Thursday, April 18, 2013

Waltons 7.5: “The Changeling”


Airdate: 10/26/78

Elizabeth’s 13th birthday is nigh, but she isn’t crazy about celebrating it. Then there’s the small matter of objects floating around the house, the piano playing itself, and mysterious gusts of wind blowing her hair around like in an 80s music video. Could it be… a poltergeist? Yes, most likely, as the Waltons’ parapsychological wisdom informs us that a poltergeist is too blame, created by Elizabeth’s pubescent anger, caused by fear over what’s to come in her life. Gothic subplot has Jason writing music for a lonelyhearts radio show. He’s elated, until he learns he has to answer the letters too.

Halloween-themed episode is clearly Carrie-inspired – it’s coy about the actual existence of the ghosts – until the slumber party finale in which everyone sees, and believes, all the supernatural activity occurring right in front of them. Then Earl Hamner’s epilogue informs us that “we weren’t sure if they really were poltergeists in the house.” Okay… how do we explain, um, everything?

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