I Love Lucy

Watch I Love Lucy

  • TV-Y
  • 1951
  • 6 Seasons
  • 8.5  (29,511)

I Love Lucy is a classic American sitcom. This ground-breaking, award-winning comedy show is one of the most popular shows of all time. During its six-year run, I Love Lucy was the number one show in the Nielsen ratings four times. The final season of I Love Lucy also captured the top spot, making I Love Lucy the first show to ever end its run on top. This show remains popular even today, attracting more than 40 million viewers each year.

The show, which aired from 1951 to 1957, follows the life of title character Lucy Ricardo, played by legendary comedienne Lucille Ball. Lucy is married to Ricky Ricardo, a Cuban American played by Ball's husband at the time, Desi Arnaz. Ricky, like Arnaz, is a bandleader and singer who is slowly making his way in the world. Lucy is ambitious but untalented and dreams of joining Ricky in show business. The pair form a deep friendship with their upstairs neighbors and landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz, played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance.

Several episodes of I Love Lucy are counted among the best television episodes of all time. Many critics and fans are especially fond of Lucy Does a TV Commercial. In this episode, Lucy schemes her way into acting in a commercial. However, the product she tries to pitch is foul-tasting and incredibly intoxicating. As filming progresses, Lucy becomes completely inebriated and her attempts to pitch the product, Vitameatavegamin, become increasingly inept.

I Love Lucy was the first television show to be filmed on 35mm film; the stars of the show, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, insisted that the show be filmed on 35mm film so that the show could be produced in Hollywood instead of New York. I Love Lucy was also one of the first shows to be filmed with multiple cameras in front of a live studio audience, giving the show an authenticity and continuity that would set it apart from its rivals.

In addition to its use of 35mm cameras, I Love Lucy also pioneered the idea of the rerun. During the second season of I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball needed extra time off due to her advanced pregnancy. Rather than take the show off the air, Desi Arnaz convinced the studio to re-air episodes from the first season. These reruns were an unexpected hit, keeping viewers engaged and interested in the show.

I Love Lucy is a series that ran for 6 seasons (181 episodes) between October 15, 1951 and on CBS

I Love Lucy
Filter by Source
Do you have Paramount+?
What are you waiting for?
Nice! Browse Paramount+ with Yidio.
Ad Info
Seasons
The
27. The "I Love Lucy" Christmas Episode
December 24, 1956
Colorized version of the Christmas show. It's Christmas Eve and Ricky warns his young son: "Santa won't bring the tree and the presents until you go to sleep." It takes some effort to cajole the boy, but after Lucy convinces him that Santa will have no trouble coming down the chimney ("he brings the North Pole with him and slides down it like a fireman."), he's off to bed. The coast clear, Fred and Ethel arrive with a Christmas tree. "It's a gift from me and Ebenezer," Ethel reveals about the five-dollar fir. The four friends begin to trim the tree until Lucy discovers "a branch on the right side that spoils the shape." Fred solves the symmetry problem with a pocket saw as Ricky says to Lucy, "Our lives have sure been different ever since you told me you were going to have a baby." We flash back to the sentimental moment at the Tropicana in 1952 when Lucy breaks the baby news to Ricky (from "Lucy is Enceinte"). This reminiscence over, we discover that Fred got carried away with his saw while listening to the baby tale - the tree is now a spindly stripling. While Fred goes off in search of a replacement, Ethel and Ricky start singing "Jingle Bells," but when Lucy joins in with her off-key rendition, they recall, once again in a flashback sequence, the barbershop quartet harmonizing of "Sweet Adeline" (from "Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song"). With the last note sung, we return to the Ricardo apartment just as Fred enters with a new tree - he got this "last minute" one for only fifty cents. The foursome starts decorating the tree and discussing Little Ricky's Christmas gifts, as Ethel realizes: "It seems like only yesterday he was born." This is the perfect lead-in to a flashback of Ricky, Fred, and Ethel rehearsing Lucy's trip to the hospital (from "Lucy Goes to the Hospital"). Finally, it's Christmas morning. The four principals are up early and wearing Santa outfits. When they hear Little Ricky approaching the living room, they hasten to the kitchen so the boy won't be disillusioned by seeing four Santas. Suddenly, however, there are five St. Nicks crowding the kitchen - who's the real one? The "real" one disappears optically as the Ricardos and Mertzes stare into the camera and say, hesitantly, "Merry Christmas, everybody."
The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue
26. The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue
May 6, 1957
Lucy accidentally destroys a commissioned statue and must impersonate it for the unveiling ceremony.
Lucy Raises Tulips
25. Lucy Raises Tulips
April 29, 1957
Lucy tries to win "Best Looking Garden" but her neighbor's garden and a power mower stand in her way
Country Club Dance
24. Country Club Dance
April 22, 1957
Lucy leads a glamour revolt among the suburban housewives when their husbands are momentarily overwhelmed by a pretty visitor at a country club dance.
Building a B.B.Q.
23. Building a B.B.Q.
April 8, 1957
Lucy's loses her wedding ring and thinks it's in the newly constructed brick barbecue
Housewarming
22. Housewarming
April 1, 1957
Lucy becomes jealous of the fast friendship between Ethel and her neighbor Betty Ramsey
Lucy's Night in Town
21. Lucy's Night in Town
March 25, 1957
After spending six whole weeks in their new Connecticut home, Lucy dreams of a night in New York City and it turns into a nightmare. Four carefully hoarded tickets to the Broadway musical hit "The Most Happy Fella" are supposed to get the Ricardos and the Mertzes in to see the sold-out show. But difficulties arise when Fred Mertz gets nervous about pickpockets because he's carrying $500 in cash in his pockets.
Ragtime Band
20. Ragtime Band
March 18, 1957
Lucy decides to take part in the fundraising campaign of the Westport Historical Society, and offers to get her husband and his band to perform for their kickoff function. There's only one hitch -- Ricky won't do it. So Lucy decides to form her own band featuring herself, Little Ricky, and Fred and Ethel Mertz.
Lucy Does the Tango
19. Lucy Does the Tango
March 11, 1957
Chicken-raising and practicing a tango for Little Ricky's school PTA meeting combine to get the Ricardos and the Mertzes in a verbal battle. It's up to Ricky, Jr. and his neighborhood pal Bruce Ramsey to straighten things out.
Lucy Raises Chickens
18. Lucy Raises Chickens
March 4, 1957
Five hundred chicks, part of Lucy's latest moneymaking scheme, have taken over the house!
Lucy Gets Chummy With the Neighbors
17. Lucy Gets Chummy With the Neighbors
February 18, 1957
A misunderstanding with their new neighbors makes life in the country very uncomfortable for the Ricardos
Lucy Misses the Mertzes
16. Lucy Misses the Mertzes
February 11, 1957
Missing each other after the Ricardos move to the country, the Mertzes and Ricardos decide to surprise the other couple with a
Lucy Hates to Leave
15. Lucy Hates to Leave
February 4, 1957
The Ricardos must move into the cramped apartment of the Mertzes before taking possession of their new country home.
Lucy Wants to Move to the Country
14. Lucy Wants to Move to the Country
January 28, 1957
Lucy wants to move to the country but dreads leaving the Mertzes.
Lucy and Superman
13. Lucy and Superman
January 14, 1957
Lucy looks for unusual entertainment to lure kids to Little Ricky's party when she finds out another boy has a planned a party for the same day
Little Ricky Gets A Dog
12. Little Ricky Gets A Dog
January 21, 1957
Little Ricky's noisy new puppy keeps the neighbors up at night.
Lucy and the Loving Cup
11. Lucy and the Loving Cup
January 7, 1957
Ricky's disapproval of Lucy's new hat leads her to try a trophy cup on for size.
Little Ricky's School Pageant
10. Little Ricky's School Pageant
December 17, 1956
Little Ricky's school pageant - "The Enchanted Forest" - is coming up and it's coming up short on cast members, so the Ricardos and Mertzes volunteer. Ricky's a hollow stump, Fred's a frog and Ethel's the fairy princess (because she can fit into the costume). And Lucy? She's a witch.
The Ricardos Visit Cuba
9. The Ricardos Visit Cuba
December 3, 1956
Still on their vacation, the Ricardos go to Cuba, where Ricky wants to introduce his relatives to Lucy and Little Ricky.
Desert Island
8. Desert Island
November 26, 1956
To keep their husbands from judging a beauty contest, Lucy and Ethel scheme to have their pleasure boat run out of gas at sea so the guys will miss the pageant.
Deep Sea Fishing
7. Deep Sea Fishing
November 19, 1956
The misadventures of the Ricardos and the Mertzes take them deep sea fishing, and their lines get tangled
Off to Florida
6. Off to Florida
November 12, 1956
When Lucy misplaces their train tickets, she and Ethel must share a drive to Florida with a woman they fear is a murderess.
Visitor from Italy
5. Visitor from Italy
October 29, 1956
Lucy tries to reunite a Venetian gondolier with his brother, who lives in America.
Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright
4. Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright
October 22, 1956
Lucy must help Little Ricky overcome his stage fright when he is scheduled to play the drums with a children's orchestra.
Lucy Meets Orson Welles
3. Lucy Meets Orson Welles
October 15, 1956
Lucy calls up her old drama teacher when she believes that she will be in a play with Orson Welles, and her teacher ends up bringing the whole class down to watch. But what Lucy didn't realize was that Orson Welles really just wanted her as his assistant in a magic trick.
Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums
2. Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums
October 8, 1956
When Little Ricky shows an interest in playing the drums, Lucy and Ricky decide to get him a set to play, but they don't realize the effects that it will have on the entire apartment building and their best friends, the Mertzes.
Lucy and Bob Hope
1. Lucy and Bob Hope
October 1, 1956
After Lucy overhears that Ricky will invite a celebrity to his new commercial, it leaves her curious to see his performance and introduce herself.
Description
Where to Watch I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is available for streaming on the CBS website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch I Love Lucy on demand at Apple TV Channels, Paramount+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Pluto TV.
  • Genres
    Comedy
  • Cast
    Lucille Ball
    Desi Arnaz
    Vivian Vance
    William Frawley
    Keith Thibodeaux
  • Channel
    CBS
  • Premiere Date
    October 15, 1951
  • IMDB Rating
    8.5  (29,511)
  • Sports Stream Live Sports and Breaking News
  • Thousands of Episodes Tens of thousands of TV show episodes
  • Something for Everyone Movies and shows for the whole family
Ad Info
If You Like I Love Lucy, Then Try...
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
All in the Family
All In The Family
Bewitched
Bewitched
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It To Beaver
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream Of Jeannie
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Green Acres
Green Acres
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Happy Days
Happy Days
Top TV Shows
Time Bandits
Time Bandits
Sunny
Sunny
Disclaimer
Disclaimer
Where's Wanda?
Where's Wanda?
Yellowstone (2018)
Yellowstone (2018)
Arcane
Arcane
Wayne
Wayne
The Voice
The Voice
Sistas
Sistas
Euphoria
Euphoria
Girls' Play
Girls' Play
Watch shows on Apple TV+
Shrinking
Shrinking
Silo
Silo
Bad Monkey
Bad Monkey
Presumed Innocent
Presumed Innocent
Slow Horses
Slow Horses
Before
Before
You Would Do It Too
You Would Do It Too
Swagger
Swagger
SEE
SEE
Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso
Cowboy Cartel
Cowboy Cartel
Also on CBS
2 Broke Girls
2 Broke Girls
Young Sheldon
Young Sheldon
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP In Cincinnati
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory
Person of Interest
Person Of Interest
Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
NCIS
NCIS
The Price is Right
The Price Is Right