I Love Lucy is the classic American TV show considered by many to be the most influential sitcom in television history. The show ran from 1951 to 1957 and aired 180 episodes over 6 seasons.
The show is set in an apartment building in New York City, and the story revolves around the life of Lucille Ricardo (played by Lucille Ball) and Ricky Ricardo (played by Desi Arnaz). Their landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz, and best friends make up the supporting cast in most of the episodes.
In the show, Lucy is an aspiring performance artist who wants to rise to stardom, and her husband Ricky is a Cuban-American singer whose band is quickly gaining popularity at nightclubs in the city. The dynamic between Ricky and Lucy is the glue that holds the show together, but the show features Lucille Ball’s talents in physical comedy.
I Love Lucy had a unique story, but it’s what happened behind the scenes that made the show so influential. At the time, most productions were shot live in New York City or Hollywood and then rebroadcast with kinescopes on the opposite coast (videotape and cable were not available at the time).
However, some tv shows were starting to shoot on 35mm film just like the movies. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz demanded from executive producers that the show was shot this way to ensure the highest quality production.
They also used a modern technique of the time by filming with three cameras simultaneously. In addition, they renovated two studios to allow a live studio audience to be present at every taping. The three camera setup with a live studio audience set a standard for sitcom production that is still used today.
Without a doubt, I Love Lucy is classic American television, and I would recommend any ESL student revisit some of the classic episodes to get a taste of American culture from that era.
