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Friday, July 13, 2012

Waltons 4.18: “The Burn-Out, Parts I and II”


Airdate: 1/22/76

John-Boy is given the lucrative offer to submit part of a novel to a major publishing company, but his manuscript, and most of the upstairs part of the Waltons house, is destroyed by a fire that may have been started by either Grandpa’s unplugged portable heater or John-Boy’s newfound habit: smoking a pipe. Regardless of who is blameworthy, the house needs repair, and John gets started right away with it (good thing he owns a lumber mill). During this process, the family gets split up:

Erin and Jim-Bob stay with Mr. and Mrs. Fordwick. While there, the reverend counsels Jim-Bob on repenting for his sin of stealing other girls’ hair ribbons. His good deeds do not go unpunished: the girls like his new respect of them and voluntary give him even more ribbons than he stole. Erin is wracked with guilt over trying to retrieve her dress during the fire, causing herself to collapse from smoke inhalation and be rescued by John-Boy, who was subsequently unable to retrieve his smoldering manuscript. Quoting scripture, she penalizes herself and her “vanity” by wearing plain dresses and ascetically foregoing any luxuries or treats; Olivia finally sets he straight by telling her this forced humility is vain as well.

Jason stays with the Baldwin sisters. After griping about having to solitude to practice his music, he gets it, and lives the life of Riley as the sisters cater to his every whim. Gradually, he begins to miss the companionship of his family, and is all too eager to return home.

Overeager Mary Ellen stays with Dr. Vance and his wife, but her reorganization of his office causes the couple to politely tell her, “Thanks, but no thanks.” She’s okay with it though, and for once Mary Ellen does not have an emotional breakdown over something.

Ben stays with Yancy Butler, and, as you can imagine, the backwoods bachelor has no rules to follow. Elated by his permissiveness, Ben cuts school and goes fishing and coon hunting with Yancy, but John and Olivia catch him and warn him about further transgressions. Ben is also happy to come home, feeling that rules do provide structure and discipline for a happy life.

Grandma and Grandpa stay at Mrs. Brimmer’s boarding house. Grandpa is delighted to have a reactive listener to all his tall tales in the form of Zuleika Dunbar, a jolly old woman also lodging at the house. In Zeb’s mind, this validates all his wild stories to Grandma, who finds them tiresomely repetitive, until they leave, and he discovers Zuleika reacting just the same way to the next boarder’s stories!

Elizabeth stays with Ike and Corabeth, but she’s been quiet ever since the inferno, and Olivia feels frustratingly unable to help her. When she begrudgingly returns home, she confesses to John-Boy that she no longer wants to get close to anything anymore, as all such things (her cat, pet butterfly, doll) ultimately die. John-Boy understands her feelings, but explains their irrationality and advises her to stay closer than ever to her loved ones to cope.

Kids psychologically healed and house repaired, the Waltons come together as a family – and I’ll bet you’ll never see John-Boy with a pipe again!

“The Burn Out, Parts I and II” (indicated as such on the titles even though it was broadcast as a two-hour episode) is a larger-than-average budgeted episode that originally aired in January of 1976, smack dab in the middle of The Waltons’ highest-rated season in the Neilsen’s (#14). It’s fun to see the family split up, living in different environs for a change – even though we all know the outcome. Oddly enough, the plot with the most dramatic heft to it is Olivia’s, missing all her “chicks” and praying for a safe and swift return. As a writer, I also identified with John-Boy’s plight, having serious writer’s block, stressed over not being able to rewrite the novel the way it had been before. Only Erin’s neurosis feels contrived – her self-imposed penance is too fake and forced, and resolved all too quickly, even by Waltons standards.

Also great to see all the recurring characters together in a single episode, for probably the last time.

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