Waltons 5.9: “The Great Motorcycle Race”

Airdate: 11/18/76

Jim Bob, with a knack for fixing and operating anything with wheels and an engine, wants to enter a motorcycle race, to be publicized by the Blue Ridge Chronicle. Olivia, naturally, is against the idea, but changes her tune when she understands how Jim Bob is different from his brothers. Borrowing Ike’s motorcycle, he enters, but he’s clearly a underdog, given the state of Ike’s hog next to those of his competitors. Of course, he wins, proving everyone wrong.

In the parallel plot, Ike and Corabeth adopt a baby boy, but when they go to the agency, the baby’s mother has a last minute change of heart. While there, the couple sees an orphaned girl named Aimee, whose parents died when she was young; they decide to adopt her instead, but before she can assimilate she and Corabeth have a heart to heart talk.

Rollicking episode is relatively John-less (he appear for about two minutes). The big race at the end is fun, if predictable, and major points awarded to Rachel Longaker as new cast member Aimee Godsey, who is cute but not overbearing. Clearly acting skills are on the producers’ minds these days: not-so-hot thespian Debbie Gunn has been quickly replaced in the role of Patsy Brimmer, Jim-Bob’s new love interest. She’s now played by Eileen McDonough (no relation to Mary).