The Waltons (TV Series) Day of Infamy (1978) User Reviews

The letter

[rgxdzrybr · 8/10 · 7 March 2023]

Mary Ellen is set to take John Curtis to Hawaii to be with Curt and work in the hospital. Pearl Harbor changed all that of course. I think the characters I felt the most for in this one was Verdie ( her daughter away at the time and the others on a hunting trip) and she is waiting to hear about her son Jody already in the service . The other one was Grandma Walton . Despite her stroke Ellen Corby conveyed considerable dignity and understanding having lost her son in the First World War. The rest do well to varying degrees especially John and Olivia and it's worth watching.

I am however in complete agreement at the lack of chemistry between Mary Ellen and Curt and it diminishes a certain amount of emotion in the episode. When they learn of Curt's fate Grandma brings a letter given to her by Curt for his son in case he doesn't return. The letter is beautifully written and has great insight and wisdom. Problem ? It really doesn't seem like something Curt would say. Still it one of the episodes that shows what it must have been like in those early days after the attack .

Best Episode every

[kingoftheupcngodares · 10/10 · 12 May 2012]

I think this episode of the Walton's was by far the most emotional one i ever watched.it can even make you cry at times that day will always be remember in history.I would love to see other shows actually had great Cast and Great story's like this but none compare to some of the old series such as the Walton's.Season 7 Episode 10 can make you really think about what is most important Family and Country.I am honestly Glad after only seeing the 1st 3 seasons of the walton reruns when i was a kind that i was able to watch the rest of the Seasons's there story's and adventures are so cool.I just hope that one day TV Executive start thinking about bring Good TV Shows and story's back most now a day's are junk in my Personal Opinion this is one of my top 10 Best TV shows list.

Something has bothered me for a long time

[hmoika · 6/10 · 12 January 2021]

This isn't really a review of this episode. However, I will say that it wasn't one of the best of the seventh season, in my opinion.

What has bothered me for some time has been my feeling that the chemistry between Judy Norton and Tom Bower was simply never there. The brunt of this lack of chemistry seems, in my reading of the episodes, to have come from Norton. Even with the first episode introducing Bower (as Mary Ellen prepares to marry a different man).

But this seeming lack of chemistry really showed itself after Norton and Bower's characters were married. Perhaps it was simply due to Norton's lack of acting experience.....but I came away (again and again) with the sense that she really did not want to be in a clinch with this guy; and she did not not want to kiss this guy who was playing her husband.

The beauty of The Waltons was the openness and easy expression of love and affection within the family, as well as for others who were close. I never experienced any easy openness between Norton and Bower. I kept looking for it, in each episode in which they appeared together. Sad to say, the emotions seemed limp between them.

Perhaps it was Norton's lack of experience? Perhaps it was Bower who was not crazy about the role? I don't know.

All I do know was: that I was relieved when Bower's character died. Maybe Judy Norton was also relieved.

In their last scenes together (when Curt returns from his US Army base, and was just readying for his assignment at Pearl Harbor), they are talking in the doctor's office. Naturally, they both speak of their love and how the other will be missed by the parting. Not once in this scene did they kiss. They hugged a couple of times, but that was all. Very strange for this warm-hearted show where warm kisses were regularly on display between John and Liv.

This Norton/Bower pairing was the only instance in the history of this excellent show where the characters seemed wooden with each other. I couldn't help feeling sorry for Judy Norton. Her character did not appear to be one of a loving nature with her husband.

However, as I said earlier, I cannot know what the true facts were behind the pairing of these two. I only know that I felt a lack of true love between them.

Totally Agree with hmoika

[janet-conant · 2/10 · 6 March 2023]

Their review about the relationship between Mary Ellen and Curt is spot on. I always thought the same thing right from when she says that trite line 'Well I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on earth.' Curt thought they had good chemistry and we all didn't agree. When Curt is tired of sharing ME with her other siblings and ME defends them I thought this is weird.

Unfortunately Norton showed very little interest in Bower and he to her and I could only think they didn't have the chemistry of Learned and Waite and never tried. When they were apart while Curt was in the service and getting hot for others it seemed unnatural if they were so in love. When ME and baby go to get a room to be close to Curt they say hurtful things and act abominably toward each other. So while MaryEllen must show her utter despair and sadness at her husband's fate I can't buy it especially with those fake tears running down her cheeks and wooden acting.

Waltons season 7 was almost as bad as you can get (season 8) especially with MaryEllen addicted to uppers and downers, Erin involved with an insane artist, Elizabeth coming of age with poltergeists flying around, Corabeth with a temporary drinking problem and even the return of John Boy didn't help.

The flashback scenes of Curt and ME tried to show their love but all you can see are two people trying to act. I can see why Learned left especially when they got a substitute John Boy but then came back for some reason. How they got another season with all the actors leaving, getting fired, hiring new cast members or dying is one of life's great mysteries.