Reviews

TITLE: SHE CRIED MURDER aired on TV. on September 25, 1973 and the running time was 74 minutes.

STARRING: Lynda Day George, Telly Savalas, Mike Farrell, Kate Reid, Jeff Toner, Robert Goodier, Aileen Seaton, Hope Garber, Len Birman, Murray Westgate, Richard Alden, Stuart Gillard. Directed by Herschel Daugherty.

SUMMARY: The big city early morning commute on the subway. Actress/model Sarah Cornell is witness to the murder of a young woman pushed on to the tracks by a creepy (but not particularly discreet) assailant. She calls the cops and two detectives venture out to the set of her latest commercial taping to get her story for their report. She recognizes one of the cops – Joe Brody (Savalas) as the same creepy assailant whom she saw murdered the woman (a notorious call girl). She doesn't tell the other cop Detective Stepanec (Farrell) instead leaving a very vague description of the murderer – Inspector Joe Brody. As I said this murderer is not particularly discreet or even endowed with the kind of sense a headless chicken would have. It isn't enough that he made extended eye contact with Sarah in the subway after the murder, he just had to take the case investigating it and go to see her later that morning to watch as his colleague introduces him to her by name. Then after seeing her he just had to follow her to her kid's school, follow both of them to a restaurant, kidnap the kid but wait for her inside a nearby theater to find them before demanding she keep silent about what she saw. After the incident in the theater, one in which she ingeniously escaped with her son and left Brody concussed and unconscious though not dead, Sarah calls the police and relates the whole story. They think she is a few fries short of a happy meal but follow through on a search of the theater find nothing of Brody nor any sign than anyone has been there in years. Detective Stepanec meanwhile turns over the dead call-girl's apartment and finds irrefutable proof that Brody was there in the most intimate of positions with her and was likely being black-mailed by her, facts which Brody himself had recounted in mortifying detail inside the theater with Sarah Cornell and her son Chris. Brody evidently recovered from his mishap in the theater tracks Sarah. She thinks he is trying to kill her. Judging by his self-destructive pattern, he may merely be making sure she knows how to spell his name correctly. This leads to a dramatic chase through an apartment building and the subway system ending in an electrifying finale.

MY THOUGHTS: I like this movie. It had a lot of action and drama that kept you interested. I thought Telly Savalas was good in his role as the evil bad cop. However, I bought this movie because of Lynda Day George and I wasn't disappointed at all. She was excellent in her role as Sarah Cornell. This movie show how good of an actress she was. The only problem I had with this movie is Lynda Day George was in the same outfit throughout the entire movie. Based on that and the action in this picture I give this movie 8 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE FIVE-FOOT SHELF ORIGINAL AIRDATE: March 7, 1974 WRITER: John Hawkins DIRECTOR: Ralph Waite

PROLOGUE: "Looking back down the years to the great Depression, I realize now that our family was much more fortunate than most. Many things were in short supply, but we had the advantage of being able to live on the bounty of the rich Virginia country. However, even more important than the gifts of the land, our family remained intact. We stayed together under one roof and were never deprived of the comfort and closeness of our mother and father. Those feelings easily made up for what we often lacked in material things."

SYNOPSIS: Elizabeth meets a man by the name of Reed on the road to Ike's. He is repairing his worn shoes. He asks if anyone in her family likes to read. He is selling the Harvard Classics, a five foot self of books, over 418 stories in 50 volumes for $3 down and a small monthly payment thereafter. They stop into the store where Elizabeth admires the large doll that Ike is giving away in a bean-counting contest. When George Reed tries to pitch the books to Ike he stops him short saying that he has a full store of merchandise that he has troubles trying to sell himself and that he doesn't need any books. Mr. Reed then makes his way to the Walton's where John shuts him down. Olivia invites him inside for some coffee. John-Boy and Olivia are very excited by the collection and she decides to buy them with her egg money. She lets him spend a few nights in the barn. While repairing an ice box at Ike's John learns from Horace Brimley that Olivia has ordered a set of books. John returns home to discuss the matter with Olivia. Meanwhile George decides to use Olivia's $3 down payment to buy his daughter Serena the large doll from Ike's for $2.98. Later John-Boy discovers that George is in fact an out of work printer from New York who just picked up this salesman job and hasn't read any of the books he is selling.

QUESTIONS: What did Elizabeth win? Who was George and where did he come from. Why did John have along talk with George?

EPILOGUE: "The salesman was right about one thing - the wit and wisdom of the ages were contained in those books, and many of the voyages we took were no less memorable for having been enjoyed through the written word."

MY THOUGHTS: I give this episode 3 weasel stars

TITLE: THE CAR ORIGINAL AIRDATE: March 14, 1974 WRITER: Chris Andrews DIRECTOR: Philip Leacock

PROLOGUE: "In every town or village there used to be the hidden people, those who for one reason or another are shut away from life or, for some strange reason shut themselves away from the world. My quest for a car in which to drive back and forth to college was eventually to lead me to two of those hidden people."

SYNOPSIS: The Waltons cleanup around the outside of their home after a storm has knocked down branches and done damage to their property. John-Boy is anxious to buy a car for college. He goes with his Daddy to Buck Higgins but Buck needs $35 cash and is not willing to trade it for lumber. When they stop for gas at Ike's they learn that Hyder Rudge needs his roof repaired and has a car that he hasn't used for some time and might be willing to trade for the help. John-Boy takes Ole Blue over to the Rudge's and agrees to a hard bargain in exchange for the vehicle. John-Boy is excited when he sees the car. It is in good condition and comes with a rumble seat. The Walton children are excited about John-Boy's new car. They want to give it a new paint job and John-Boy agrees to a "dignified tan" color. Hyder is very protective of the car. When John-Boy finishes the work for the Rudges he discovers that Hyder has taken and hidden the car from John-Boy and tells him that the car will never be his. Mrs. Rudge decides to leave Hyder as she can longer abide by his choices. She stops by the Walton's and tells John-Boy about their son who died at sea with the Merchant Marines.

QUESTIONS: Who did the car really belong to? Why couldn't the owner part with the car?

EPILOGUE: "The Rudges remained hidden people to a certain extent, rarely involving themselves in our lives or that of the community. Perhaps they just didn't need us, that without the false dream they were finally able to find contentment in their lives together."

MY THOUGHTS: I give this episode 5 weasel stars

TITLE: GRADUATION ORIGINAL AIRDATE: FEBRUARY 21, 1974 WRITER: Lionel E. Siegel DIRECTOR: Alf Kjellin

PROLOGUE: "Being a country boy on Walton's Mountain, and looking like one, always seemed as natural and normal as anything to me. But a few days before my Graduation from high school I began to look at myself in quite a different way."

SYNOPSIS: John-Boy prepares for his graduation from high school. The family secretly plots to take him on a trip to buy a new suit for college. When Chance the cow passes away John-Boy decides to return his new clothes to the store to help pay for the new milking cow. He stops by Ike's who is upset that he didn't get an invitation to the graduation. John goes to Henry Cottle's farm to arrange the purchase of a new cow. He wants $20 and needs the money more than bartered services. As a graduation present the Baldwin sister's give John-Boy a tie-pin that had been intended for Ashley Longworth. When John-Boy gives the money from his new clothes to his parents, they decide to alter Grandpa's tweed suit for college. As John and John-Boy bring home the new milking cow John gives his son words of advice on who he is and to not forget where he comes from.

QUESTIONS: Who did John Boy finally say goodbye to? What did Ike Give John Boy?

EPILOGUE: "We could not have known then the great and momentous events that were to happen in the decades to follow. But that small school and those teachers like Miss Hunter had prepared us, and that preparation helped sustain us through those turbulent years, through war, the death of kings and presidents, and through those lesser day-to-day experiences which added together make up the fabric of our lives."

MY THOUGHTS: This episode took me back to the day I graduated and it wasn't a very big day. My parents didn't express their love to me for graduating like they did on the Walton's. I give this episode 8 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE FULFILLMENT ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 7, 1974 WRITERS: Michael Russnow & Tony Kayden DIRECTOR: Nick Webster

PROLOGUE: "The Depression years were hard ones for just about everyone in the country. Our family had little money and few luxuries, but we did have food on the table and clean clothes to wear, even if they were mostly hand-me-downs, and a bountiful supply of love to sustain our household. Other families were not as fortunate as we were, and I remember how my mother and father occasionally invited a child from the Jefferson County Orphanage to share our life on Walton's Mountain."

SYNOPSIS: John and Olivia bring Stevie home for a visit from the Jefferson County orphanage. The family has a history of bringing orphans home for short visits. We last saw evidence of this when Hobie Shank a former orphan came for a visit in "The Braggart" (s2-ep8) Stevie is 7 years old. He has a chip on his shoulder from his tough life being moved about and doesn't relate well to other children. He has trust issues and it takes some time for him to warm up to the family. John-Boy has been helping Curtis Norton the blacksmith since he burned his hand on the job. He witnesses a tension between Curtis and Ann his wife. Ann has become restless in her marriage. She has been shopping for expensive dresses and decorating her home like scenes from a movie. When Olivia stops by, she confides that she is not able to have children of her own. Stevie knocks over a bowl of freshly peeled apples and runs away rather than suffer the blame. Curtis picks him up on the road and brings him back to his house where John-Boy tells him that he is visiting his family from the orphanage. Stevie takes a shining to Curtis. Later when Ann and Curtis visit with the Walton's they learn that Stevie has come from the orphanage. Ann believes that the family has plotted to bring Stevie, her, and Curtis together. She is not ready yet to accept her situation and open her heart to the possibility of welcoming Stevie into their life. On the final day of his stay, it is obvious that the visit has had an impact on Stevie. Just as they are about to leave to take Stevie back to the county home, Curtis and Ann arrive to talk to Stevie. Ann speaks to him alone and asks if he would like to be adopted as their son. Stevie accepts.

QUESTIONS: Who pick Stevie up along the road? Where did Stevie come from? What was Ann running from?

EPILOGUE: "The Depression lingered on, hard times continued, but somehow the love that was most important to us on Walton's Mountain extended itself to others, and love is what the Nortons gave to Stevie, and he to them."

MY THOUGHTS: This was one of those episodes that lack action and drama. You knew what was going to happen right from the beginning. I give this episode 4 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE GHOST STORY ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 14, 1974 WRITER: Nigel McKeand DIRECTOR: Ralph Waite

PROLOGUE: "I suppose at one time or another in the course of our lives many of us have experienced an event or occurrence which could not be explained, and at the same time was shrugged off as a co-incidence or a trick of the mind. I remember a series of such events, and even today many years later I still can't help wondering just how much of it was co-incidence. It all started one afternoon in late Fall..."

SYNOPSIS: The Walton's are watching Luke for Tom Enright who is looking for work in Richmond. He has been watching after his son Luke since Allison his wife passed away 5 years ago. John-Boy stops by Ike's to see if there is a letter from Luke's dad. Inside he finds Ike and the Baldwin sister's consulting a Spirit Board to see whether they should order their Mason jars from Ike at full retail when they can get them elsewhere at wholesale prices. Ike asks John-Boy if he will take the board home, as it has been distracting foe his business having it at the store. Ike's dog Charity has had puppies and they are all spoken for except the runt of the litter. Elizabeth asks if she can have it. During dinner, John-Boy tells Grandpa about the Baldwin's and the spirit board. After dinner the children play with the board but Olivia and Esther are wary of it. Later that night Jason and John-Boy play with it in John-Boy's bedroom. The board spells out Luke's name when they ask it if it has a message for someone. Later Olivia tells how an unexplainable event happened at Luke's birthday a few years ago after his mother has passed away. People at the party said that they felt Allison's presence and could smell violets, her favorite flower. After the party, a wild violet was found in the house even though it was the middle of February.

QUESTIONS: Why did Jason and John-Boy continue to consult the board in secret? Who did the board have a message for? What did they miss?

EPILOGUE: "There are forces in our lives that we can understand and explain, there are others that mystify and confuse us, but who is there to say that the strong bond of love that existed between a mother and her child had to be severed by death. For love is a force that lives, without beginning, without end. An energy brings sustenance and nourishment to the human spirit. Of all endowment, the ability to love is the most ennobling and such is its mystery that the power of love can be felt beyond death, beyond time."

MY THOUGHTS: Again another episode that didn't have that much action or drama. I give this episode 5 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE CRADLE ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 31, 1974 WRITER: Joanna Lee DIRECTOR: Ralph Senensky

PROLOGUE: "I like to think back on my boyhood because though the times we lived in were hard, the life we lived was good. We were never hungry, for food was plentiful, we took it from the land, but still there was a lack of material things, and I remember with wonderment the way my parents wove the magic around us that kept us from ever feeling poor."

SYNOPSIS: Olivia begins to sell liquid bubble bath and soap door to door. She sells 4 jars to the Baldwin's who desperately require the glass jars to finish bottling their latest batch of the recipe. Olivia is obviously disturbed by this reason for the sale and the sisters question why she never wants to discuss anything to do with their recipe. Mrs. Brimmer buys 2 bottles and Maud Gormley buys 3 bottles. John just got an order for a 150 railroad ties that will keep them going for a few more months. On the way home Olivia asks John-Boy to let her out so that she can walk the rest of the way claiming that she has a few new pounds to lose. When Olivia arrives in the kitchen she is excited about selling all her samples but is put off by the smell of dinner. Grandma says that this happened twice before when she was pregnant with Jim-Bob and Elizabeth. Dr. Vance reports that Olivia is fine, 3 months along but is no spring chicken and should rest and take it easy through this pregnancy. The children get together to discuss what they can do to help their Mama out. They come up with ideas of gifts that will help with the baby since they had given away all of the baby items after Elizabeth was born.

QUESTIONS: What did John Boy make for a gift? What happen when Olivia when selling her bubble beauty bottles? What was Olivia doing when she felt ill?

EPILOGUE: "As the years went on and we all went our separate ways, we were to provide my mother and father with so many grandchildren that their lives were never without the sound of a baby or a growing child's voice. And all those grandchildren were beneficiaries of the extraordinary love that was given to us during those years we spent on Walton's Mountain."

MY THOUGHTS: There wasn't much to this episode so I give this 5 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE GIFT ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 24, 1974 STORY: Ray Goldup and Jack Hanrahan TELEPLAY: Carol Eva McKeand DIRECTOR: Ralph Senensky

PROLOGUE: "Living on Walton's Mountain we were always in touch with the motion of life. Growth and change, loss and gain, were natural and were expected. We saw the green leaves turn to gold and then fall to the ground, crumpled and Gray. However, all of us knew that when spring came again life would renew itself. But one summer we were faced with an unexpected kind of change that made us all wonder if the future was really a thing to look forward to."

SYNOPSIS: John-Boy, Jason and their friend Seth are fishing for dinner. Seth wants to make a recorder because he desires to learn every instrument possible. The family finishes eating a dinner of catfish with Seth and his mother for company. They gather around the radio to listen to Seth's father Red Turner perform at the Grand Ole Opry on the radio. He announces on the radio that he'll be home to see his family in 2 weeks. Early the next morning the boys head up the mountain to get an Apple tree branch to carve a recorder. Seth collapses from exhaustion and Dr. McIvors informs his mother Wilma that Seth has leukemia and is incurable. Jason takes the news very hard and initially blocks out his pain by aggressively strumming his guitar. Later he avoids having contact with Seth. John-Boy stops by Seth's house to return his recorder and carving tools after leaving them behind on the Walton's porch. Red returns home just as John-Boy is about to leave. He brings his son a 10-gallon hat and cowboy suit. The excitement of his arrival doesn't last long as Seth's condition becomes known. Red decides to take Seth and his wife touring on the road so that they can continue being a family together for Seth's remaining days. Jason continues to avoid Seth but John-Boy brings him the finished recorder and Grandpa gives Jason comfort and words of wisdom to cope with his feelings. Before Seth leaves Walton's Mountain, he reunites with Jason to teach him how to play the recorder.

EPILOGUE: "As time went on there were other occasions that necessitated our grieving, and I often think that this early brush with total loss made us better able to face those which were to come after."

MY THOUGHTS: This was another of those episodes that reminded me of home. My mom had leukemia but hers was treatable. My mom died four years ago of a brain tumor that she never woke up from surgery. I give this episode 7 weasel stars.

TITLE: The Triangle ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 20, 1972 WRITER: Lionel E. Siegel DIRECTOR: Lee Philips

PROLOGUE: "When I was growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in the Depression, many of the things we take for granted today, back then were luxuries - like going to school. Many boys my age had to quit school and find jobs to help support their families, but my father and mother were determined that each of their offspring would graduate from high school."

SYNOPSIS: John-Boy is writing an essay with the help of his teacher Miss Hunter to submit to a contest. Reverend Fordwich stops by the school and asks Rosemary if he could call on her that evening. Although he asks her to help with the upcoming church picnic, his real motive is to ask permission to court her. Never having made a fuss about her appearance or for dating her gets swept up in the excitement of having a new suitor. John-Boy on the other hand is disturbed by her new focus on Matthew Fordwich. Meanwhile Ben is fond of Naomi but he is feeling inferior to the bigger boys in school. He sends away to Chicago for a $0.62 body building manual to change from "a 97 pound weakling" to someone Naomi will notice. He practices he's strength exercises in the privacy of John-Boy's bedroom but Erin tries every method possible to learn what he has been hiding from the family. At the picnic, he enters the nail driving contest against Willy Dempster who he is competing for Naomi's attention. Ben loses the contest but wins the girl when she decides that she likes his red hair best.

QUESTIONS: Who was the person in the essay? Why didn't John Boy want to go to the church picnic?

EPILOGUE: "I was to know many teachers, but none so dedicated and gifted as Miss Rosemary Hunter. Even today I can feel her influence, for like any good teacher she left an indelible mark on my work, and on my life." –

MY THOUGHTS: Once again an episode that reminded me when I was growing up. I had a high school teacher who was very pretty and her name was Marjorie Carver. She ran the library when I was school. She was the one teacher who I could talk to about anything. I give this episode 8 weasel stars.

TITLE: The Awakening Original Airdate: January 3, 1974 Writer: Joanna Lee Director: Lee Philips

PROLOGUE: "Many times when I have tripped across those events in one's life called milestones, I have thought about how they so often catch us unawares. There was, for instance, that unforgettable Spring many years ago when in the same week Grandma had to face growing old, Mary Ellen had to face the feelings of a woman."

SYNOPSIS: Grandma is showing signs of poor hearing but doesn't want to admit that she is having difficulty. After dinner they listen to the President Roosevelt, give his speech on The New Deal. Grandma doesn't agree with the President's ideas calling him a crazy man. John says that she will be turning 68 in a few days and now qualifies to collect Old Age Pension" Grandma doesn't feel old on the inside but she doesn't recognize herself in the mirror anymore. Mary Ellen stops at Drucilla's Pond to cool her feet. Kevin Sturges, a med student at the University of Virginia sees her and is taken by her beauty. He asks her to drop her hair to her shoulders and they share a passionate kiss. He has come to the pond to do some fishing but he ends up catching Mary Ellen's heart instead. He is 20 and he asks if she is, 16 or 17 she says he guessed close enough. She says her house is the first one up the road on the left about a mile away. John-Boy asks his father if he can use the garden shed as an office. Mary Ellen confides with her Mama about meeting Kevin. She says it was just like a movie and asks if this what it's like to be in love. She admits that she didn't admit to being 14. When she asks about growing up Olivia tells that her that becoming a woman isn't a sentence it's a beginning of new possibilities, love, marriage, children ... if that is what she wants. After school, she plays it cool when G.W. Haines shows her some attention. She becomes frustrated by the other children in her bedroom and asks her Mama if she can move into the garden shed. John-Boy has a meltdown when he is asked to be understanding of Mary Ellen's needs. When Grandma comes to to see what the commotion is about, she faints and falls from the back porch step. Dr. Vance feels that she is having an inner ear problem and needs to go to Charlottesville to have it assessed. When Grandpa can't persuade her to go he storms off in a fit. He meets up with John-Boy and to calm down he tells him about a girl he met when he was young that people called Sissy. She was a young thing, smart as a whip and could hold her own with any man and at 18, she wanted to go to Richmond and open a dress shop. Grandpa says that he feels sorry for Sissy because her dreams never amounted to anything. When John-Boy asked what happened to her Grandpa replies that he married her.

QUESTIONS: Why did Grandma feel threatened? What was Grandma Claim to fame? What did Mary Ellen learn from her Grandma?

EPILOGUE: "Mary Ellen's new found maturity was with her one day then gone the next; in time it was to come to stay. Today she lives in Richmond, Virginia, the wife of a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and the mother of 2 sons. We see each other when we can, and our talk is apt to return to those days during the Depression which these many years later still seem filled with wonder"

MY THOUGHTS: Everyone goes through young love and this episode was not about young love but also what happens when you start getting old. Just like Grandma I don't like to think I'm getting old either but someday it hits me hard that I'm getting old and that I will never be the same. Therefore, I give this episode 7 weasel stars.

TITLE: HONEYMOON ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 10, 1974 WRITER: John McGreevey DIRECTOR: Jack Shea

PROLOGUE: "Growing up on Walton's Mountain during the great Depression, we learned early to concentrate on the essentials of life. With many of the necessities so hard to come by, we had little money to squander on extravagances. But there came a time when my father decided another kind of survival was important, and to nourish the human spirit it was necessary to indulge an extravagance."

SYNOPSIS: When Olivia finds that, none of the children are doing their part to help with the chores she stages a sit down strike. She states that she wants better working conditions, no more excuses, and a little cooperation. When Grandma comes downstairs, she is amazed to find the children doing a variety of chores on the main floor. John feels that Olivia needs something more help around the house. After 19 years of marriage and 7 kids she deserves to finally go on her honeymoon. Olivia goes through her treasure truck, pulls out her wedding dress, and tries on her traveling dress. Meanwhile, Marcia Woolery won't give John-Boy an answer about going to the school picnic. She is worried about when John-Boy goes to University in the fall. He'll be too busy going to school to think about her. Later when they go for a walk up the mountain to talk about their relationship she tosses his class ring back at him and in the commotion she pushes John-Boy away causing him to fall down from the peak they are standing on and dislocating his shoulder. When she meets him at his place after the accident, she announces that she has her new boyfriend Tyler Croffit to think about now. When Mary Ellen learns about Luther Burbank, a pioneer botanist she tries to cross breed a watermelon with a cucumber. In the end, it ends up being just a weed. Just when it seems like the trip might become a reality things start to go wrong, Grandma announces that she has to leave when they go away to chaperon the children's choir at the state competition for the Reverend. The engine for the sawmill then seizes up which will cost $15 to repair. Yet everyone still wants them to go on their honeymoon. The children round up their savings of $1.72 and Grandpa Sells his coveted 1864 two-cent piece to Ike for $20.

QUESTIONS: What did reckless chase into the house? Why did the Walton clan sleep in the barn? What happens to John and Olivia while on their way to from home?

EPILOGUE: "My fondest memories are not of those special outings or unusual occasions. What I like best to recall is the quiet moment at the very end of an ordinary day, when we drifted off to sleep, secure in the shelter of our home, and of our parents' love."

MY THOUGHTS: Back when I was growing up I did not have that kind of love going around my house. My stepfather was an alcoholic and didn't have time for his family or my mother. Watching this episode made think how much fun it would be to have a family like that. I give this episode 9 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE AIR MAIL MAN ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 13, 1973 WRITERS: Peter L. Dixon & Sarah Dixon DIRECTOR: Robert Butler

PROLOGUE: "The peace and beauty of the land and sky around Waltons Mountain was a source of constant comfort to all of us during those difficult Depression years. Some of the changes that were going on in the world did eventually reflect themselves on our mountain, like the increase in the number of airplanes that spotted the sky. In particular, I remember an airmail plane that used our mountain as a landmark. My mother especially liked to wait for the plane to go over, and sometimes watching she'd get the look on her face people have when they watch wild geese winging their way south to warm sunny days."

SYNOPSIS: While Olivia waits outside to see the Air Mail man fly over their home the family waits for her inside at the dinner table. Just as she goes inside, they hear the plane flying back over their home with engine trouble. They grab lanterns and help the plane land in the meadow. The pilot, Todd Cooper says that an oil line has blown and the plane is leaking gas as well. The Walton's help him to settle in for the night but Grandma is wary of him saying that he is hiding something. The next day with the help of the Walton family, he begins to make repairs to his plane. John-Boy discovers that Todd has a wife and that they both have an aerial act and are known as the Flying Coopers. Olivia is feeling a little down about her ordinary life. She envies the freedom the pilot must feel when he's flying up with the clouds. While Todd repairs his plane, she climbs into the pilot seat and pretends what it must be like to fly above the clouds. It is her birthday and the children bring her breakfast in bed. They buy chocolate to make icing for her cake. Ike gives Olivia a tortoise shell hair comb. John has made her a swiveling full-length mirror.

QUESTIONS: Who tracked Todd down/ Why did this person track Todd down? What kind of day did Olivia have?

EPILOGUE: "Today great passenger planes plow through those skies above the Virginia Mountains. Last year one of them brought my mother to see us in California where I now live. We're expecting her again soon, and no doubt our thoughts and our memories will return to those early times when that era we called "depressed" was so very, very good."

MY THOUGHTS: This was another one of those episodes that reminded me of the days I would have enjoyed when I was growing up. Birthdays that meant something to someone instead of spending birthdays alone as I do now. I give this episode 8 weasel stars

TITLE: THE BEQUEST ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 29, 1973 WRITER: Mort Thaw DIRECTOR: Alf Kjellin

PROLOGUE: "As much as every member of our family loved our day to day life, we all had moments when we were prone to consider what life would be like if we had a million dollars. Most of the time those moments of avarice were short lived, and quickly replaced by the real values that made up our lives. But one day a letter came which pushed every member of the family toward a new appraisal of what was really important in life."

SYNOPSIS: The children stop by the Ike's store on the way home from school. Martha Rose Cloverdale arrives at the store with blond hair. She claims that she had it done in Charlottesville and then brags that she had some photos done and sent them to an agent in Hollywood. Ike implies though that Martha's mother may have come in and bought the supplies to bleach her hair herself instead of at a fancy salon. Reverend Fordwich stops by the to the Walton's and announces that the roof of the church needs to be repaired at a cost of $50. Grandma gets a letter from lawyers in St. Louis. She doesn't want to open it but when she gets John-Boy to read it states that her best friend Fern Potter has passed away and bequeathed her $250. When asked what she will do with the money she says that as much they could use the money she's not used to having money and doesn't much like the idea of it. The next morning she announces how she will use the money. She will pay for a new church roof, $10 to repair Zeb's pocket watch, $3 for each of the children and the remainder for John-Boy's education. Because the family needs a new hot water heater, they borrow the money from John-Boy's college fund. The children are all excited about all the things they can spend their money on. Grandma warns the children though "if you build your life on dollar bills you'll have nothing to stand on." The expected windfall causes some problems. John and Olivia realize that they taught their children how to live without money but not what to do if they got rich.

QUESTIONS: What Surprise did John Boy have for his Grandma? What arrive for Grandma? What did John do to help the Church?

EPILOGUE: "To their surprise and to our grief, time crept up on those two vigorous old people. I remember that my grandmother at 94 was still beautiful and wore violets in her hair. However, as long as he lived, my grandfather insisted that every pretty girl who happened to come by our house had kissed him. How innocent were those days, how rich we are to have known them."

MY THOUGHTS: MY THOUGHTS: This was another good one that taught that love was much more important than money. You can use that same concept in today's world everybody wants money but when you have it. You lose what important and that the love of a family. Base on that concept and not having a family I give this episode 10 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE THANKSGIVING STORY ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 15, 1973 - 2 Hour Episode STORY: Earl Hamner Jr. TELEPLAY: Joanna Lee DIRECTOR: Lee Philips

PROLOGUE: "Next to Christmas, I suppose you'd have to say that Thanksgiving was our favorite time of the year. We may have been poor in worldly possessions but at Thanksgiving, more than any other time, I think we knew, we really knew, how great was our abundance. It wasn't until the cold November of my 18th year however, that I fully understood what abundance meant. It was a time of terrible questioning for all of us, and when it was over, we all knew a bit more about Thanksgiving."

SYNOPSIS: The women and children are busy cooking and preparing for Thanksgiving. John-Boy is excited that his University application is being processed but he's even more excited that his girlfriend Jenny Pendleton is coming back to visit for Thanksgiving. It has been a year since their whirlwind love affair. He offers to help the men cut lumber for an order but the loose belt breaks and hits him in the head. Although knocked down and bloody he pretends to be okay but he continues to get tremors and blurred vision. Later he goes over to the old Pendleton house to do some cleaning before Jenny and her stepmother Eula arrive but they show up a day early and surprise him while he is cleaning the fireplace. Much to his embarrassment, they see him covered in soot. John-Boy and Jenny awkwardly try to restart their relationship but a year apart has been a challenge. She has heard about his on and off relationship with Marcia Woolery. They do set aside their past and give it another go. When John-Boy goes and asks the Reverend for a recommendation for the scholarship, he falls to ground. He knows that people are going to get wise to his problems but he needs to keep going until he finishes writing the exam for his University scholarship. Jason gets a job for $0.50 a day helping the Baldwin ladies make more of the recipe. They are making a special batch that they want to give to President Roosevelt. The Baldwin's are impressed with Jason and feel that he would be a suitable heir since their father never had a son to leave his legacy with. Jason chooses not to tell his mother of his new employment which lands him in hot water when the ladies come over to the Walton's and offer to adopt Jason so that he can inherit the Baldwin's property and benefit from their financial help. Olivia is livid by the news but still she musters the strength to be civil and invite the ladies for Thanksgiving despite turning down their generous offer. Mary-Ellen tries out for the part of Pocahontas in the Thanksgiving play and wins the part over her nemesis Martha Rose who arrives at the casting call in a complete native costume. The family attends the play and Mary Ellen gives a solid performance. Ben is tired of being the middle child and wants some more responsibility. He asks Grandpa if he can hunt the turkey for the Thanksgiving dinner. They go up the mountain together but Ben misses the shot and end up bargaining with a turkey farmer for a large farm raised bird for the Thanksgiving dinner.

QUESTIONS: What happen with John Boy while taking the test? Why did John take his son to the doctors? Why did Miss Hunter go to the University?

EPILOGUE: "Several weeks were to pass before we were to know the decision of the scholarship committee. The announcement came by telegram. My name was on the list - my journey

MY THOUGHTS: This was my favorite episode. I love the Thanksgiving theme because I always dream of having a Thanksgiving dinner like that. I thought Richard Thomas was great in his acting of the head injury. I also like the return of Jenny. I especially like the walk up to the top of Waltons Mountain. Because of all of beauty of the mountain and the theme, I give this episode 10 weasel stars

TITLE: The Substitute ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 22, 1973 WRITER: John McGreevey DIRECTOR: Lee Philips

PROLOGUE: "When I was growing up on Walton's Mountain in those years of the great Depression, for me and my brothers and sisters it was a time of making do with the little there was. A time of stretching a nickel until it bought a dime's worth, often a time of doing without. In such times, keeping children in school was just too much of a strain for many families, but for my father educating his children had almost the same importance as feeding and clothing us. I remember one day when the regular routine of our school life was threatened."

SYNOPSIS: Miss Fordwich leaves John-Boy in charge of the school when she learns that her sister has been in an accident. John goes to the board meeting to find a substitute teacher and at the last minute, they find a young inexperienced woman from New York, Miss Megan Pollard who is willing to do the job. John offers her free room and board at the Waltons, as they are not able to pay her very much. John-Boy picks her up at the bus station. Grandma can't tell is she is old trying to look young or young trying to look old. She moves into John-Boy's room and immediately creates a barrier between herself and the family with the door locked and eating meals in her room. At school, she changes the schedule and has very little tolerance for tardiness or misbehaving. Her style of teaching causes upset in the classroom and many students drop out from school. The school board has another meeting to try and calm parents' concerns. When John tries to talk to Miss Pollard, she offers her resignation but still needing a teacher for the school, he doesn't want to accept. After John-Boy asks, Miss Pollard to read his latest rejected story submission she states that she was embarrassed for him. She suggests that he study the Essays of a serious writer like Emerson but the advice has the opposite effect. John-Boy now knows more clearly than ever that he needs to write about feelings and emotions. His words strike a chord with her. Obviously, she has kept a distance from her emotions since the passing of her revered father who was a respected educator.

QUESTIONS: What was Megan doing in her room? What did Megan admit to Olivia? What was Megan really trying to do?

EPILOGUE: "Ben's own personal kite won Second Prize that day, the other three Waltons finished, as they say, "out of the money", but nobody cared. In due time Miss Hunter came back, and although everybody was glad to see her there were tears shed at the thought of losing Miss Pollard. We had learned to know and to love her, and we were all the richer for the time she had spent with us. I still have that collection of Emerson's essays on my desk, and whenever I open its pages I'm carried back again to those Depression years on Walton's Mountain and the sound of those voices of the past."

MY THOUGHTS: I like this episode because it reminded me off some of the teachers I had when I was growing up. Most of my teachers were like the first Megan who really didn't care about the students as they did their own agenda. I give this episode 8 weasel stars.

TITLE: THE BRAGGART Original Airdate: November 1, 1973 Writer: Richard Fielder Director: Jack Shea

PROLOGUE: "There were times on Walton's Mountain so filled with peace and contentment that I might sit in my room writing and never once be reminded that I was part of a large and boisterous family. It was on such a day that Jim Bob took time out to watch the grass grow and Hobie Shank came back into our lives. I wasn't to know much peace or contentment after Hobie's arrival."

SYNOPSIS: Hobart Shank arrives at the Walton's with news that he expects to be picked by a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. Hobie had stayed with the family four years prior when he was visiting from the orphanage for the summer. Since coming of age, he has rode, the rails looking for work in various cities. He went to a baseball tryout and threw some of his "blue lighting" pitches, which impressed the scouts. When they asked where he lived, he gave them the Walton's address, as he was too embarrassed to give the address for the orphanage. The scout, Clyde "Preacher" Harroway does in fact arrive from the St. Louis Cardinals to see Hobie pitch. He brings a hotshot AAA ball player to bat against his pitches but he strikes out on every pitch except for Hobie's first pitch. The scout is impressed and John negotiates a $150/month wage with a $100 signing bonus for Hobie. John-Boy finds it difficult to like the loudmouth that Hobie has become. John feels though that maybe he talks big because it's all that he has and this may be his only chance to make something of himself. For now, he's just riding a wave.

QUESTIONS: Why did John take Hobie to the orphanage? Why was Hobart reluctant to go? Who was Hobart fan club?

EPILOGUE: "It's late now in Virginia, that ball field which once echoed to the sounds of our games is quiet except for the call of crickets and the ghosts of the children we were. For my brothers and sisters and I are all grown now, and our children play other games in places far from Walton's Mountain. Still, there's something about the fall of night that turns our thoughts homeward."

MY THOUGHTS: I like this one because of Hobart. Hobart was an arrogant orphan who thought he had life made. I love the expression on John Boy face when Hobart arrived. I realize it was just TV, but Hobart actions are typical of Americans today as they make it big they forget who got them there. I give this episode 9 weasel stars.

TITLE: The Fawn ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 8, 1973 WRITER: John McGreevey DIRECTOR: Ralph Waite

PROLOGUE: "As close-knit and self-sufficient as our family was, still, neighbors were very important in those days when we were growing up on Walton's Mountain. There were families like ourselves, struggling to keep the land we owned, and there were tenant farmers, at the mercy of the weather, crop prices, and absentee landlords."

SYNOPSIS: Erin has a shy admirer. Harold Beasley is a schoolmate of hers but he is too bashful to show his affection and prefers to admire her from afar. As the Walton kids walk to school, they learn that the Littleton family has been forced out of their home due to unpaid taxes. At school, Erin offers Harold a gift containing an embroidered hankie and a love note. Some bullies make fun of Harold and Erin and Harold won't stand up to the bullies or acknowledge her gift. Later when the Walton children go berry picking and they ask Erin to come along instead of brooding. She finds a fawn in the forest all alone and brings it home. The family comes to see the deer that Erin has found. They have heard that a Game Warden has been looking for poachers. Erin figures the deer is hers and names him Lancelot. Mama warns Erin to not get too attached to the fawn as they will need to release it back to the wild once it gets stronger. When she begins to protest her Grandpa says that "Once you start interfering with nature you'll find yourself in a mess of trouble." The Game Warden, Mr. Hennessey arrives and tells Erin that the deer needs to be released, as it is illegal for a private person to own a wild animal. Her mother tells Erin that she needs Lance much more than the deer needs her.

QUESTIONS: What did Jim Bob and Elizabeth give to Erin? What was Erin nightmare about? What did Erin fine when she got to the fawn?

EPILOGUE: "My sister Erin gave Lance his freedom and he took it gratefully. We never did see him again although two years later we did glimpse a doe and a fawn. The little one looked so much like Lance we told ourselves that this must be his son. Erin decided to give boys another chance, and if Harold Beasley wasn't exactly a "knight in shining armor", he was devoted and persistent. I never regretted my brief fling as a man of business. When I'm reminded from time to time of the lessons Graham Foster taught me, memory carries me back to that Depression time, and the voices of my family."

MY THOUGHTS: I like this one because of the fawn. Growing up on farms, I saw my share of deer. I use to go pick berries also. I love the scenes of the mountains so I'm going to give this episode 8 weasel stars.

TITLE: The Roots Original Airdate: October 11, 1973 Writer: Sheldon Stark Director: Philip Leacock

PROLOGUE: "When I was growing up on Walton's Mountain the great Depression cast its shadow over us as it did everyone, but we were more fortunate than most. We were a close-knit family and the house that we lived in was as solid and secure as the mountain itself. Because I had always lived in it I took our house for granted, then, one hot summer afternoon I met others less fortunate. Through them I learned the real meaning of home."

SYNOPSIS: The Walton children have been picking peaches for Mr. Denton, a local grower with their neighbor Verdie Grant and a young boy by the name of Jody Foster and his Father Harley. The Fosters travel from one place to the next looking for working and not staying too long to lay down any roots. They stop at Verdie's for a drink and some cookies on the way home. She ask John-Boy if he will help play matchmaker for her and Harley. The truck overheats and catches fire as they continue down the road. Harley who is trained as a mechanic puts out the fire and gets the truck back on the road. They accept the offer to stay the night but Harley is anxious to keep on the move. Verdie though has arranged for Harley to work as a mechanic for Ike, he is reluctant to accept the job but then decides to accept and begins work on the Baldwin's car. Harley finds Jody difficult to deal with which results in an intense argument between him and Verdie Grant. When she hurts his pride, he decides it's time to leave. Ike Godsey though has discovered that $23 has gone missing from his till and believes that Harley has taken it.

QUESTIONS: Who tried to prove their innocence? What was found in a coat pocket? Was anyone going to jail?

EPILOGUE: "Harley and Jody did put down roots in Waltons Mountain, and the romance that blossomed in a peach orchard was to flower and bear fruit of its own. Almost four decades have passed but my own roots are still there, in that house where I was born and grew up with my brothers and sisters."

MY THOUGHTS: This was one of the worst episode that I witness. I give this episode 1 weasel star

TITLE: The Chicken Thief Original Airdate: October 18, 1973 Writer: Richard Carr Director: Ralph Senensky

PROLOGUE: "When I look back on Walton's Mountain, I remember that our parents by word and by example took some pains to teach us the practical lessons of life and its virtues. But though I had been well taught there came a time when I doubted my own honesty and questioned its true value."

SYNOPSIS: When John-Boy stops by Ike Godsey's to check on a package for Olivia he reflectively mentions to him that he really doesn't know much about him despite coming to his store so often. Ike offers to tell him his life story but John-Boy is in a rush to get back home. He finds Grandpa and Yancy Tucker shooting a game of pool in the back hall and Yancy mentions that he'd like to go quail hunting with John-Boy's daddy. Grandpa and John-Boy hop on Old Blue and head home. John-Boy asks Grandpa what Yancy does for work and Grandpa replies that it is best not to know. John has an order of fence posts to deliver to Charlie Potter. When John-Boy helps him make the delivery, he sees Yancy Tucker running off with 2 of Charlie's chickens. On the way home, he struggles with whether he should report what he saw. Later Ike gives John-Boy a box full of papers and photos so that John-Boy can get to know him better and hopefully write stories about him in his novel. John-Boy is caught off guard by Ike's eagerness to be a part of John-Boy's book. The next day after school Yancy stops by to explain his actions to John-Boy. He says that he is only taking from those who have and giving to those who don't, kinda like Robin Hood. Yancy promises to take a couple of chickens back to Charlie's to ease John-Boy's conscience but that night Charlie Potter is shot in the leg while trying to apprehend the chicken thief.

QUESTIONS: Why was The Sheriff looking for Yancy? Why did John try to help Yancy? Who did John Boy go to visit?

EPILOGUE: "Outside our mountain the world was in deep depression, but we were sheltered by a common bond. The accomplishment of one was the accomplishment of all. We shared our glories, our defeats, our hopes, our aspirations, but mostly our love."

MY THOUGHTS: This one was by far the best of the season I give this episode 7 weasel stars.

TITLE: The Odyssey Original Airdate: September 20, 1973 Writer: Joanne Lee Director: Jack Shea

PROLOGUE: "Growing up with my brothers and sisters on Waltons Mountain was a joyful experience, but not always an easy one. Privacy was hard to come by, and as a young man trying to write, it was the one thing I needed which I almost never had. I will always remember that day when I left, a young boy anxious to find some time for himself, and returned a man who had partaken of a miracle."

SYNOPSIS: John-Boy can't get any peace to write a story for a new magazine that is looking for submissions. The children are all requesting his time. He asks his parents if he can go stay overnight at the old Montgomery cabin up on the mountain to get some alone time to write. John is concerned about him going so far away on his own but he agrees when the other adults support John-Boy's idea. On his way he stops by Granny Ketchum's home and helps to get her Mule "Old Blue" out of her sage patch. When he arrives at the cabin a storm begins to blow and he finds his former school friend Sarah Jane Simmonds hiding in the shadows. She has run away from her legal guardians the Kaneely's who her mother had given her daughter to in hopes that they would pay for her education. Sarah says that they had worked her too hard and that she has secretly married Riley O'Conner and is now pregnant with his child. She says that he is working for a WPA project in Norfolk.

QUESTIONS: Where does Sara belong? What does Sara come down with? Where did John Boy go for a remedy?

EPILOGUE: "We were early risers, and thus in my Grandfather's words "we went to bed with the chickens". All the lights in the house would go out, except for the one in my room. There, I would at last find the solitude to record in my journal the events of the day. The wind would flow gently down from the mountain, the night birds would fall still, and the rest of the family would slip quietly towards sleep."

MY THOUGHTS: Again another episode that wasn't very interesting so I give this episode 4 weasel stars

TITLE: The Separation Original Airdate: September 27, 1973 Teleplay: Richard Carr Story: Ellen Corby Director: Philip Leacock

PROLOGUE: "Whenever I think back on Walton's Mountain and about my family I remember mostly the feeling of love and the happiness we all shared. But though the mountain never changed, there were times, rare times, when those we thought the closest found themselves at odds. It happens in all families I suppose, and it happened one day in ours."

SYNOPSIS: Mary Ellen is looking forward to going to a dance at the Livery Stable. The Caller for the dance is Fred Hansen who Grandma used to dance with. Grandpa is a bit jealous of him but Grandma says she always saved the last waltz for Zeb. "My Wild Irish Rose". A man from the Jefferson County Electric Company arrives to turn off the power when the Waltons can't make their overdue payment. Grandpa goes off to buy some candles at Ike's store but on the way, he has the idea of offering to fix the Baldwin's drainpipes for $2.50 they agree and as part of the arrangement, they go into Charlottesville together. Grandma gets worried when he doesn't return as expected. The Baldwin sisters ask Zeb to make their final stop at Harper's Drugstore. They give him some of their Papa's 1925 batch of the recipe in exchange for which he gives them 3 chocolate sodas. Zeb buys some perfume for Esther for $0.39 Instead of listening to the powerless radio the children make shadow puppets on the wall of the living room. Grandma asks her son John if he has seen his father Zeb. John replies that he hasn't because he spent the day selling their hog. Grandma asks if they can look for Zeb. They make their way to the Baldwin house and are soon greeted by the return of the Baldwins and Grandpa from Charlottesville.

QUESTIONS: What was Esther upset with Zeb for? Why did Zeb sleep on the pole table? What did Zeb forget?

EPILOGUE: "We are all dancers, in each of us there is a need to move to the beat of music, to circle, to tempt, to embrace, and finally to move together in pairs. And when all else of 1934 is forgotten I will still treasure this house, this year, and this night."

MY THOUGHTS: This was a better one especially seeing Grandpa in the doghouse. I give this episode 6 weasel stars

TITLE: THE THEFT Original Airdate: October 4, 1973 Writer: Robert Malcolm Young Director: Harry Harris

PROLOGUE: "Looking back across the span of 40 years the sharp edges of the great Depression have worn away, in memory the period seems a happy time. Yet when we lived them they were trying years, and I remember a time when our family's pride, and our integrity were challenged in a manner that was new and shattering to all of us."

SYNOPSIS: John Walton has been doing some handy work at the Claybourne's. They are a well-to-do family but maybe not is all that it appears to be since the father of the family has passed away. John is concerned about whether they have enough to get by. He has 11 unpaid customers in the past month, Stuart Claybourne had only paid him a dollar for a day's work, and the Walton's truck has paper-thin tires that won't last. John admits to John-Boy that this is the hardest patch of financial trouble that the family has gone through. John returns to the Claybourne's to finish the repair on their fridge. Mrs. Claybourne requests that he join her for coffee in her drawing room. When they are done, she leaves John unattended in the room with all her fine silverware. Later Mrs. Claybourne and Dewey, her servant search for her missing silver goblets. She believes that John was the only one who had the opportunity to take the items and she asks her son Stuart Lee to call the Sheriff. Meanwhile John has made his way to Charlottesville to buy some new tires for his truck. He also buys Olivia some new material for her to make a new dress. She asks him where he got the money but John is unwilling to answer. Sheriff Bridges visits the Walton's to question John's whereabouts after he left the Claybourne's. John refuses to answer then he lashes out at John-Boy for not obeying his word. Olivia thinks that maybe John was off playing poker and that is where the money came from. The children on the other hand have allowed the issue to affect their feelings as well. At the dinner table, John inquires why the family is so quiet and Mary Ellen tells him that John-Boy was in a fight at school trying to protect their father's good name. John tries to apologize and reason with John-Boy but he is mad that his father won't concede to the same rules that he expects from his family. Later that evening John tells Olivia that he is not ready to explain his actions just yet. John then runs into Dodge Evanhauer and Sheriff Ep Bridges at Ike's store. He tries to collect money that Dodge owes for firewood, which results in a heated exchange. The Sheriff then gets a phone call confirming that John was in Charlottesville after being at the Claybourne's but John still won't account for his actions. John-Boy and Ben devise a plan to gather some information about the Claybourne's. Ben knocks on their door to offer a magazine subscription but in reality, he is looking for signs that may reveal the truth about the situation. He notices that their shoes are all worn out. John-Boy then begins to look into the Claybournes and begins to figure that not all is as it

QUESTIONS: who confronted Stuart Lee? Who was Stuart Lee? Why did Mrs. Claybourne go to the Waltons house? What did John confess to Oliva?

EPILOGUE: "The Depression lingered on, and there were other bad spells, but we lived through them too. However, as each year ended it was difficult to recall the hard times we'd come through. Looking back, I realize now that the real bounty placed before us each day was the love we had for each other. It shaped our lives, fed our souls, and crowned our happiness."

TITLE: The Journey Original Airdate: September 13, 1973 Writer: Nigel McKeand Director: Harry Harris

PROLOGUE: "Growing up in a family as large and as close as mine, made it hard to realize that there were many people who lived in loneliness and solitude. However, the realization of that sad truth also brought me close to a remarkable woman, and sent me on a journey that I was to remember for the rest of my life."

SYNOPSIS: John-Boy plans on taking Marcia Woolery to a dance and he gets his Mother to help mend a new pair of pants for him. He then takes Grandma over to see Maggie MacKenzie who is recovering from a fall she had. They find her trying to get her car started. She enlists John-Boy's help to fix the car for her. Dr. Vance stops by and warns Maggie that she is not strong enough to go on any journey. Maggie shows John-Boy pictures from her photo album, of her husband and shows him the $20 gold coin she received as a wedding gift. She asks John-Boy if he will drive her to the seashore for her 55th anniversary to remember her husband who has passed and when they were married on the ship that brought her to America from Scotland. John-Boy struggles with his decision as it means that he will miss going to the dance with Marcia. John-Boy decides to take Maggie on her Journey. When they get to the sea, she remembers the ship that brought her and they find the Mermaid restaurant where her and her husband had eaten. When the piano plays a song that she would dance to John-Boy asks her to Dance.

QUESTIONS: Did John Boy get to dance with Marcia? Whom did Maggie dance with for the last time? What happen to Maggie on her way home?

EPILOGUE: "Some people are drawn to oceans, and others to the shimmering sands of deserts. Others feel only at home on land that flows beside a river. My people were drawn to mountains, and there on Waltons Mountain we were to share the fun and excitement of growing up together, the boundless love of our mother and father and a daily exploration of many of the wonders that lie in the human heart!"

MY THOUGHTS: I didn't like this episode it was boring and it lack storyline so I give this 3 weasel stars.

TITLE: High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American Western film, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Company and Universal Studios. Eastwood plays a mysterious gunfighter hired by the residents of a corrupt frontier mining town to defend them against a group of criminals. The film was influenced by the work of Eastwood's two major collaborators, film directors Sergio Leone and Don Siegel. The film was shot on location on the shores of Mono Lake, California. The screenplay was written by Ernest Tidyman, who also wrote the novelization. Dee Barton provided the eerie film score. The film was critically acclaimed at the time of its initial release and still is, holding a score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Directed by Clint Eastwood, Produced by Robert Daley, Written by Ernest Tidyman

RELEASE DATES: August 22, 1973

RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes

STARRING: Clint Eastwood as The Stranger, Verna Bloom as Sarah Belding, Mariana Hill as Callie Travers, Billy Curtis as Mordecai, Mitchell Ryan as Dave Drake, Jack Ging as Morgan Allen, Stefan Gierasch as Mayor Jason Hobart, Ted Hartley as Lewis Belding, William O'Connell as the Barber, and Geoffrey Lewis as Stacey Bridge

SUMMARY: A stranger on horseback rides into the mining town of Lago. Three gun-toting men follow him into the saloon, taunting him. When they follow him to the barbershop and threaten him, the Stranger shoots and kills all three of them. Impressed with this performance, a dwarf named Mordecai, who works in the barbershop, befriends the Stranger. An attractive woman named Callie Travers bumps into the Stranger in the street on purpose, insults, and badgers him. When she slaps his cigar from his mouth, he drags her into the livery stable and rapes her. Next, he rents a room at the hotel. That night, he dreams about a man being brutally whipped. It is revealed later that Marshal Jim Duncan was whipped to death by gunfighters Stacey Bridges, Dan Carlin, and Cole Carlin while the people of Lago looked on. Only Sarah Belding, wife of hotelier Lewis Belding, attempted to rescue him. A corrupt faction in Lago wanted Duncan dead; as the Marshal discovered that the town's mine is on government ground, (the townsfolk feared that this news, if reported, would result in the mine being closed, which would threaten the town's livelihood). Sheriff Sam Shaw tells the Stranger he will not be charged for killing the three men. Meanwhile, the townsmen discuss Bridges and the Carlin brothers, who are due to be released from prison that day. The town double-crossed the three gunfighters after they killed Duncan, and the men are expected to seek vengeance. Since the men slain by the Stranger were the mining company's new protectors, the townsmen decide to hire the Stranger as their replacement. Presenting the offer to the Stranger, Shaw explains that the three gunfighters were caught stealing gold from the mining company, although he admits the gold was poorly protected. The Stranger declines the job until Shaw tells him he can have anything he wants. Accepting these terms, the Stranger indulges in the town's goods and services, and makes Mordecai both sheriff and mayor. He also has Belding's clients moved out of the hotel, dismantles Belding's barn in order to make picnic benches, has the entire town painted red, and paints the word "HELL" on the "LAGO" sign just outside of town. While the Stranger trains the townspeople to defend themselves, Bridges and the Carlin brothers are released from prison and make their way to Lago. They begin on foot but kill three men and take their horses. A group of townsfolk tries to ambush the Stranger in the hotel, but he kills all but one of them. After Belding inadvertently divulges his complicity in the attack, (which left the hotel destroyed), the Stranger drags Sarah Belding into their room, and she sleeps with him willingly. The next morning, Sarah tells the Stranger about Duncan's murder, and how Duncan was buried in an unmarked grave. She remarks, "They say the dead don't rest without a marker of some kind."

QUESTIONS: Why did the Stranger ride out of town the next morning? Who did the Stranger fine? What color did the people paint the town? What happen when the gunfighters hit town?

MY THOUGHTS: To me this movie was kind of had a very slow pace to it. You knew the climax long before it happen which made this movie boring. I thought that Clint Eastwood did great in his role as the Stranger. However, there was no one backing him up. The other thing missing in this movie was a leading lady. There really wasn't any actress that stood out in this movie. To me you can't have a good movie without a leading lady. Therefore based on the lack of the leading lady and not that much action I give this movie 5 weasel stars