Waltons 4.10: "The Loss"

Airdate: 11/13/17


Young Olivia, who was married in “The Shivaree,” has just lost her husband when a car hit him while he was walking. Now, she plans to spend a few weeks with the Waltons to get through her bereavement. Not sure exactly how to deal with this, as none of the Waltons has ever dealt with an unexpected loss, each family member devises their own unique approach. Elizabeth appears to be the most curious, and perplexed, but a tragic loss hits her hard when her pet cat, Calico, dies while birthing a litter. Young Olivia, having raised many cats herself, jumps in to save the kittens, and even gets to keep one herself. 

Deborah Hill returns as Young Olivia, and this episode is loaded with flashbacks from her first appearance, in “The Shivaree.” Those familiar with the stages of grief might enjoy the Waltons’ take, best explained by Zeb, who compares them to the seasons of the year (one inevitably can’t help but compare him to Chance the gardener in Being There). This one’s a real heartstring-tugger – you’ll know what I mean when you get to the cat-giving-birth scene.