Lucy Wants to Move to the Country

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"Lucy Wants to Move to the Country"
	Season 6, Episode #14 ; #167 in Series
Series:
Network:
Air date:	January 28, 1957
Written by:	Bob Carroll, Jr.; Madelyn Martin; Bob Schiller; Bob Weiskopf
Directed by:	James V. Kern
Production code:	6-14 / 168
	Episode guide
IMDB	Lucy Wants to Move to the Country
Episode chronology
"Lucy and Superman"	"Lucy Hates to Leave"

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/CityFlourPallor.jpg http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/MrsBrains.jpg http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/FingersFred.jpg

Lucy Wants to Move to the Country was the 167th overall episode of I Love Lucy, also the 14th episode of season 6, the final season of the series. The episode was directed by James V. Kern, originally aired on CBS-TV on January 28, 1957.

Synopsis[]

Fed up with city life, Lucy yearns for the suburban life.

Plot summary[]

After visiting Grace Munson in Connecticut the past weekend, Lucy is dying to move to the country. Ricky doesn't want to leave New York. Lucy puts on an act about how horrible city life is. She scrunches the furniture together to make the place look small and crowded, she shakes dust on everything to make the city look dirty, and she powders her face with flour to give herself a look of "city pallor." But Ricky knows what she's up to and doesn't bother to show interest in her scheme. Or does he? When Ethel comes up to talk to Ricky, he reveals that he has secretly put a deposit down on the country house Lucy liked so much, and he plans to give it to Lucy as an anniversary present. Ethel immediately starts sobbing, worrying about losing her best friend, and this forces Ricky to tell Lucy the surprise. Lucy also starts sobbing, not wanting to leave the Mertzes, and Ricky says that his deposit is not refundable.

Lucy and the Mertzes decide to try getting Ricky's deposit back themselves. They go over to the Spauldings' residence dressed as gangsters. They want the Spauldings to think that they are unfit to live in the house. It works, and the Spauldings are terrified at what they see, especially the water gun the gang brings along with them. Ricky arrives to explain the whole thing, but when he finally gets the deposit back, Lucy realizes just how much she loves the country home. So, Ricky is forced to pay an extra $500 for the house, as payment for the Spauldings being scared out of their wits. After Lucy accidentally squirts Mr. Spaulding with the water gun, Ricky's extra fee increases to a total of $550. But the Ricardos have their house in the country and can't wait to start their new life in Westport!

Trivia[]

Always keeping up with the current trends in America, the Ricardos move to the country right when the great suburban migration was occurring in the country. It also was yet another way to get the cast in a new location that generated lots of fresh, new plot lines.
Fellow writer Bob Weiskopf lived in Westport, Connecticut before moving out to LA, and, according to both Weiskopf and fellow writer Bob Schiller, that's why that particular town was chosen for the Ricardos' new place to live in the country.
Lucy says that the 7 City Dwarves are Sneezy, Dusty, Stuffy, Drafty, Sniffly, Noisy, and Pasty.
Eleanor and Joe Spaulding had lived in the house the Ricardos buy for 30 years. They're moving to a smaller house now that their children left. They figure they don't need such a big house for only two people.
Gun moll Ethel carries the leopard purse seen many times in season 5, including an appearance as one of Ethel's Parisian purchases.
The Ricardos' new country home is over 100 years old.
The country episodes really show off the changes Vivian Vance enacted in her season 6 contract. She wanted to be allowed to wear more glamorous clothes. She also lets her hair grow out longer, which is really noticeable by the country episodes.

Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

Eleanor Audley ... as Eleanor Spaulding
Joe Wilcox ... as Joe Spaulding