With the ending of this episode, the end of a comedy era has happened.
This episode marked the last time the Ricardo's, the Mertz's would be on-screen, and it was the last time Lucy & Desi would either work together on-screen, and - as their divorce proceedings began the very next day - the last time they'd be a real couple.
People come to the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour as a series as being a 'continuation' of I Love Lucy, although, as both tensions in the Ball/Arnaz marriage were ever-increasing, it led to the characters of Ricky having less screen time interacting with Lucy, and a much heavier reliance on celebrities, including Fred MacMurray, June Haver, Tallulah Bankhead, many more, and including in this episode of course, Edie Adams & Ernie Kovács in this last episode.
This 'Lucy meets (fill-in-celebs-name)'formula would be relied on much heavier in the successive Lucy series, The Lucy Show, an most annoyingly on Here's Lucy - the NADIR of this. I won't even count Life With Lucy.
It's been said many places, the stress of the imploding Ball/Arnaz marriage, and it's ending just the next day, is seen in the swollen, red eyes of Lucy, as Edie sings the poignant, 'That's All.' No one - even Ms. Adams - knew of the impending divorce, and it's seeing this episode in hindsight, that we watch it even closer, with a bit more heaviness in our hearts, because, this is, after all - 'just' an episode'- but of one of the most famous comedy series ever.
As an episode of The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, it plays on-par - which is to say not (as) terrible - as Lucy would later get in Here's Lucy (ugh!), but, the rot is apparent.
There's the beginning of using 'canned' laughter' with Lucy-Desi (I Love Lucy NEVER had 'canned laughter'), and, an 'acting-by-wrote' quality, which - given the actor's almost decade-long working relationship, makes it all the more sadder.
But, because this is 'our' last chance to see 'our' Ricardo's & Mertz's, we forgive them.
It's almost impossible to watch this and NOT get a little 'verklempt' (choked up).
It's an episode one shouldn't miss, but, the sadness in the hearts of this beloved show's cast is apparent.
With the ending of Lucy meets The Mustache, that IS all.
