“I Love Lucy” produced 180 episodes during its original six-season run.
The CBS sitcom aired from October 15, 1951, through May 6, 1957, with Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley leading the cast. The 180 episodes were half-hour installments centered on Lucy Ricardo’s schemes, Ricky’s show-business career, and the Ricardos’ friendship with landlords Fred and Ethel Mertz.
The total usually refers to the original black-and-white series, not every later program featuring the characters. After the half-hour series ended, Ball and Arnaz continued with 13 occasional hour-long specials, later syndicated as “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour.” Adding those specials produces a larger combined total, which explains some competing figures.
The unaired pilot is another source of confusion. It was filmed before the regular series but was not part of the original broadcast run. Episode listings generally count the 180 regular episodes while treating the pilot and the later hour-long specials separately.