Dummy - The back cover notes that this episode, "Lucy and the Dummy", is edited from the original network version. 5- 4 24 Oct 55 Ricky Sells the Car 5- 5 31 Oct 55 The Great Train Robbery 5- 6 7 Nov 55 Homecoming 5- 7 14 Nov 55 The Richardos are Interviewed 5- 8 28 Nov 55 Lucy Goes to a Rodeo 5- 9 5 Dec 55 Nursery School 5-10 12 Dec 55 Ricky's European Booking 5-11 19 Dec 55 The Passports 5-12 2 Jan 56 Staten Island Ferry 5-13 16 Jan 56 Bon Voyage 5-14 23 Jan 56 Second Honeymoon 5-15 30 Jan 56 Lucy Meets the Queen 5-16 6 Feb 56 The Fox Hunt 5-17 20 Feb 56 Lucy Goes to Scotland 5-18 27 Feb 56 Paris at Last! 5-19 5 Mar 56 Lucy Meets Charles Boyer 5-20 19 Mar 56 Lucy Gets a Paris Gown 5-21 26 Mar 56 Lucy in the Swiss Alps 5-22 9 Apr 56 Lucy Gets Homesick in Italy 5-23 16 Apr 56 Lucy's Italian Movie 5-24 23 Apr 56 Lucy's Bicycle Trip 5-25 7 May 56 Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo 5-26 14 May 56 Return Home from Europe The DVD VIDEO: "I Love Lucy" is again presented in its original 1.33:1 full-frame aspect ratio by Paramount. Once again, the studio has done a terrific job presenting "Lucy", as the B & W series looks crisp, clean and well-defined. These transfers do look better, in my opinion, then when the cut syndication versions are broadcast. The episodes did some some issues, but they were hardly of much concern. One or two instances of wear (a speck here, a minor mark there) were spotted, but the instances of dirt and debris seemed even less than the slight amounts seen on prior sets. Light grain was present at times too, but I'm guessing it's always been a part of the elements. No instances of edge enhancement or pixelation were spotted. The back cover notes that the episodes have been restored and remastered, and, as with prior seasons on DVD, these also look stellar. SOUND: The mono soundtrack of the shows remained perfectly fine, with acceptable overall clarity, no noticable distortion and, most importantly, crisp dialogue. EXTRAS: Paramount has once again provided a fine set of supplements for this fifth season set (with many of the same kinds of supplements that appeared on prior season sets returning here, so those who have earlier sets know generally what to expect), including flubs, lost scenes, restored music, featurettes, original openings/animated sequences, production notes, promo spots, guest information and five episodes of Lucy's radio show, "My Favorite Husband". Final Thoughts: "I Love Lucy"'s fifth season rolls on wonderfully, wrapping up the California trip and going even further by sending the characters overseas. Paramount has once again provided a great set for the show, with impressive audio/video quality and a nice helping of supplements. Recommended. |