gilligan1965 This wonderful series, created by the wonderful writer, Earl Hamner, Jr. (of "Twilight Zone" fame), has to be one-of, if not the-best, family-friendly TV series ever written, produced, and, aired!Considering the low IMDb ratings, what's there not to like about this family that loves and cares about one-another; and, helps everyone else who comes into their lives? This is all about good parents raising their children to be good people...PERIOD.I'm quite certain that anyone-and-everyone who doesn't like this has to be either - from a terrible family; believes it's a fantasy because they're from a terrible family; and/or, they're just terrible people in general.There really are families who care about one-another; and, also about others in general. Probably the same families who got robbed and/or worse by those who see this series as anything other than great!Before I become even more upset about the negative ratings on this series, I'm going to end this review with -"I like and respect families and people like these; I like this series; and, I come from a family very much like this! :)

qljsystems In the UK, the Waltons was a regular TV feature that marked out the 1970s decade, and - while its story lines contained the contemporary issue of its production time, and sometimes with a grain or two of excessive schmaltz - it remains to this day a remarkable achievement in TV history. I have to admit that my prejudices were foremost in my mind when my Brazilian wife requested me to buy the first four series boxed-set DVDs, and I advised her that I'd buy the first series only to see if she appreciated it before purchasing any more. But I was wrong. She consumed the series and, before long, I was hooked too. Nothing on TV today or or since the Waltons has ever portrayed loving, united and supportive family as courageously as the Waltons. If only I appreciated this when I was a teenager and the series came to a close in the very early 80's. By then, the world and his wife had enough of the Waltons and it was an idea that had outlived its usefulness, giving rise to a number of made-for-TV movies that were generally plot-less and nostalgic. Who would've ever guessed that in a matter of a few decades, after moral decay and worsening family values and a hefty back-catalogue of many TV series that espoused dysfunction and moral ambiguity, that the Waltons would arise like the phoenix from the ashes to entertain families around the world and educate us all in what a loving and united family looks like.There are several comments that denounce the Waltons, because of its unrealistic portrayal of the Great Depression. They have a point - but nobody really knows how Virginian farming-community families lived during the Great Depression, because all we have are the novels and newspaper reports that focus on the drama and tragedy. In truth, the Waltons indeed do seem to be saved financially at the ninth hour by some act of compassion or sacrifice. But this is the whole point of the show. Unlike today's self-centered, egotistical, morally ambiguous solutions popularized by today's TV shows, the Waltons wasn't about portraying the Great Depression realistically, but about portraying wholesome family life. Sure, maybe such a family is a myth, but it's one worth aspiring to.However, we mustn't forget that The Waltons depicted not only the Depression but also the struggle to survive for farming communities during the War Years, when the US industrialized. This is often overlooked, but is worth mentioning as it provides a backdrop of a historically important developments in US history. The Waltons simply portrays a world and time that has disappeared.Every episode is jam-packed with heart and compassion and the Waltons overcome their ordeals through respect and understanding.It's worth pointing out to the 'realists' out there that the show's pilot is a much more authentic portrayal of the Great Depression, centering around the theme of John Walton returning home through the ice and snow from Richmond to spend Christmas with his family. In that pilot episode, John-Boy and the children are acted by the same cast, however Olivia Walton and John Walton are played by different actors. Throughout the 90-minute screenplay, John-Boy is shown to be wracked by self-doubt and fears for his father's safe return in time for Christmas. The children are lost and forlorn and toil through the wintry conditions. Olivia Walton is haggard, nervy and verging on mental collapse - her character is portrayed as dark and regretful and morose. The entire pilot episode jars the soul and fails to unite as seamlessly as the subsequent series did. It took guts and vision to the producers and sponsors to back the series on the basis of that pilot, and real insight to re-cast Olivia and John Walton and polish up the scripts to focus on functional rather than dysfunctional family life.Nobody needs reminding of how terrible the Great Depression was or how the evil banks exploited the poor and desperate. We have enough reminders about these facts today. And it's probably a sad fact that even the cast of the show had family-lives that were poor reflections of those they played in the Waltons. Even so, what people need is to see something good and praiseworthy and beautiful, something they can aspire to, rather than earthy, visceral and pessimistic. Nobody created the Waltons to address the sins of the Depression, but to deliver a show about a family where every member of the family is loved, not just by the fictional characters, but also by the viewers. I have to confess it is amazing how at home I feel when I watch an episode and how familiar the Waltons feel to me, almost as if they're extended family to me. Perhaps this is the real genius of the show and why there are so many faithful followers of the show who visit conventions, Waltons Mountain (in California!), and write to the cast and plead for more reunion TV appearances. Sure, I see the odd moment of schmaltz or social commentary, but I recognize it and ignore it in favour of the wholesome values the show espouses.The Waltons is a gem of TV production that - like good wine - had to stand for a few years before it matured into the product that many value. It deserves to be remembered, re-watched and applauded in the annals of good TV for the sake of generations yet to come. Buy it while you can and cherish it. Future generations will probably become parents who believe that Desperate Housewives, the Sopranos, Confessions of a Call Girl, Six Feet Under, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Cold Case are family-friendly, wholesome productions.

garyldibert The year was 1972 when this show hit the air wave on CBS September 14 as a weekly series. The Waltons was based on a large close-knit family living in rural Virginia during the Depression. The Creator Earl Hamner Jr. based the series on his own childhood, which he previously fictionalized in his novel, "Spencer's Mountain". The Waltons debuted on with Richard Thomas playing the role of John Boy Walton. In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, during the Great Depression, the Walton family makes its small income from its saw mill on Walton's Mountain. The story is told through the eyes of John Boy, who wants to be a novelist, goes to college, and eventually fulfills his dream. The saga follows the family through depression and war, and through growing up, school, courtship, marriage, employment, birth, aging, illness and death. This is the true story of the Waltons. The show takes place during the Depression and then during World War II. The other case members were as followed Ralph Waite played the role of John Walton Sr. Michael Learned played the role Oliva Walton, Judy Norton Taylor played the role of Marry Ellen, Jon Walmsley played the role of Jason Walton, Mary Beth McDonough played the role of Erin Walton, Eric Scott played the role of Ben Walton, David Harper played the role of Jim Bob Walton, Kami Cotler played the role of Elizabeth Walton, Will Greer played the role Grandpa and Ellen Corby played the role of Grandma. Other original characters included Joe Conley as general store owner, Ike Godsey, John Crawford as Sheriff Ep Bridges, Mariclare Costello as schoolteacher Miss Rosemary Hunter and Helen Kleeb and Mary Jackson as eccentric sisters-- Mamie and Emily Baldwin, respectively. The Waltons' first season brought critical acclaim and several awards. Both Richard Thomas and Michael Learned took home Best Actor Emmys, Ellen Corby was awarded the Best Supporting Actress honor and the series was given the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. The show also earned Emmys for writing and editing in addition to receiving the prestigious Peabody award. The series entered the top-ten in its second season and finished second that year to All in the Family. The show remained in the top twenty for the next few seasons and received several more Emmys, including two more for both Michael Learned and Ellen Corby and a Best Supporting Actor award for Will Geer. In all, The Waltons received 37 Emmy nominations and took home 13 of the golden statuettes. Three reunion movies have been produced in the 1990s for CBS. "A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion" (1993), "A Walton Wedding" (1995) and "A Walton Easter" (1997) all feature the original cast with the exception of the late Will Geer. The series opened in the fall of September 1972 with the first episode titled The Foundling. A six-year old deaf and dumb girl is abandoned on the Walton's doorstep. With loving care they teach her to "talk" with sign language. But their kindness to the foundling causes a family crisis. Elizabeth, playing hide-and-seek with the deaf and dumb girl Holly, runs into an old abandoned shack and hides inside an empty trunk, but the lid falls shut and locks itself. Holly sees what has happened and runs to get help but is picked up by her father who doesn't understand sign language and takes her away. John and the family pursue and Holly then tells them by sign language what has occurred, and Elizabeth is rescued in time. Holly's parents now realize that their little girl is not retarded and are now able to communicate with her. Based on the feelings of love this show gave I give it 9 weasel stars.

Single-Black-Male Although I'm not a fan of the Waltons, I was blown away by Ralph Waite's acting. He captures the role so perfectly that you believe his character. He brings a textured layer to the part that engages you in a way that you would not necessarily engage with the themes of the programme. I don't even listen to what the characters are saying because I'm so busy watching his delivery and the nuances that he gives his character. This series is an amazing study in acting rather than family values and a former time. Without Ralph Waite in this series it would be a dead loss. It just shows you that dialogue does not necessarily carry a series, but good acting that reaches down into the soul of the character certainly does.