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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Waltons 7.12: “The Boosters”


Airdate: 12/28/78

Ben, according to his dad, is getting a little big for his britches at the mill, and so he decides to take out a bank loan for an auto lot (motor lodge) to be built near Godsey’s store, capitalizing on the influx of traffic from Pickett’s war plant. Ben forms a booster club to drum up more money ad support, but the idea is abruptly aborted upon news that the War Department has put a halt to any non-war related construction. Another idea: why not move the buildings from the abandoned mine town to Walton’s Mountain to create a new and improved town center? Again, no dice, as this idea was built upon the false rumor that a new steel mill would be coming. Finally, plan C: Ben, with some help from John, settles on the establishment of a few new stores, including an antiquarian and a new barber shop run by newly-licensed haircutter Yancy, creating a small boom on Walton’s Mountain.

Ben is front and center here, showcasing his continuing attribute as the business-minded go-getter of the family. Solid, developing story resulting in the creation of a “town center” on Walton’s Mountain – certainly will be useful as the show tries to get beyond the bumpkin setting and go in the wartime/homefront direction.



Amusing subplot involving Yancy taking a barber correspondence course. And no, it doesn’t follow he expected “earnest but lousy barber giving bad haircuts” route.

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