Ann Sothern was being considered as a replacement for Vivian Vance when the latter announced her departure from the show at the end of Season 3. Things did not work out due to the fact Sothern demanded co-star billing with Lucy, but the chemistry was never as strong as it had been with Viv anyway.
I liked Ann Sothern better in her own two series although she does manage to make her haughty Countess character here likeable when she's just being "plain 'ol Rosie Harrigan". This is probably my favorite of all her appearances, even though it's not really a great episode. I do love the opening scene just for the eye-popping easter egg colors of the ladies' nightgowns - both look amazing here.
Mr. Mooney wants to use the Countess to generate publicity for an upstart fat farm he fronted money to that is now struggling. Lucy bribes him into paying them $200 each for the favor, but they in turn, must endure the fitness and diet regimen.
Today's body-positive crowd would have this episode "canceled" for sure, as there are plenty of fat jokes and sight gags involving, shall we say... women of a "certain size". Lucy has a great line about a buffalo stampede. One odd thing -- there's a stick-like woman in the group who resembles Popeye's girlfriend Olive Oyl. It is never explained what she's doing there since she's thin enough already.
It's fun seeing all the antiquated 1960s exercise equipment and there is a funny tug-of-war bit, but it doesn't go on very long. All the gags here are pretty rapid-fire. The best part comes near the end when Lucy has to milk a cow and Rosie ends up drinking milk straight from the teat! It is kind of shocking to see them doing this on a mid-60s sitcom, especially when Sothern yells "Shoot the juice to me, Luce!". It gets a huge reaction from the audience though.
7/10 -- Gains an extra star for the cow-miking scene.
I liked Ann Sothern better in her own two series although she does manage to make her haughty Countess character here likeable when she's just being "plain 'ol Rosie Harrigan". This is probably my favorite of all her appearances, even though it's not really a great episode. I do love the opening scene just for the eye-popping easter egg colors of the ladies' nightgowns - both look amazing here.
Mr. Mooney wants to use the Countess to generate publicity for an upstart fat farm he fronted money to that is now struggling. Lucy bribes him into paying them $200 each for the favor, but they in turn, must endure the fitness and diet regimen.
Today's body-positive crowd would have this episode "canceled" for sure, as there are plenty of fat jokes and sight gags involving, shall we say... women of a "certain size". Lucy has a great line about a buffalo stampede. One odd thing -- there's a stick-like woman in the group who resembles Popeye's girlfriend Olive Oyl. It is never explained what she's doing there since she's thin enough already.
It's fun seeing all the antiquated 1960s exercise equipment and there is a funny tug-of-war bit, but it doesn't go on very long. All the gags here are pretty rapid-fire. The best part comes near the end when Lucy has to milk a cow and Rosie ends up drinking milk straight from the teat! It is kind of shocking to see them doing this on a mid-60s sitcom, especially when Sothern yells "Shoot the juice to me, Luce!". It gets a huge reaction from the audience though.
7/10 -- Gains an extra star for the cow-miking scene.
