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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 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".

  • The Foundling
    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

  • The Carnival
    7.5/10242 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

  • The Calf
    7.8/10224 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

  • The Hunt
    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

  • The Typewriter
    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

  • The Star
    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

  • The Sinner
    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

  • The Boy From the C.C.C.
    7.4/10221 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

  • The Ceremony
    8.0/10244 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

  • The Legend
    7.2/10184 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

  • The Literary Man
    8.3/10224 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

  • The Dust Bowl Cousins
    7.6/10223 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

  • The Reunion
    8.0/10183 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

  • The Minstrel
    7.3/10188 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

  • The Actress
    7.5/10200 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

  • The Fire
    7.4/10194 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

  • The Love Story
    8.0/10221 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

  • The Courtship
    7.6/10184 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

  • The Gypsies
    7.4/10199 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

  • The Deed
    8.2/10172 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

  • The Scholar
    8.2/10199 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

  • The Bicycle
    7.2/10167 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

  • The Townie
    7.5/10186 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

  • An Easter Story
    8.6/10234 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