The Waltons - General Discussion

[Zella]

6 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I was more thinking about what if he never married Esther and never had John and his brother. I could see Zeb spending his life on the mountain. Living simply, hunting and fishing for sustenance and possibly making his own "recipe". Abiding among the mountain folk who were his kin.

Basically his character in Jeremiah Johnson?

Can't cheat the mountain, pilgrim.

 

[Blergh]

On 11/13/2024 at 11:03 AM, merylinkid said:

Zeb did what was needed for the family.   Remember when their electricity got cut off?   He disappeared for the day and Esther was sure he had just taken off to do whatever.   He had done some day job and gotten the money to keep the electricity on.   

He just wasn't as driven as John.   He taught the kids to appreciate what it mean to live on their mountain.   he believed in work life balance.   Taking a day off from the mill to fish was just as necessary as meeting an order deadline.   But he was practical too.   He taught Jim Bob about taking care of yourself in nature.   When Jim Bob, Elizabeth and Olivia got lost one day (I don't remember the full details), it was Jim Bob's outdoors knowledge that saved them until they could be found.   He credited Grandpa's teaching.   

I didn't say that Zeb wasn't resourceful or cunning (and definitely saved the day on more than one occasion).

However, I can't help but believe that had he not been married to Esther, he wouldn't have been as motivated to used his energies for the betterment of the family rather than stayed somewhat feral.

Of course, it was interesting how Zeb and John DID include Esther and Olivia (and sometimes John-Boy) when they needed to make important decisions involving the entire family rather than one or both unilaterally making said decisions and considering Esther and Olivia's POVs unneeded.

[peacheslatour]

Does it ever occur to anyone else that there was something wrong with Jim Bob? He doesn't seem to be all there most of the time.

[Zella]

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Does it ever occur to anyone else that there was something wrong with Jim Bob? He doesn't seem to be all there most of the time.

I couldn't stand Jim Bob. 😂 He's easily my least favorite member of the family. [I also briefly thought we were discussing the Duggars before I realized which forum I was in.]

[peacheslatour]

5 minutes ago, Zella said:

I couldn't stand Jim Bob. 😂 He's easily my least favorite member of the family. [I also briefly thought we were discussing the Duggars before I realized which forum I was in.]

He is do dumb it actually pisses me off. I don't if it's the actor or just the way the writers made him but he has the most idiotic expression on his face most of the time.

[Zella]

22 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

He is do dumb it actually pisses me off. I don't if it's the actor or just the way the writers made him but he has the most idiotic expression on his face most of the time.

I think it might be a combination of the writing not knowing how to distinguish him from the other kids and the actor not being particularly dynamic. He's not alone in that, though. I think most of the kid actors on the show are pretty mediocre, minus Richard Thomas. Nothing against them as people, but I think there's a reason why most of them didn't have an acting career beyond the show. 

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, Zella said:

I think it might be a combination of the writing not knowing how to distinguish him from the other kids and the actor not being particularly dynamic. He's not alone in that, though. I think most of the kid actors on the show are pretty mediocre, minus Richard Thomas. Nothing against them as people, but I think there's a reason why most of them didn't have an acting career beyond the show. 

Agreed.

[jason88cubs]

On 11/29/2024 at 5:30 PM, Zella said:

I think it might be a combination of the writing not knowing how to distinguish him from the other kids and the actor not being particularly dynamic. He's not alone in that, though. I think most of the kid actors on the show are pretty mediocre, minus Richard Thomas. Nothing against them as people, but I think there's a reason why most of them didn't have an acting career beyond the show. 

I always felt in the early seasons, Judy Norton said her lines super fast at times

[jason88cubs]

I do find it funny in the early seasons wen John would come in from the mill he'd be all hot, sweaty, grimy , dirty but in later years he would come in hair perfect , no sweat, looking like he just got up from a nap lol

[Tim McD]

7 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I do find it funny in the early seasons wen John would come in from the mill he'd be all hot, sweaty, grimy , dirty but in later years he would come in hair perfect , no sweat, looking like he just got up from a nap lol

I always thought the sawdust in his hair was a nice touch. They were a lot more attentive to Depression-era details like that in the early seasons; for instance, John's shirts were often soiled and torn and on the occasions when he wore a suit, it was quite ill-fitting. By the end of the show's run, everyone appeared shiny and well pressed.

[jason88cubs]

36 minutes ago, Tim McD said:

I always thought the sawdust in his hair was a nice touch. They were a lot more attentive to Depression-era details like that in the early seasons; for instance, John's shirts were often soiled and torn and on the occasions when he wore a suit, it was quite ill-fitting. By the end of the show's run, everyone appeared shiny and well pressed.

great points

[peacheslatour]

4 hours ago, Tim McD said:

I always thought the sawdust in his hair was a nice touch. They were a lot more attentive to Depression-era details like that in the early seasons; for instance, John's shirts were often soiled and torn and on the occasions when he wore a suit, it was quite ill-fitting. By the end of the show's run, everyone appeared shiny and well pressed.

And we used to see the girls in the same dresses all the time. Later episodes showed them in a new dress every time we saw them.

[jason88cubs]

What's everyone's take on how John acted in "THE THEFT" when he wouldn't just clear himself and kept getting angry with John Boy

 

"Maybe because your acting like Jim Bob!"

[barshi50]

When GW died, he bequethed his 10 acres of land to Erin. What ever happened to it?

 

[mmecorday]

Quote

And we used to see the girls in the same dresses all the time. Later episodes showed them in a new dress every time we saw them.

Sometimes we even saw them wearing designer jeans! 

[merylinkid]

Tomorrow is December 7.   The show had a lot of flaws, but the Pearl Harbor episode was one of the best. Grandma calling Mary Ellen to the radio when news broke even though Grandma couldn't speak.  Erin and Elizabeth sneaking off to a theater then racing home.   Jim Bob having to carry the message to his sister that her husband was dead.*    The family realizing what being at war would mean for all the boys.   In a family that had lost a son in the last war.   

 

 

* What they did to Curt later will not be mentioned.  It never happened, lalalala I can't hear you.

[Nitetrain]

The marathon of episodes is over on The Hallmark channel. 

A few things that puzzle me .

John loved his brother Ben so much that he waited till the fifth child to be  named Ben.   At the very least the second boy would have been named after Ben.  Jason should have been named Ben.

Another thing I realized from the show and reading others comments. John Boy's writing cost the family money.  He got scammed with the book deal and his ego didn't let him read the contract.   He bought the press which he had to make payments on instead of that money going to the family.  Then when he finally was going to get paid for his writing he leaves for New York.

And John not wanting Jason to pursue music was a dumb story line.  Jason already proved he could make money with music.  He joined Bobby Bigilow and the Haystack Gang.  And most families of that Era all listened to the Grand Ole Opry.  So they knew people made money with music.  John Boy and his writing was all theory and what if most of the time.

 

 

 

[merylinkid]

14 hours ago, Nitetrain said:

And John not wanting Jason to pursue music was a dumb story line.

John wanted a son to follow him into the lumber business.   Apparently the son named after his beloved brother wasn't good enough.   Olivia didn't like it because Jason played at the Dew Drop Inn and other places that served liquor.   Her Baptist upbringing didn't like that.  

14 hours ago, Nitetrain said:

He got scammed with the book deal and his ego didn't let him read the contract.   He bought the press which he had to make payments on instead of that money going to the family. 

Not to mention the "yard of books" that the family bought on an installment plan because a good writer needs books.   But yeah, the family tended to bend over backwards for special John Boy and then expect the rest of the kids to just muddle along.

[peacheslatour]

I'm watching the series finale right now and the faux John Boy is in NYC trying to get a job. Is it just me or does this guy sound just like Jim Bob when he speaks?

[Dimity]

On 12/3/2024 at 9:15 PM, peacheslatour said:

And we used to see the girls in the same dresses all the time. Later episodes showed them in a new dress every time we saw them.

As the series progressed though they started to move out of the depression and as we entered the war years while they weren't affluent I don't recall feeling that they were poor either.

In regard to their clothes I came looking for this thread because I just finished reading Mary McDonough's (Erin) autobiography and do recommend it to any Walton fan.  Anyway one thing she talks about are the depression era dresses.  Not a fan.  She also talks about not being able to get braces even though she needed them because the Lorimar bigwigs said a poor girl in the '30s wouldn't have had braces. 

On 12/6/2024 at 11:12 PM, merylinkid said:

Tomorrow is December 7.   The show had a lot of flaws, but the Pearl Harbor episode was one of the best. Grandma calling Mary Ellen to the radio when news broke even though Grandma couldn't speak.  Erin and Elizabeth sneaking off to a theater then racing home.   Jim Bob having to carry the message to his sister that her husband was dead.*    The family realizing what being at war would mean for all the boys.   In a family that had lost a son in the last war.   

This episode was so well done!  Very moving.  And on the whole I'd have to say the war years episodes were well worth watching.  Even with fake John Boy.

[peacheslatour]

19 hours ago, Dimity said:

As the series progressed though they started to move out of the depression and as we entered the war years while they weren't affluent I don't recall feeling that they were poor either.

In regard to their clothes I came looking for this thread because I just finished reading Mary McDonough's (Erin) autobiography and do recommend it to any Walton fan.  Anyway one thing she talks about are the depression era dresses.  Not a fan.  She also talks about not being able to get braces even though she needed them because the Lorimar bigwigs said a poor girl in the '30s wouldn't have had braces. 

This episode was so well done!  Very moving.  And on the whole I'd have to say the war years episodes were well worth watching.  Even with fake John Boy.

Melissa Gilbert had braces on Little House and they tried to do it during breaks but sometimes, when she had to wear them on the show, they covered them with dental gum.

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

Melissa Gilbert had braces on Little House and they tried to do it during breaks but sometimes, when she had to wear them on the show, they covered them with dental gum.

She mentions that in her book.  I guess she and her parents tried to get them to change their minds and referenced a show even more historical to try and make their point but it didn't work.  Generally she is very positive about her experience working on The Waltons but there were definitely a few things that struck her as being unfair.

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, Dimity said:

She mentions that in her book.  I guess she and her parents tried to get them to change their minds and referenced a show even more historical to try and make their point but it didn't work.  Generally she is very positive about her experience working on The Waltons but there were definitely a few things that struck her as being unfair.

I am going to have to read that book! I bet Will Geer was a blast to work with!

[Dimity]

2 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I am going to have to read that book! I bet Will Geer was a blast to work with!

She adored him!