"The Mothers-In-Law" The Wig Story (TV Episode 1968) Poster

(TV Series)

(1968)

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8/10
The Other Woman Is ..
DKosty12322 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This story is typical of 1950's & 60's sit-Com's. Eve is sending her blonde wig to get a new perm when Kaye sees it and borrows it to surprise Roger when he gets home. Roger goes crazy with his wife as a blonde. Kaye, even though she is the recipient of all her husbands amorous advances then takes exception to his moves on her borrowed wig.

The argument starts from here and the fight causes all kinds of problems between the Hubbards and the Buells. Soon the Hubbards try to solve the Buells fight by showing them the same fight so they can see how silly they are. Then the Hubbards start the same fight only go over board and have the same problem now.

This type of script works because of the talent of the cast. It appears that the writer's here tried to Tailor the script to fit the stars quite successfully.
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6/10
Another Lucy Show
wes-connors26 December 2016
While wearing one of her most Lucille Ball-type wigs, Eve (Eve Arden) decides to have her blonde wig serviced. To have fun with Roger (Roger C. Carmel), Kaye (Kaye Ballard) asks to borrow the blonde wig. He becomes very amorous, even nibbling her ear. At first, Kaye likes the attention. "Just relax and enjoy it," advises Eve. But, inevitably, Kaye wonders if he really loves "some blonde woman" and not her. Many episodes of "The Mothers-In-Law" recall earlier shows starring Lucille Ball. For this one, an "I Love Lucy" script may have been used as the story idea. In one Lucy show, the red-haired comedienne dons a wig to see if a dark-haired woman would tempt Ricky, with similar results...

Lucy and/or Vivian Vance also wore wigs to resemble Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren. One odd thing about this episode is the fact that Eve later wears a red-haired wig to startle Herb (Herbert Rudley). He says he married a blonde, but Eve's hair color seems more red than blonde; in fact, Eve Arden often seems deliberately styled to make her look like the Lucille Ball concurrently starring in her own sitcom. When Jerry and Suzie see Eve, they ask, "Is that you?" In the half-hour's funniest line, she replies, "It ain't Lucille Ball!" She looked more like Lucy without trying, in the opening scene. With a familiar touch, Desi Arnaz directed this wig tale. It's a little too derivative, but still amuses.

****** The Wig Story (3/3/68) Desi Arnaz ~ Eve Arden, Kaye Ballard, Roger C. Carmel, Herbert Rudley
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7/10
A truly hairy situation in any marriage.
mark.waltz3 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
In rewatching season one all over again of this series, I realized that I didn't care much for Roger C. Carmel in large doses, but in this episode, he actually gets to show how Lively and funny he could be with the right material. That material concerns Kay putting on a blond wig and flirting with him playfully, who's Katie she's which brings out his animalistic seductive side, showing Kay romance for the first time in the series. But Kay becomes convinced that Roger, attracted to her as a blond, must be seeing a blond on the side. Rather than become angry and give Roger one of her usual karate chops, Kay becomes despondent and depressed and unsure of herself, and more shockingly, quiet. You know that Kay isn't herself when she says "It's okay if you like Italian food".

So how does a confused husband and their best friends deal with a hot-tempered woman when she withdraws into herself? Eve puts on a hot red wig, Herb gets all hot and bothered, and Kay looks on at Roger with returning desire. But when Eve has an attack of insecurities due to his reaction, if it comes the same issue all over again. She does get one hysterical line, an amusing barb at another famous TV redhead, one that she worked with on the screen years before. This is a rare opportunity for Rudley and Carmel to really let loose and for Eve and Kay to give their husbands something more to do then discipline them for their meddling.
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