Lucy's move to NBC didn't actually produce any hits for the network, but it did produce one real pilot (not "The Music Mart") in 1981 that was directed by Lucille Ball, "Bungle Abbey," a quirky sitcom about a monastery inhabited by out-of-the-ordinary monks. The pilot starred Charlie Callas, Guy Marks, Gino Conforti, Graham Jarvis, Peter Palmer, and Gale Gordon. Gino Conforti later said that the series would have never worked, and that it was a challenge to write enough material for the one pilot episode, but it was still fun to do. Although promising, Lucy's controversial move to NBC only resulted in this one special, the "Bungle Abbey" pilot, and several guest appearances on Bob Hope specials.
Lucille Ball started her television career on CBS, where "I Love Lucy," "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy" all aired. Her first five TV specials after the end of "Here's Lucy" in 1974 were also for CBS. Her final sitcom, "Life With Lucy" in 1986, was aired on ABC, meaning Lucille Ball appeared on all three major networks throughout her career.
The famous NBC 3-note chime tones are integrated into the opening theme music. The special utilizes a laugh track.
In 2003 writer Hal Kanter appeared in the TV documentary "Lucy: TV's Comedy Queen." He also produced "Lucy Moves to NBC." Robert O'Brien had written 54 episodes of "The Lucy Show," 24 of "Here's Lucy," and the 1975 special "Lucy Gets Lucky." Director Jack Donohue also served in the same capacity for "Lucy Gets Lucky," as well as helming 107 episodes of "The Lucy Show," and 35 of "Here's Lucy." He made on-camera appearances on several episodes of the shows he directed.
Unlike Ball's previous specials, this one ran 90 minutes (73 minutes without commercials) rather than an hour. The special is clearly divided into two sections, the last half hour devoted solely to Lucy's sitcom pilot "The Music Mart." Whether this was to be an actual pilot for a new series or not is unclear. There are no credits, but the show-within-the-show lasts nearly 26 minutes, the average length of time (in 1980) of a television half hour without commercials. During "The Music Mart" the action never shifts back to Lucy at NBC. Only after the sitcom pilot concludes is there a brief tag in Lucy's NBC office.