The Waltons

The Waltons is currently streaming in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock Premium, and it rewards the patience it asks of you. With 9 seasons behind it, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Ralph Waite leads a cast that never overplays its hand. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

There is a reason The Waltons keeps coming up in conversation. The writing in The Waltons treats its characters as people first, plot devices second. The Waltons live their life in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. Ralph Waite and Jon Walmsley lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It ran for 9 seasons (1972–1981), and the writing holds up across every one of them. The performances in The Waltons do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers drawn to character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sit with in The Waltons. If you have already watched Anne with an E, The Waltons is a natural next step. 9 seasons is a lot, but the quality holds all the way through. Ralph Waite anchors a cast that never overplays its hand. The kind of drama that stays with you well after the finale.

The Waltons wrapped up in 1981, created by Earl Hamner, Jr. — and 9 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.