A different way of telling a story

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

I was in junior high when this played on TV. I watched the first episode and was hooked. I found the characters believable, the stories involving and watched every single episode that aired. Even the acting was good--Ronny Cox and especially Francis Lee McCain where like the parents I never had (my real parents were OK though:)). The episode I remember vividly was when a hurricane hit and the family had a variety of crisis's to deal with. Also this had a VERY young Kristy McNichol (who replaced Frannie Michel) and hottie Vincent Van Patten. I loved the show but I never want to see it again. I'd probably find it boring and corny now...but I have the nice memories of it to remember.

Hamner basically ripped off his own "The Waltons" creation, for this "contemporary" variation, with a liberal flair. YouTube currently has the opening credits - check out the link provided in the menu for "clips."So many of the questions arising in these comments are clearly answered by IMDb, such as dates of broadcast, length of series, etc. Obviously, "Apple's Way" was a mid-season replacement series, that started in Feb. of 1974, and ended its run in Jan of 1975."The Tree" episode sticks out in my mind, but then again, it was the first episode aired.I didn't realize that Kristy McNichol replaced another actress, as she is the only person I remember in the role.Trivia note: Lorimar also produced something called "Second Chances" in the early 90s, and Ronny Cox and Lee McCain once again played spouses for a few episodes.

Good heavens, I remember this show! Vividly. All too vividly ... (of the three times I saw it this piece of swill, one was a repeat of another, which hammered home the show's true awfulness) If at age 15 I found this show to be a clichéd, treacly waste of film, goodness knows what the average discriminating adult would think.In the interests of cinematic duty, though, I subsequently saw a couple of eps on TV Land -- alright, I plead insomnia. And what in the hell were they thinking? Look, any show that replaces a key character before a full season's been concluded is in big trouble, and the plots were of the sophomoric quality that plays on Nickelodeon, without Nick's usual production values.(Yes, that is saying something.)1/10.

"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.