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.