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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 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.

Seasons9

  1. Background image for The Foundling
    8.1/10(404 votes)

    #1 - The Foundling

    S1:E1

    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!

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  2. Background image for The Carnival
    7.5/10(274 votes)

    #2 - The Carnival

    S1:E2

    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:Unknown
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  3. Background image for The Calf
    7.8/10(258 votes)

    #3 - The Calf

    S1:E3

    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:Unknown
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  4. Background image for The Hunt
    7.5/10(234 votes)

    #4 - The Hunt

    S1:E4

    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.

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  5. Background image for The Typewriter
    7.9/10(239 votes)

    #5 - The Typewriter

    S1:E5

    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.

    Writer:Unknown
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  6. Background image for The Star
    7.6/10(228 votes)

    #6 - The Star

    S1:E6

    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:Unknown
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  8. Background image for The Sinner
    8.1/10(262 votes)

    #7 - The Sinner

    S1:E7

    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

    Writer:Unknown
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  9. Background image for The Boy From the C.C.C.
    7.4/10(248 votes)

    #8 - The Boy From the C.C.C.

    S1:E8

    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:Unknown
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  10. Background image for The Ceremony
    8.0/10(269 votes)

    #9 - The Ceremony

    S1:E9

    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.

    Writer:Unknown
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  11. Background image for The Legend
    7.2/10(204 votes)

    #10 - The Legend

    S1:E10

    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.

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  12. Background image for The Literary Man
    8.3/10(249 votes)

    #11 - The Literary Man

    S1:E11

    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.

    Writer:Unknown
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  13. Background image for The Dust Bowl Cousins
    7.6/10(249 votes)

    #12 - The Dust Bowl Cousins

    S1:E12

    The Walton's distant cousins arrive on the mountain and immediately upset everyone's life by their shiftless dishonest ways.

    Director:Robert Butler
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  14. Background image for The Reunion
    8.0/10(207 votes)

    #13 - The Reunion

    S1:E13

    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:Unknown
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  15. Background image for The Minstrel
    7.3/10(211 votes)

    #14 - The Minstrel

    S1:E14

    Mary Ellen meets a traveling troubadour, Jamie and neglects her responsibilities of helping pick fruit.

    Writer:Unknown
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  16. Background image for The Actress
    7.5/10(224 votes)

    #15 - The Actress

    S1:E15

    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.

    Writer:Unknown
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  17. Background image for The Fire
    7.4/10(218 votes)

    #16 - The Fire

    S1:E16

    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:Unknown
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  18. Background image for The Love Story
    8.0/10(250 votes)

    #17 - The Love Story

    S1:E17

    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:Unknown
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  19. Background image for The Courtship
    7.6/10(209 votes)

    #18 - The Courtship

    S1:E18

    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:Unknown
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  20. Background image for The Gypsies
    7.3/10(221 votes)

    #19 - The Gypsies

    S1:E19

    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:Unknown
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  21. Background image for The Deed
    8.1/10(200 votes)

    #20 - The Deed

    S1:E20

    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.

    Writer:Unknown
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  22. Background image for The Scholar
    8.1/10(219 votes)

    #21 - The Scholar

    S1:E21

    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:Unknown
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  23. Background image for The Bicycle
    7.2/10(192 votes)

    #22 - The Bicycle

    S1:E22

    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:Unknown
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  24. Background image for The Townie
    7.4/10(214 votes)

    #23 - The Townie

    S1:E23

    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
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  25. Background image for An Easter Story
    8.5/10(258 votes)

    #24 - An Easter Story

    S1:E24

    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.

    Writer:Unknown
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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"The Foundling" is the best rated episode of "The Waltons" season 1. It scored 8.1/10 based on 404 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".