You think Olivias family disowned her..

[awesomemixtape10]

for eloping with John?

I cant believe that they didnt write at least one episode about her family. They had an aunt in the Menopause episode and and a Uncle or something in a first season episode and that was it.

It would make sense..

[vintagekym]

livy did say her parents were against her marrying john,

[tracilynn]

I was always a little disappointed by the fact we never knew much about Olivias family. I just thought maybe they had all passed away. Would have been neat though to known a little more than just the aunt and uncle.

[dfnmeows44]

I think the reason was that Olivia's parents and siblings as well died before the series began.

[awesomemixtape10]

Ithought maybe that would explain why Olivia was so strict in the 1st couple of seasons-She was feeling guilty about it or something.

[Deleted]

I all ways thought that it was because this was a patriarchal time.

Livy is refer to as "girl" many times in the beginning and so many times she comes off as "typical wishy washy brain".

In the book(s) she does not have much power or reason for being other than to care for the children she keeps having.

Gawd, the childbirth scene in the book is so heartbreaking and cold. I don't even want to think about it.

[awesomemixtape10]

I need to read the books..

[Forum Administrator]

I've always felt that the writers of the series thought there would be just too many characters for the viewers to keep track of if they included a large, extended family. We need to remember that when the show began, it was on once a week on only one network. Viewers didn't have the luxury of watching The Waltons several times a day on 3 different networks, then rewatching favorite episodes as many times as we want on DVD. In the beginning, it was difficult just to keep the names of the children straight. If they had added more grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., it might have confused the viewers so much that they would have tuned out.

I do think maybe there should have been more references to Olivia's family, even if they didn't appear as characters on an episode. Maybe she could have talked more about her childhood, her parents, her brothers and sisters, etc, so that it didn't seem like she really had no life before she met and married John and became a mother to all those children.

Brenda

[Deleted]

o that it didn't seem like she really had no life before she met and married John and became a mother to all those children.


-She NEVER DID have a life. She was only what, 16 when they eloped? she never developed into anything but wife and mother like most women of that era.

[vintagekym]

does anyone know what Livy's maiden name was. shoot that could be an entire season of reunion material, just getting to know Livy's side of the family...LOL

[Deleted]

It is mentioned in the book(s)

[River]

does anyone know what Livy's maiden name was.

Daly

[River]

"I've always felt that the writers of the series thought there would be just too many characters for the viewers to keep track of if they included a large, extended family."

I agree with that. Doris Hamner said that in real life she had 8 children but CBS could only afford 7 so Ben was a composite of 2 brothers.

[vintagekym]

LOL River I just did ask that very question.

[Deleted]

Giovanni (SP) It was an Italian name