Airdate: 3/13/80
Jim Bob is about to graduate high-school, ad replacement
teacher Corabeth, and the rest of the Waltons, want him to be valedictorian.
Initially apprehensive, he considers bombing his exam so he won’t have a
chance, but later reconsiders. Meanwhile, the Allies have invaded Normandy, and
the final push to Berlin is on. War fever is running high, so Jim Bob announces
that all four male graduates, including himself, have enlisted in the army. Now
he, John-Boy, Jason and Ben will be shipped off to fight in both theaters of
the war, while the Walton womenfolk will be waiting patiently, and nervously,
at home.
Not sure how big a part the show’s sagging ratings played in
the decision to focus the next season nearly entirely on the war, but that is
certainly where the show is heading. Emotional departures aplenty here, most
poignantly that of Ben and Cindy, whose final scene involving a camera is quite
tearful. Jim-Bob’s surprise announcement at graduation is sure flag waving, but
it reminded me of the same kind of scene in All
Quiet on the Western Front, a decidedly antiwar novel. Something tells me The Waltons won’t be changing its
political stripes anytime soon.
Ellen Corby comes back as Grandma for the graduation scene. With
the exception of the retrospective special, this is her last episode of the
series. Olivia, presumably, is there in spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment