debraran

I did the same things, was tired of the rape/angst and wanted my head clear of it. I saw a talk show clip talking about this episode and the star and it was "different" so no typical violence. I loved it. I did not following the other segment with the cop well, FF through that a lot but loved the story with "Pence", I loved his book and reading it at the end.....priceless. Good job by all. Cheesy, yes, but sometimes that's nice. A little over the top with Benson's eyes, okay, yes, but I love a good love story and I love dementia showed another way, not everyone is the same. I wondered though, was he alone as she said with just an aide coming in?

I think Melissa was just more mature than the rest of the kids. At least that is what most adults said about her and some of the kids. Her mom kept her underfoot. All the adults in interviews said nice things, when most didn't talk of the "kids". Richard Bull said that of Jonathan later on also. (he took a few more years) : ) I also think an unsaid thing by MG etc is that MSA was given an Emmy nod for her best performance on LHOP and Mike was so proud of her. MG was "star" and didn't get one. In that world, good chance that bothered her but not in her head. MSA said in her book, Alison was very shy when she came on the set and in time she warmed up and started being like she was now. She always knew she had a lot of talent etc. I think Melissa Sue did well after LHOP, has a beautiful family in Canada and even "jabs" at her not making an event (which is optional) didn't say she wasn't in state or that she had 3 kids etc. I'm not a "fan" but just don't like when people bully and if someone wont give it back, rises above it, they do it more. I didn't respect Alison for that even if she had no real dirt on her, but it sells books. I think demeaning someone is wrong though when they didn't do anything but not want to hang out with you or do things you were doing on the set. Re the restaurant sign, I think it was fitting to put Hester Sue on window but I think even for Mike, pushing that an AA woman could have that much influence in that time, wasn't something he felt comfortable doing. She did run the place though. Although fans joke of her breaking into song all the time, she loved how Mike gave her avenue to sing since she had a beautiful voice and at the time, she had a steady job when they weren't always plentiful.

That was sad since Nellie was very bright and could have gone to school to be a teacher or whatever women were allowed to do. Nel's did marry Harriet with shop but he was smart too and I'm sure at Princeton could have been secure in another profession. I didn't mind suspending reality for LHOP but they did gloss over how backward many things were then. As noted above, rape and babies and marrying would just be pure gossip and nastiness but shows like this usually clean it up with death. They treated Hester Sue very well although Joe Kagen had a harder time. Didn't Hester Sue go to mass but he had to be "voted in". Geez, how Christian of them. True but still. Hester Sue really had no issues working in "Mayberry "Walnut Grove. Caroline got more pay for working at restaurant than she ever would have gotten in any other job (not that it made it easy for the Ingall's) but women usually got the short end of the stick in most areas.

Thanks for that, I can see MG doing that, lol re the "not going to work out" But I don't believe it's a favorite of LHOP fans at all. It got good ratings because sadly, rape and things like that bring in viewers but it wasn't LHOP kind of stuff. He did it for ratings but deep down no one really wanted that, the true fans gravitate to the beginning which was about faith, love, and fake prairie living. Not clowns, rape, abuse and fires. I would have rather seen Albert married than addicted and killed sort of but alas no input from fans. ; )

I remember reading an interview where she talked of getting the gumption to talk to ML about changes from Katherine (who else?) : ) She said in her time, it was work and she was never the star of LHOP but I liked her and wished her time with Victor had been longer. I hated he had to lose family again. I think unless I'm blurring stories, but I thought Hersha had a moment of asking for a change too with Katherine helping her. Just a small thing but I guess he ran with an iron hand but had his moments. I think one of them said they never did it again though. lol They also were friends. From interview: Years later, while living in California, Hersha often used to look after a free-spirited dog named Lightening, who used to roam the streets of Hollywood. This is how Hersha came to meet and befriend actress Katherine "Scottie" MacGregor, who also looked out for the same dog! It was around that time that MacGregor was starring, as Harriet Oleson, in the television series Little House on the Prairie. When Hersha starred in a play as Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare, MacGregor and her Little House co-star Richard Bull came to see it. They were thoroughly impressed with Hersha's performance, and recommended her to the Little House casting director, as a possible new cast member. This recommendation led to Hersha being cast as a guest star (playing Michael Landon's sister-in-law) in one episode during the third season, before being cast as a regular player in the role of Merlin Olsen's wife, Alice Garvey, for Seasons 4 - 6.

I liked how she mentioned good things about Melissa Sue but I guess I lot was negative. I did see Kevin Hogan in a new light some characters being "always there" but seeing a new side of him. Did she think the Gil Gerard thing was funny? I could have gone my lifetime without knowing thatl😜 I wonder how much, whether famous or not so famous, your book is changed by the editor. Put more of this in or that. I didn't mind her honesty about work, Melissa G and others didn't dispute it, but a little levity would have gone a long way. You don't want to read a memoir and feel sad or "blah" when done. The memoir I would have LOVED to read would have been Katherine's for sure. She was ballsy and honest and funny. MSA book was a little boring but like reading scripts and seeing it through her eyes and I didn't wish I didn't read it. She admitted what she could remember and not and had a lot of class never putting down MG and Alison even though they did it to her. Even complimented Alison. She was honest about Michael and said she made up before he was sick and showed pics of her wedding with him. Her maturity in what she said, I felt a permanent 👍after that. Alison's was funny but she could have done without the putdowns. They were children then.

In a book I gave a fan, Praire Memories I think, by a French author, he interviewed 5 of the stars and Richard or Katherine (or both) said the mom heavily favored Melissa and someone on the forum said Melissa resented him coming into the family so might not have treated him well either. I never confused photo ops with real life. If I can make up a fantasy in my head, I will keep yours. I like it. I know he wasn't a big star or that important but someone would have loved to see him somewhere and take a photo. He might have changed a lot now but not then. Melissa G said she saw him three times since he left and made peace with it, but no one says "Where? How?" Very odd how followup questions aren't asked. I don't think a lot of love lost. Michael befriended Melissa but I don't recall any guys. Maybe if he lived, he might have touched on Jon, IDK. One the Carrie twins kept in touch but again lost touch as he moved. The Internet is so funny, they'll have a bio of him and his wife Keren and pics and they guy is nothing like Jon. He's a stockbroker in NYC but it's like unlike he had plastic surgery, that's not him.

I think so...back then, I thought of abuse that he might have had or something not talked about on TV. I don't know why, because most things are. If he got caught up in the law, homeless, etc. you'd know. Something went on where MG or her sister Sara and most of the cast that were with him over a decade (!) say nothing. I respected his on TV parents for giving him big kudos for his acting (which Alison poo-pooed a bit) and saying out of all the kids, he was the smartest and best behaved. Really no gossip. Richard said he loved having him as a tv son and said his mom heavily favored Melissa and ignored him. I think Katherine alluded to things too. Richard said he made some money over the years, took it said goodbye but for that type of behavior, you must really hate or dislike most around you if not mentally ill. Melissa did look at first but never said if cops found him and if some heard from him, I'm sure he kept in touch for a while. One fan who knew people said no picture ever online was him, although the greying guy they show is close. The brunette looks nothing like him. I can't believe after over 10 years of working with someone, Matt or any of the boys will mention him. An author said he knew somethings but you could tell he was very close to the vest. I think accusations of wrong doing without a report or the person there to back it up is just gossip so I respect they wont do that but it's very hard to drop off the face of the earth and I wish someone knew he was at least alive. If he went to college, there would be credible records (in US anyway) If he worked for any company with SS # they'd have that information. Now he's too old and it's been too long. Just so sad or maybe for him, a nightmare ended and his life began.

With many of these things, the less popular players seem to like to go and fans are forgiving since time lessens memory and they just want something from their LHOP days. So many are gone or never did the reunions. Alison and Melissa are the stars now and used the popularity to keep themselves going (Alison more I think) Dean fans like his involvement too. I would have only gone if close and Richard Bull was there and Katherine but alas that didn't happen. I like Alison but I always wondered why "Albert" Matt never made one but they did go on talk shows. He might have and I missed it. I also found it glaring that Jon Gilbert was gone and no one will talk about him, not so much at reunion but anything about him. People he acted with, Matt, Sherri, his wife (although they might not have asked back then) anyone who had scenes with him, did they have a relationship outside of the show? Alison has actually fibbed in a funny way about him doing plays or being a monk but everyone attests to the pics online being false and he isn't a stockbroker wherever (although that guy must get some weird calls at work) Only Richard Bull spoke of his dysfunctional home and I think it's sad. I hope he's well and I'm sorry they show made him decide show business wasn't for him and neither was anyone attached to it. He did keep in touch for a bit with his TV parents and Melissa Sue knew someone he knew but not for too long. I hope he is well. In "google/Internet" world it really is hard to be invisible if you work but I respect his bowing out.

Yes, she ruined her birthday and broke her sons heart. She could have talked to Ruthie or husband later but geez, she was a witch.

She was beautiful, was on a Bonanza too (weren't most guests?) but they put her in the most awful wig. This pic doesn't do it justice, it was like a white toupee dropped on her brown hair. I don't know who did hair/makeup but it was usually awful. She was beautiful in "real" life. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/131567|150420/Vera-Miles/#overview

Yes, that was a job too so similar but Albert was older. I liked how they tried to teach antisemitism in a LHOP way (much more realistic than some with racism) but that again was "meet older person, they die" No wonder the banker left town!

Even though I can't watch the later episodes on LHOP, I did have on The Last Summer while I cleaned today. I don't know why I tear up with Ruthie saying goodbye to Jason but I do. Except for her really bad wig (a common trend on LHOP) I liked Vera Miles as Ruthie so much more than his mom (who was a jerk) or any of the characters then. Seeing Jason liking Ruthie wasn't the same as Laura with all her older friends, it seemed more real with him helping her and Dewey. Then Blanche came on and TV went off. : )

I just saw beginning of Albert's addiction episode. I only like the beginning. I thought the glance at old home was sad and Charles is like "looks like they are keeping it up well". Yes, not renting or doing Airbnb. ; ) I forgot for a moment how Charles had to blame the city for Albert's addiction and bad behavior. That was only reason. Albert had a goal to be a doctor, was smart, could have "interned" with local doc, but Mike wanted an addiction story after his child had trouble. Don't blame the city though, many kids in the city weren't addicts and what about James and his other children? Were they all doomed? I know peer pressure can be hard but I never bought Albert wanting to fit in that way. Willie would have been even harder to see but Albert wasn't a country bumpkin, he lived in orphanages and on the street for a while.

I hadn't watched New Amsterdam since maybe end of season 2. I watched the finale and although some people were new could catch up pretty fast. I enjoyed the shout outs to ER. One doctor, shown as a little girl who was deaf and wanted to be a doctor on Halloween, had George Clooney's photo and the stars only daughter, like Dr Greene, took over as director of the hospital many years later like her dad. Not exactly the same but very close since Mark's Rachel started at County as her dad did. ER was much better, but it was nice to see how they borrowed from it and producer said he didn't want to kill off the star the way they did Mark (but he did have cancer too) I wonder if George saw or smiled at the nod. ; )

I couldn't watch C Med after season 2, I had high hopes with Oliver Platt (some of his episodes were okay) but the soap opera with the rest, over the top hysteria and drama. It all seemed so fake, something I didn't think about watching ER even later. The quality of some of their scripts was so much better. CM was more like late ER but even then they had some scripts that were better. I heard it got better but I suppose they lost some fans in the interim. I wanted to bond with them the way I did with the cast on ER but that was special and they wont replicate it.

I haven't watched this show much since Helen and Max got together, too soapy and syrupy but I did watch a bit this year. Final show was nice to me because I'm a BIG ER fan (rewatched it 2 years ago on HULU) and the shoutout to George and Luna coming like Greene's daughter Rachel did to his hospital was nice. To younger viewers it meant nothing. Why wouldn't Max be there when his only daughter takes over his old hospital though? I would think nothing would keep him away or she would say something about him now.

I'm sure she was just making plans for another child to join the family. : )

Charles had the gall to be "cash on the barrel" unless it was him. He would state it and then forget. Oleson's "we are so glad to hear that, wise words, cash is best" Charles "well I just need some seed" Just this one time... Then they owed Olesons most of the time with a running tab. The funniest thing was him thinking he inherited money and not even waiting for it. We aren't talking about a few baubles, the guy bought out the store and had nothing in bank or his hand. But he was an Ingall's. Then he wants a loan to buy his wife something, for pete's sake, make a few shelves for someone, work an extra job or two. Charles really wasn't always the brightest guy. His kids made more selling honey. ; )

I remember finding it uncomfortable knowing that re the money and how Laura could care less really. Why should Ma start having something nice now?

Thankfully this was way before Laura broke the inventory Nel's had and Charles kept buying, when she was older. : )

I suppose they needed to have her there so she wasn't alone during the storm. There was an episode Caroline & Charles went to see Mary at blind school to tell them something in excitement ( in WG )and they left the little ones at night....kind of odd if they got up but didn't want to write them in. Here I felt you were to not think about it or think they asked her to come to decorate. Nels and Harriet always had tons of blankets and lanterns to loan or give in case of illness and food, I bet they'd make it to store for candy and coffee for sure. ; )

Wasn't there a LHOP movie that never got off the ground a few times? Not the TV series, which I don't think would do well, but an actual movie. Covid might have curtailed plans but this was before.

Yes, they must have been all "city folk" for Pete's sake. Every woman wants Charles but at least he had someone like Caroline too. Of course any other path they took would have been awful, the moral of every story. Even her "good friend" during the epidemic had one of the worst husband's around and made switching babies with another palatable. My point was could anyone they knew just be happy? Caroline talked of giving up dreams once to Laura, teaching and other things, her life wasn't what she thought it would be, but she loved them etc. I never got why they seemed so poor compared to other farmers AND he worked at the mill during the show. He could woodwork, etc. Just wanted to see Ma have more than a few dollars in the tin. I mean Laura and Albert had an obnoxious amount of money, (50?) for just honey! They gave it for a wasted trip, of course Mary couldn't get to destination,but money flow was always something I found depressing. Grace and others seemed to live well, warm homes, food, but they always struggled.

It might be annoying to some but I've heard many fans find the voice-over calming, especially in the beginning. It's like CTM is here, settle in. ; ) The show is much more popular than I think it would be with the changes, so many that would kill other shows. I remember MASH having that and staying afloat because of writing and talent. I know it's an odd thing to keep thinking about but I wonder if Miss Higgins will see cop, Sergeant Woolf,again. Was he just to be a distraction? I wondered if they didn't want him on or he wanted off.