Ep 16. Lucy, the Babysitter

Lucy, the Babysitter is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American sitcom, The Lucy Show. The episode originally aired on January 14, 1963, and was directed by Maury Thompson. The series starred Lucille Ball in the lead role and featured a slew of guest stars in its various episodes.

In this episode, Lucy's best friend, Viv (Vivian Vance), is going out of town for a few days. Viv's husband, Sherman (Ralph Hart), is soon to be swamped with work at his office and is unable to take care of their baby daughter, Martha. Being a good friend, Lucy offers to babysit the baby so that Viv and Sherman can go on their trip. Lucy is confident that she can handle the baby, despite not having any experience with childcare. She dismisses the concerns raised by Viv and Sherman, insisting that babysitting is easy.

As soon as Viv and Sherman leave, Lucy realizes that she has no idea how to take care of a baby. The baby's incessant crying drives her crazy, and she struggles to figure out how to change Martha's diaper. She first tries to do it on her own but fails miserably. She then seeks help from some of her male neighbors, none of whom are successful in changing the diaper. Finally, Lucy sees an ad on television and hires a professional babysitter to take care of Martha.

Lucy is relieved that she no longer has to worry about the baby and spends the day relaxing. However, things take a turn for the worse when the babysitter gets sick and leaves. Lucy is forced to take care of Martha once again. This time, however, she is determined to do it right. She seeks help from a neighbor, Mrs. Trumbull (played by the legendary character actress, Kathleen Freeman), who teaches her how to change the diaper properly. Lucy soon gains confidence and develops a bond with Martha.

All seems well until Viv and Sherman return. Lucy, who had also made some modifications to Viv and Sherman's home, mistakenly thinks that they are impressed by her babysitting skills and her potential as an interior decorator. She is in for a shock when they reveal that they were planning to take Martha along on their trip, and that they are disappointed that Lucy did not have to step up to the challenge.

Lucy is crestfallen, thinking that she has let her friends down. However, Viv and Sherman reveal that they were just testing Lucy to see if she would be willing to take care of Martha in case of an emergency. They are impressed that Lucy would go above and beyond for their daughter and are grateful to have such a caring friend.

The episode ends with Lucy triumphantly holding up a clean diaper as Martha coos in her arms. Lucy has proven to herself and her friends that she is more than capable of taking care of a baby and that she is always there for those in need.

Overall, Lucy, the Babysitter is a heartwarming episode that showcases Lucille Ball's comedic talent, as well as her ability to capture the emotional nuances of a character. It is a testament to the enduring popularity of The Lucy Show, which continues to be a beloved classic sitcom even more than half a century after it first aired.