One of the best-loved TV sitcoms of all time continues its rollout on DVD with this five-disc collection of all 31 episodes from I Love Lucy's second season, which included many of the series' most memorable installments. Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) and his wife Lucy (Lucille Ball) are still living in New York, and still getting into mischief with their friends Fred (William Frawley) and Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance). Having established the series' premise in the first season, the show's writers cut loose with a succession of wacky episodes showcasing Ball's talents as a clown. “Job Switching,” for example, is possibly the best-known show in the history of the series: Lucy takes a job in a chocolate factory and runs afoul--á la Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times--of a malfunctioning production line. “Ricky Loses His Voice” is an early example of Lucy's ongoing efforts to become a performer, in this case replacing Ricky at the Tropicana when he develops laryngitis. “The Courtroom” is a hilarious episode that finds the Ricardos and Mertzes suing each other over a broken TV set. One of the most touching moments here is found in “Lucy Is Enceinte,” when Lucy breaks the news that she's pregnant (the couple's son, Little Ricky, is born in the episode, “Lucy Goes to the Hospital,” which actually beat President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration in the ratings when broadcast in January 1953). Not as dependent on guest stars as subsequent seasons, the 1952-53 shows represent the series' high-water mark, and they're every bit as funny today as they were 50 years ago (not to mention nice-looking thanks to sharp digital transfers). DVD extras include flubs, lost scenes, deleted footage, five audio episodes of Lucy's radio show My Favorite Husband, and more. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (E. Hulse)
I Love Lucy: The Complete Second Season
Paramount, 5 discs, 799 min., not rated, DVD: $69.99 Volume 19, Issue 6
I Love Lucy: The Complete Second Season
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