I give this episode 10 stars because it addresses two struggles I can relate to: realizing one is getting older, and that depressed times call for drastic measures.
With an 18-year-old son, the Walton parents are most likely in their late 30s or early 40s; so, being in my early 40s without kids, when Mr. Walton talks about feeling restless I started to imagine what it must be like to have an 18-year-old in college, along with six other kids, and taking on parental responsibilities for so long that every day just blends to the next without any sense of adventure or excitement. Now that's a load to carry, and Ralph Waite expresses this well in his role.
Along with feeling the itch of mid-life restlessness is the never-ending problem of not having enough money in the Walton household; so it makes sense, to me, that Mr. Walton takes a drastic measure to bring in more money while at the same time satisfying his restless itch by finding work elsewhere.
I appreciate the dialogue/argument between the Walton parents because each side has valid points when it comes to the pros and cons of the departure to a bigger city to get more work; such a situation cannot be easy, but such is life, and even though the stories are fictitious I enjoy seeing how the characters work through their problems in episodes like this.
I also appreciate watching something where money isn't plentiful in a home, jobs are scarce in a rural area, and the adults in the home aren't in their 20s. It may not be the 1930s any more, or even the 1970s when the show was made, yet the same situations exist in 2021 and I find it comforting to watch a show that in some ways is more realistic than reality TV.
Thanks to the INSP Channel for making The Waltons part of their weekday lineup!
