Waltons 8.22: “The Medal”

Airdate: 2/28/80

Eddie Ramirez, a Mexican-American paratrooper comes to Waltons Mountain to bestow the Silver Star on Curtis Williard’s next of kin: Mary Ellen. As soon as he steps off the bus, he is bullied by some Navy soldiers, one of whom breaks his arm when Eddie trips him in self-defense. Forced to stay locally until the matter is settled, he and Mary Ellen develop a romance, as do Corabeth and an old secret admirer, an army captain named Roger Westerby, who wants to have a “Brief Encounter” before he shoves off again for the war. Needless to say, Corabeth, although deliriously tempted, stands by her man, Ike.

Don't mess with those Walton women!

Two passionate love affairs, both ill-fated, but “better to have loved and lost….” Well, you know the rest. The Waltons first foray into Latino culture is impressive, abetted strongly by Enrique Castillo’s performance as Eddie. His guitar-playing talents really catapult this into a hot-blooded dalliance – balanced potently but not overtly with an anti-discriminatory message. So as not to make Eddie too flawless, he has an anger management problem which Mary Ellen helps him resolve by episode’s end.