“I Love Lucy” ~ Season 2

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A handy dandy guide to helping you find your favorite episode blogs here at Papermoon Loves Lucy. Click on the hyperlinks to be taken directly to that episode’s trivia, background, and bloopers!

“Job Switching” (S2;E1) ~ September 15, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 30, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 64.4/60

“The Saxophone” (S2;E2) ~ September 22, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed June 6, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 67.5/65

“The Anniversary Present” (S2;E3) ~ September 29, 1952

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Directed by Marc Daniels. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 9, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 69.1/66 

“The Handcuffs” (S2;E4) ~ October 6, 1952

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Directed by Marc Daniels. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 16, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 67.7/64

“The Operetta” (S2;E5) ~ October 13, 1952

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Directed by Marc Daniels. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 23, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 64.5/62

“Vacation from Marriage” (S2;E6) ~ October 27, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed August 1, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 66.8/90

“The Courtroom” (S2;E7) ~ November 10, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed August 8, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 66.5/91

“Redecorating” (S2;E8) ~ November 24, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed August 15, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: N/A

“Ricky Loses His Voice” (S2;E9) ~ December 1, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed August 22, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 74.1/91

“Lucy Is Enceinte” (S2;E10) ~ December 8, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 3, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 67.7/87

“Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable” (S2;E11) ~ December 15, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 10, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 68.1/92

“Lucy’s Show-Biz Swan Song” (S2;E12) ~ December 22, 1952

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Directed by William Asher.  Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 17, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 64.9/90 

“Lucy Hires an English Tutor” (S2;E13) ~ December 29, 1952

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 24, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 68.1/91

“Ricky Has Labor Pains” (S2;E14) ~ January 5, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed October 31, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 71.7/91 

“Lucy Becomes a Sculptress” (S2;E15) ~ January 12, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Davis, and Bob Carroll Jr. Filmed November 7, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 66.6/88

“Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (S2;E16) ~ January 19, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr.  Filmed November 14, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 71.8/92

“Sales Resistance” (S2;E17) ~ January 26, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed August 29, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 71.3/92

“The Inferiority Complex” (S2;E18) ~ February 3, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 6, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 69.9/90

“The Club Election” (S2;E19) ~ February 16, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed on September 12, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 69.0/92

“The Black Eye” (S2;20) ~ March 9, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 15, 1952 at General Service Studios. Rating: 67.5/92

“Lucy Changes Her Mind” (S2;E21) ~ March 30, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed September 26, 1952 at General Service Studio. Rating: 65.6/89

“No Children Allowed” (S2;E22) ~ April 20, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed March 20, 1953 at General Service Studios. Rating 68.3 / 89 

“Lucy Hires a Maid” (S2;E23) ~ April 27, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed on March 27, 1953 at General Service Studio. Rating: 67.8/91 

“The Indian Show” (S2;E24) ~ May 4, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed April 3, 1953 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 63.8/90

“Lucy’s Last Birthday” (S2;E25) ~ May 11, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed April 16, 1953 at General Service Studios. Rating: 56.7/86

“The Ricardos Change Apartments” (S2;E26) ~ May 18, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed April 16, 1953 at General Service Studio. Rating: 60.5/98

“Lucy Is Matchmaker” (S2;E27) ~ May 25, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed April 25, 1953 at General Service Studios.

“Lucy Wants New Furniture” (S2;E28) ~ June 1, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 1, 1953 at General Service Studios. Rating: 59.6/90 

“The Camping Trip” (S2;E29) ~ June 8, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 8, 1953 at General Service Studio. Rating: 51.5/58

“Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans” (S2;E30) ~ June 22, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 1, 1953 at General Service Studios. Rating: 59.6/90

“Never Do Business With Friends” (S2;E31) ~ June 29, 1953

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Directed by William Asher. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr. Filmed May 29, 1953 at General Service Studios. Rating: 41.8/83 

SEASON SUMMARY

  • The season ended #1 in the ratings, up from #3 for the premiere season. The overall rating share rose from 50.9 to 67.3, an increase of 7.4 points. 
  • To accommodate Lucille Ball’s pregnancy leave, the season started earlier than any other (September 15, 1952) and ended later (June 29, 1953). 
  • There were 31 new episodes.
  • The highest rated episode was “Ricky Loses His Voice” (E9) with a 74.1.  This was also the highest rated episode of the series. 
  • The lowest rated episode was “Never Do Business With Friends (E31) with a 41.8. This low rating may be due to airing extremely late in the season – June 29th. 
  • In “The Handcuffs” (E4) Paul Dubov played Jerry the Agent, a role previously played by Jerry Hausner. Hausner resumed the role in “Lucy’s Show-Biz Swan Song” (E11). 
  • Recurring Characters Introduced: Jule (played by Herb Vigran), Little Ricky (played by James John Ganzer, Ronald Lee Simmons, Richard Lee Simmons), Lillian [later Caroline] Appleby (played by Doris Singleton), Grace Munson (played by Hazel Pierce, later played by Ruth Brady), Marion Strong (played by Margie Liszt, later played by Shirley Mitchell), Pauline Lopus (played by Peggy Rea), Mrs. Matilda Trumbull (played by Elizabeth Patterson), Marge (played by Charlotte Lawrence), Tropicana Head Waiter (played by William Hamel).
  • Guest Stars Playing Themselves: Pepito Perez aka Pepito the Clown.
  • Guest Actors Playing Characters: Elvia Allman (Candy Factory Foreman), Gloria Blondell (Grace Foster), Arthur Q. Bryan (Mr. Chambers), Hans Conried (Percy Livermore & Dan Jenkins), Sheldon Leonard (Harry Martin), Herb Vigran (Joe, the Washing Machine Repairman), Will Wright (Mr. Walters, the Locksmith), Moroni Olsen (Judge), Charles Lane (Mr. Stanley), Verna Felton (Mrs. Simpsons / Mrs. Porter), Frank Nelson (Henry the Waiter / Sergeant Nelson), Norma Varden (Mrs. Benson), Allen Jenkins (Officer Jenkins), Hal March (Eddie Grant).
  • An average of 7,500 feet of film was shot per episode, for a total of 232,500 feet of film for season 2
  • Total Binge Hours for Season 2: 15.5 hours (with commercials); 12.4 hours (without commercials)
  • Papermoon’s Full Moon Pick: “The Operetta” (E4)
  • Papermoon’s Half Moon Pick: "Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable” (E11)
  • In 1996, TV Guide included “Job Switching” (E1) as part of its "100 Most Memorable Moments in TV History”, ranking it # 2. In the 2013 Paley Center for Media television special “TV’s Funniest of the Funniest” the candy factory scene was ranked first among the 30 funniest moments in TV history. 

  • It is estimated that 72% of the American public who owned a television tuned in to see the birth of Little Ricky in “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (E16). More viewers saw this episode than the coronation of Queen Elizabeth or the 1952 Presidential Conventions. 

  • Colorized episodes: “Job Switching” (E1)

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