I Love Lucy (1951–1957) is considered one of the most popular and influential of all television situation-comedy series. The debut program aired on CBS on October 15, 1951, and after a few weeks it was the number-one-rated comedy on television. Since 1959, the sitcom has been broadcast in reruns to an international market and dubbed into many languages.

The basic plotline involves Lucy Ricardo, played by Lucille Ball (1911–1989), a zany redhead who gets involved in unorthodox adventures without the knowledge of her Cuban bandleader husband Ricky, played by Ball's real-life husband, Desi Arnaz (1917–1986). In the early 1950s, the pairing of a Cuban male with a Scottish American female (Lucy Ricardo's maiden name is MacGillicuddy) was considered a risk among potential advertisers who were worried about the public's acceptance of the mixed marriage. But, as it turned out, the public loved the Ricardos and all their quirks. Lucy was perpetually trying to break into show business, but Ricky was against her being anything but a housewife—and eventually a mother. (The broadcast of the birth of their son, Little Ricky, on January 19, 1953, was a national media event.)

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