Top 10 ‘I Love Lucy’ Episodes, According to Fans on IMDB
Even for a show as iconic as I Love Lucy, some episodes stand out more than others―and the folks over at IMDB agree! While we have our own list of the top I Love Lucy episodes, here are the top 10 most highly rated by IMDB users.
1. Season 4, Episode 16 – “L.A. At Last!”
What happens when Lucy bumps into none other than William Holden at the Brown Derby restaurant? Chaos, of course! And, in Mr. Holden’s case, a face full of pie. Embarrassed, Lucy is none too pleased when Ricky brings Holden back to the apartment to meet Lucy. She dons a giant fake nose of Pinocchio-esque proportions, and her disguise goes up in flames. Literally. Actor and comedian Jack Benny considered this episode such a perfectly executed comedy that he arranged for his writing staff to see it in a special screening at Desilu Studios. IMDB fans must agree with Mr. Benny’s assessment since it’s the most highly-rated episode on the platform with 9.5 out of 10 stars.
2. Season 1, Episode 30 – “Lucy Does a TV Commercial”
Any I Love Lucy list that doesn’t feature the iconic “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” must not be very well-researched. Not only did this episode rank second on TV Guide’s 1997 list of the “100 Greatest TV Episodes of All Time”, but it was Lucille Ball’s favorite episode. All it takes is one viewing of the iconic “Vitameatavegamin” scene to see why! Lucy is over the moon after she lands a job filming a commercial for Vitameatavegamin. The only problem? The foul-tasting concoction contains 23% alcohol. TV fans everywhere know what happens next. “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” currently sits at 9.5 out of 10 stars on IMDB. One user hails it as “among the best of any series!” We couldn’t agree more!
3. Season 2, Episode 1 – “Job Switching”
Season 2 started with a bang! Or should we say…a conveyor belt? After Fred and Desi complain about the girls’ spending, the foursome agrees to trade duties. The boys take on all the housework while Lucy and Ethel go job hunting. The two girls score jobs at a chocolate factory, where they quickly learn that the chocolatier industry is no place for rookies. “Job Switching” sits only slightly below the previous entry on this list, with 9.4 out of 10 stars.
4. Season 5, Episode 23 – “Lucy’s Italian Movie”
We’re still in iconic episode territory! It’s no secret that Lucille Ball was a master of physical comedy, and “Lucy’s Italian Movie” proves exactly that! Some fans might know it as the episode where Lucy stomps grapes in a vat. What casual viewers might not realize is that the altercation between Lucy and her fellow grape stomper was real. “To drown in a vat of grapes was not the way I had planned to go,” Ball famously quipped later. While Ball may have suffered for her art, the episode is widely lauded as one of the best in the series. IMDB users agree, as “Lucy’s Italian Movie” sits at a 9.1 rating.
5. Season 5, Episode 5 – “The Great Train Robbery”
While not as instantly recognizable as some other entries on this list, “The Great Train Robbery” is rated 9.1 stars on IMDB. The episode’s premise reads like a humorous take on Agatha Christie. On the trip back to New York City, Lucy discovers a jewel thief is on board. To the surprise of no one, the result is pure, unadulterated hilarity. As one IMDB user notes: “Add in the physical comedy that makes I Love Lucy so great, plus some of the most memorable running gags and funniest lines in the whole series, and you have a bona fide classic episode.”
6. Season 4, Episode 28 – “Harpo Marx”
Is anyone surprised that Lucille Ball could hold her own against a Marx brother? Ball appears alongside the eponymous Harpo Max in this classic episode. What many viewers might not know is that it’s not the first time Lucy appeared on-screen with Harpo. They acted together in the 1938 Marx Brothers’ film Room Service. Watching the two comedians together makes us wish that they’d appeared in more projects together!” Harpo Marx” is rated 9 out of 10 stars on IMDB.
7. Season 5, Episode 2 – “Lucy and John Wayne”
Is there any stunt our favorite redhead won’t pull? According to this episode, the answer to that question is “no” after Lucy steals John Wayne’s footprints from Grauman’s Chinese Theater. How does she get herself out of the mess? By getting herself into more messes and making the situation even worse before it gets better! Fans on IMDB rated it 9 out of 10 stars.
8. Season 1, Episode 29 – “The Freezer”
Some classic sitcoms struggled to find their footing in the first season. I Love Lucy is not among them. The show started just as strongly as it ended, if not even more. Exhibit A: “The Freezer.” After Lucy buys a used walk-in freezer, she and Ethel underestimate just how much a “side” of beef is. Soon, they have 700 pounds of cow meat and even more problems. One thing leads to another, and Lucy gets trapped in the walk-in freezer. One IMDB user says of the episode: “From opening to ending, it’s full of knee-slapping laughter!” It’s truly one of I Love Lucy’s finest offerings, as evidenced by its 9-star rating on IMDB.
9. Season 4, Episode 13: “First Stop”
Who doesn’t love a good road trip? Especially when Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel are involved! They make the worst kind of vacation memories after they stop by a small-town diner, where the owner demands an arm and a leg for four dry sandwiches. Things go from bad to worse when they stumble upon their sleeping arrangements for the night. What they don’t know is that a train is set to go rumbling by their room, whereupon all four cast members exhibit their physical comedy skills! “First Stop” has 8.9 out of 10 stars on IMDB!
10. Season 2, Episode 10 – “Lucy Is Enceinte”
Producers were none too pleased when they learned Lucille Ball was pregnant with her second child around the show’s second season. Back then, the strict Hays Code wouldn’t let TV shows reference pregnancy. But that didn’t deter Lucille Ball or Desi Arnaz, who decided to incorporate Ball’s pregnancy into the show. Because the word “pregnant” wasn’t allowed on TV at that time, characters instead had to say “expecting.” This episode sits at 8.9 out of 10 stars on IMDB.
Honorable Mentions
We couldn’t end this article without shouting out a few more iconic episodes! While these might not have made the top 10 on IMDB, they certainly claimed top billing in our Lucy-loving hearts!
Season 5, Episode 26 – “Return Home from Europe”
What happens when Lucy is bound and determined to bring home a huge block of cheese from the Europe trip? Well, this episode answers that question to hilarious effect!
Season 4, Episode 15 – “Ethel’s Hometown”
It’s not often that Ethel outdoes Lucy in the whacky department, but we get to see another side of Vivian Vance in this episode! Fun fact: actress Vivian Vance actually did begin her acting career in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Season 5, Episode 20 – “Lucy Gets a Paris Gown”
If you want to see Lucille Ball modeling a potato sack dress, then look no further than this episode. According to IMDB, one of the models who walks by the cafe is none other than Georgia Holt, the mother of the iconic superstar Cher. How’s that for a pop culture crossover?
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Originally published April 11, 2024
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