Lucy starts worrying when Ricky stops talking to her in the morning. He just grabs his coffee, breakfast and newspaper, and doesn't respond to her when she makes light conversation. Hoping to help out, Ethel cites the works of Dr. Humphrey as to how to make a husband fall in love with his wife again. Lucy tries her best, but knowing Lucy, Hilarity Ensues.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Achievements in Ignorance: Lucy accidentally wins two rounds of poker when trying to befriend Ricky, the first by getting a good hand and the second by bluffing.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: It's obvious that Dr. Humphrey's advice is outdated, even for the time period. Lucy doesn't get any value out of it, especially when she is trying to do all the work to get Ricky to notice her.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Lucy hesitates on singing to Ricky because she doesn't have confidence in her voice. In later episodes, Lucy is shown to be a semi-decent singer, and much more confident.
- The Glomp: Invoked. Four Cuban boys, meant to evoke Ricky's brothers, tackle Ricky in a loving hug when Lucy remakes the apartment to resemble his Cuban home.
- Grand Romantic Gesture: Ricky realizes that Lucy was doing this in the climax to make the apartment resemble Cuba, and herself like a Cuban singer. He tells her he appreciates the gesture but says he likes her Just the Way You Are and that he doesn't need a Cuban wife.
- Hollywood Tone-Deaf: Invoked. Lucy doesn't want to sing to Ricky as part of serenading him because she worries her voice is terrible. Ethel helps her lip-sync using a record player.
- Just the Way You Are: When he realizes why Lucy was trying to get his attention, Ricky tells her that if he didn't want to marry her, then he would have stayed in Cuba, and he left because he loved her.
- Poor Communication Kills: Lucy tries everything to get Ricky to notice her, apart from simply talking to him. When she finally does, he reaffirms that he loves her and would never stop liking her.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: Lucy on Dr. Humphrey's advice dons an evening gown and makes up her hair for breakfast. She looks stunning, which Ethel notices, but Ricky doesn't.
- Stating the Simple Solution: After a whole episode of miscommunication, Ricky finally asks Lucy what's wrong, and she tells him. That helps them resolve their conflict.
- Zany Scheme: As usual for Lucy. To her credit, she's trying to implement rather outdated advice.
