Airdate: 1/20/77
Hard pressed for
work, John takes on government work in Charlottesville, but finds getting used
to a stuffy office job to very difficult. The boss, Mr. Morgan, is a strict,
pedantic martinet who won’t even allow a window to be open! A fellow worker, 20
years on the job, is tired and frustrated, waiting out his tenure only to get
his pension, and pining for the days when the job used to be more fun. Finally,
John’s is pushed too far, and quits his job, observing that he could no longer
be a “caged animal” for the rest of his life.
One of my
favorite episodes dealing with a great theme: the sterility and oppressiveness
of the business world. It’s all too real to me, having had similar jobs; don’t
we all know people like the ones in this office, lifelessly existing just to receive a paycheck,
tolerating treatment no one would ordinarily go through? The final scene of the
office story, the aforementioned co-worker looking around after John’s abrupt
departure, then, in an act of small rebellion, going over to open a window, is
right up there with Jack Lemmon tossing away the potted palm in Mister Roberts.
Subplot ok,
about the boys getting too old to go along with Zeb to do outdoor stuff and
Elizabeth being the only volunteer left. Olivia, in a rare act of
insensitivity, scolds Zeb for treating the girl too much like a boy. Note to
producers (if this were written back then): get a second-unit to shoot NEW
STOCK FOOTAGE. All the stuff you use looks like it came from a 50s educational
film!!
Grandma’s
absence (since “The Rebellion”) is finally explained in this episode: she has
an indeterminate illness, and is awaiting tests at the hospital in
Charlottesville. In real life actress Ellen Corby suffered a serious stroke,
and will not be featured for the rest of the season.
Milestone:
Olivia has a, presumably alcoholic, drink at the Dew Drop Inn: an Orange
Squeeze.
Only the second Waltons episode with a title not
starting with “The.”
No comments:
Post a Comment