It’s hardly any surprise that The Lucy Show in many ways directly follows I Love Lucy. Each episode feels familiar in tone and style, with Lucy causing mischief, Vivian going along, and both struggling to find a way out.
Obviously, given the enormous success of I Love Lucy, the formula worked. Episode titles in The Lucy Show can immediately tell you what to expect. “Lucy Buys a Sheep,” “Lucy Drives a Dump Truck,” and “Lucy and Vivian Put in a Shower” make you wonder what could possibly go wrong. With Lucy, the obvious answer is everything.
Despite playing new characters, both Lucy and Vivian carry their personalities over to the new series intact. Despite the lack of male companionship (Lucy is widowed, Vivian divorced, the latter a first for a TV series), numerous male characters do appear on the show, typically walking in the front door without a care in the world. This is undoubtedly a show taking place in a bygone era.
The first seasons, at least the ones with Vivian Vance as a co-star, are a no-brainer for devoted Lucy followers. An extended wait for a DVD release makes this set an easier buy yet, as these remain the highlight of this six-season series. 
CBS has done a fine job with this series on DVD, presenting a crisp image. Various specks and dirt appear on the prints in every episode, although the damage is minimal. Grain can spike, but is otherwise natural and unobtrusive. It gives this series a fine texture (which was shot on 35MM like many shows of the day), and the disc handles it without excessive noise.
Contrast and black levels perform admirably. Difficult objects for DVD, including plaid coats and complex backgrounds, are handled without aliasing or distortion.
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