8.7/10242 votes#1 - The Conflict
Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 9/12/1974
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: N/A
8.1/10164 votes#2 - The First Day
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 9/19/1974
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: N/A
7.9/10154 votes#3 - The Thoroughbred
Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 9/26/1974
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: N/A
8.2/10155 votes#4 - The Runaway
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/3/1974
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: N/A
7.4/10144 votes#5 - The Romance
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 10/10/1974
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: N/A
7.5/10147 votes#6 - The Ring
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 10/17/1974
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: N/A
8.3/10149 votes#7 - The System
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 10/24/1974
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: N/A
7.2/10150 votes#8 - The Spoilers
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 10/31/1974
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: N/A
7.4/10157 votes#9 - The Marathon
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 11/7/1974
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: N/A
8.2/10155 votes#10 - The Book
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 11/14/1974
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: N/A
7.9/10153 votes#11 - The Job
Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 11/21/1974
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: N/A
7.9/10149 votes#12 - The Departure
Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 12/5/1974
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
7.4/10142 votes#13 - The Visitor
Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 12/12/1974
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: N/A
Writer: Kathleen Hite
7.9/10140 votes#14 - The Birthday
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 12/19/1974
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: N/A
7.5/10155 votes#15 - The Lie
Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 1/2/1975
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: N/A
7.7/10144 votes#16 - The Matchmakers
Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 1/9/1975
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
7.5/10149 votes#17 - The Beguiled
Season 3 Episode 17 - Aired 1/16/1975
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
7.7/10134 votes#18 - The Caretakers
Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 1/23/1975
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: N/A
7.2/10169 votes#19 - The Shivaree
Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 1/30/1975
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: N/A
8.3/10145 votes#20 - The Choice
Season 3 Episode 20 - Aired 2/6/1975
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: N/A
7.6/10136 votes#21 - The Statue
Season 3 Episode 21 - Aired 2/13/1975
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: N/A
Writer: Earl Hamner, Jr.
7.8/10144 votes#22 - The Song
Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 2/20/1975
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: N/A
7.7/10153 votes#23 - The Woman
Season 3 Episode 23 - Aired 2/27/1975
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: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.1/10137 votes#24 - The Venture
Season 3 Episode 24 - Aired 3/6/1975
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: N/A
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!
The Waltons live their life in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II.
Genre:Drama
Network:CBS
Season 3 Ratings Summary
"The Conflict" is the best rated episode of "The Waltons" season 3. It scored 8.7/10 based on 242 votes. Directed by Ralph Senensky and written by N/A, it aired on 9/12/1974. This episode is rated 0.6 points higher than the second-best, "The First Day".