| "" episode | ||||
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| Season 1, Episode #21 #21 in Series | ||||
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| Air date: | March 3, 1952 | |||
| Written by: | Bob Carroll Jr. Madelyn Davis Jess Oppenheimer | |||
| Directed by: | Marc Daniels | |||
| Production code: | 1-21 / 021 | |||
| Episode guide | ||||
 IMDB
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New Neighbors | |||
| Episode chronology | ||||
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| The Young Fans | Fred and Ethel Fight | |||
New Neighbors is the twenty-first episode of the first season of I Love Lucy, also the 21st overall episode in the series. Directed by Marc Daniels, it premiered on CBS-TV on March 3, 1952.
Synopsis
After snooping in the new tenant's apartment, she finds herself over-hearing the couple talking about murdering her and Ricky; stealing their identities; and then blowing up the Capitol. Little does Lucy realize that the new tenants are rehearsing a scene for their job. Lucy sneaks out of the apartment and puts the apartment on lock-down as the Ricardos and Mertzes prepare to defend themselves.
Plot
The O'Briens have just moved in to the apartment building. Lucy sneaks into their apartment to get a better snooping view of the O'Briens' furniture, but when she gets stuck hiding in the closet, she overhears that O'Briens reciting their lines for an upcoming TV show. Lucy jumps to conclusions and thinks that they are foreign spies ready to kill everyone and blow up the Capitol.
Trivia
- Mr. O'Brien's first name is Tom. We don't learn Mrs. O'Brien's first name.
Lucy and Ethel used Fred's binoculars to get a closer snooping view of the O'Briens' furniture.
- In this episode, we learn that Lucy's middle name is Esmeralda.
- It is never said what type of spies the O'Briens' TV characters are, but it is obvious that they are supposed to represent Communist spies from the Soviet Union, judging by the accent the O'Briens used for the characters and the fact that this episode was filmed in the middle of Cold War hysteria and propaganda.
- KT Stevens, who played Mrs. O'Brien in this episode, was one of Vivian Vance's closest friends.
Starring
- Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo
- Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo
- Vivian Vance as Ethel Mertz
- William Frawley as Fred Mertz
Guest Starring
- Allen Jenkins as Police Sergeant
- Hayden Rorke as Tom O'Brien
- K.T. Stevens as Mrs. O'Brien