A Waltons Thanksgiving

This is not 1930s Virginia. I wasn't born during The Waltons series original run. And that doesn't and shouldn't matter because art, whether it's music, television, movies, even artwork itself, moves you, transports you and if powerful enough - it has the ability to inspire and transform you. CW's Waltons is not Earl Hamner Jr.'s Waltons. I was skeptical coming into it. This is CW after all. I proceeded positively...and cautiously. I ever saw last year's CW's Waltons movie and it's safe to say I never will now. CW'S A Waltons Thanksgiving movie does not resemble Hamner's Waltons visually, verbally, historically or morally. It's also missing a kid. Where's Ben? Why are CW'S Waltons daughters so bossy and unlikable now? Twenty-three minutes in, and I barely see the Waltons patriarch played by Teddy Sears? Last year's CW's Waltons movie got 960,000 viewers. Great for CW. This year's movie attracted about 500,000 less (Fewer? Help me Stannis.) viewers. I see why. I lasted 25 minutes and decided to go watch Hamner's Waltons instead.

This was an excellent show that has all the quality and character of the original series that touches the heartstrings of what is upright and overflowing with an often rare goodness seldom seen in the morals we experience in this world almost 50 years after the original series.

How wonderful to be suspended in a world free from technology, hype and the distraction we experience in todays world often devoid of meaningful interaction with those we come in contact on a daily bases. What a joy to see that those that we touch can be effected in one positive life changing event

The special topped off a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thank you Magnolia Hill!

'Nuff said.

Everything you wanted in a sentimental, nostalgic heartstring Tugger- and less.

If you want to watch the waltons, find out what channel is doing the reruns or get the DVDs from Netflix or eBay or Amazon. I don't even know if it's streaming anywhere, but this... this is a travesty. This reminds me of an episode of Happy Days where Mr Cunningham had paid for a TV advert and the studio replaced him and Marion with perfect Teeth perfect hair facsimiles, and Howard got to play the stock boy. Pretty ridiculous right? All I can figure here is that Mr Thomas needed a paycheck, and enough for decades so fast that they didn't figure anybody would get too upset or be too unhappy with this bizarre, otherworldly alternate reality version.

This is the second TV-movie on The CW to feature the Walton family played by new actors, with Richard Thomas as the narrator.

Once again the family is supposedly going through a hard time, but in the middle of The Depression, they live in a nice house which probably needs painting, and John-Boy has his own room. The clothes don't look quite as good but that's just because the family members are shown working.

Everyone is polite (or at least they can be) and brothers and sisters bicker, as they do, but there is love here. There are family values and the need to be responsible is shown.

Ryan Newman does a great job as the abused kid who works for the fair. He shows a positive attitude and intelligence and he is quite a salesman.

Rebecca Koon also stands out as the somewhat less than perfect Grandma. Alpha Trivette is somewhat less colorful and more moral than Will Geer but still a fine man.

The first movie was G-rated. This one could have been although it has a couple of bad words and just enough suggested violence to get the point across. The boy is kicked a couple of times but never hit on screen.

And, of course, there are references to drinking. Usually it is the perfectly harmless Baldwins' "recipe".

Marcelle LeBlanc is a very good singer. Christian Finlayson is a good banjo player.

The movie doesn't quite live up to the ideal of the TV series but it is good family entertainment everyone can enjoy. It's almost as good as the Christmas movie from last year.

Why couldn't they make up their own movie and family instead of hijacking a great series like the Waltons? The acting was terrible, and it was too far removed from the excellent acting done by the original cast and the writing/lines were so juvenile. It was like a kindergarten version of a once college level show. I would have enjoyed it slightly if it was an original family so I couldn't compare it. Also they changed Ben's history. The characters didn't even try to have the same color hair or mannerisms. We watch the original series all the time, but we won't watch this movie again. The movie is harmless, just not believable.