I Love Lucy: The Complete Series

I'm not going to waste time reviewing the show. We all know the show is timeless, acclaimed, beloved, and all that jazz. This is simply to comment on the newly repackaged set. The previous release of the complete series of I Love Lucy contained the complete show on 33 DVDs, including a new pressing of the first season, reducing it to 6 discs from the 7 of the slimpack reissue and the 9 discs of the original release, while retaining all bonus features. (When CBS/Paramount repackaged the seasons with new comic-strip-styled artwork in standard-sized amaray cases with much smaller price tags, the 6-disc configuration was used for season 1, giving it its first standalone release.) It also contained a bonus DVD with the long lost movie, the colorized "Lucy In Scotland" episode, and many other rarities, plus an episode guide. However, the packaging took up shelf space and was quite frustrating to get the discs out. It was also quite expensive. This new 2015 repackage ditches the guide, as well as the bonus DVD, which was issued separately a few years after the first set was released. It also presents a better package, albeit one that still needs improvement. This set takes up as much space as about five standard DVD cases and consists of a box with two cases inside - one contains seasons 1-5 on 25 discs while the other contains seasons 6-9 on 8 discs. This makes one case much larger than the other, and frankly, I think it'd have been better to divide seasons 1-5 into two cases as well. The holder inside the first case is not fixed inside but is pretty snug when the case is closed. The second case is a standard 8-disc double-thick amaray case. The episode lists are printed on the reverse side of the artwork, which can be seen through the clear cases. The artwork for this release is classy and well done. I have to admit, I never cared for the artwork in the 2012 season set reissues, finding them way too kitschy for the show. This set looks much nicer and classier. Finally, the price. At the MSRP of $80, it's great. But after tax, I paid $40. That's less than it would have cost me to buy the remaining five sets I needed at Amazon's current price of about $10 per season, as I had previously purchased the 2012 releases of the first two seasons. You can't argue with $40 for 131 episodes of I Love Lucy plus all 13 of the Comedy Hour specials. Especially with the wealth of bonus material (even without the bonus DVD), uncut restored episodes, great video and audio quality. One thing that would have truly sent this over the top would have been a bonus DVD with all of the colorized episodes to date, but for the content and price, I'm not complaining. This set was a great purchase. As a Hulu subscriber, I was happy to find the show on there, but disappointed to find some great episodes missing, not to mention the lack of the Comedy Hour specials. Now I have every episode whenever I want, with or without an internet connection.

I'm not going to comment on the quality of the I Love Lucy shows. I do not feel that this is the place for that. Instead, the quality of the DVDs, packaging, etc. is what should be reviewed. First, the packaging was a bit overdone but still delivered the important content, the DVDs themselves, in excellent condition. Inside the fancy outer plastic case were two accordion fold folders that contained the DVDs. I've seen reviewers complain that their disks were damaged by the folders and would have preferred jewel cases for each DVD. My DVDs were in excellent condition and I'm glad they were not in jewel cases because they would have taken up ten or more times the amount of room. The box with the folders keeps everything corralled in a minimal amount of space. If they had eliminated the big cardboard heart on top, it would have been even more compact. The content on the DVDs was excellent! The first disk was a bonus disk I didn't watch because I wanted to dive into the series. I'm glad I did because much of what is on it is also found on the other disks. Others may feel it is all worth watching. The episodes were all digitally remastered and, whenever possible, deleted footage was restored. The picture was clear and sharp, better than anything I've ever seen on TV. Each disk also contains bonus features, such as original openings and closings which had been deleted when edited for reruns because of the advertising content or to allow more room for commercials, "flubs," behind the scenes notes, guest star credits (with bios), and an episode of Lucy's radio show, "My Favorite Husband." If the only available replacement for missing footage was of too poor a quality to include with the episode, the missing footage was included separately in the bonus section. The bonus section of each disk is well worth watching. The only complaints I have was occasionally some of the clothing the actors wore would have fine lines or dots which would create moiré patterns on screen which would make the clothing appear iridescent or even flashing at times. I feel the editors could have taken a little more time to eliminate, or at least reduce, these. It didn't happen often but it still was a bit distracting. Two or three episodes had a scene or two that briefly displayed unnecessary Spanish subtitles. If I wanted to see Spanish subtitles, I would have selected them. A few episodes were preceded with a written announcement In Spanish. My high school Spanish is rather rusty (more like corroded) but it appeared they were apologizing that they didn't have Spanish subtitles or dubbing for the following episode. I feel that should have been shown only if Spanish had been selected. I feel these are very minor complaints, especially in light of the excellent quality of everything else. Considering the number of disks, the amazingly high quality of the video, and the bonus material included, this set is an incredible bargain.

The complete series, all the episodes that introduced me to the world of television. I loved Lucy, even as a little boy. I had a subscription to Paramount, so that is how I used to watch this. It was "I Love Lucy" that created the Sitcom genre, and in many ways is still the best. Now I can watch anytime I want!

DVD set owned four and a half years by date of this review. Certainly no true fan of Lucille Ball and 'I Love Lucy' needs to be convinced to get this set since you are likely a die hard fan who still watches the episodes on TV on various nostalgia type channels. With that said, I will confess I had this disk set on my wishlist for a period of eight months, as I initially balked at the over $200 price tag in 2011. Although I love Lucy, Ricky and the Mertzs enough to pay that much for owning all the episodes at home, I thought it was excessive at the time. So, for over an eight months period, I monitored the price as it fluctuated. Finally, in late November 2011, it was at $70.99 for literally like a minute and I jumped at the chance to purchase it right then and there. Even though I was sure I had seen all the episodes on TV Land and Nick-at-Night over the years, I was pleasantly surprised that in the entire collection of the show, there were about 10-12 episodes I had never seen. It was wonderful to watch these newly discovered (for me) episodes and of course, laugh out loud and smile at the TV as I re-watched all the familiar classic ones. The DVD set itself comes in a beautiful and thoughtfully packaged heart shape box, that is within a rectangular clear hard plastic shell. All CDs were present and in mint condition. Of course, each episode has all the charm, laughs and love that we all know the series to have so I won't go into those details. However, I do want to point out how fantastic the picture quality is and how wonderful the special features and extras are. Each disk is filled with good features that further shed light into the making off, backstory and insider production tidbits and mistakes that you may not know of. I love Lucy and I know you do too, so I don't recommend you wait for the price of this set to go down if price is the only reason you may not want to purchase it now or why you are reading reviews on it. If you do though, rest assured when you finally get it, it is a fantastic addition to any classic TV collection. It is an absolute gem and I continue to play the disks consistently throughout each year I've owned it.

Good quality , easy prompt, good price

The price is unbeatable. Definition of “bang for the buck.” However, this munificent 33 disc set which was manufactured in Germany was not quality checked and included a duplicate disc and is missing a disc with one of the most iconic episodes “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” or more commonly known as the “Vitameatavegamin" episode. Also “The Indian Show” episode was defective. All that aside, the classic series is still relevant and laugh-out-loud funny, and it initiated the seminal sitcom framework and template that current sitcoms still steal from. In short, the comedic formula and timing never goes out of style, and Desi Arnaz’s genius and tenacity to shoot it on film using a 3-camera system has preserved this gem for generations to come. The whole cast and guest stars were immense talents, and as I watch these classic episodes, I have newfound respect for the equal and innovative talents of Desi Arnaz. Although some may disagree and even Arnaz himself gave Lucy 90% of the credit for the show’s success, I think the show would have lasted only one season had it not been for his show business acumen, instinct and authentic and gifted charm that Arnaz brought to the show. In this respect, Arnaz playing the sane man opposite Lucy’s crazy ideas is pure magic, which leads me to the extraordinary writer and producer talents of Jess Oppenheimer. He gets the lion’s share of the applause in my book, and I cannot stress and underscore this fact alone. You also cannot undermine the talents of Vivian Vance and William Frawley that completed this gifted cast. I also have to give a nod to CBS for keeping the show alive over the years, and I have read they consider it to be one of their most precious assets. This show is a classic, and that is why the series outlived the cast and live audience that participated at that time, and it will also outlive all of us and still be as fresh as yesterday for decades to come.

I Love Lucy: The Complete Series [1951-60] is 34 DVDs worth of unbridled laughter packaged in a thin, colorful clear-plastic outer shell. Upon opening, six of these discs crashed to the floor. I learned why: The DVDs get housed in an incredibly flimsy box, and what passes for the lid of this box fell to the floor as well, because there's no hinge, or even paper tape to hold the lid, such as it is, in place. I would rather that the studio had spent an extra $3-5/set wholesale, (thus $7-10 cost to us), in order to give the 34 discs the same kind of higher-quality casing that the series M*A*S*H* comes in. A series this funny not only deserves it, it demands it! I believe that Lucille Ball would be most unhappy to see the best of her life's work packaged as poorly as this set is. Fortunately, I have a solution for you. You should pick up a 36-disc holder along with this order. As of this writing, you can get one for $10.73 here on Amazon, or as little as $8.15 from one of Amazon's dealers. That way, you'll have room for the 34 DVDs and the most-excellently written booklet about "I Love Lucy" that comes with the set. IF, heaven forbid, you're unfamiliar with this show, look up "I Love Lucy", the factory episode on YouTube. (Season 2, Episode 4 on this boxed set). It so greatly illustrates the sheer perfect genius of this program's scriptwriters as well as the acting and brilliant comic timing amongst Lucy (Lucille Ball), Ricky (Desi Arnaz), Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance), and the show's resident curmudgeon, Fred Mertz, (William Frawley). Fact: Ricky and Lucy are married in real life, and, though the neighbor-couple characters, Fred and Ethel are not, you'd never know that based on their performances. To be sure, some scripts have the "boys" say things to the "girls" that are groan-worthy sexism by today's standards, and Lucy regularly mocks her husband's triple-thick Cuban accent in ways that would have Latino groups marching in the streets to protest. Still, "I Love Lucy" is quite clearly ahead for its time, by giving us an early peek at "women's' lib", if you will. That is, if Lucy and Ethyl tangle with Ricky and Fred, you may rest assured that the ladies will outwit the fellows every single time. At the end of the "Factory" episode, for example, Lucy and Ethel win the argument with Ricky and Fred, fairly and squarely. What Ricky and Fred do by way of apology, though, must be seen to be believed... Razor-sharp comedy at its best, all 194 episodes, and more! If you've read this far and haven't put "I Love Lucy (The Complete Series)" in your Amazon shopping cart yet, don't wait any longer. Get it now!

I am very impressed with this. The video uality is outstandingly clear, appearing to be in high definition, which is remarkable for a DVD format that is limited to standard definition. Furthermore, the audio has been expertly restored and sounds as if it were recorded recently. My sincere thanks to everyone involved for this wonderful gift.

Megasnelle levering vanuit de UK. Woensdag besteld en zaterdag in huis. Terwijl bezorgdatum op dinsdag stond; wat ik ook al snel had gevonden. 2 mooie dozen met 29 dvd’s van ‘I Love Lucy’ erin. Super!

Very hilarious and refreshing sitcom.

This is a golden show from the age that they call the golden age of television. It ran on tv from 1951 till 1957 and was a household favourite. It starred Lucille Ball and her then husband Desi Arnaz.It was all about a cuban bandleader and his wife who tried every week to get into show business in spite of her husbands protestations.Their best friends were the Mertzes who owned the apartment block in which they lived played by Vivian Vance and William Frawley.There were 181 episodes made in black and white. There are plenty of bonus material including original opening and closing credits.Commercials with Desi and Lucy coming out before and after the show to promote these products. There are flubs were the actors forget their lines or something is in the frame of the camera that shouldn't be there.Lots of production notes about what went on behind the scenes and radio shows which Lucille Ball did before it went over to TV. It was called My Favourite Husband which had Richard Denning as her husband. Richard Denning would later go on to play the Governor of Hawaii in "Hawaii Five 0" which ran from 1968 till1980. But when it transitioned to TV Lucille Ball wanted her real husband to play the part. The network was against it as they said no one would believe that she was married to a Cuban. She pointed out that she was married to a cuban in real life. They had to make a pilot episode with their own money to show the networks who then went with the idea and with that tv history was made. This is a really funny show even though some of Lucys antics can become a bit annoying at times. But in all they are terrific. I found myself laughing out loud at most of the episodes. Some of my favourites are the ones were the Ricardo's go to Hollywood when Desi auditions for a screen test to be in a movie. A lot of famous stars appear in these episodes including William Holden who gets a cake trust in his face, Richard Widmark when Lucy breaks into his home after leaving the tour bus going past the stars homes and John Wayne whose footprints she steals from outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre. In these times of pandemics and war here is a show that is over 70 years old and still makes people laugh today. Now that is golden. There were a further 3 seasons from 1957 to 1960 that were made which were expanded to an hour and were specials that was called The Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Show which are available on another set of DVD's and are not included here. But beware that these later DVD's are region 1 only and are only playable on a modified DVD player which plays region 1 DVD's.

Classic show, but please know the DVD box that you're getting is not the one pictured above, it's just the basic box set, not the one shape like a heart, did DVDs are difficult to get out but you do get the classic show every episode,

大変満足。かつて生活していた往年のアメリカ社会が懐かしい。Lucy と Desi は、実生活でも夫婦であったので、言い古された表現だが、息が合っていて小気味いい。 ただ、DVD の再生に region の制約があるのを知らず、商品を受け取った後、再生できず大慌て。これまでの購入品（輸入品）の再生に問題が無かったので、region code の存在に全く気が付かなかった。このようなことが起きないために、今後、region code をもっとはっきり表示してほしい。