8.1/10348 votes#1 - The Foundling
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/14/1972
When a young girl is left on the doorstep of the Walton's home, they take her in. Not Before learning she is deaf after taking her to the doctor. One night while the Walton family listen to the radio John boy takes matters into his own hands when Holly (the deaf girl) runs up to her room crying. He teaches her sign language...or really Sign spelling! This new skill comes in handy when the youngest of the Walton family gets locked by accident in a box in the Haunted House, which later turns out to be the house of which Holly lives!
Director: Vincent Sherman
Writer: John McGreevey
7.5/10243 votes#2 - The Carnival
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/21/1972
A Carnival troupe comes to Walton's Mountain. When the manager absconds with the money, four members are stranded at the Walton house. They thank the Waltons with a private performance.
Director: Alf Kjellin
Writer: N/A
7.8/10225 votes#3 - The Calf
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/28/1972
The Family cow, Chance gives birth to a healthy calf but John announces that it must be sold to make ends meet. Elizabeth and Jim Bob hide the Calf to save it. John relents and the family keeps the calf.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.5/10206 votes#4 - The Hunt
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1972
John Boy prepares to go on his first hunt and distress over taking an animals life. During the hunt he saves John's life from an attacking bear. Meanwhile Mary Ellen debates over a new dress or a baseball mitt.
Director: Robert Butler
Writer: John McGreevey
7.8/10212 votes#5 - The Typewriter
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/12/1972
John Boy borrows an antique typewriter from the Baldwin sisters so he can send a story to a magazine. Mary Ellen mistakenly sells it to a junk man, but through diligence, gets it back for her brother.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
7.6/10204 votes#6 - The Star
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/19/1972
When a meteorite falls on the Baldwin's house, Zeb believes his time has come. The Baldwin sisters are hoaxed by their cousin until Zeb and John come to the rescue.
Director: Alf Kjellin
Writer: N/A
8.1/10237 votes#7 - The Sinner
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/26/1972
The Reverend Matthew Fordwick comes to Walton's Mountain and upsets the family with his strict and forceful preaching. He innocently samples "the recipe," and John helps him to be accepted within the community
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
7.4/10222 votes#8 - The Boy From the C.C.C.
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/2/1972
Gino, a boy from the slums of New York City runs away from a CCC Camp and learns about trust and love from the Waltons
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
8.0/10245 votes#9 - The Ceremony
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/9/1972
A Jewish family, escaping refugees from Nazi Germany, come to Waltons Mountain for safety. Their 13 year old son loses respect for his father in the sons attempt to maintain his religious beliefs and practices.
Director: Vincent Sherman
Writer: N/A
7.2/10185 votes#10 - The Legend
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/16/1972
John's old army buddy, Tip Harrison, tries to cover his lack of success with childish actions and comments culminating in an accidental fire and the shooting of reckless the family dog.
Director: Lee Philips
Writer: John McGreevey
8.3/10225 votes#11 - 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.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
7.6/10225 votes#12 - The Dust Bowl Cousins
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/7/1972
The Walton's distant cousins arrive on the mountain and immediately upset everyone's life by their shiftless dishonest ways.
Director: Robert Butler
Writer: Paul Savage
8.0/10184 votes#13 - The Reunion
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 12/14/1972
The Baldwin sisters and The Recipe play a pivotal role in this story involving their unscrupulous scheming cousin, Homer Lee Baldwin.
Director: Jack Shea
Writer: N/A
7.3/10189 votes#14 - The Minstrel
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 12/21/1972
Mary Ellen meets a traveling troubadour, Jamie and neglects her responsibilities of helping pick fruit.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
7.5/10201 votes#15 - The Actress
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 1/4/1973
When her car breaks down, the famous extravagant actress, Alvira Drummond finds herself stranded on Waltons Mountain. The Children, especially Mary Ellen, are fascinated by her "Hollywood" ways.
Director: Vincent Sherman
Writer: N/A
7.4/10195 votes#16 - The Fire
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/11/1973
A young girls father objects to Miss Hunter's teaching Evolution. During a drunken rage he burns down the school and is killed in the fire.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
8.0/10223 votes#17 - The Love Story
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 1/18/1973
John Boy falls in love with Jenny Pendleton who returns to Walton's Mountain. Jenny's father and new step-mother follow her to the mountain. Her father is killed in an auto accident and Jenny returns home with her step mother. John-Boy suffers his first lost love.
Director: Lee Philips
Writer: N/A
7.6/10185 votes#18 - The Courtship
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 1/25/1973
Olivia's uncle Cody Nelson comes to visit with the Waltons and finds love with a woman who has been divorced four times.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.4/10200 votes#19 - The Gypsies
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 2/1/1973
A gypsy family is stranded, but the leader refuses to accept help from the Waltons. His pride almost costs the life of his baby son.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
8.2/10173 votes#20 - The Deed
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 2/8/1973
It seems that the Waltons never officially registered the deed to Waltons Mountain. In order to help pay the legal fees, John-Boy leaves home for a job in the city. He meets new friends, gets mugged and earns a reward to help the family keep their home.
Director: Vincent Sherman
Writer: N/A
8.2/10200 votes#21 - The Scholar
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 2/22/1973
A neighbor lady, Verdie Grant asks John-Boy to teach her to read and write. He agrees to teach her as he helps Elizabeth. Things go wrong, however, and feelings get hurt.
Director: Lee Philips
Writer: N/A
7.2/10168 votes#22 - The Bicycle
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 3/1/1973
Local blacksmith, Curtis Norton has John-Boy write letters to his bride-to-be. When she arrives on Walton's Mountain, life and Curtis are much different than she expected. Meanwhile, Olivia is feeling new pangs for freedom and something "different" in her life.
Director: Alf Kjellin
Writer: N/A
7.5/10187 votes#23 - The Townie
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 3/8/1973
John-Boy's friend Sarah sees him as a way to escape her "trapped" life with her demanding mother. When John-Boy rejects her advances, she runs off and plans to elope with a townie.
Director: Jack Shea
Writer: Richard Fielder
8.6/10235 votes#24 - 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 success in time for the Easter service.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of The Waltons Season 1
Every episode of The Waltons Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Waltons Season 1!
The Waltons live their life in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II.
Genre:Drama
Network:CBS
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"The Foundling" is the best rated episode of "The Waltons" season 1. It scored 8.1/10 based on 348 votes. Directed by Vincent Sherman and written by John McGreevey, it aired on 9/14/1972. This episode is rated 0.6 points higher than the second-best, "The Carnival".