I don’t know about you, but in the 1970’s I was a huge fan of The Waltons television show. It was a family show that everyone could watch together. Imagine a television show with no sex or violence, the story of a loving family set in the depression era living in the mountains of Virginia, with seven children and their parents and grandparents all living in the same house and you have The Waltons. I enjoyed watching the show then and am now enjoying the DVD set of The Waltons - The Complete Second Season. Whenever I need to feel good, I can pull out this collection and choose from any shows of the 1973-74 television season.

The Waltons The Complete Second Season

This collection contains 5 disk with both sides A and B being used to include all 24 shows of that Emmy award winning season. Michael Learned who played Olivia Walton won the Emmy for Outstanding Performance by an actress in a Drama Series and the Thanksgiving Story won Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series that same year.

Contained on the five disk set are some wonderful family shows that you can enjoy by yourself or with your entire family.

Disk One

This disk contains the first 9 episodes including the shocking separation of Grandma and Grandpa Walton. My favorite episode on this disk has to be The Chicken Thief; in this episode John Boy catches a friend stealing chicken and doesn’t tell the law, this episode shows the true meaning of friendship. Also included are The Journey, The Odyssey, The Theft, and The Roots. Each of these episodes are great stories that you will enjoy watching.

Disk Two

This disk contains episodes seven through eleven, these episodes aired between October 25, 1973 and November 22, 1973. This disk includes the award winning Thanksgiving Story. This story will tug at your heartstrings as the oldest Walton child; John Boy suffers a serious head injury and faces an operation during Thanksgiving. This episode is my favorite and I like to watch it every year during the holidays. Also included in this disk are other great stories like The Prize, The Braggart, The Fawn and the Substitute. Once again each of these episodes can be enjoyed by every member of your family.

Disk Three

This disk contains episodes twelve through seventeen. I really don't have a favorite on this disk, because I enjoy each episode. This disk includes The Bequest, The Air Mail Man, The Triangle, The Awakening, The Honeymoon and The Heritage. The Honeymoon is a wonderful episode of a simple honeymoon after 19 years of marriage taken by John and Olivia Walton. This episode is full of the love these two have for each other.

Disk Four

This disk contains episodes eighteen through twenty-two. The most moving episode on this disk is The Gift, Jason has to figure out how to handle his emotions about his friend who is stricken with leukemia. This is a very moving episode of friendship and loss. This disk also includes The Cradle, The Fulfillment, The Ghost Story and The Graduation. This disk does not contain one bad episode of this family's great story.

Disk Five

Disk five contains the last two episodes of the season. The best of these being The Car which tells the story of John Boy working to get his first car to drive to college. He trades his labor for his neighbor’s automobile. The other The Five Foot Shelf is probably my least favorite of the season, but is still a great story.

The Cast

Earl Hamner the creator of this show did a wonderful job when picking the actors to play the roles of the Walton Family. Included in this great cast are:

Richard Thomas – John Boy Walton
Ralph Waite – John Walton (The Father)
Miss Michael Learned – Olivia Walton (The Mother)
Ellen Corby – Grandma
Will Geer – Grandpa
Judy Norton – Mary Ellen
Jon Walmsley – Jason
Mary Elizabeth McDonough – Erin
Eric Scott - Ben
David Harper - Jim Bob
Kami Cotler - Elizabeth


Each of these cast members brought something special to the characters they played on the show. They were and are a joy to watch in every episode of this collection.

Final Thoughts

There isn’t anything on television today that can touch your heart the way The Waltons did during their long run on television. If you enjoy heartwarming family shows then the The Waltons - The Complete Second Season is for you! I find myself watching it on a rainy day and enjoying each and every episode. This family drama brought a lot to television during it’s run and today you can still enjoy each and every episode thanks to the collections of seasons being released on DVD.

This set contains no special features or interviews it is just the story of this mountain family during the great depression and their struggle to raise their children.

I for one can not get enough of this great family and hope to get other seasons to add to my collection. If you enjoyed The Waltons then you will definitely enjoy this collection.

Thanks for reading!!


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8