Waltons 6.17: “The Anniversary”

Airdate: 2/2/78

John and Olivia’s 25th wedding anniversary is nigh, and each member of the Waltons clan has an idea for celebrating it, including John and Olivia themselves. John furtively steals away to the mountaintop to build his wife a gazebo overlooking the countryside, while she arranges to have a telephone connected inside the house and in John’s mill. All the kids and Zeb plan a surprise party at the house, but when John’s celebratory plans take a bit longer than expected, they wind up waiting... and waiting. Finally, everyone packs up and takes it to the mountain, where everyone celebrates al fresca.

The seven-month itch: Mary Elen works at a hospital where she meets up with her jilted fiancé, David Spencer. The loneliness of being without her husband gets to her, and she is tempted by thoughts of infidelity. When Curtis shows up and shares aldurterous thoughts of his own, they both agree to be strong… and faithful.

Milestone episode for a few reasons, the main one being the introduction of the Waltons telephone! Already the Walton teens (and that’s about all of them), can’t wait to use it to chat with their respective boyfriends and girlfriends, while John remands that it’s to be used for business only (yeah, right!).

A teetotaler no more: Olivia has her second drink in six episodes when John toasts their marriage with a glass of champagne.