On this day September 20 1986, Life With Lucy premiered on ABC. The sitcom marked the return of Lucille Ball to primetime television, where she starred as Lucy Barker, a grandmother who moves in with her daughter’s family and becomes co owner of a hardware store.
Despite high expectations, the show struggled with ratings and was canceled after only eight episodes aired, though 13 were filmed. Still, it remains a memorable moment in television history for bringing back one of comedy’s most iconic figures.
80s insight: Life With Lucy reflected the 80s trend of reviving beloved stars from earlier decades, though it also showed how difficult it was to recreate past television magic.