‘Lucy And Desi: The Greatest Story Never Told - or Over-Told?’

BusinessHollywood & Entertainment‘Lucy And Desi: The Greatest Story Never Told - or Over-Told?’ByMarc Berman,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Marc Berman is a New York-based reporter who covers media.Follow AuthorDec 10, 2025, 01:49pm ESTAmerican actress and comedian Lucille Ball, wearing a black-and-white checked high collar outfit with a pearl choker, beside her husband, Cuban-born American actor, musician and comedian Desi Arnaz, in a publicity portrait for their sitcom 'I Love Lucy', United States, circa 1953. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)Getty ImagesAnother day, another new series about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.Just when you thought you knew everything about television’s favorite redhead and her perpetually exasperated husband comes word of Lucy and Desi: The Greatest Story Never Told, a proposed three-season series from Lucie Arnaz and producer Robert Greenblatt. Greenblatt’s The Green Room and Arnaz’s Desilu Productions are behind the project, which will also be produced by Green Room content head Jon Wu.The potential series (which does not yet have a network or streaming outlet) is pitched to divide Lucy and Desi into distinct eras. Season one, subtitled From Cuba and Jamestown to New York and Hollywood, would cover 1930 to 1940. Season two, Family Life, B-Movies and Radio, spans 1940 to 1951. And season three, The Ricardos Catch Fire, and Beyond, would explore the I Love Lucy era, from 1951 to 1960 and beyond.From left to right, Vivian Vance, William Frawley, Desi Arnaz (1917 - 1986) and Lucille Ball (1911 - 1989) on the popular television series 'I Love Lucy', circa 1955. (Photo by Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images)Getty Images“The story is not all ha-ha. There’s a lot of sadness, there’s addiction, and there’s cheating, and there’s lots of fights for no reason,” said Lucie Arnaz in a statement. “There’s something to be learned from what they went through and how it’s not that easy to have it all… They had this wonderful legacy, which just happens to be the funniest show ever. But they’re more than that show. Their lives, individually and collectively, were very exciting and amazing and deep."“Finding the right writer was hard because most people might think that, because we’re doing the story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz that it’s going to be really funny. And it’s going to have great kinds of humor in it,” she added. "But it’s not I Love Lucy. It’s not a sitcom. Everybody says, ‘your father invented television,’ but in reality, that’s not at all what he was trying to do. They were just trying to stay together and do a show.”MORE FOR YOUThe scoop: What sets this series apart — perhaps — is its focus on the personal story behind the public personas: the highs, the tensions, and the enduring partnership that transformed television. While countless documentaries and dramatizations have explored Lucy’s comedic genius and Desi’s innovations in TV production, this one comes directly from their family, offering unprecedented access to private archives, personal letters, and firsthand insights.Why it matters: I Love Lucy wasn’t just a hit show — it was a cultural and technological milestone. It pioneered the multi-camera setup in front of a live studio audience, introduced reruns as a profitable model, and showcased the comedic brilliance of a woman leading prime-time television (and an eventual production company) at a time when few did. Desi Arnaz’s production innovations with Desilu laid the groundwork for modern TV production, while Lucy’s physical comedy inspired generations of performers. The show’s influence is still felt today, shaping sitcoms, production standards, and the very way audiences experience television.The reality: Wouldn’t it just be more satisfying to sit back and enjoy I Love Lucy without yet another deep dive into the couple’s lives?Editorial StandardsReprints & PermissionsLOADING VIDEO PLAYER...FORBES’ FEATURED Video