The sitcom that set the standard for the genre, I LOVE LUCY features Lucille Ball as scatterbrained housewife Lucy Ricardo. Joined by husband Ricky (Desi Arnaz), a nightclub bandleader, and the couple s best friends and landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance), Lucy s antics and hair-brained schemes have captivated generations of audiences, making her one of television s most iconic and beloved characters. Whilst most shows come and go only to be forgotten, there are some that are assured of their place in television history; I LOVE LUCY is without doubt one of them.