Waltons 3.6: “The Ring”

Airdate: 10/17/74

No, no the 2002 horror movie. Mary Ellen goes to her first college dance, at Boatwright University, double-dating with John-Boy. She just has to have an evening bag, so she picks one up second hand, only to find a beautiful amethyst ring inside, which she decides to keep. When the ring’s owner, Mrs. Breckenridge, comes to the Waltons to inquire about the ring’s whereabouts, Mary Ellen decides to return it after the dance. You guessed it: she loses it, and must break into the college the next day to find it and return it. Good subplot involving John-Boy’s date, a girl he thinks is exploiting her, until she risks her sororital standing to help him by breaking into the campus to retrieve the ring.

So-so installment again depicting Mary-Ellen’s struggle with womanhood. Beautiful Katheen Cody, as John-Boy’s date, is another émigré from Dark Shadows (and a few other soaps), later made many guest starring appearanes on 70s and 80s dramas before retiring in 1988. Cindy Eilbacher (Lisa’s sister) as the snitch Martha Rose is emerging as the Nellie Oleson of the show!