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The Best Episodes of The Waltons Season 3

Every episode of The Waltons Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Waltons Season 3!

Binge this in 20h 40m•Peaking at 8.8/10

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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Waltons Season 3 Episode 1 - The Conflict
    8.8/10(277 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.

    Director:Ralph Senensky
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 2 - The First Day
    8.1/10(183 votes)

    #2 - The First Day

    S3:E2

    During John-Boy's 1st day at Boatwright he encounters a variety of new challenges. Back at the Walton home, Jason feels the need to be the oldest and excel at school like John-Boy. All of the other children object to Jason's attitude

    Director:Philip Leacock
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 3 - The Thoroughbred
    7.8/10(172 votes)

    #3 - The Thoroughbred

    S3:E3

    John-Boy enters Blue the family mule in the annual cross-country race & tries to win Selena Linville's affections.Grandpa had won that race years before

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 4 - The Runaway
    8.2/10(172 votes)

    #4 - 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.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 5 - The Romance
    7.3/10(161 votes)

    #5 - The Romance

    S3:E5

    Olivia enrolls herself in art class at night and her teacher makes romantic advances.Mary Ellen says she wants to be a nurse

    Director:Ivan Dixon
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 6 - The Ring
    7.5/10(162 votes)

    #6 - The Ring

    S3:E6

    Mary Ellen buys a purse. At home she finds there's a pretty amethyst ring inside which she decides to wear at the dance, but she and Erin keep the finding of the ring a secret.

    Director:Philip Leacock
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 7 - The System
    8.3/10(166 votes)

    #7 - 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

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 8 - The Spoilers
    7.1/10(165 votes)

    #8 - The Spoilers

    S3:E8

    A New York family who is dysfunctional moves to Walton's Mountain. They end up causing havoc in the Walton's household and they move back to New York City

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 9 - The Marathon
    7.4/10(174 votes)

    #9 - The Marathon

    S3:E9

    In Scottsville John-Boy enters a dance marathon with Daisy Garner, a total stranger. It starts out fun but quickly becomes a drudgery until Olivia comes to the rescue.

    Director:Ralph Senensky
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 10 - The Book
    8.2/10(171 votes)

    #10 - 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

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 11 - The Job
    8.0/10(173 votes)

    #11 - The Job

    S3:E11

    John-Boy gets a job reading to a young blind woman. The woman is hostile towards him and the world in general. She goes to Walton's Mountain and realizes she has much more for which to be thankful.

    Director:Ivan Dixon
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 12 - The Departure
    8.0/10(164 votes)

    #12 - The Departure

    S3:E12

    John seeks work in a Norfolk shipyard because he feels that life has passed by him but he soon realizes that the family needs him at home and he really wants to be there.

    Director:Ivan Dixon
    Writer:Joanna Lee

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  13. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 13 - The Visitor
    7.5/10(157 votes)

    #13 - The Visitor

    S3:E13

    Zeb's old friend returns to Walton's Mountain without his wife. The Walton's learn that she died earlier but he will not acknowledge her passing.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Kathleen Hite

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  14. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 14 - The Birthday
    8.0/10(154 votes)

    #14 - The Birthday

    S3:E14

    Grandpa has a heart attack and seems to be unresponsive to treatment. The family try to cheer him up, and against doctor's orders, move him to a tent outside so he can communicate with nature

    Director:Ivan Dixon
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 15 - The Lie
    7.5/10(174 votes)

    #15 - The Lie

    S3:E15

    Ben goes to Charlottesville to take a young girl to meet her mother and borrows John-Boy's truck without his permission. The truck is involved in a hit and run unknown to Ben.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 16 - The Matchmakers
    7.7/10(159 votes)

    #16 - The Matchmakers

    S3:E16

    Corabeth Walton, a cousin of the Waltons, comes for an unannounced extended visit. Ike Godsey is instantly taken with her and they quickly marry. Erin enters the Jefferson County Sweetheart Contest.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:John McGreevey

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  17. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 17 - The Beguiled
    7.6/10(166 votes)

    #17 - The Beguiled

    S3:E17

    John-Boy encounters a sassy but unprincipled girl whose selfish ways cause hard feelings and suspicion toward Danny, Jim Bob's friend.

    Director:Ralph Senensky
    Writer:Kathleen Hite

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  18. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 18 - The Caretakers
    7.8/10(149 votes)

    #18 - The Caretakers

    S3:E18

    Grandpa and Grandma become angry with the family and move out to care for a friend's house.Everybody soon realizes that their place is back home

    Director:Ivan Dixon
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 19 - The Shivaree
    7.2/10(185 votes)

    #19 - The Shivaree

    S3:E19

    Wedding plans for the daughter of a friend go awry when the mountain custom of kidnapping the groom get out of hand

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 20 - The Choice
    8.3/10(163 votes)

    #20 - 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

    Director:Alf Kjellin
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 21 - The Statue
    7.6/10(151 votes)

    #21 - The Statue

    S3:E21

    Godsey's store has a raffle of a statue and Grandpa wins the statue - a dead ringer that looks like one of Grandpa's girlfriend prior to Grandma. John-Boy writes a story of a failed romance between Miss Emily and Ashley Longworth

    Director:Unknown
    Writers:Earl Hamner, Jr.

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  22. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 22 - The Song
    7.8/10(160 votes)

    #22 - The Song

    S3:E22

    Sally Ann Harper has eyes for Jason but Ben falls in love with her. Grandpa and John enter a billiard competition at Ike's store

    Director:Richard Thomas
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 23 - The Woman
    7.7/10(167 votes)

    #23 - The Woman

    S3:E23

    John and Olivia make plans for their 20 th wedding anniversary, John-Boy falls in love with a older woman and decides to leave the mountain with her

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Waltons Season 3 Episode 24 - The Venture
    8.2/10(155 votes)

    #24 - 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.

    Director:Ralph Waite
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 3 Ratings Summary

"The Conflict" is the best rated episode of "The Waltons" season 3. It scored 8.8/10 based on 277 votes. Directed by Ralph Senensky and written by Unknown, it aired on 9/12/1974. This episode is rated 0.7 points higher than the second-best, "The First Day".