DVD Review: Waltons - The Complete Fifth Season

DVD Reviews

By Jeff Swindoll May 25, 2007, 15:27 GMT

We return for a fifth time to the homey Walton household up on Walton Mountain and harkens back to a wonderful television yesteryear.

What the back of the box says:
“Front-page news! The Blue Ridge Chronicle hits the streets, with publisher John-Boy Walton covering everything from a local break-in (Ben is among the suspects) to his eyewitness account of the crash of the Hindenburg. And, in a story filled with surprises and a ceremony filled with beauty, Mary Ellen becomes the first Walton child to marry. More adventures await, including Jason’s first job in a honkytonk, and an exciting, heartwarming Christmas episode that’s sure to become a holiday favorite with your family. And along the way old friends return, new friends arrive and the family bedrock of love endures in this 5-disc, 24 episode Season 5 set of one of television’s most enduring series.”

Disc 1: Side A:
The First Edition: The Blue Ridge Chronicle is ready to publish its first edition, including a story about a local housebreaker: Ben.
The Vigil: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Nursing student Mary Ellen is sure she knows what ails Grandma.
The Comeback: A den of sin. That’s what Olivia and Grandma think of the Dew Drop Inn, where Jason is the new piano man.Disc 1: Side B:
The Baptism: Everyone’s excited that a famous evangelical preacher is coming to town. Everyone, that is, except John.
The Fire Storm: Mein Kampf in the Blue Ridge Chronicle? Folks don’t take kindly to John-Boy’s attempts to educate them about current events.
The Nightwalker: What mysterious being stalks Walton’s Mountain? Someone – or something – has the town spooked.Disc 2: Side A:
The Wedding, Parts 1 and 2: Change of name. The family is thrilled when Mary Ellen announces she will become Mrs. David Spencer. Change of heart. Bride-to-be Mary Ellen seems more interested in the town’s new doctor than in her fiancé.
The Cloudburst: To a Walton, the land is like family. Will John-Boy sell a parcel to keep the Blue Ridge Chronicle publishing?Disc 2: Side B:
The Great Motorcycle Race: Jim-Bob tinkers with Ike’s old motorcycle, hoping to ride it to racing glory.
The Pony Cart: Martha Corinne Walton (Beulah Bondi) is one meddlesome houseguest, but her cantankerous ways mask a solemn secret.
The Best Christmas: Olivia hopes for “the best Christmas we ever had” but circumstances threaten the keep the Waltons apart. Disc 3: Side A:
The Last Mustang: John-Boy becomes embroiled in the sheriff’s election. Grandpa fights to free a captive mustang.
The Rebellion: Heaven help us: Grandma threatens to become a Methodist when she’s asked to share organist duties at church.
The Ferris Wheel: Round and round and no way off. John-Boy suspects a buried memory is behind Elizabeth’s nightmares about a Ferris wheel.

Disc 3: Side B:
The Elopement: Chad Marshall, the forestry student who once won Erin’s heart, returns with plans to build a house and take a bride.
John’s Crossroad: Tough times for the Walton men: John’s miserable in an office job. And Grandpa’s lonely while Grandma’s in a Charlottesville hospital.
The Career Girl: Erin graduates from high school. Now what? Unlike her older brothers and sister, she has no plan for her future. Disc 4: Side A:
The Hero: An Honor Day for World War I vets – what a great idea. But ex-Doughboy Sheriff Bridges wants no part of it.
The Inferno: John-Boy wins a journalism prize: $25 and a trip to New Jersey to cover the landing of the Hindenburg. Disc 4: Side B:
The Heartbreaker: Jason falls – hard – for Curt’s sister, an unhappily married woman who seems to take relationships lightly.
The Long Night: Grandpa pines for Grandma, still in the hospital. Then another female enters his life: Aimee, who pines for a grandpa of her own. Disc 5:
The Hiding Place: The Baldwins’ cousin visits from Germany. When John-Boy asks about Hitler, she dodges the question.
The Go-Getter: Would you buy a used car from this man? Commission-driven Ben fast-talks folks into buying clunkers.
The Achievement: “They’re going to publish my book!” John-Boy leaves for New York and a career as an author. I continue to rediscover and enjoy this show that I had thought was too old-fashioned. Boy, I was wrong and am glad to admit it since I’ve come to regard the Waltons as the television classic that others already knew it as. Season five sees several big developments including Mary Ellen’s wedding and John-Boy’s coverage of the Hindenburg. On a sad note Ellen Corby, who plays Grandma, suffered a stroke in real life and had to take a backseat and her character would have to go into the hospital.

Richard Thomas would also start to take a interest in furthering his career and John-Boy would start to only make cameo appearances after this season (that is until his role was unwisely recast).

The Waltons is presented in fullscreen as they were originally shown on television. Sadly, there are no special features. The Waltons is a television classic and the quality of the episodes only heighten this naysayer’s appreciation for this classic television series. Series fans will be glad to continue their collections (I’ve rapidly become a fan thanks to that cantankerous rascal Grandpa) even with the lack of special features.Waltons - The Complete Fifth Season is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.

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MaeMay 26th, 2007 - 23:22:15

I so wish they would release season 5 here in the U.K. I have watched ad rewatched my other 4 seasons dvd's repeatedly, and Iam desperate to see some new episodes, does anyone have any idea when they will release season 5 here, pleeeeease! any information received gratefully, many thanks, I just love The Waltons, after a hard day, when Iam upset, when Iam happy, I love to watch a few episodes, for the feel good factor, and then there's the tears, when I need a good cry, on goes The Waltons, and when I'm crying, I have an excuse to cry about other things I never cried for at the time, aaaaaw The Waltons, my wee secret pleasure.

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miss duffyOct 11th, 2008 - 09:54:36

when will season 5 be released in the UK

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DVD Review: Waltons - The Complete Fifth Season

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