Ep 30. The Sublease

In I Love Lucy season 3 episode 30, titled "The Sublease," Lucy and Ricky face a housing dilemma when their landlord raises the rent of their apartment. Desperate to find a solution, they decide to sublease their apartment to someone else and search for a cheaper place to live. However, the potential subtenant turns out to be a bit of a wild card and makes Lucy and Ricky's lives a lot more complicated.

As they show the apartment to various interested parties, Lucy and Ricky encounter strange characters like a gym enthusiast who refuses to take the elevator and a man who thinks he's a cowboy. They eventually settle on a mild-mannered man named Mr. Beecher, but quickly realize his calm demeanor masks some unusual behaviors. He insists on living in the apartment exactly as it is, going so far as to sleep in Lucy and Ricky's bed and using their toothbrushes.

Lucy and Ricky try to kick Mr. Beecher out, but he fights back by taking them to court, claiming they breached their agreement. As the trial unfolds, Lucy becomes more and more paranoid about Mr. Beecher's strange behavior and fears he may be a criminal. To top it all off, a pregnant Ethel goes into labor in the middle of the trial, causing chaos in the courtroom.

As the episode comes to a close, Lucy and Ricky realize they can't afford to go to another trial and decide to make amends with Mr. Beecher. They come up with a solution that satisfies everyone, allowing them to keep their apartment and avoid any further legal troubles.

Overall, "The Sublease" is a classic example of I Love Lucy's slapstick humor and situational comedy. The episode highlights the challenges of finding affordable housing in a big city and the absurdity that can arise when subletting an apartment. Fans of the show will enjoy watching Lucy and Ricky's misadventures unfold as they try to navigate this tricky situation.