Episode 10: The First TV Showrunner

Desi Arnaz refuses to move to New York, gambles his salary for ownership, and—with a little help from cinematographer Karl Freund—turns live comedy into filmed art. Together, he and Lucy invent the three-camera sitcom, syndication, and creative control itself. But as I Love Lucy conquers the world,…

Episode 9: The Pitch That Changed TV

A nuts-and-bolts look at how shows actually get made, this episode traces the gauntlet from “idea” to “greenlight.” Wilmer relives the high-stakes call that landed him the That ’70s Show pilot while Desi and Lucy face an even steeper climb: convincing CBS—and America—that a Cuban bandleader and a r…

Episode 8: The Bus Crash

From an Osprey dodging heat-seeking missiles over Fallujah to a tour bus ripped open on an Indiana highway, this episode is all “what if” moments that changed everything. Wilmer Valderrama shares his most intense USO memories, then parallels Desi Arnaz’s own service-era close calls—including the or…

Episode 7: The Redhead On The Beach

On a Malibu beach in 1940, Desi Arnaz meets Lucille Ball—and two months later they elope. As their fiery romance collides with wartime America, Desi’s accent keeps him boxed into stereotypes… until World War II reroutes his path: USO tours, a breakout turn in Bataan (1943), and a new reputation as …

Episode 6: The Miami Hustle

As Wilmer Valderrama’s family hits rock bottom in 1997 Los Angeles, a pilot audition forces him to confront the “accent barrier.” In Desi Arnaz’s parallel story, a $39-a-week rumba gig explodes into a full-blown craze: La Conga. The Miami hustle jumps to Times Square, debutantes line up, and soon R…

Episode 5: The King Of The Conga

Before Hollywood, there was a ratty Miami warehouse, a $15-a-week canary-cage job, and a teenage Cuban exile who refused to quit. In this episode, Wilmer Valderrama tracks how Desi Arnaz hustled from cleaning bird poop to playing rumba at the Roney Plaza, navigated U.S. immigration by leaving and r…

Episode 4: The Bombing Of Havana

A lone biplane drops homemade bombs over Havana as the 1933 revolution upends Cuba—and the Arnaz family. Desi’s father is jailed, stripped of wealth, and exiled, forcing teenage Desi to start over in Miami with no English, no money, and no roadmap. Wilmer Valderrama traces Desi’s survival sprint: f…

Episode 3: The Cuban Revolution

A childhood stage mishap teaches Wilmer Valderrama the mantra that will define this episode—and Desi Arnaz’s life: just keep going. Wilmer draws a parallel between his family’s flight from Venezuela and the night Havana turned on the Arnaz household in 1933. As President Gerardo Machado falls and m…

Episode 2: The Drink That Helped Create Streaming Syndication

Before Desi Arnaz reengineered television, he learned a family lesson in Cuba: if you make something great, bottle it—then share it again and again. In this episode, Wilmer Valderrama traces Desi’s roots from Santiago high society and the Bacardí legacy to the brilliant idea that turned I Love Lucy…

Episode 1: The Man Who Invented Hollywood

Before Ricky Ricardo became a household name, Desi Arnaz was just a Cuban immigrant with a dream—and the odds stacked against him. In this premiere episode, Wilmer Valderrama dives into the untold story of how Desi went from cleaning bird cages to revolutionizing American television. From I Love Lu…