I was aware of Christy when it originally aired on CBS back in 1994, but I never tuned in. Not knowing too much about the series, I did read several stories back then about fans and family groups who lamented its failure in the ratings, and its inevitable cancellation after a little more than one season's worth of episodes. Watching it today, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Rather like a grittier The Waltons, Christy may often play like a romance novel, but at its core, it has a love and respect for a long-ignored and lampooned people - the so-called "hillbillies" of Appalachia - and returns a modicum of respect back to these misunderstood and unfairly maligned people.

Christy is based on the 1967 novel Christy, written by Catherine Marshall, the widow of Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall (who was immortalized by Richard Todd in the 1955 feature film, A Man Called Peter). That novel, inspired by Marshall's mother's adventures in the mountains of Tennessee, told the story of Christy Huddleston, a young woman who goes to Tennessee to help teach the impoverished children of the "highlanders." The television series takes place in 1912 Tennessee. Christy (Kellie Martin), inspired by a visit from Miss Alice Henderson (Tyne Daly), packs up and goes to Miss Alice's Quaker missionary located in the fictional village of Cutter Gap. There, the naive but strong-willed Christy sees first hand the stunning beauty of the Smokey Mountains - and the abject poverty and relative ignorance and superstition of the farmers and miners who work there.

Attracted to Reverend David Grantland (Randall Batinkoff), the minister who built the church and who runs the mission with Miss Alice, Christy meets obstacle after obstacle in trying to bring education and enlightenment to this isolated community. A lack of even the most basic school materials, the abject poverty of the schoolchildren who come to class barefooted (they don't have money for shoes), dirty, sleepy (from hard sun-up to sun-down labor), and hungry (not enough money to buy enough food), the deadly feuds that still rage between families, the unfinished church where she holds classes, as well as the superstitions and cultural mores of the insular community (women don't exactly have a lot of say around there), all conspire to make Christy's first few days and weeks miserable. Almost quitting, she finds the inspirational strength and moral courage to continue on at Cutter Gap - with the help of handsome Rev. Grantland, as well as the handsome, mysterious Dr. Neil MacNeill (Stewart Finlay-McLennan), the gifted, educated "hillbilly" (his words) who returned to the mountain after his medical training, to help his community.

Granting further encouragement to Christy to stay with them are the various children who touch Christy's heart, including Mountie O'Teale, a beautiful little girl who refuses to talk, and Little Burl Allen, a little charmer who captures Christy's heart. Providing adult friendship, as well as inspiration through her own pluck and determination, is Fairlight Spencer (Tess Harper), a local woman who takes to Christy and understands what it means to have someone like her in the community.

What struck me about Christy, despite a tendency to romanticize some of Christy's exploits, was the basic seriousness of the show, particularly in showing the poverty of the Appalachian children, and the incredible hardships that they endured. As I've written before, the shameful icon of the backwoods, ignorant, often-times vicious "hillbilly" is perhaps the most easily accepted, harmful stereotype in the American culture. Hillbillies have been the subject of derision and ridicule in fiction and film since films began. And it continues today. No one says a peep about an insulting character like Cletus on the animated The Simpsons, despite the exaggerated way he's drawn and scripted. If such a character embodying similar cultural stereotypes from any other racial group was animated in a major network TV show, that show would be targeted and yanked off the air (evidently, they're fair game because hill people don't have an effective lobby). That's why Christy is such a breath of fresh air. It doesn't skirt the drawbacks of the "highlander" culture; much of the show's drama comes from the tension between Christy's idealism and the brutal realities of the "highlanders" and their way of life). But it also returns to that culture the dignity and respect these hard working people deserve. Pioneers from Scotland, England, Ireland, and Germany, these incredibly brave, hardworking and stoic people settled the land that we live on now, farmed our food, and dug the coal (while dying like flies) that lit our cities - with zero thanks or appreciation from the dominant culture that belittled them. Christy has the guts to show these people in their proper light.

Not that Christy plays like a sociology lesson all the time, though. Often, Christy does rather resemble those romance novels with a headstrong female heroine who must choose between two iconic male fantasy figures: the mysterious, slightly dangerous man of education who balances cultural sophistication against his more common background, and the handsome, innocent young man of spiritual goodness and romantic idealism. But unlike those romance novels, there's nothing at all untoward or salacious in Christy (have you ever looked through one of those romance novels? They're porn-tacular). This is a family show, through and through, and all the more welcome for it. It's nice, also, to see a network series that has two such strong women characters at the helm of the show; I would imagine quite a few parents with daughters would welcome a show that has these kinds of positive role models for their young girls.

Christy is well acted, too. Martin is plucky and adorable as Christy, with just the right amount of gumption and soft beauty to make it believable that Rev. Grantland and Dr. MacNeill would be taken with her the minute she arrived on the mountain. Batinkoff doesn't need to do too much besides look young, tall and handsome to bring Rev. Grantland to life, and Finlay-McLennan has a real weight and mystery to him as the serious, romantic Dr. MacNeill. Tess Harper is, as usual, quite affecting in the pivotal role of Fairlight Spencer. But special mention must go to Tyne Daly as Miss Alice Henderson. I think the last time I saw Tyne Daly was at the drive-in, co-starring in the biker flick Angel Unchained with Don Stroud. I've never really followed her career, and I stayed away from Cagney & Lacey like the plague. But Daly is fantastic as the strong-minded, spiritual, yet tough-as-nails Quaker Alice. Often times effortlessly running a gambit of emotions across her face within a single shot, Daly is really quite amazing here (I'm not surprised she won an Emmy for her role). She's clearly the anchor for the series here, and I'm not too sure how Christy would play without her.

Christy is beautiful to look at, with location filming done in Tennessee. Christy has a big-screen look that adds authenticity to its at times gritty subject matter, along with an agreeably large ensemble cast that fills in the backgrounds nicely. The child actors in particular are well directed, with their appropriately serious little faces and unaffected manners. Since Christy was rather unceremoniously canceled in 1995, some new viewers might go a little crazy, wondering what happened to Christy at the end of the last episode filmed (it ends rather like an emotional cliffhanger). My understanding is that several made-for-cable movies were made after the show was canceled, but having never seen them, I can't say they resolve the series' storyline (if you know, email me and clue me in). But regardless of the final story arc that's left hanging, Christy is a worthwhile family drama - and thus a real rarity nowadays.

Here are the 19, one hour episodes of the four-disc box set, Christy: The Complete Series, as described on their slimcases:

DISC ONE: SIDE A

Pilot
Arriving from North Carolina, nineteen-year-old Christy Huddleston is overwhelmed by the beauty -- and poverty -- of Cutter Gap, where she must learn to teach school while learning to live and fit in with the locals.

DISC ONE: SIDE B

Lost and Found
Rob Allen enters a short story writing contest, but feels remorse for not paying attention to Little Burl, who has suddenly gone missing.

Both Your Houses
Christy is horrified to learn that Opal's baby has died due to a backwoods superstition, and Tom McHome is accused of reporting the moonshine operation to the authorities.

DISC TWO: SIDE A

A Closer Walk
Christy is introduced to Polly Teague, the cove's oldest resident, and David runs into trouble with Ault Allen.

Judgment Day
Dr. Ferrand pays a visit a visit to Cutter Cap, and Christy receives a wagon load of donations from Asheville -- including equipment to hook up a telephone line.

Eye of the Storm
In hopes of curing Becky O'Teale's trachoma, Dr. MacNeill tries an experiment. Meanwhile, Miss Alice disapproves of Christy's friendship with Neil.

DISC TWO: SIDE B

Amazing Grace
Miss Alice's daughter returns from "the dead" and Theodore S. Harland arrives, apparently to record the folklore of the cove.

The Sweetest Gift
David tries to bring a new church bell to town on his own, Christy's father visits and the locals begin to prepare for Thanksgiving. When Christy's father suffers a stroke, her mother informs her that she must return home to care for him. Meanwhile, the Cutter Gap men prepare for a surprise for the Reverend.

DISC THREE: SIDE A

To Have and to Hold
As David's sister prepares for her upcoming wedding, David proposes to Christy. Meanwhile, Christy attempts to help a teenager reconnect with his father.

The Hunt
Christy becomes jealous of David's childhood friend who has arrived for a visit. Sam Houston begins a search for the great white buck.

DISC THREE: SIDE B

A Man's Reach
Rob Allen must pass a test in order to win a college scholarship, and when Christy begins spending so much time tutoring him, Zady Spencer feels left out.

Ghost Story
Trouble ensues when Christy and her students try to disprove a superstition. Ruby Mae is excited to learn that she's related to a famous heroine.

Echoes
A trip to Freedom, Kentucky, is in store for Christy and Miss Alice, and back in Cutter Gap, Neil is shocked to learn of David's proposal to Christy.

DISC FOUR: SIDE A

The Lie
When John Spencer becomes smitten with Christy, Bessie Colburn jealously spreads a malicious rumor about her.

Green Apples
After an outbreak of scarlet fever, Dr. MacNeill is forced to put the mission under quarantine.

The Hostage
A man who blames Dr. MacNeill for the death of his wife attempts to get revenge by taking Christy hostage.

DISC FOUR: SIDE B

Babe in the Woods
Christy finds an abandoned baby in the woods and finds herself reconsidering David's marriage proposal which would allow her to adopt the baby.

Second Sight
All may not be as it seems for the citizens of Cutter Gap when a visiting benefactor for the mission tries to acquire land for his lumber business.

The Road Home
Christy finds herself torn between Neil and David. Meanwhile, Margaret returns to the cove.

The DVD:

The Video:
I was disappointed in the full frame transfer of Christy: The Complete Series. It's a pretty soft picture, even though it's obvious the original materials were shot in a gauzy, hazy style (perhaps to suggest the period times?). It's too bad the DVD transfer isn't so hot; it appears that it was a good looking series. Hate those flipper discs, too, by the way.

The Audio:
The Dolby Digital English 2.0 stereo sound mix is quite nice, with a Spanish mono track available, too (except on the episode The Sweetest Gift). Subtitles in English and Spanish are available, as well as close-captioning.

The Extras:
Loyal fans of Christy: The Complete Series will no doubt be quite upset that there are no extras for this box set.

Final Thoughts:
Inspirational, gritty, and yet still romantic and conventionally entertaining, Christy: The Complete Series is a real find for newcomers like me, and a worthwhile family series you can enjoy with your children. It pays due respect to the much maligned Appalachian people and their culture, and provides several strong female role models in its cast. I recommend Christy: The Complete Series.