'Will and Grace' Meets 'I Love Lucy' in a Special Episode

The whole idea of Classic TV can be embodied in a show like I Love Lucy, but there’s no question that when it comes to that description, Will & Grace can certainly hold its head high. The show debuted in 1998 and although initially criticized for what was perceived as a stereotypical approach to gay characters, very quickly found its own path and pushed forward successfully. It ran for a total of eight seasons, becoming an integral part of NBC’s “Must See TV” on Thursday nights, and then left the air. Shockingly, it not only came back in 2017 for a ninth season, but series stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally did so without missing a beat, effortlessly picking up right where they left off.

Flash forward to the revival’s third and final season, and we’re coming to the end (the series finale airs April 23). However, before we get there, on April 9 the show will air the episode “We Love Lucy,” which NBC describes as follows: “The episode features stylized recreations of the classic ‘Vitameatavegamin,’ ‘Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Grape-Stomping’ scenes featured in I Love Lucy, with Grace, Karen and Jack each imagining themselves as Lucy, Ethel and Fred, with Will as the Ricky to all of them. Lucie Arnaz and Leslie Jordan guest star.”

Interestingly, the writers of Will & Grace will not be elaborating on the original I Love Lucy sequences, choosing, instead, to keep them as they were in these reimaginations. Debra plays Lucy in the the “Vitameatavegamin” scene, while Sean takes on the Lucy part (is anyone really surprised?) in the chocolate factory sequence (which sees Debra as Ethel), while Megan takes on the grape-stomping bit, with Leslie Jordan (known on the show as Beverly Leslie) playing her adversary.

For her part, Lucie Arnaz, who plays the chocolate factory supervisor, enthused in a statement, “I know my parents would be over the moon to be honored in this way and by such similar talents who bring the same kind of joy to audiences as they did in I Love Lucy. I’m thrilled to be invited to the party and will do my best to honor the memory of Elvia Allman’s iconic performance.”

Please scroll down to check out a collection of photos from the I Love Lucy tribute on Will & Grace.

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