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Monday, July 23, 2012

Waltons 5.14: “The Ferris Wheel”


Airdate: 1/6/77

Elizabeth has recurring dreams nightmares not being able to get off a ferris wheel, and when she starts sleepwalking to dangerous places, John and Olivia get concerned. John-Boy speculates that she’s trying to bury her fear of being left alone on the ride, something that actually happened last time the carnival came to town. When it arrives again, he attempts to “cure” her by riding the wheel with her, but when she sleepwalks to the ferris wheel at night, Ben and John-Boy must rescue her; there they discover the truth the ferris wheel operator left her alone so he could stash stolen jewely in a nearby cave. When he returned, he was struck and killed by one of ferris wheel carts, all as Elizabeth watched.

Suspenseful mystery/thriller that might just do Stephen King proud. “Special effects” of Elizabeth’s dreams are just superimposed imiages with chiller music underneath; it reminded me a heck of a lot like the Night Gallery opening credits – in fact, this could be one such episode. Nice work, writers Rod Peterson and Claire Whittaker.

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