With the current crop of crap on television today, my thoughts return to Walton Mountain and the glory days of days gone by. Warner Brothers brings out the much-loved television classic’s 24 season 4 episodes on 5 dual sided discs.
This show is a certified television classic and ranks up there with the Andy Griffith Show and Little House on the Prairie. In other words, this is good family fun.
From the back of the box:
Grandma and Grandpa's tiffs are always a highlight
Disc 1, Side A episode 1: “The Sermon” - With the Reverend Fordwick (John Ritter) off on his honeymoon, John-Boy takes his place in the pulpit. Episode 2: “The Genius” - A boy genius at Boatwright proves he’s smarter with numbers than with people when he visits the Waltons. Episode 3: “The Fighter” - The good fight. The Walton women don’t like having a prizefighter (Cleavon Little) as a hired hand, until they learn he’s also a minister. Side B episode 4: “The Prophecy” - John’s 25th high school reunion finds him wrestling with feelings of personal failure. Episode 5: “The Boondoggle” - Despite Grandma’s distaste for “government shenanigans,” John-Boy is thrilled when a WPA (Works Progress Administration) writer arrives in town. Episode 6: “The Breakdown” - Jason’s musical ambitions hit a sour note when he has more obligations than hours in the day.
Disc 2, Side A episode 7: “The Wing-Walker” - Local folks – especially smitten John-Boy – are dazzled by a lovely wing-walker and her airborne show. Episode 8: “The Competition” - Hands off, he’s mine! Mary Ellen and Erin vie for the affections of a likeable forestry student. Episode 9: “The Emergence” - John-Boy’s former love returns to Walton’s Mountain with her fiancé, an arrogant, blustering big mouth. Side B episode 10: “The Loss” - Olivia’s newly widowed niece finds comfort in her grief from an unexpected source. Episode 11: “The Abdication” - The Waltons don’t know which is more exciting. King Edward’s abdication or a movie crew filming on the mountain. Episode 12: “The Estrangement” - For better, for worse, but maybe not forever. A Walton kin runs away from an unhappy marriage.
Disc 3, Side A episode 13: “The Nurse” - Medical crisis. The whole family frets waiting to hear if Mary Ellen has been accepted to nursing school. Episode 14: “The Intruders” - It looks like the Waltons’ biggest competition is another Walton when Ben goes to work for a rival sawmill. Episode 15: “The Search” - The longest night. The family searches frantically when Olivia, Jim-Bob and Elizabeth are lost in the forest. Side B episode 16: “The Secret” - When Jim-Bob suspects he’s adopted, he investigates his birth records and makes a startling discovery. Episode 17: Grandpa loves spinning yarns about his days with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. So why won’t he attend their reunion?
Remember when families gathered together
Disc 4, Side A episode 18: “The Burn Out, Parts 1 and 2” - When a raging fire leaves them homeless, the Waltons split up and stay with various neighbors. Episode 19: “The Big Brother” - A runaway’s tragic stories touch every Walton – except Grandpa, who can spot a con artist when he sees one. Side B episode 20: “The Test” - Is it really for the best? An elderly neighbor’s spirit breaks when her son moves her to an old folk’s home.
Disc 5, Side A episode 22: “The House” - Grandpa wants to tear down an old house and sell the lumber. Grandma wants to save it. Any bets on who wins? Episode 23: “The Fledgling” - Start the presses! John-Boy is eager to publish his own newspaper, but he needs to pay for the printing press. Episode 24: “The Collision” - John-Boy, foreign correspondent. Covering the Spanish Civil War may be just the ticket for a young newsman.
One thing that I’ll have to admit is that when the Waltons were on the syndication circuit in my youth and I happened across them on the channel I would sneer at them as being too old fashioned and move on to more current fare. It took one time watching them to discover the joys of Walton Mountain, crusty old Zeb, Grandma, and the Baldwin Sister’s recipe. I never again zipped by in search of better fare from then on.
The show is a certified television classic and ranks up there with the Andy Griffith Show and Little House on the Prairie. In other words, this is good family fun. Looking at the current crop of reality television and annoying pseudo-celebrities it makes me glad that the Waltons are coming out on DVD. Future TV star John Ritter even turns up in the role of the Reverend.
Tragedy on Walton Mountain
The Waltons are presented in fullscreen as they were originally aired. The only special feature to be found is the text “Winner of 2 1975-1976 Emmy Awards” for Michael Learned and Ellen Corby on the back of box 5. This is unfortunate since a great deal of the cast is still alive (show creator/narrator Earl Hamner, Jr. is still around too) and it would be a pleasure to hear from them.
The Waltons harkens back to a simpler times both on the show and television that the whole family could gather around and watch. The show gets the highest star rating that I could manage, but this set should’ve gotten more special features and some digital clean up.
The Waltons - The Complete Fourth Season is now available at Amazon . It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a March 5th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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