jennifer6973 January 3, 2015 Share January 3, 2015 I've got a question: I was watching an episode today around 4ish ET. Did Craig T Nelson ever guest on an episode, because it looked like him in the barn with the nice car. The episode had John and John Boy needing a car but not having one and someone on the mountain with a car they never use. Link to comment
JasminePhyllisia January 7, 2015 Share January 7, 2015 I recently discovered Ralph Senensky's website and I've found it so interesting that I'm working my way through every show he told about directing and watching what's available on tv or Netflix. Now I'm watching "The Gift" where Ron Howard plays Jason's terminally ill friend. Great performances but my real takeaway is this really was the Richard Thomas show--we barely see Jason, and RS told of how RT rewrote a critical scene between him and Ron Howard because he wanted more lines. Also enjoyed "The Chicken Thief." Link to comment
DoughGirl January 7, 2015 Share January 7, 2015 The Children's Carol is way too contrived for me. Reminds me of the episode The Seashore; Earl Hamner just stone cold throwing random British war orphans around to get WWII story lines into the show. And while it's totally likely the Walton kids could assemble a crystal radio kit from spare parts, please don't try to sell me Jim-Bob building a fully functional ham radio in the same fashion AND locating the kids' mother in London during the Blitz. NO. I know what you mean in regards to TCC being contrived but so many Waltons episodes were when involving a character who wasn't from "the mountain". A famous actress gets stranded while motoring by, carnival people conveniently stranded nearby, etc. What is it about the mountain and people being stranded there? And they always end up at the Walton house. There were so many characters brought in by or related to the Baldwins too. Cousin Hillary (who suggested they take in the English orphans, the Catholic girl who was thinking of becoming a nun, AL Jr., etc. Later on it was always an interesting character associated with Boatwright. Luckily John Boy got that scholarship so they didn't run out of plot lines. Link to comment
GrtGzu January 9, 2015 Share January 9, 2015 I know what you mean in regards to TCC being contrived but so many Waltons episodes were when involving a character who wasn't from "the mountain". A famous actress gets stranded while motoring by, carnival people conveniently stranded nearby, etc. What is it about the mountain and people being stranded there? And they always end up at the Walton house. There were so many characters brought in by or related to the Baldwins too. Cousin Hillary (who suggested they take in the English orphans, the Catholic girl who was thinking of becoming a nun, AL Jr., etc. Later on it was always an interesting character associated with Boatwright. Luckily John Boy got that scholarship so they didn't run out of plot lines. Yeah, and what about the ones who MOVE to the mountain into some old abandoned home that some other family once lived in, and we never see or hear about them ever again...Like the German family (Willie Brimmer), and the Jewish family.... Link to comment
Maherjunkie January 9, 2015 Share January 9, 2015 And the woman with the weird son! 1 Link to comment
Tim McD January 9, 2015 Share January 9, 2015 I know what you mean in regards to TCC being contrived but so many Waltons episodes were when involving a character who wasn't from "the mountain". A famous actress gets stranded while motoring by, carnival people conveniently stranded nearby, etc. Some contrivances are worse than others. You're right about The Actress, how the hell does someone set out from Atlanta to NYC and end up in the Blue Ridge Mountains? And the less said about The Gypsies the better. But some work out pretty well, like The Five Foot Shelf with the traveling encyclopedia salesman or The Literary Man. Link to comment
DoughGirl January 9, 2015 Share January 9, 2015 Some contrivances are worse than others. You're right about The Actress, how the hell does someone set out from Atlanta to NYC and end up in the Blue Ridge Mountains? And John Boy just happens to be there to tow her car and Mary Ellen just happens to have a whole scrapbook on her. Link to comment
ByaNose January 12, 2015 Share January 12, 2015 (edited) The other day Mary Ellen's baby got kidnapped by some broken down poor blackwoods girl. Liv made her return the baby and Mary Ellen was so mean to her. Jeez! Give the girl a break, Mary Ellen!! Mary Ellen was always such a PIA. I much preferred the cute and not so talanted Erin. She was so cute through the whole run of the show. Although, she had terrible taste in men. Edited January 12, 2015 by ByaNose Link to comment
Maherjunkie January 12, 2015 Share January 12, 2015 I assume I'd strangle the bitch too. 1 Link to comment
bigskygirl January 13, 2015 Share January 13, 2015 I have a few questions about the episode where John becomes free of debt. Why do they put tar on the end of the pieces of the wood they cut in the mill? How was Elizabrat tired when all she did was carry the water bucket? How could John be totally out of debt when grandma was still in the hospital? (running hospital and doctor bills) And last but not least, why the heck do I care so much? Link to comment
GrtGzu January 13, 2015 Share January 13, 2015 By getting out of debt, that meant that John no longer owed the BANK for the loan. Grandma and Grandpa were probably getting SSI by now (a.k.a. Old Age Pension), so Grandpa was the one paying her hospital bills... Link to comment
bigskygirl January 13, 2015 Share January 13, 2015 In a later episode I think John said Grandpa took out another loan to pay Grandma's medical bill. I believe this was the episode where John Boy came home to visit the first time after moving to NYC. Link to comment
SunnyBeBe January 21, 2015 Share January 21, 2015 I've watched all the episodes over the years, but I guess I've forgotten some of the content. Yesterday, I saw one where Cora Beth was drinking too much. Man, the language in that episode really blew me away. I mean for that time period, 1978, little Amy said, My mother is drunk! And Cora Beth told Mr. Godsey to just take a gun and shoot her in the head! WHOA, this is 1970's family drama! I'm not sure how it was lost on me at the time. I was also impressed at the way John kept telling the couple they needed help. 1 Link to comment
Tim McD January 21, 2015 Share January 21, 2015 Yesterday, I saw one where Cora Beth was drinking too much... Doesn't John admit to a past drinking problem in that one or am I confusing it with a Little House episode? Kind of weird when you remember that he spent an evening sloshing champagne with his loser World War I buddy AND he came home tipsy that one time when he went to the Dew Drop Inn with Merle Haggard. 1 Link to comment
GrtGzu January 22, 2015 Share January 22, 2015 Him and Ike got drunk at the Doo-Drop and fell into Drucilla's pond on the way home too..Was that the same night? Link to comment
Tim McD January 22, 2015 Share January 22, 2015 Him and Ike got drunk at the Doo-Drop and fell into Drucilla's pond on the way home too.. I kind of like the idea of The Waltons evolving into a recipe-soaked Depression era version of Absolutely Fabulous, only with John and Ike replacing Eddie and Patsy. If the show was rebooted for today, the Baldwin sisters would be oblivious purveyors of weed, thinking it was some kind of herbal tobacco hybrid. 1 3 Link to comment
bigskygirl January 22, 2015 Share January 22, 2015 If I was married to holier than thou Olivia, I would want to go out and drunk too. Link to comment
janeyjay January 23, 2015 Share January 23, 2015 If the show was rebooted for today, the Baldwin sisters would be oblivious purveyors of weed, thinking it was some kind of herbal tobacco hybrid. And they'd name their blend the Longworth, after Miss Emily's beau, dontcha know. 1 Link to comment
Blergh January 23, 2015 Share January 23, 2015 The other day Mary Ellen's baby got kidnapped by some broken down poor blackwoods girl. Liv made her return the baby and Mary Ellen was so mean to her. Jeez! Give the girl a break, Mary Ellen!! I'm far from a fan of Mary Ellen and I agree she could be quite annoying but WHY should she have given the kidnapper any kind of break? The girl had practically cursed Mary Ellen's unborn child to die when hers was stillborn and had just kidnapped Mary Ellen's baby! Even giving this one-shot character any kind of doubt's benefit, she clearly had zero idea of how to take care of a baby and could have easily caused irreperable harm! IIRC, after the backwoods kidnapper sniffed that she just took the baby because she lonely, Olivia guilted Mary Ellen to let her hold him one last time- and nothing was mentioned about whether the kidnapper was charged with anything or sent to prison or a mental hospital. Still, I will say the fact that the girl was unmarried, living with her creepy grandfather and everyone avoiding speculating on how this girl got pregnant [and by whom] gave this episode a very icky undertone. 1 Link to comment
PrairieSmoke January 23, 2015 Share January 23, 2015 I'm on seasons 4 and 5, and The Waltons are finding some traction. Show got better in season 3 on. Ok, I have to ask, what is it with the Waltons and animals???? They're mountain people, farm- born and raised, and they act like idiots around animals. There was some episode where Erin finds a fawn and wants to keep it for a pet. Then Jim Bob wants to keep a peacock in the barn (at first. finally saw the light and let it roost in the treehouse.) Any rural person would understand that wild animals belong in the wild. Chance has a calf and the flash mob is swarming all over it. I know it's their gentle milk cow, but any animal is very protective over their young. Especially at birth. "This is MY baby, and you better get back!" Then the episode The Loss, about Olivia (another one) loses her husband and comes to stay with the family for awhile. Calico the cat is giving birth and it's clear she's probably not going to survive. :( They get the kittens out of the birth canal, ok fine, then Calico dies. :( Whole family stands around saying "What do we do now?" Hello, farm born and raised, and you don't know what to do for a newborn animal that is in distress??? Grieving Olivia comes to the rescue, says the kittens will need round the clock care. John then says, "Well, let's all go to bed." JOHN, what part of "round the clock care" do you NOT UNDERSTAND??? Sure, leave your guest to take care of your kittens while you go to bed. At the end, Olivia leaves with Calico the Second. Wonder what happened to the other two kittens? Hmmmmm....... Oh, and Jim Bob also killed his guinie pig by not keeping it in a safe, secure area at night. It's a wonder Chance the cow didn't go crazy and gore them all to death. Link to comment
GrtGzu January 23, 2015 Share January 23, 2015 "It's a wonder Chance the cow didn't go crazy and gore them all to death." Well, don't forget this was Chance #1, cuz she died (when JohnBoy got accepted to Boatwright) and then there was a Chance #2 - so maybe the first one died from taking too much crap from them including trying to sell her first calf to some pisshead farmer... Link to comment
PrairieSmoke January 25, 2015 Share January 25, 2015 (edited) Couldn't help it and took a peek at the last Waltons episode. So, the kids are all running the house now? They can run that place by themselves? I'm sure they all have jobs and are combining income. I would have liked to see more of their dreams come true, like Jim Bob, he's always the one you kind of discount as being, not the sharpest knife in the draw. He loved flying so much, he should have strutted in the Baldwin's parlor wearing dress whites and gold wings. "Announcing, LTJG James Robert Walton, United States Navy, carrier qualified fighter pilot! Jason, would have liked to see him here just visiting because he is a big band leader, playing Carnegie Hall and touring the country, and giving Glenn Miller a run for his money. Ben, Elizabeth, Erin, whoo-hoo, quite the lookers! Ben was always a good looking kid though. Disappointing it ended without John and Olivia. I would have made Ralph and Michael an offer they couldn't refuse and had them on the porch swing at the end, looking over their now empty nest. It did end good, the Baldwin sisters speech at the end! Some of the best dialogue in the show, wow! I don't know if I'll watch Seasons 7, 8 and 9. Couldn't watch it without Will Geer, he lit that show up. Missed Ellen Corby too. Edited January 25, 2015 by PrairieSmoke Link to comment
PrairieSmoke January 25, 2015 Share January 25, 2015 Oh, and the alternate John-Boy, talk about Mr. Mellow after all that hardship. If that was Richard Thomas's John-Boy it would have taken weeks to repair the bar, a guy would have been drinking his meals through a straw for a month, and the mean landlady would have had a 12 gauge and a restraining order! Link to comment
bigskygirl January 29, 2015 Share January 29, 2015 What happened to Curt's parents? No mention of them when John Curtis was born or when Curt was supposedly killed at Pearl Harbor. Link to comment
Tim McD January 29, 2015 Share January 29, 2015 What happened to Curt's parents? No mention of them when John Curtis was born or when Curt was supposedly killed at Pearl Harbor. They reside inside the walls in the 4th dimension, along with Olivia's family and Chuck Cunningham. Link to comment
DoughGirl February 2, 2015 Share February 2, 2015 Another thing that really irks me is the myriad of characters living lonely lives and in unhappy marriages because they couldn't marry one of those oh so special and desirable Waltons. GW even ended up going to his death. The rest of them pine around envying the person that "got lucky" or try to get the desirable Walton once they're available, such as Marcus Dane and Grandma. I feel sorry for the disrespected people they "settled for" in place of their "true Walton love". Link to comment
DoughGirl February 2, 2015 Share February 2, 2015 Marcus Dane was Grandma's old beau who came calling after Grandpa died. Apparently, he'd been pining for Grandma all those years he was married to another woman who was wonderful but still just sloppy seconds. All those old girl and boy friends of Livvie and John who were being "neglected" in their marriages... Well, hell yeah! They probably were resentful of being compared to the wonder couple. Wonder how that politician that was pining for Livvie would have liked her on his ass all the time about getting baptized or John's old girlfriends would have liked his running off to work in the city and flirt with his landlady during his midlife crisis. Link to comment
GrtGzu February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 Well, remember when Callie came back to town, and tried to get with John again? The girls were PISSED like they were when Marcus came for Grandma.... Link to comment
candg123 February 19, 2015 Share February 19, 2015 I just watched the episode where Jason comes home from the war, and Japan surrenders. Something that has always bothered me about this episode is how bitchy ME and Erin are about Toni coming around to ask if they've heard from Jason. And then later when she shows up at the house after he gets home they're over there rolling their eyes and shit. I just don't get why they were being so rude. Link to comment
Maherjunkie February 19, 2015 Share February 19, 2015 Maybe they sensed she had feelings for him? Link to comment
Maherjunkie March 5, 2015 Share March 5, 2015 I didn't watch all of it but if you were in labor would you want John Boy coaching you through it? He seemed kinda bossy even then. To be fair, it was not an every day occurrence for him. Link to comment
DoughGirl March 11, 2015 Share March 11, 2015 Well, he did coach the birth Sarah Jane's baby up in that cabin. And he was a bossy PITA there too. "You're not doing it right! The mamma lamb just lies there and concentrates on the work." Somebody should have kicked him in the b****s and then told him the daddy sheep just just lies there quiet when that happens to him. I just watched the episode where Jason comes home from the war, and Japan surrenders. Something that has always bothered me about this episode is how bitchy ME and Erin are about Toni coming around to ask if they've heard from Jason. And then later when she shows up at the house after he gets home they're over there rolling their eyes and shit. I just don't get why they were being so rude. Total bitches to Toni. Mary Ellen needed more than one crack across the mouth over the years, like when she told John that he was stupid because she wasn't getting her own way. 1 Link to comment
DoughGirl March 11, 2015 Share March 11, 2015 Yep. If I were John she'd have been picking apples after picking her teeth up off the floor. Link to comment
GrtGzu March 12, 2015 Share March 12, 2015 Yep. If I were John she'd have been picking apples after picking her teeth up off the floor. Could you see him or Livvie pulling an "Angie Stone" on Mary Ellen???? She sure deserved it on more than one occasion..... Link to comment
Maherjunkie March 12, 2015 Share March 12, 2015 Thank god Ryan O"Neal wouldn't her daddy. Link to comment
PrairieSmoke March 23, 2015 Share March 23, 2015 (edited) Watched season 7. I wondered how they would treat the death of Will Geer. Would Grandpa just "disappear" now? "The Empty Nest" was the most beautiful, moving, loving tribute you could possibly pay to a recently deceased actor. That last scene on Walton's mountain, who would have to act? I bet when the camera turned off, there wasn't a dry eye on the set. The whole season, you just felt Grandpa's presence. The season ending, Founder's Day, was one of the few times The Walton's made me cry. And Ellen Corby, holy cow! What bravery, coming back to work after a stroke, with Will's death still being felt no doubt. She could have just retired to an old folk's home, but no, she came back and worked. Whenever I think of today's whining, sniveling, entitled celebrities worried about botox and boob jobs, I have two words for them. Ellen Corby. Edited March 23, 2015 by PrairieSmoke 4 Link to comment
Blergh March 24, 2015 Share March 24, 2015 Watched season 7. I wondered how they would treat the death of Will Geer. Would Grandpa just "disappear" now? "The Empty Nest" was the most beautiful, moving, loving tribute you could possibly pay to a recently deceased actor. That last scene on Walton's mountain, who would have to act? I bet when the camera turned off, there wasn't a dry eye on the set. The whole season, you just felt Grandpa's presence. The season ending, Founder's Day, was one of the few times The Walton's made me cry. And Ellen Corby, holy cow! What bravery, coming back to work after a stroke, with Will's death still being felt no doubt. She could have just retired to an old folk's home, but no, she came back and worked. Whenever I think of today's whining, sniveling, entitled celebrities worried about botox and boob jobs, I have two words for them. Ellen Corby. I agree- and I should add that Mary Beth McDonough revealed that it was Will Geer himself who insisted they break into Miss Corby's home when the normally punctual performer failed to show up for the work after the stroke- and they found her and were able to take her to the hospital to save her life. Oddly, after her stroke happened, the show didn't quite know how to handle with them at first writing around her then there was an episode which focussed on Grandpa's reaction to it and hospital rules, then they vaguely inferred Grandma died offstage before they finally brought her back for the final episode of that season. Miss Corby and Mr. Geer hadn't always gotten along smoothly but, no doubt, Miss Corby knew she literally owed him her life so her near nonverbal reactions to Grandpa's passing were quite poignant indeed. Yes, she was brave to return. However; considering how she had no family left and how much it must have cost for the hospitalization, therapies and ongoing everyday costs, no doubt she urgently needed the income. 1 Link to comment
bobbyhill March 25, 2015 Share March 25, 2015 Yesterday, I saw one where Cora Beth was drinking too much. Wasn't that the same one where Corabeth confides in Olivia that "Mr. Godsey is not romantically satisfactory"? It sounded like he should change his name and move in with Curt in Florida. 1 Link to comment
Tim McD March 26, 2015 Share March 26, 2015 That Corabeth could be one hot tamale. Remember when she wanted to get all sexed up with Reverend Donny Osmond? Ugh, season 6 is awful. 1 Link to comment
Maherjunkie March 26, 2015 Share March 26, 2015 I never thought she had passion for Ike, and that is what she meant, but you do introduce a new angle. 2 Link to comment
Blergh March 26, 2015 Share March 26, 2015 Wasn't that the same one where Corabeth confides in Olivia that "Mr. Godsey is not romantically satisfactory"? It sounded like he should change his name and move in with Curt in Florida. I don't things were that . . .tepid for the Godseys. Considering that there was an episode about a year or so after they were married in which Corabeth first believed she was pregnant (even going so far as to wear maternity garb) then discovered it had been a phantom pregnancy and was also told she could never bear any children which prompted her to temporarily run away from Ike since she thought he'd have no use for a 'barren' woman. I mean, for her to have believed she was pregnant, that means that they'd have had to have at least some intimacy. Now, whether Corabeth was truly unsatisfied with Ike or just was looking for excuses to throw herself a pity party because the new minister didn't get all hot and bothered over her is debatable. Link to comment
Ubiquitous March 27, 2015 Share March 27, 2015 Last night, John Boy's attitude bit him in the arse when he invites a famous author to stay with the Baldwins, against everyone's wishes, only for him to discover their father was charged with housing Union soldiers in his house. GASP! Naturally, one of the sisters had a nervous breakdown over it and only the discovery he was actually helping the injured in a nearby battle saved the day. Ugh! For some reason I wondered if John Boy made up that shit and no one was the wiser? Link to comment
Maherjunkie March 27, 2015 Share March 27, 2015 I didn't take him to be that clever. I love that ep, even if it was full of JB hate. Link to comment
JasminePhyllisia April 2, 2015 Share April 2, 2015 I noticed the book "Spencer's Mountain" is on sale on Amazon kindle today as a daily deal, for $1.99. It has a picture of John Boy, Olivia and John on the cover. Link to comment
Recommended Posts