‘The Waltons’ Turns 50: See Fans’ Picks for the Best Episodes
If The Waltons seemed dated in 1972—telling the story of a rural Virginia family weathering the Great Depression and World War II—it must feel prehistoric to TV viewers now, half a century later.
Yet the popularity of the franchise endures, with the original nine-season series streaming on Freevee for free and The CW airing one Waltons movie last year and prepping another for this holiday season.
The historical drama debuted on CBS September 14, 1972, and we’re honoring its 50th anniversary with a roundup of the top 10 episodes, as ranked by IMDb voters.
10. Season 5, Episode 19: “The Hero”
John-Boy (Richard Thomas) wants to write about Sheriff Ep’s (John Crawford) military experience, but the sheriff wants to keep it under wraps. An IMDb reviewer calls this episode “a true testament to the human spirit” and a “good, hard look at what is involved when men kill men.”
9. Season 5, Episode 13: “The Last Mustang”
Earlier in the same season, Ep faces challenging reelection odds when a charismatic opponent comes into town. Meanwhile, Grandpa Walton (Will Geer) focuses his attention on keeping a wild mustang wild. “One might think that a one-hour episode about a small-town local political race would be unimpressive,” an IMDb user wrote. “But the smallness is precisely the strength here.”
8. Season 4, Episode 16: “The Secret”
Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) discovers a family secret as he investigates why he doesn’t look much like the other Waltons. “This story enhances the character traits of each actor and character [and] bonds the viewer to Jim-Bob forever,” a fan raved.
7. Season 5, Episode 25: “The Achievement”
John-Boy gets an irresistible taste of big-city life when he decides to ask a publisher about his novel manuscript in person. “If anybody could get in with no appointment, it would be John-Boy!” an IMDb reviewer quipped.
6. Season 1, Episode 24: “An Easter Story”
Olivia (Michael Learned) comes down with polio that threatens to paralyze her, but John-Boy goes to great lengths to ensure her recovery. TV Guide Magazine ranked this episode No. 77 on a list of the top TV episodes of all time, saying that “all the heart, humor and homey love of Walton’s Mountain was on full display.”
5. Season 7, Episode 1: “The Empty Nest”
In this episode that came on the heels of Geer’s death, the Waltons mourn the loss of his character, patriarch Zebulon Walton. “I treasured both Grandpa Walton and Will Geer,” an IMDb user wrote. “I’m glad they made this one in his honor.”
4. Season 2, Episode 10: “The Thanksgiving Story”
A life-threatening accident at a lumber mill threatens John-Boy’s college aspirations as the Waltons prepare for their Thanksgiving dinner. On IMDb, a viewer ranked this as their favorite episode, giving particular props to Thomas’ “great” acting in the hour.
3. Season 5, Episode 5: “The Fire Storm”
In the prelude to World War II, John-Boy angers the locals of Walton’s Mountain with his plans to print excerpts from Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf in the newspaper. A fans said this episode “shows how one person can affect the lives of everyone, even when you just try to tell something like the simple truth.”
2. Season 5, Episode 11: “The Pony Cart”
For her final screen role, Beulah Bondi of It’s a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington guest-starred in this episode as Martha, Zeb’s sister-in-law, a troublesome houseguest with a big secret. “Beulah Bondi’s performance was tremendous, surely deserving of the Emmy she received for this episode,” an IMDb reviewer raved.
1. Season 6, Episode 22: “Grandma Comes Home”
The show’s sixth-season finale saw the return of grandmother Esther Walton after her stroke—and the return of actress Ellen Corby after her real-life stroke. “The joy for fans of the series in seeing a main character return after so long away, and seeing some humorous and serious scenes with her, [was] truly the key to this heartwarming episode,” a fan wrote on IMDb.
