Ep 14. Lucy and Candid Camera

Lucy and Candid Camera is the fourteenth episode of the fourth season of Here's Lucy. Originally aired on December 27, 1971, this episode features Lucy as she becomes the unwitting participant in a Candid Camera-style prank.

The episode opens with Lucy at home preparing for a dinner party that evening. She receives a phone call from a friend who tells her about a new TV show called "Practical Jokes with Peter Funt." The friend explains that the show features hidden cameras capturing people's reactions to outrageous pranks. Lucy becomes immediately intrigued and decides to sign up her family to participate in the show's upcoming episode.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mooney, Lucy's boss, has been assigned a new account with a client who is particularly nervous and high-strung. Mooney is worried about the client's reaction to any sort of office prank, but Lucy assures him that she will behave professionally.

At the studio, Lucy and her family are greeted by Peter Funt, who explains that they will be participating in a "Candid Camera" segment called "The Invasion of the Moving House." The premise of the prank is that Lucy and her family will be moving into a new house, but the movers will be particularly inept and cause all sorts of chaos. The hidden cameras will capture the family's reactions.

The first sign of trouble comes when the movers accidentally drop one of Lucy's prized possessions, an antique vase. Lucy becomes upset, but she is assured that the vase was a prop and not really one of her own. However, things quickly spiral out of control when the movers accidentally drop the piano, damaging the floor. Lucy becomes increasingly frustrated, but is relieved when the prank is finally over.

Back at the office, Mooney meets with his nervous client and everything seems to be going well until Lucy accidentally spills coffee on the client's suit. The client becomes irate and storms out of the office. Mooney is angry and demands an explanation from Lucy, who is clearly shaken up. It is only then that Peter Funt reveals that the entire incident at Mooney's office was also a prank.

The episode ends with Lucy and her family watching the "Practical Jokes" episode at home and laughing at their reactions to the moving house prank. It is revealed that Lucy had been in on the prank the entire time, a fact that had not been revealed to the audience until this moment.

Overall, Lucy and Candid Camera is a classic episode of Here's Lucy that showcases Lucille Ball's comedic timing and ability to play the straight-laced foil to the outrageous antics of her co-stars. Fans of the show will appreciate the clever and playful nature of the prank and the way in which it ultimately reinforces the importance of good humor and not taking oneself too seriously.