Ep 13. Lucy Conducts the Symphony

Lucy Conducts the Symphony is the thirteenth episode of the second season of The Lucy Show, a popular American sitcom that aired on CBS in the 1960s. The show starred Lucille Ball, who was also its producer, as Lucy Carmichael, a widowed mother of two children who often gets into comedic situations with her best friend and co-worker Vivian Bagley, played by Vivian Vance.

In this episode, Lucy decides to volunteer to conduct her son's school's symphony orchestra, much to the dismay of the regular conductor, who is going on vacation and needs to find a replacement. Lucy, who knows nothing about music or conducting, thinks it will be a fun and easy job, but soon realizes that it is much more challenging than she expected.

The episode begins with Lucy and Vivian taking a tour of the school with their sons, Jerry and Sherman. When they see the orchestra room, Lucy becomes excited and tells the conductor, Mr. Henderson, that she wants to conduct the orchestra while he is away. Mr. Henderson, who is reluctant to leave his beloved orchestra in the hands of an inexperienced person, tries to dissuade her, but Lucy is determined and insists that she will do a great job.

After Mr. Henderson leaves, Lucy starts her conducting lessons with the help of Jerry, who is a member of the orchestra and knows how to play the violin. Lucy's attempts to conduct the orchestra are hilarious as she struggles to keep time and understand musical terms like allegro, fortissimo, and crescendo. Despite her failures, Lucy remains confident that she will succeed and impress everyone.

The day of the performance arrives, and Lucy is nervous but excited to showcase her talent as a conductor. However, things take a turn for the worse when she forgets her notes and loses her place during the performance, causing the orchestra to play out of sync and ruining the concert. The audience is visibly disappointed, and Mr. Henderson is furious with Lucy for ruining his reputation and the school's orchestra.

Feeling ashamed and embarrassed, Lucy decides to do something to make it up to Mr. Henderson and the orchestra members. She comes up with a plan to organize a benefit concert to raise money for new music stands for the orchestra. Lucy, Vivian, and the orchestra members work tirelessly to prepare for the concert, which turns out to be a huge success and raises enough money to buy new music stands.

In the end, Mr. Henderson forgives Lucy, and the orchestra members are grateful for her efforts to make things right. Lucy learns a valuable lesson about the importance of hard work, dedication, and humility, and Jerry is proud of his mom for her willingness to admit her mistakes and make things right.

Overall, Lucy Conducts the Symphony is a fun and entertaining episode that showcases Lucille Ball's comedic talent and her ability to make audiences laugh. The episode also has a heartwarming message about the importance of perseverance and making amends for one's mistakes.