Customer Reviews

The Waltons: The Complete Seventh Season

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While this season may not be the best season of "The Waltons," it certainly is a season to be remembered. Right from the start, the beloved grandfather has died, and everyone is grieved in "The Empty Nest 1&2." Will Geer had apparently died between season six and seven, leaving Grandma (Ellen Corby) quite alone. Ben, now working the mill with his father, marries Cindy. More importantly, WWII begins with the bombing of Pearl Harbor--where Curt is stationed, and he dies as a result. Olivia (Michael Leanerd) finds out she has turberculosis and leaves the Walton family for a while. Elizabeth has her 13th birthday, Jim-Bob gets a tattoo, and Jim-Bob joins the Army.

Truly one of the most interesting seasons "The Waltons" had, however the disappearance of Richard Thomas and Will Geer is keenly felt. One could say that this was also one of the more weaker seasons of the show, but still one worth watching. The following is an episode list of Season Seven:

1. The Empty Nest (1)
2. The Empty Nest (2)
3. The Calling
4. The Moonshiner
5. The Obsession
6. The Changeling
7. The Portrait
8. The Captive
9. The Illusion
10. The Beau
11. Day of Infamy
12. The Yearning
13. The Boosters
14. The Conscience
15. The Obstacle
17. The Parting
18. The Burden
19. The Pin-Up
20. The Attack
21. The Legacy
22. The Outsider
23. The Torch
24. The Talespin
25. Founder's Day--with a guest appearance by Earl Hamner, creator of the series.

So, everyone, relax and enjoy the changes this wonderful family endures. And remember, things in your family change too.

I suggest you watch the last episode of season 6 prior to viewing the first episodes of season 7. It really makes you appreciate the relationship between Will Geer and Ellen Corby.

"Day of Infamy" chronicles the impact of December 7, 1941 on The Walton family. It is an incredibly moving episode with very understated but strong performances. Ralph Waite, Judy Norton-Taylor, and David Harper are particularly outstanding in the final heartbreaking scene. I know my own grandparents had to endure a moment just like the one when Jim-Bob brings the telegram home to the family, and I found this scene gut-wrenching.

As we all know, the Waltons go through many changes this season. Many are not happy changes, but they are depicted very well, and in a very moving way. I laughed and cried with them all over again. I have to say, I feel this season produced some of the best written episodes of the series. This was truly one of the finest series ever put on tv, and I feel privileged to have grown up with this family; it reminds me so much of my own family.

Once again, a wonderful Season to enjoy. The Waltons always seem to warm our hearts and make us realize that family is what's really important in life. If you need to get back to the basics of what life is all about, you need the Waltons, they won't fail you. Good old fashioned values are what's missing in todays society, if only we could all take a lesson from the Walton family. Heart warming through and through....

This is the seventh of nine seasons of "The Waltons", a family-oriented drama set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This season originally aired in 1978. This is the first full season without the central character of John-boy Walton. During the first five seasons, John-boy was the focus of the show, as he is the narrator, and his journals and writings are the source of the individual episodes. John-boy leaves his mountain home at the end of season five, and appears for several episodes at the end of season six. With John-boys absence, the show now focuses on the other members of the Walton family (and friends). In my opinion, this season is the first where the writing suffers a bit. To be sure, there are some very good episodes in this season, but there are several episodes which lack the quality and feeling typical of earlier Walton seasons. Even with an "uneven" season in terms of quality, these episodes are still worth watching (and owning), as they deal with real family and personal issues in a humane and loving way. The Waltons is a classic TV series that beat the odds, in that it had a loyal audience without resorting to special-effects, gratuitous violence, or overt sexual themes. It is entertainment with a message suitable for the entire family. I watch The Waltons with my children and they love the shows. Walton time is family time.

Three episodes stand out in my mind as exceptional. The first is a touching two-part episode devoted to the death of Grandpa Zeb Walton (Will Geer), who died between seasons six and seven. This is a touching episode that will bring tears to every viewer. Ellen Corby (Grandma Walton) who suffered a real-life stroke, reprises her role as Grandma Esther Walton, and her long life with Zeb is recounted in flashbacks. Each of the grandchildren say goodbye to Grandpa Zeb in their own touching way.

The "Day of Infamy" is another major highlight as Pearl Harbor is attacked and Mary-Ellen's husband, Curt, is apparently killed. Judy Norton gives a profound performance in a sorrowful episode.

The third episode that stands out is "The Parting". In this episode, Oliva Walton learns she has tuberculosis and has to go away for treatment. Oliva will make only guest appearances from this point on in the series. Saying goodbye to a loving mother is a heart-rending experience.

It is truly a treat to watch the Walton children grow up and deal with the associated problems of maturity and living in the throes of the beginning of America's entry into World War II. Although not the quality of previous seasons, this is still quality tv and is highly recommended.

Jim Konedog Koenig

After receiving my 7th Season of the Walton's I immediately put it in my DVD player. The first show was about Grandpa Walton's death. In real life I had heard Will Geer had died and felt sympathy for all of the cast as they were such a perfect family from "the old days". As the Walton's each said their goodbye at the grave, I shed a few tears with them also knowing how they all felt.

This is television as it should be done and since we do not have these kind anymore watch the dvds.

On the back of the box for Season 7 is a picture of John, Olivia, grandma, Jason, Mary Ellen, John Curtis, Erin and Elizabeth. There is one other person in the picture standing behind Elizabeth. Who is it? He's not Ben or Jim-Bob. Does anyone know who he is?
One other thing, it bugs me when the writers forget past story. On
"The Obstacle", in Johnboy's letter he said Mike Paxton was his college roommate, but John Boy lived at home all through college, except in "The Fledgling" in the 4th season, where he was trying to earn money for his printing press. In that episode his roommate was Mike Paxton, but only for a couple of days and to me that doesn't qualify as a college roommate. He also stayed at college every now and then, but they never said who his roommate was, but to
me that also doesn't qualify as a college roommate. Also I don't remember the family ever meeting Mike Paxton, yet not only did John Boy say in his letter that Mike Paxton was close to the Waltons, the family had rememberences that never happened. In the 5th season "The Hawk" the ending narration said Reverand Buchanan was going to remain for many years, yet in this season we get a new minister in "The Yearning". Writers should look back at past storylines before making changes that contradict past storylines.

It is a very different show than it was in the first couple of seasons. More faster pacing now and heavier emphasis on their interaction with the outside world! John-Boy is missing outside of his opening and closing narrations. No more Zeb Walton. But the Waltons we do see are very good! John and Olivia are still around and strong presences in the eps! Elizabeth is now a teenager and she is very interesting (quite a few eps prominently feature her)! The Godseys are now more central to the storyline than before and eps especially about them are fabulous as Corabeth is a particularly mighty presence!
PS If the great ep The Changeling seems far-fetched remember John-Boy is narrating it and he could be inventing the events merely to have something interesting to write about!