Though The Lucy Show was still popular during the 1967–68 season, finishing in the top five of the ratings (at #2), Ball opted to end that series at the end of that season, as there were enough episodes for syndicated reruns, and as Ball had sold Desilu Productions (which owned and produced The Lucy Show) to Gulf & Western.

Unlike Ball's character on the previous program — Lucy Carmichael, who originally lived in New York and later moved to California — in her third sitcom, Ball's character of Lucy Hinkley Carter was already living in Los Angeles, and once again bore a name containing "ar" in tribute to her ex-husband Desi Arnaz.

Mary Jane Croft, who had been a regular featured player on the last three seasons of The Lucy Show, also became a semi-regular on the new series.

Character actress Vanda Barra, who had played small parts on The Lucy Show, was also added to this sitcom and gradually was upgraded.

[1] Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor guest-starred in the 1970 third season opener, in a storyline involving their famous diamond, which becomes stuck on Lucy's finger.

(The episode reunited Ball with longtime cowriters Madelyn Pugh Davis and Bob Carroll Jr. for the first time since both writers had left The Lucy Show in 1964.)

In addition to Benny, Jackie Gleason made a surprise cameo reprising his role of bus driver Ralph Kramden.

During its run, Here's Lucy featured a number of famous guest stars, many of whom were Ball's real-life friends, often playing themselves, including Vivian Vance, Ann-Margret, Milton Berle, Carol Burnett, George Burns, Ruth Buzzi, Johnny Carson, Liberace, Petula Clark, John Davidson, Eva Gabor, Helen Hayes, Dean Martin, Eve McVeagh, Vincent Price, Tony Randall, Buddy Rich, Joan Rivers, Ginger Rogers, Dinah Shore, Danny Thomas, Lawrence Welk, Flip Wilson, Shelley Winters, Donny Osmond and Patty Andrews.

With Desi Jr.'s absence, Lucie Arnaz's character of Kim became more a prominent part of the program as well as a strong comedic foil for both Ball and Gordon.

The week before this installment aired, Vivian Vance made her annual (and final) appearance on Here's Lucy in the episode "With Viv as a Friend, Who Needs an Enemy?"

In addition, shortly after finishing the episode with Ball, Vance was diagnosed with breast cancer and then suffered a slight stroke.

This gave the other members of the cast, such as Lucie Arnaz and featured players Mary Jane Croft and Vanda Barra, a chance to shine.

A thaw in the relationship between Lucy and Harry accelerated, so that they could interact more as friendly in-laws rather than just as antagonistic co-workers.

Unsure of whether she wanted to continue, Ball and Gale Gordon filmed a season finale without a studio audience present.

[10] Lucie Arnaz chose to leave the series after being cast in the national tour of Seesaw, while Ball was launching a film comeback with Mame.

[1][11] CBS was also in the process of reinventing its image, having already replaced much of their "old guard" television product with more contemporary fare such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show, and M*A*S*H. Except for Gunsmoke, which would remain for one more season, Ball was the last performer from TV's classic age who still had a weekly series at the beginning of 1974.

Largely forgotten in the late 1980s and early 1990s and rarely carried by the cable networks, reruns of the series were returned to air by Pax TV in 1998.

Factory and Sony Music Entertainment released Here's Lucy: Best Loved Episodes from the Hit Television Series.

[16] On March 25, 2014, MPI Home Video—under license from the copyright holders, "Desilu, Too", and Lucille Ball Productions, Inc.—released Here's Lucy: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.