Apple's Way

"Apple's Way" was an enjoyable family show. Unfortunately it appeared on Sunday nights, the "Death Slot" and only lasted one season.

It was a trend-defying series that focused on the family relationships of the Apples, who left Big-City life for a slower pace and a better environment for their children in rural Iowa. It struck a chord because the mood in America at that time was "malaise" after Vietnam, Watergate, gas lines, inflation, recession, drugs, and the overall erosion of family values. The parents wanted to give their children a more wholesome life without the peer pressures for sex, drugs, booze, and other temptations so popular at the time.

Overall, I thought the parents succeeded. . The three Apple children made friends with their classmates and managed to have a good time down on the family farm. They grew up with a better attitude. Having the grandfather added another dimension, a frame of reference that the kids would not otherwise have had. In the days of double-digit inflation, they were astonished to hear of 25-cent movies and nickel ice cream cones. As a World War I veteran, he told them about patriotism at a time when our Vietnam misadventure soured nearly everyone on the military.

The cast did a great job. Ronny Cox was perfect as the laid-back, patient father. Vincent van Patten came across very well as the teenage son trying to understand life. In one episode, Paul spends a lot of time playing tennis and falling in love with a young woman a few years older. The ending was sad.

The episode I remember best sums it all up for me. Another family they knew in L.A. spends a week with the Apples and becomes quite fond of the less-stressful way of life. They even think about moving to Kansas to start over. On their last day, however, the father, a corporate VP, is needed back in the office. Although he tries to buy time with the President, the company sends a helicopter to bring him back. As he flies off, the rest of his family realizes that they are, unfortunately, captives of their wealthy urban lifestyle, and drive back home.

I didn't watch it every week, but I enjoyed this sleeper of a show. It wasn't a hilarious comedy or a deep drama. With good scripts and acting, this show made a statement about life in the 1970s.

Some interesting recollections about APPLE'S WAY. One comment: Regarding the Sunday-night "deathslot" for this program … as APPLE'S WAY aired on CBS, it would not have been "clobbered" by 60 MINUTES, if only because 60 MINUTES was also a CBS program. Also—per Alex McNeil's TOTAL TELEVISION book (second edition, 1984)—60 MINUTES became a regular Sunday-at-7 p.m. show starting in the fall of 1975, a year _after_ APPLE'S WAY launched (60 MINUTES had various time slots before fall 1975). As for the show itself, I have vague recollections of watching the first few episodes. My family were fans of THE WALTONS, and no doubt that's why we gave APPLE'S WAY a look. But, also no doubt, APPLE'S WAY suffered in our home—and in many others—from airing opposite hour two of THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF Disney on NBC. For what it's worth.

I suspect that were I to see this show today I'd find it hokey and corny and wonder what I ever liked about it back in the day. I saw an afterschool special w/Kristy McNichol about 5 years ago & I was like "Oh this is so unreal. That would never happen in real life that the divorced dad only sees his kids every other Sun afternoon & doesn't invite his kids to his wedding" I think seeing this would bring on similar comments.

The Apple family, as I recall, left the big city to live in the country (IA or some such). I remember Ronny Cox in the tree and I recall Franny Michael being replaced by Kristy McNichol & preferring Franny.

I remember well Ronny Cox in the tree. Must have been their biggest episode b/c several remember it. I also remember the family in a basement or something and singing corny songs to pass the time. One of the girls was cranky about it and I don't remember if they were locked in or hiding from a tornado. I don't remember the grandpa at all.

I mainly recall the thrill I got when I wrote to complain about the show being canceled and they sent me an autographed photo of the cast. I had the biggest crush on Vincent Van Patten.

BTW, the person above was wrong. Vincent Van Patten was never on "Eight is Enogh" unless it was a one time guest role. They must be thinking of Willie Aames

I remember this show too. I was only 8 when it was on, but at the time I enjoyed it. It would probably give me cavities now.

Now I see it was really jumping on the bandwagon started by "The Waltons" two seasons earlier. "Little House on the Prairie" followed the same trend.

One of the episodes I remember involved the father sitting in a tree to protest its removal. Eventually everyone in town came to join him and sing-along as he played his guitar ("Down by the old mill stream...").

I did find the cantankerous grandfather with a heart of gold a little annoying. And I never really adjusted to the actress change for one of the daughters.

I remember this as a warm and friendly family show. It was a family who had moved back from the big city to the Dad's rural hometown. It had perhaps a little reminiscence of the Walton's although it was set in current times, not long in the past and not narrated that way. The Apples, too, were a family that had a strong family relationship and strong religious beliefs.

In fact, it may have been done by the same producer as the Waltons but I'm not positive. I was young and it's been so many years since it went off the air, but I remember my family being very disappointed when it wasn't renewed after the second year.