In May of last year I had the honor of reviewing one of my favorite television shows of all time, The Waltons (Season 9). While I was somewhat disappointed with it, due to the lack of special features, I still believe the series is worth watching. I could say many of the same things about the new DVD boxed set, The Waltons Movie Collection.

The Collection covers six television movies from the series, ranging from 1982 to 1997. One of the really enjoyable things about the boxed set is we get to see sequences featuring all of the cast, including the original cast with Michael Learned (Olivia/Mother) and Richard Thomas (John Boy), both characters that were either not in later seasons or were played by other actors (as in the case of John Boy, later played by Robert Wightman). Another great thing about this movie set is the incorporation of footage (and allusions to) Grandpa, played by Will Geer (who had died early in the series), and the inclusion of Grandma, played beautifully by Ellen Corby. Corby suffered a stroke in 1977 and was greatly limited in episodes afterward, especially so in the movies; that said, I can't help but notice the brilliance of this actress when she is on screen. I loved every moment of it.

Odds are, most people interested in this movie collection already know about the series. One of the most acclaimed, loved television series of all time, The Waltons is about a Virginia family filled with love and what some may call "old-fashioned" values. The exploits follow the family from The Great Depression through World War 2 and into the 1960s and beyond. This long-running series featured the exploits of this family in a little mountain town.

In looking back on this set of television movies, I can't help but notice the dating of the series created by Earl Hammer (on whom the John Boy character is based). It resembles a lot of television of the day, and unfortunately shows the progress that television has made over the years, from the acting, to set design, direction, special effects, and beyond. What the new television shows don't represent nearly as well is the classic storytelling and values presented in The Waltons. It caused me to ponder for this review as to what really were "the good ol' days."

Some assume the good ol' days are a representation of the time period, yet, after re-viewing the films, I see something different: families staying together and having a deep love, and appreciation for each other. Even today, we see commercials understanding the influence of this series in the traditional good-night comments included at the conclusion of each episode of The Waltons. We see other things, though, like the prayers the family says at each meal, and the importance of church (even encouraged by those not attending on a regular basis); all of the characters value and respect those traditional beliefs. In The Waltons what we have isn't much different than the ideals presented in the musical Fiddler on the Roof.

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