The first few seasons of "The Waltons" was as good as character-driven TV series got. A rare confluence of great writing, directing and acting places many of these episodes in the pantheon of television drama. Episodes such as "The Literary Man," "The Star," "The Conflict," and "An Easter Story" are textbook examples of how to do TV drama. Buoyed by excellent writing (John McGreevey, Nigel McKeand, Joanna Lee, Hindi Brooks) and the foundational cast of Richard Thomas (John-Boy), Ralph Waite (John), Michael Learned (Olivia), Ellen Corby (Grandma) and the iconic Will Geer (Grandpa), "The Waltons" had few peers in 1970s TV.
Unfortunately the show never recovered from the triple gut punch it suffered after the fifth season; the departure of it's main star Richard Thomas, Ellen Corby's debilitating stroke which would essentially take her off the show, and the death of Will Geer. Although the show stayed on the air for four more seasons, the decline in quality was evident.
Writers did their best to make the Walton siblings interesting, but the lack of charisma and acting ability from these actors made it a hard sell. The show finally reached its nadir with the return of John-Boy played by a different actor (truly one of the most bizarre decisions ever made in TV history). Eventually Michael Learned and Ralph Waite would depart as well and the show would limp on for another season and a half before airing its final episode in 1981, a shadow of what it once was.
Unfortunately the show never recovered from the triple gut punch it suffered after the fifth season; the departure of it's main star Richard Thomas, Ellen Corby's debilitating stroke which would essentially take her off the show, and the death of Will Geer. Although the show stayed on the air for four more seasons, the decline in quality was evident.
Writers did their best to make the Walton siblings interesting, but the lack of charisma and acting ability from these actors made it a hard sell. The show finally reached its nadir with the return of John-Boy played by a different actor (truly one of the most bizarre decisions ever made in TV history). Eventually Michael Learned and Ralph Waite would depart as well and the show would limp on for another season and a half before airing its final episode in 1981, a shadow of what it once was.