Most I Love Lucy episodes are rated quite well on IMDb. Unlike a lot of other shows, the poorest episode rating out of the entire series is 7.6. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are an indelible piece of television history. They’ve made generations laugh since the 1950s, and many of their sitcom episodes are watched time and time again.
No matter how celebrated a show or television personality may be, there might still be some episodes that don’t quite stand with the rest. Here are the 10 worst-rated episodes of I Love Lucy as per IMDb, with those 7.6 rankings at the end. Some (but not all) episodes of this show can be found on Hulu.
Drafted: 8
Season one, episode eleven is one of several that received an eight out of ten rating on IMDb. Lucy Ricardo likes to be in the know about everything, and Ricky is well aware of Lucy’s personality. He and Fred are planning a show for Fort Dix Army troops, but they don’t want Lucy to get in the way.
When Ricky and Fred don’t explain what they are doing, Lucy and Ethel piece together their idea that the men have been drafted, hence the title “Drafted.” It all turns into a big misunderstanding for Ricky and Fred, too. Watch to see what happens!
The Indin Show: 8
Lucy wants in on the act in a season two episode called “The Indian Show.” The name of this episode alone indicates that it is a product of a different time. The episode synopsis further shows insensitivity. Ricky is working on a Native American-themed show.
When Ricky does not ask Lucy to take part, she still manages to involve herself. The episode receives a higher rating than expected for the taboo depictions and stereotyping of indigenous peoples.
Lucy Hires An English Tutor: 8
Also in the second season, Lucy is planning for her and Ricky’s first baby. She grows concerned with the kinds of questions the baby may someday grow to ask, and she wants to be intellectually prepared.
Lucy’s focus shifts to Ricky’s Cuban accent. Her critiques of his accent are offensive, especially, “Our child is going to learn English.” When Lucy says, “first, we have to learn,” it seems pretty clear that she means Ricky needs to learn. Lucy hires a tutor for herself, Ethel, and Fred to practice “perfect English” with Ricky.
The Adagio: 7.9
In the season one episode “The Adagio,” Lucy tries again to be part of her husband’s show. This episode is problematic for the same reason season two’s “The Indian Show” is problematic.
This time, Lucy is auditioning to be a dancer in Ricky’s show. Ricky is talking about a dance step by the name of Apache, but Lucy starts imitating the Apache people. She later rehearses her dancing with a man who wants to romance her.
Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable: 7.9
This season two episode immediately follows “Lucy is Enceinte,” the episode where Lucy tells Ricky that she is having a baby. “Lucy is Enceinte” is famously controversial for the parameters of its time: no one on television could say the word “pregnant,” as reflected in the episode title (enceinte is French for “pregnant”).
Lucy was one of the first women to be shown onscreen as pregnant. “Pregnant Women are Unpredictable” follows Lucy preparing for the baby to arrive. She is seen bathing a baby doll for practice, and Ricky starts babying Lucy. He tries to cook and do chores, but Lucy becomes upset, thinking that he’s only interested in the baby. Of course, everyone is happy again by the end. It really is a sweet episode.
Lucy Plays Cupid: 7.8
Lucy tries to be the wing-woman for her neighbor, Miss Lewis, in season one’s “Lucy Plays Cupid.” The neighbor wants to go out with the grocer, so Lucy helps her out by passing along the invitation.
Lucy gets into one of her classic mix-ups when the grocer thinks that Lucy wants to go on a date with him. He is flattered. The opening scene also has a great quote from Miss Lewis: “Just ’cause there’s snow on the roof doesn’t mean there’s no fire in the furnace.”
The Marriage License: 7.8
Later in season one, Lucy has another storyline that revolves completely around a misunderstanding. She notices a spelling error on her marriage certificate. She jumps to conclusions and thinks that due to the mistake, her and Ricky’s marriage is not legal.
Lucy Goes To Scotland: 7.7
The season five episode where Lucy talks about traveling to Scotland is very well-known, but it has a pretty low rating compared to other episodes. Lucy’s maiden name is McGillicuddy, and she is of Scottish descent.
“Lucy Goes to Scotland” takes place in Lucy’s dream one night: after she goes to sleep, she has an outlandish and musical adventure looking for her mother’s relatives in Scotland. It is a little slow compared to the humor in most episodes, and it could have been a more interesting story.
Pilot Episode: 7.6
The pilot episode of I Love Lucy is the first example of Lucy getting in the middle of everything. Ricky does not want Lucy to audition for a TV show, but she makes it on anyway. According to IMDb, a clown is supposed to appear and suddenly cannot, so Lucy is the replacement.
The original pilot of I Love Lucy was believed to have been lost for nearly 40 years. It’s not readily available on the internet, but it sure would be neat to see the television beginnings of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo’s characters.
The Amateur Hour: 7.6
In this season one episode, Lucy wants to make some money, so she babysits a boy for $5 an hour, which was a big deal in her day. The boy’s family takes advantage of Lucy and sneaks in the boy’s twin.
Lucy ends up performing in an amateur hour show with the twins boys in hopes of winning the $100 prize.
