Waltons 2.20: The Fulfillment

Airdate: 2/7/74

The Waltons take in an orphan for a few days to give him a taste of family life: Stevie is boy with no family life, unable to get used to one place, and as such has become very bitter and discontent. Meantime John-Boy has been helping Curtis Norton, the town blacksmith, with his work and learns that he and his wife are unable to have children. When Olivia invites the couple over for dinner, Ann Norton believes the family is attempting to “plot” their adoption of little Stevie – she idealistically believes if they wait long enough they can have kids biologically. John-Boy finally gets her to see the reality of the situation, and she ultimately gives in to the idea of adoption.

The Waltons ventures into Little House on the Prairie territory here ­(if you recall, that was the show in which the Ingalls family adopted every orphan in the state of Minnesota, fires, famine and blindness notwithstanding). Appropriately, it stars Victor French, replacing Ned Beatty (a bigger star by this point thanks to Deliverance) in the role of Curtis, a character introduced in Waltons 1.22, “The Bicycle”. Franch played Mr. Edwards on Little House through most of its 10-year run, and continued his association with co-star Michael Landon in Highway to Heaven. French, bearded in Little House, looks odd clean-shaven in this episode, and bears more than a slight resemblance to Randy Quaid!

Comparisons aside, this episode benefits from strong ensemble work, and features an amusing scene in which Jason resolutely asks for a later bedtime from his parents, and then, bored and underfoot, trundles off to bed anyway.