The Waltons?
Several critics compare Christy as the same as ‘Little House on the Prairie’, ‘The Waltons’ and ‘Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman’. One thing these shows do have in common are tough hardships. However they’re all fundamentally different, particularly Christy.
Christy wasn’t the west. It was neither the late 1880s or the Depression era. What stands out among the rest is that it was practically cut off from civilization and basic knowledge. Reading and writing were absent. Basic sanitation, such as bathing, and clothing were weak at best.
The Waltons debuted in 1972. Earl Hamner Jr. was the backbone and the show was inspired by his childhood in Schuyler, Virginia. Even though it was extremely bad in the depression they did have a general store, with basic law and order. They did lack items such as shoes and at times struggle for food. However, the Waltons focused more on one family itself. They had vehicles, and a house that was well built for its time. John-Boy could read and write, something the citizens of Cutter Gap couldn’t do.
The Ingalls family of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ left on an expedition for food and a better life. It was an expedition truly unknown. Christy was unknowingly running into a harder life and not turning back. It was about improving a community. Little House focuses more on a family itself like the Waltons. Christy produced morals and values for a community. It’s interesting to note that Michael Landon of Little House was pivotal to Kellie Martin (Christy). Kellie’s aunt was a nanny for Michael’s children. ‘Highway to Heaven’ by Michael Landon jumpstarted her career by getting a part in the show.
Christy was also often compared to ‘Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman’. A woman doctor left her home on a train to go to practice medicine in Colorado Springs. It sounds somewhat similar to Christy. However the Colorado Springs in the late 1800s was a more modern community than Cutter Gap in the early 1900s. Dr. Quinn wasn’t welcomed by the community even by the preacher. That’s also similar to ‘Christy’. However in comparison Christy, Miss Alice, David and Dr. MacNeill were a team. A mission.
For the Waltons bad times hit them as well as the whole of America. The Ingalls family was traveling for a better land and went through tough obstacles. The same with Dr. Quinn. With Christy people were on a mission to help those in bad times. The show is foundational about giving, teaching and providing knowledge.
Ken Wales was bringing the dreams of a mom and her daughter to life. Christy was based between the eras of Little House and the Waltons. To compare all these shows together in the same vein simply because they’re in the family genre is inaccurate. Little House and Dr. Quinn were somewhat more comparable, but to each their own. Christy stood out among the them all in a different light. Christy was in a world of itself with practically no outside connection. She came to teach. They were there to learn.