To be honest, I have not watched NBC’s Will & Grace on a regular basis since its original run. About four or five seasons in, I lost interest when the participation of scene stealer Shelley Morrison as Karen’s (Megan Mullally) maid Rosario was limited. Then there were the four main characters — Eric McCormack as Will, Debra Messing as Grace, Sean Hayes as Jack, and Mullally’s aforementioned Karen — who were just not evolving.
Naturally, I was curious when Will & Grace was rebooted three seasons ago, which at the time suddenly seemed refreshed. But the absence of the great Ms. Morrison (who chose not to return) was still obvious. And, again, I began to wonder why this foursome, now 50-something, still often acted, well, like complete fools. It just wasn’t funny anymore.
Flash to this evening and it was time for a revisit of Will & Grace in the episode titled “We Love Lucy,” which paid homage to the legendary sitcom I Love Lucy. While the cynic in me kept the expectations low, it was sheer joy and truly hilarious watching Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes impersonate everyone’s favorite redhead, Lucille Ball, as they recreated iconic scenes from three beloved episodes: “Lucy Does a TV Commercial,” “Job Switching” and “Lucy’s Italian Movie.”
Eric McCormick was the straight man of sorts impersonating Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo throughout the episode.
Up first was Messing, who absolutely nailed Lucy’s comical mannerisms getting drunk on “Vitameatavegamin.” Even myself, a self-proclaimed I Love Lucy connoisseur, could not tell it was really not Lucy at one point. And what a hoot is was seeing Hayes in drag on that assembly line in the chocolate factory opposite Messing, in this scene, as Ethel Mertz. The added bonus was Lucie Arnaz impersonating Lucy and Ethel’s stern boss at Kramer’s Kandy Kitchen. Speed it up!
While Messing was the standout impersonating Lucy, Mullally in her cartoonish Karen voice as Lucy in that oversized vat brawling, this time, with Leslie Jordan (Karen’s nemesis Beverley Leslie on Will & Grace), was an unexpected twist on this beloved scene.With only two episodes of Will & Grace left (it officially ends on April 23), I think I will now stick around to see what happens. As I do every day, now more so than ever before, I will also make it a point to watch an episode of I Love Lucy. In these troubled times, we all need some form of escape. And in this delightful “We Love Lucy” installment of Will & Grace, I was not even thinking of this current pandemic. Nor were you, I bet.
