The Mothers-In-Law: I Haven't Got a Secret (1968)
Season 1, Episode 26
8/10
The Silent Blabbermouth
26 December 2016
A telephone call brings fantastic news to the Buell household. One of the networks wants to create a new television soap opera series from a script by Roger (Roger C. Carmel). Kaye (Kaye Ballard) is sure they will become millionaires and wants to tell everyone, especially Eve (Eve Arden). A nervously exited Roger warns Kaye that, in show business, bad luck can jinx a deal before the final contract is signed. Forbidden to share the good news with a soul, Kaye uses the game Charades in an attempt to tell Eve. Very quickly, Eve is playing Charades with Herb (Herbert Rudley). The title "I Haven't Got a Secret" is a swipe of the game show "I've Got a Secret"...

Producer-director Desi Arnaz delivers a near-perfect half-hour of comedy with this one, written by Peggy Dick. It's difficult to believe NBC was considering canceling "The Mother-In-Law" by the time this aired. While more than acceptable by most standards, the ratings disappointed the network. Perhaps they expected Lucille Ball-levels. It's also evident that, while very skillfully presented, this series was mostly a recycling of ideas from previous Lucy-Desi shows. Audiences may have felt they'd seen many of these situations before and preferred Lucy, Vivien Vance and their TV characters. Still, this episode of "The Mothers-In-Law" is very funny.

******** I Haven't Got a Secret (3/17/68) Desi Arnaz ~ Kaye Ballard, Eve Arden, Roger C. Carmel, Herbert Rudley
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