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The Best Episodes of The Waltons

Every episode of The Waltons ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Waltons!

The Best Episodes of The Waltons

The Waltons live their life in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II.

Seasons9

  1. Background image for The Conflict
    8.7/10(264 votes)

    #1 - The Conflict

    S3:E1

    Aunt Martha Corinnie Walton's home is in danger by the right-of-way for The Blue Ridge Parkway. All of the Walton clan comes to her aid and try and stop the contractor. During a skirmish with the contractor and deputies, John-Boy gets shot.

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    Writer:Unknown
  2. Background image for The Gift
    8.5/10(189 votes)

    #2 - The Gift

    S2:E18

    Jason learns one of life's hardest lessons: the death of a close friend. Seth Turner learns he has only one year to live because he has a fatal disease.

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    Writer:Unknown
  3. Background image for The Secret
    8.5/10(175 votes)

    #3 - The Secret

    S4:E16

    Jim-Bob thinks he was adopted. He searchs his birth records and finds out he's a twin. Jim-Bob's twin brother died at birth.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for The Burn Out
    8.5/10(198 votes)

    #4 - The Burn Out

    S4:E18

    The Walton's house is nearly destroyed by fire and the children must live temporarily with friends. John-Boy has a difficult time to begin the task of rewriting his lost novel.

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for The Graduation
    8.4/10(157 votes)

    #5 - The Graduation

    S2:E22

    John-Boy gets ready to graduate from high school in a new suit. When the cow dies John-Boy returns the suit and gets his money back and uses the money to buy another cow. John-Boy graduates in Grandpa's old suit.

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    Director:Alf Kjellin
    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for The Prophecy
    8.4/10(185 votes)

    #6 - The Prophecy

    S4:E4

    Father and son struggle with personal crisis: John approaches his 25-year high school reunion regretting he is not a greater success; and John-Boy fears he will never be able to make a living as a writer.

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  8. Background image for The Fledgling
    8.4/10(153 votes)

    #7 - The Fledgling

    S4:E23

    John-Boy sure trys to raise the down payment for an old printing press to publish his own newspaper

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writers:Earl Hamner, Jr.
  9. Background image for The System
    8.3/10(156 votes)

    #8 - The System

    S3:E7

    Ben learns the hazards of smoking. John-Boy sticks up for a fellow student who violates Boatwright's honor code during a history exam. There were extenuating circumstances

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for The Choice
    8.3/10(154 votes)

    #9 - The Choice

    S3:E20

    John wants to expand the mill and call it Walton and Sons,Jason wants to study music and he tries for a scholarship

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    Director:Alf Kjellin
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for The Thanksgiving Story
    8.2/10(232 votes)

    #10 - The Thanksgiving Story

    S2:E10

    John-Boy anticipates a visit from his girlfriend and is pending 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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    Writer:Joanna Lee
  12. Background image for The Heritage
    8.2/10(166 votes)

    #11 - The Heritage

    S2:E17

    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 ofter down.

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    Director:Harry Harris
  13. Background image for The Car
    8.2/10(180 votes)

    #12 - The Car

    S2:E24

    When John-Boy starts college and needs a car to travel to and from college, he makes a deal with Hyder Rudge. John-Boy works at the Rudge home for the car. Hyder hides the auto and refuses to sell to John-Boy because the car belong to Hyder's dead son.

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    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for The Sermon
    8.2/10(163 votes)

    #13 - The Sermon

    S4:E1

    Reverend Fordwick asks John-Boy to deliver the Sunday sermon, and Miss Hunter asks Olivia to act as the substitute teacher. It proves to be an interesting experience for both as Reverend Fordwick and Miss Hunter plan their wedding and honeymoon

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  15. Background image for The Genius
    8.2/10(181 votes)

    #14 - The Genius

    S4:E2

    John-Boy's Dean asks him to take care of a 16 year old genius college student for the weekend. It seems that Lyle is wonderful with science and math, but woefully lacking when it comes to dealing with people.

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for The Separation
    8.1/10(184 votes)

    #15 - The Separation

    S2:E3

    The family struggles with financial crisis and the electricity is turned off. Grandpa sets out to raise some money but tells no one about his plans. Grandma becomes angry and Grandpa moves out. The bill is paid and the angry grandparents make-up at a barn dance.

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    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for The Theft
    8.1/10(188 votes)

    #16 - The Theft

    S2:E4

    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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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for The Bequest
    8.1/10(170 votes)

    #17 - The Bequest

    S2:E12

    Grandma finds out she has inherited $250 and decides to share her wealth. Mary Ellen experiments with being a blond and uses Jim-Bob as a test case.

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    Director:Alf Kjellin
    Writer:Unknown
  19. Background image for The Fulfillment
    8.1/10(173 votes)

    #18 - The Fulfillment

    S2:E20

    The Waltons bring home an 8 year 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.

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    Writer:Unknown
  20. Background image for The Runaway
    8.1/10(163 votes)

    #19 - The Runaway

    S3:E4

    Now that John-Boy is at College, Jim Bob feels small and alone. He brings home a guinea pig, a mascot at school. During the night the little creature dies but the rest of the family are too busy with their own activities to spend time with him. Sad and alone after burying it in the woods, Jim Bob runs away.

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  21. Background image for The Book
    8.1/10(162 votes)

    #20 - The Book

    S3:E10

    John-Boy finds out that a collection of his short stories will be published and Jason secures a job with Bobby Bigelow and the haystack gang

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for The Venture
    8.1/10(147 votes)

    #21 - The Venture

    S3:E24

    John decides to expand his business by building a new mill. To meet a deadline for a big order, John works day and night & gets pneumonia. While he's in the hostipal his friends finish the mill, but he loses the big contract.

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    Director:Ralph Waite
    Writer:Unknown
  23. Background image for The Nurse
    8.1/10(158 votes)

    #22 - The Nurse

    S4:E13

    As Mary Ellen nervously awaites word on her acceptance to nursing school, the rest of the Waltons prepares surprise good-bye gifts. Mary Ellen is accepted, but she needs more work in math and science and ends up studying with John-Boy and Miss Nora Taylor, the county nurse.

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    Director:Alf Kjellin
  24. Background image for The Search
    8.1/10(181 votes)

    #23 - The Search

    S4:E15

    Olivia and the two youngest children, Jim-Bob and Elizabeth, go up on Walton's Mountain and become lost. They experience many challenges. Jim-Bob saves the day using woodsman skills taught to him by Grandpa.

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for The Journey
    8.0/10(223 votes)

    #24 - The Journey

    S2:E1

    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.

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    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown
  26. Background image for The Substitute
    8.0/10(184 votes)

    #25 - The Substitute

    S2:E11

    An inexperienced but brilliant young sub teacher wreaks havoc in the Walton's Mountain School. Because of her insecurity, she refuses advice from anyone until Olivia steps in.

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Conflict" is the best rated episode of "The Waltons". It scored 8.7/10 based on 264 votes. Directed by Ralph Senensky and written by Unknown, it aired on 9/12/1974. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Gift".