Ep 19. The Ballet

Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel prepare for their trip to Europe and decide to take in a ballet in Paris. Lucy is filled with excitement, but is also nervous about seeing a ballet for the first time. When they arrive at the theater, the group discovers that they are late and rush to their seats. In their haste, Lucy accidentally sits on a man’s lap, mistaking him for a seat.

As the ballet begins, Lucy is enthralled by the grace and beauty of the dancers. However, she quickly becomes bored by the lack of dialogue and narrative. She leans over to Ricky and whispers, “When are they gonna talk?” Ricky shushes her, but Lucy persists, loudly commenting on the lack of action and plot.

After several disruptive outbursts, Lucy decides to get up and stretch her legs. She begins to dance along with the performers, causing a scene and drawing the attention of the entire audience. Embarrassed and ashamed, Lucy sits back down, only to discover that she has lost her shoe during her impromptu dance number.

The remainder of the ballet is filled with hijinks and mishaps as Lucy desperately tries to retrieve her shoe without disrupting the performance. She enlists the help of Fred and Ethel, but they too fall victim to Lucy’s clumsiness and bring attention to themselves.

When the performance finally ends, the group makes a quick escape. As they exit the theater, they are stopped by the owner of the shoe Lucy had sat on earlier. He hands Lucy her lost shoe and proceeds to compliment her on her “unique” approach to the ballet. Lucy is initially taken aback, but soon realizes that the man is a famous dance critic and that his compliment bodes well for her future as a performer.

Back at the hotel, Lucy excitedly tells Ricky about the dance critic’s words of encouragement and begins to dream about her future in show business. Ricky tries to come up with a plan to convince Lucy that her talents lie elsewhere, but ultimately gives in to her enthusiasm and agrees to help her pursue her dream of performing.

The episode ends with Lucy and Ricky humorously improvising a ballet routine of their own, with Lucy once again stealing the show with her funny and unorthodox style of dancing.

Overall, “The Ballet” is a lighthearted and entertaining episode that showcases Lucille Ball’s comedic acting skills and physical comedy talents. The episode is a testament to the enduring popularity and cultural significance of I Love Lucy, which remains a beloved and influential sitcom nearly 70 years after its original airing.