The BEST episodes of The Waltons
Every episode of The Waltons ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Waltons!
In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, during the Great Depression, the Walton family makes its small income from its saw mill on Walton's Mountain. The story is told through the eyes of John Boy, who wants to be a novelist and go to college. The saga follows the family through depression and war, through growing up, school, courtship, marriage, employment, birth, aging, illness and death.
#3 - The House
Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/19/1976
Esther wants to save an old house from being torn down. Grandpa wants the contract to destroy it for the old wood. They both argue until Zeb realizes that house holds sentimental memories for grandma.
#4 - The Inferno
Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/10/1977
John-Boy travels to Lakehurst New Jersey to cover the landing of the Hindenburg and is deeply affected by its crash. Curt tries to figure out how to have more private time with Mary Ellen.
#6 - The Stray
Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/22/1977
Strange footprints and a stringer of catfish lead the Waltons to find 12-year-old Josh, a runaway, in the barn hiding. He attaches himself to John immediately.
#10 - The Empty Nest
Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1978
Everybody mourns the death of Grandpa Zeb and Flossie Brimmer. John struggles hard to fill a huge lumber contract and Mary Ellen and Erin move to Charlottesville and get an apartment.
#11 - The Children's Carol
Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/8/1977
Two British children, separated from their parents due to the war, come to stay with the Baldwins. Jason is not sure he can fight in the war. Jim-Bob uses a short-wave radio and makes an amazing connection on that 1940 Christmas morning.
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#12 - The Honeymoon
Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/10/1974
Olivia and John go on a late honeymoon at Virginia Beach while John-Boy and Marcia Woolery try to come to an understanding in their relationship.
#13 - The Beau
Season 7 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/23/1978
Grandma's ex-boyfriend comes calling on Grandma much to the horror of Elizabeth. Jim-Bob persuades Yancy Tucker to make fuel in his still instead of moonshine.
#14 - The Fulfillment
Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/7/1974
The Waltons bring home an 8 year old boy named Stevie who is an orphan so he can experience a family setting. Stevie meets Curtis Norton, a blacksmith, and an immediate bond occurs. Curtis and his wife take in the boy.
#15 - The Boondoggle
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/9/1975
Porter Sims, a reporter from New York, comes to get material for a guide book on Virginia. John-Boy takes him to see the Baldwin sisters who allow him to look through the late Judge Baldwin's private papers. These reveal that their father was accused of treason for harboring Yankee soldiers during the Civil War. Deeply shocked and hurt, they decide not to leave their house ever again.
#16 - The Theft
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/4/1973
A wealthy widow, Mrs. Clayborne, accuses John Walton of stealing antiques while working in her mansion. John needed new tires, and he hocks his wedding ring to buy them. He refuses to tell anyone where the money came from. The mystery is finally solved when the Clayborne son admits to selling the goblets to raise money for his family.
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#17 - The Thanksgiving Story
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/15/1973
Thanksgiving time on Walton's Mountain means a turkey shoot, a school play about early settlers, and the big meal. This year it also includes a rekindled love affair and a life-threatening accident. John-Boy anticipates a visit from his girlfriend while preparing for a college scholarship exam. He has an accident in the sawmill and his vision is blurred. He is unable to finish his test and eventually must undergo surgery.
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Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/15/1976
Grandpa enjoys telling tales of his days with Teddy Roosevelt in the Spanish Amercian War, but he balks about attending a reunion of the Rough Riders. Ben decides to go into to business trapping and selling animal skins.
#19 - The Literary Man
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/30/1972
John-Boy's truck breaks down and he meets the author, A.J. Covington. John-Boy jeopardizes a timber contract badly needed by the family.
#20 - The Best Christmas
Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/9/1976
The 11 members of the Walton family are together for Christmas. This would be the last time that all of the Waltons would be together.
#21 - The Heritage
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/17/1974
An investor talks John into selling the mountain as a tour center. John thinks it over but realizes what the home means to the rest of his family and turns the offer down.
#22 - Day of Infamy
Season 7 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/7/1978
It's Christmas 1941 on Walton's Mountain. Mary Ellen says she will be going to be with Curt in Hawaii. News from Pearl Harbor comes and the Waltons are told that Curt is dead.
#23 - An Easter Story
Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 4/19/1973
The entire family suffers a crisis when Olivia is stricken with polio. Dr. Vance prescribes the accepted treatment, but Olivia does not get better. John-Boy learns of a new treatment practiced by Sister Kenny and the family tries it to heal Olivia in time for the Easter service.
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#24 - The Journey
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/13/1973
Maggie McKenzie would like to see the ocean once more. John-Boy takes her but must miss an important dance. Grandpa helps the children save an injured bird. Earl Hamner makes his only appearance in the series as Maggie's husband. The director of this episode, Harry Harris, who would eventually direct almost 50 episodes, was nominated for an Emmy award.
#25 - The Five Foot Shelf
Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/7/1974
A traveling salesman named George Reed talks Olivia into buying a 5 foot collection of books called The Harvard Classics. George uses the down payment to buy his daughter a doll.