Visible crew/equipment: At the very start of the opening shot, when Lucy is at the stove, there's a visible crew member at the right side of the screen.
Visible crew/equipment: When Ethel is about to open the door because Fred is too "busy" to do it, the shadow of moving boom equipment is visible on the wall to the right. Then after Ethel opens the door to find Lucy dressed in her starlet outfit, when Lucy walks in disappointed that she was recognized, in the next shot facing Ethel the shadow of the moving boom mic can be seen on the door. (00:10:40)
Visible crew/equipment: After take one of Ricky's Screen Test, when the director says to Lucy, "I thought it might add interest to the scene if you could make it go around and around like a lighthouse!", the Ricardo's kitchen cupboards and fridge are visible off stage to the left of the director's head.
Visible crew/equipment: When Lucy's sitting on the piano looking out the window at their new car, just as Ricky walks into the living room we can see the shadow of the mic equipment moving overhead, likely adjusting to the actor's position. (00:07:10)
Visible crew/equipment: When Ethel's on the stoop in front of the building waiting for Lucy and Ricky, right before Ethel asks Ricky about Lucy's driving lesson, just as Ricky drives up we can see cables moving in front of the new Pontiac pulling the car. Then, when Ethel crashes the new Pontiac into the old car, the jiggling cables are again in front of the new car. Lastly, when Lucy finally starts the old car's engine, now there's a moving cable in front of the old car as well. (00:09:50)
California, Here We Come! - S4-E13
Visible crew/equipment: When "Mickey" takes his mother-in-law's suitcases to the back, just as Lucy and her mother sit down on the couch, we can see the bright shadow of something moving across the piano behind them. (00:06:50)
California, Here We Come! - S4-E13
Visible crew/equipment: When they're all finally in the Pontiac ready to leave NYC, just as Ricky starts to drive away we can see cables jiggling under the Pontiac, to the left of the front tire, pulling the car. Funny to see how Ricky puts his hand on the gear stick, but never actually does anything with it. (00:23:40)
First Stop - S4-E14
Visible crew/equipment: While Lucy and Ricky are lying in the sagging mattress "canoe", when the train passes and their bed rolls towards the bunk bed, the end of the set wall is visible at the right side of the screen. (00:17:30)
First Stop - S4-E14
Visible crew/equipment: After driving all day, the Ricardos and Mertzes stop by a run-down diner then end up spending the night in their shared cabin. While they're all in their beds, the vibration of the nearby train causes the Ricardos' bed to shakily slide towards the Mertzes and then back again. The wires attached to the Ricardo's bed are visible, coming from the hole at the bottom of the left wall, and the leg at the foot of the bed is set in a track attached to the floor, which keeps the bed on course.
First Stop - S4-E14
Visible crew/equipment: The gang stop at the roadside diner was obviously shot in-studio as the bottom seam is quite visible behind the car, and the backdrop shakes a little when Lucy opens the car door.
Visible crew/equipment: At the start, when Lucy pulls into the "gas station" the thin cable pulling the Pontiac is visible in front of the car, and when Ethel walks in front of the car note that the actress quickly glances down and steps over it, just as she says they're lost. Additionally, the glass windshield and rearview mirror are gone.
Don Juan and the Starlets - S4-E18
Visible crew/equipment: After Fred fibs to Lucy about Ricky spending the night, when Fred walks over to the door just as Ethel walks in, we can see the shadow of the boom mic moving at the top, right corner of the screen. (00:18:30)
Hollywood Anniversary - S4-E24
Visible crew/equipment: After Lucy rushes out with the newspaper to tell Ethel about all the movie stars coming to the party, when Lucy returns to the suite and closes the door, we can see the arm of a crew member and a board with "DPI" (Desilu Productions Inc) on it, at the bottom right side of the screen, and a bit of equipment at the top right corner. (00:15:00)
Visible crew/equipment: When Ricky is with John Wayne in his dressing room at the studio, getting yet another set of footprints on the block of cement, three T-marks are visible on the floor. One of those T-marks can be seen closeup when Wayne is lying on the table for his rubdown. (00:18:10)
Visible crew/equipment: When Ethel walks into her hotel room and tells Lucy and Fred about having to push the motorcycle to three different places, the second camera (or other equipment) keeps moving in and out of shot at the right side of the screen. (00:13:00)
Homecoming - S5-E6
Visible crew/equipment: During the episode a small tape mark is visible on the floor between the coffee table and the couch, and a T-mark can be seen on the floor near the desk, such as when Lucy starts telling her guests about their "fabulous" trip, Ethel stands at the T-mark and a female guest stands at the tape mark. (00:07:05)
The Ricardos Are Interviewed - S5-E7
Visible crew/equipment: When Ricky's new agent stops by the apartment to talk to him, Fred and Ethel are standing in front of the desk, and there's a T-mark on the floor in front of Ethel's feet. (00:04:50)
Lucy Gets a Paris Gown - S5-E20
Visible crew/equipment: Lucy is walking around the living room, assembling a sandwich from food she's hidden in various places. When she tells Ethel that they're low on lettuce, the shadow of the boom mike is visible behind her.
Visible crew/equipment: When little Ricky enters the living room, you can see a man's hand quickly open the door for him. (00:19:20)
Visible crew/equipment: When the chicks are running loose in the living room, and Lucy, Little Ricky, Fred and Ethel are trying to corral them, you can see the chicken wire and braces set up to keep the chickens on the set. (00:20:20)
Answer: There is no reason. It's a just a silly plot device, typical of the era. Women characters were often portrayed as making uninformed assumptions or decisions.
raywest ★