The Burden

Episode aired Jan 25, 1979
TV-G
1h

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

122

YOUR RATING

Drama Family Romance

While Jim-Bob is working underneath a car, it falls and Jim-Bob has a close call with death and decides to become a minister. Elizabeth catches bugs for a school project and keeps them in th... Read allWhile Jim-Bob is working underneath a car, it falls and Jim-Bob has a close call with death and decides to become a minister. Elizabeth catches bugs for a school project and keeps them in the house.While Jim-Bob is working underneath a car, it falls and Jim-Bob has a close call with death and decides to become a minister. Elizabeth catches bugs for a school project and keeps them in the house.

Director
- Harry Harris
Writers
- Earl Hamner Jr.
- Ernie Wallengren
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

122

YOUR RATING

Director
- Harry Harris
Writers
- Earl Hamner Jr.
- Ernie Wallengren
Stars

1User review

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos

User reviews1

6.9122

Featured reviews

6barlowralph

Good story that could have bee better

"The Burden" starts out as a good story but it seems to me that Jim Bob's overzealousness and sudden instant recall of chapter-and-verse Bible quotes gives it an air of preachiness that The Waltons doesn't usually have. A kid who's all about working on cars is suddenly a walking Bible encyclopedia-it just doesn't ring true. If the storyline was more about his searching for meaning in his own life and less about going out to save souls it would have worked better. I give it a 6 star rating because of the good intentions of the writers and producers, and the tender way in which Daddy brings Jim Bob around to clearer thinking. True Waltons fans will always include this episode in their routine, but if you're turned off by sermonizing, you might want to skip it.

Best Emmys Moments

Trivia
Tinker was played by Tony Moran, whose younger sister Erin Moran also appeared in an earlier episode of The Waltons.

Goofs
When John comes to talk to Jim-Bob, you can see Elizabeth's ant farm and an empty mason jar on the ground. The camera cuts away, and later shows a wide shot. The ant farm is still on the ground but the mason jar has disappeared.

Quotes
Narrator: [narration as John 'John Boy' Walton, Jr. reading from his journal] Along with the rest of the country, 1942 brought great upheaval to Waltons Mountain. Each day the news from the battlefronts grew more grim while here at home defense plants worked around the clock to produce the weapons of war. In our home we suffered a personal tragedy, for our mother was away recovering from a serious illness. It was a time of great trial for each of us, but especially for Jim Bob.