Changes: The "I Love Lucy" Christmas Show

"I Love Lucy" episode
"The "I Love Lucy" Christmas Show"
	Season 6, Episode #27 ; #180 in Series
Series:	I Love Lucy
Network:	CBS-TV
Air date:	December 24, 1956
Written by:	Bob Carroll, Jr.; Madelyn Martin; Bob Schiller; Bob Weiskopf
Directed by:	James V. Kern
Production code:	6-27 / Special
	Episode guide
IMDB	The "I Love Lucy" Christmas Show
Episode chronology
"The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue"; (Series finale)	N/A - Special

Revision as of 01:59, 19 August 2019

I Love Lucy Christmas Show was the 180th overall episode of I Love Lucy, also the 27th episode of season 6, the final season of the series. The episode was directed by James V. Kern, originally aired on CBS-TV on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1956.

Synopsis

Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel reminisce (courtesy of flashbacks to favorite episodes) as they trim the tree on Christmas Eve. Note: CBS would re-broadcast this episode in primetime on December 18, 1989. The "wrap around" segments (the non-flashback parts) were broadcast in color in 1990, and these color scenes are available on the season's DVD release. Because this was a "special episode," it was never re-broadcast in syndication.

Plot summary

The Ricardos and the Mertzes are spending Christmas Eve together. Despite problems with the Christmas tree, the foursome reminisce about how lucky they are to have Little Ricky with them, thinking of memories surrounding his birth. On Christmas morning, Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred all dress like Santa Claus to surprise Little Ricky. But they soon find a FIFTH Santa Claus, played by A. Cameron Grant, who quickly disappears and turns out to be the real thing.

Trivia

This is the first-ever clip show/"flashback" show on television.
Little Ricky gets a new bike, a new set of drums, and a train set for Christmas.
The "flashback" clips are taken from episode #50, 52, and 56.
The idea for the Santa scene at the end of the episode was, of course, taken from the "Jingle Bells" tag scene that originally aired at the end of "Drafted." The only difference is that, now, Little Ricky, a child, is around, so it actually makes sense for the real Santa to be there.
The reason that this episode wasn't put with the 179 actual episodes is because CBS didn't think that anybody would want to watch a Christmas-themed episode at any time of the year besides the holiday season.
This episode's flashback-filled plot was a way to show the viewers clips from the very popular pregnancy episodes again, which hadn't been seen on TV since they originally aired.
This episode has another example of a missed opportunity for a very clever one-liner. After Fred cuts all of the branches off the first tree, Lucy asks how they can trim a tree that bare. A perfect response for Fred would have been, "I just trimmed it with this saw!" But alas, this joke is missing from the dialogue/script.
Ricky says that he considers the barbershop quartet fiasco in episode #52 to be one of the most embarrassing nights of his career.

Starring

Guest Starring

Richard Keith ... as Little Ricky
A. Cameron Grant ... as Santa Claus (as Cameron Grant)

season 7

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 |writer      = [[Bob Carroll, Jr.]]<br />[[Madelyn Pugh-Davis|Madelyn Martin]]<br />[[Bob Schiller]]<br />[[Bob Weiskopf]]
 |director    = [[James V. Kern]]
-|previous     = ''"[[The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue]]"''
+|previous     = ''"[[The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue]]"''<br><small>(Series finale)</small>
-|next         = ''"[[The Recital]]"'
+|next         = N/A - Special
 }}'''I Love Lucy Christmas Show''' was the 180th overall episode of ''[[I Love Lucy]]'', also the 27th episode of season 6, the final season of the series. The episode was directed by James V. Kern, originally aired on CBS-TV on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1956.