To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the beloved classic sitcom I Love Lucy, Paramount Home Entertainment has released a special Blu-ray box set titled I Love Lucy: The Complete Series on November 5, 2024. This marks the first time all 194 episodes of the iconic show have been made available on Blu-ray, providing fans with enhanced picture and sound quality for a truly immersive viewing experience.
Box Set Contents
The comprehensive collection includes 33 Blu-ray discs featuring:
- All six seasons of I Love Lucy (1951–1957), totaling 180 episodes.
- The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957–1960), restored and re-released under the name The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show, complete with original cast commercials.
- The episode Lucy and the Loving Cup, newly colorized and released on Blu-ray for the first time.
Special Features
This Blu-ray release offers numerous special features that enhance the classic show’s legacy:
- Newly colorized version of Lucy and the Loving Cup.
- Restored and reissued The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour with recovered missing scenes, including original cast commercials.
- Restoration of original opening and closing credits along with vintage cast commercials.
- Three restored flashback sequences originally used to introduce rerun episodes.
- A segment from the 1959 CBS special Eye on CBS, featuring Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance, released on home video for the first time.
- The original pilot episode of I Love Lucy, restored from the original 35mm kinescope.
- The film I Love Lucy: The Movie.
- Audio commentaries on selected episodes.
- Vintage radio broadcasts titled Lucy on The Radio.
- Outtakes and bloopers.
- Photo galleries, cast biographies, and production notes for seasons 1 and 2.
Purchase Information
The I Love Lucy: The Complete Series Blu-ray box set is priced at $99.99 and is available for purchase at major retailers.
Image Quality Notes
While the set has been praised for its overall restoration efforts, some fans have expressed concerns over the use of AI upscaling technology in the restoration process. Certain scenes appear overly enhanced, with unnatural details in close-ups that alter the actors’ appearances. Paramount has acknowledged the issue, explaining that facial enhancements were overdone in some background shots, and has promised to release an updated version to correct these problems.
Conclusion
The I Love Lucy: The Complete Series Blu-ray box set is a fantastic tribute to one of television’s most enduring sitcoms. With improved audio and video quality, along with an extensive array of special features, this collection offers a rich and nostalgic experience for both longtime fans and new viewers alike. Despite minor quality control issues, it remains an essential addition to any classic TV lover’s collection.
