8.0/10136 votes#1 - The Home Front
Season 8 Episode 1 - Aired 9/20/1979
John serves on the local draft board. A young soldier he drafted has been killed and the boy's Dad threatens John & Jim-Bob. The family receives word that John-Boy is missing in action.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.9/10121 votes#2 - The Kinfolk
Season 8 Episode 2 - Aired 9/27/1979
Rose arrives for a visit which is extended with Serena and Jeffery, her grandchildren. Jim-Bob and Ike Godsey build an air raid siren big enough for Richmond.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
6.6/10123 votes#3 - The Diploma
Season 8 Episode 3 - Aired 10/4/1979
Mary Ellen subs as the county nurse. John tries to prove to the army that he really did graduate from high school. John can not find his diploma so he takes another test.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.1/10106 votes#4 - The Innocents
Season 8 Episode 4 - Aired 10/11/1979
Olivia says the mountain needs a day nursery for children of defense plant workers. Corabeth thinks that Ike has a girlfriend when she sees Rose teaching him to dance.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.5/10109 votes#5 - The Starlet
Season 8 Episode 5 - Aired 10/18/1979
The film company comes to Walton's Mountain and Pickett plant is used for a war-time documentary. Erin is convinced by the director that she has potential in Hollywood.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
6.7/10105 votes#6 - The Journal
Season 8 Episode 6 - Aired 10/25/1979
A publisher asks permission from John and Olivia about printing the new book that John-Boy wrote in Europe. Jeff does not want Reckless put to sleep after Reckless becomes sick.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
6.9/10105 votes#7 - The Lost Sheep
Season 8 Episode 7 - Aired 11/1/1979
Ashley Longworth Jr. comes back and asks Erin to be his wife. She has some serious doubts after he says he has lost his faith in God.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10121 votes#8 - The Violated (1)
Season 8 Episode 8 - Aired 11/8/1979
Olivia searches for a soldier's wife at the request from the Red Cross. The soldier's wife won't answer her husband's letters. Corabeth expects an inheritance.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.1/10106 votes#9 - The Waiting (2)
Season 8 Episode 9 - Aired 11/22/1979
To be near John-Boy who is in a coma, Olivia joins the Red Cross. Rose plans the big Thanksgiving dinner. John and Olivia spend Thanksgiving in Richmond Hospital with John-Boy.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: N/A
7.0/10131 votes#10 - The Silver Wings
Season 8 Episode 10 - Aired 11/29/1979
Jim-Bob meets Betsy, a married woman and falls in love with her while delivering her a package.
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: N/A
7.5/10122 votes#11 - The Wager
Season 8 Episode 11 - Aired 12/13/1979
All of Jefferson County watched with wonder when Mary Ellen and Erin decide to venture even farther into a mans world.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/10111 votes#12 - The Spirit
Season 8 Episode 12 - Aired 12/20/1979
There's an escapee from a POW camp in North Carolina hiding on Walton's Mountain and he is befriended by Jeffrey. They ask him in on Christmas Eve.
Director: Herbert Hirschman
Writer: N/A
7.4/10114 votes#13 - The Fastidious Wife
Season 8 Episode 13 - Aired 12/27/1979
Cindy gets a book from Corabeth on how to be the perfect wife and Cindy resolves to cater to Ben's every need. Jeffrey takes home a cat and names her Harold, until the cat gives birth to kittens.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.7/1098 votes#14 - The Unthinkable
Season 8 Episode 14 - Aired 1/3/1980
There's a recruit working for Jason's company who is Jewish. He tells how his grandfather was arrested and killed by German soldiers in Warsaw.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.8/10109 votes#15 - The Idol
Season 8 Episode 15 - Aired 1/10/1980
Hazel Lamphere, the new school teacher, comes to Walton's Mountain and Elizabeth is immediately attached to her. Virginia is born to Cindy and Ben.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10116 votes#16 - The Prodigals
Season 8 Episode 16 - Aired 1/17/1980
Josh and Jeffrey break into Godsey's store and are in trouble with the law. After being humiliated by a solider in uniform, Ben decides to enlist.
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: N/A
6.8/10104 votes#17 - The Remembrance
Season 8 Episode 17 - Aired 1/24/1980
Zadoc Walton, Zeb's cousin, arrives to keep a 21 year old promise and makes a surprising contribution to Boatwright University.
Director: Herbert Hirschman
Writer: Marion Hargrove
7.8/10130 votes#18 - The Inspiration
Season 8 Episode 18 - Aired 1/31/1980
Mamie Baldwin makes it through a difficult operation with Grandma's help.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10105 votes#19 - The Last Straw
Season 8 Episode 19 - Aired 2/7/1980
When John's equipment breaks down and Jim-Bob breaks his, John decides maybe he has had enough. Jeffrey builds himself a soapbox car sponsored by Godsey's store.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.1/1098 votes#20 - The Traveling Man
Season 8 Episode 20 - Aired 2/14/1980
Rose's ex-boyfriend Stanley Perkins arrives on Waltons Mountain and he makes a re-acquaintance with Rose.
Director: Herbert Hirschman
Writer: N/A
7.6/10102 votes#21 - The Furlough
Season 8 Episode 21 - Aired 2/21/1980
John-Boy returns home physically cured but he still suffers from a loss of memory. Ike gets arrested for draft evasion because he ignores a letter from the Army.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.2/10119 votes#22 - The Medal
Season 8 Episode 22 - Aired 2/28/1980
Corabeth gets pursued by an old suitor. Mary Ellen is attracted to Eddie Ramirez.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10104 votes#23 - The Valediction
Season 8 Episode 23 - Aired 3/13/1980
Jim-Bob graduates as class valedictorian and Erin finds out that Ashley Longsworth Jr married a girl in London. The Walton boys join the War.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of The Waltons Season 8
Every episode of The Waltons Season 8 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Waltons Season 8!
The Waltons live their life in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II.
Genre:Drama
Network:CBS
Season 8 Ratings Summary
"The Home Front" is the best rated episode of "The Waltons" season 8. It scored 8/10 based on 136 votes. Directed by Harry Harris and written by N/A, it aired on 9/20/1979. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The Kinfolk".