Pirpana

On the 40th Anniversary documentary featured as a bonus feature on Blu-ray, Charlotte Stewart told how she saw ML writing next episode script in-between the takes of an episode being shot at the time. And he was directing it. And to be clear, Stewart stated this in a very admiring tone, like, "Oh, what a super man to be able to do that"! Sometimes, it really feels like the script was written while doing something else. Our pet peeve episode May we bake them brown comes first in mind.

Maybe that is (partly) the reason for her different attitude. She wasn't there witnessing it happen for real, for her it was just a nice piece of an action scene. Just a way to go out with a bang.

Yeah, and somehow it seems implausible that MG would have had that kind of power had ML (and others) wanted to go through with it.

Actually they did. And that means Caroline's ma is left in blown-up WG when the show ends! Here's a pic: I have actually wondered if the man in the red circle is episode's director Bill Claxton. They have some resemblance - compare with photo with Laura and Chris above. Also the man's jeans look modern with those backside pockets. And about Ma's surname. It made me crazy when I watched the show first time in 2014-2016. Here, they introduce her pa whose name is Holbrook, and then four episodes later, one of their former classmates shouts at the top of his lungs: "Caroline Quiner!" I was like, what the heck?

Ha, ha! 🤣 I first started going through her last episodes in my head trying to remember where that had (literally) happen. I thought, "well, that goes within the lines of a miscarriage and baby dying in a fire but I don't remember that one"... and then I realized you were referring to her ridiculous wig!

I think you guys are forgetting the cherry on cake Bless all the dear children. The first indication of severe climate change.

^ Oh, really? I found it a bit boring to be frank. Like an idea stretched too thin, too many quiet parts where no one talks and story stands still. Maybe it was also their way of using sound effects that got a bit annoying for me after a while. That constant wind howling and very on-your-nose and underlining use of music, both products of time, of course. And despite of that wind howling, ma and the girls didn't seem to suffer that much of cold. The sheriff dude was very convincing, tough. But then again, maybe you're right and as a two-parter they could have develop it further and it would have had more grittier content. But I think the "previously" part at the beginning of part 2 would have been interesting, just showing them being cold and trying to stay warm... for 5 minutes before getting on with part 2. As a side note, it's funny how those have evolved. Nowadays there's like half-of-a-minute worth of recapping at the beginning of episodes. No one who hasn't watched previous few episodes can get up to date what's happened by those. And those who have are just annoyed by them. And back in the '70s they did it like there's no tomorrow.

^I agree completely. That Winoka stint was very much a missed opportunity. They utilized their bigger town setting only in three episodes out of five. Football and fat man episodes could have easily taken place in Winoka with minimal rewriting. Those had absolutely nothing in them that required them to be in Winoka.

What's interesting is that The Award was in fact ML's first solo writing credit. For this show, I mean.

^ I've read she was on a pilgrim journey in India being a Hindu religion exerciser. But maybe Karen gave a somewhat different explanation. I'm also interested, debraran.

^About the Garveys, same for me, too. In this episode I just thought "Oh, well, one of those best friends we have never heard of and never will again". But in the following episode pa mentions just in passing in Chicago that the Edwards had moved to California. Then I thought, "well, that was a curved ball out of nowhere", and wondered why. In the following episodes I discovered the Garveys really were best friends we've never heard of but we will in the future. I thought, this is a nice change to pattern while waiting Edwardses to come back. I didn't know about the behind-the-scenes drama back then, because I kept myself in total radio silence until I had watched (and translated) the whole show because I didn't want to get any spoilers. This was back in 2014-2016 when restored Blu-rays were released. I was as much surprised to see Kezia back for a few more episodes but I agree, I didn't like her either. Or should I say, didn't like her two full-blown episodes (she had one or two guest appearances as comical relief, as well). Like you have already covered, a grown man should have known you can't replace a dead pet with another just like that, not while the old one is practically still warm six feet under. And in the other one, Lake Kezia Monster, they were just too old to believe in sea monsters. Like the bully was too old to believe in werewolves in werewolf episode. And overall it was a very strange decision to bring her back for one episode after so long time. Back in the 70's the viewers had probably already forgot the whole character. As a side note, where was Kezia when the whole town practically withered and died at the beginning of season 5?

Oh yeah, he was basically same character, only with different name. Very funny, though!

Hah, funny. Which episode was that?

I think they missed an opportunity on season 3 when Mary was hospitalized for that abscess in her stomach or whatever it was. They could have had her had scarlet fever there and make THAT so that she only just survives that and everyone sighs for relief... Only to discover later it still had one serious repercussion. But of course they couldn't think that far ahead. And this time I don't mean this as a criticism towards ML & Co. Just sad for a missed opportunity.

LOL!

^^ That's my way too. As a matter of fact, I have all the episodes on my pc as video files and that's why I'm able to notice subtle changes in the way how an actor delivers his/her lines. In fact, I've translated the whole series to my own language for my own pleasure - after buying them on Blu-ray first, of course. And my alias is actually Finnish version of Half-Pint.

Wow, five hours a day, twice a day. No wonder you guys inform here so often about episode X being shown on somewhere. I've often raised my eyebrows, "Hey, wait a minute, didn't they just show that one". 😄 Thank you to all three of you for enlightening me. You Americans seem to have somewhat endless options which also differ between places. Well, I shouldn't be surprised really considering here in Finland we have 20 (!) free channels and for those with deep pockets practically every channel in other European countries.

I'm interested. How many different channels/networks are showing LH back there in the America at the moment? And another thing, with those two-parter episodes where one is regular in length and the other one is longer. Some of you have said that longer ones aren't shown as often/at all. Do they still show the shorter one and not give a damn that story stays unfinished?

Yesterday I watched Sweet Sixteen. Overall it was a very good episode, except for the infamous inconsistencies in writing from episode to episode. The most obvious one is off course the last exchange between pa and ma, "I'm dying to call you grandpa". They just plainly forgot that a couple episodes ago their first grandchild died in a fire, and the blind parents of said grandchild are in the same room with them. But no matter because this is not the same writer (it's John T. Dugan) so the most important thing is to end the episode on a funny upbeat quip, no matter how stupid and inconsiderate that sounds. Also, in this episode the peeping Tom gets the treatment he deserves. Willie tries to peep on Laura and when he gets caught, he is sent to his room and maybe given more punishment when Nels finds out what was "all the commotion". Not blaming on Laura this time like Sylvia in next season. I don't know, maybe I'm too harsh on LH when blaming on its inconsistencies (but it's so funny!), maybe that was the way they did TV shows back then and LH was just a product of its time. But sometimes it feels like different writers didn't have a clue on what someone else had written earlier (grandpa line). Maybe they didn't bother because back then viewers didn't have the means to talk with each other and point out stupidities like we have now. Maybe family members pointed out, "Did you notice that, how stupid!" but by the time next episode came, they had all ready forgotten about it. But I do think that someone in that big filming crew should have opened their mouths and said that that kind of ending line for this episode wasn't possible. Also, we all know the real life Laura was born in February. Funny how summerlike February it is in this episode! Okay, this is meant to be taken as funny, tongue-in-the-cheek observation, I know why they weren't able to create snowy sceneries. And one other thing, notice when Almanzo is spooning sugar in his tea and Eliza-Jane points out about that, just when he says, "wasn't even thinking", the table buckles a little. Wonder if that was a cue for Dean. PS. When I was looking for that pic, I stumbled upon a very mindboggling piece of information: Our favorite episode to nitpick, May We Make Them Proud, is actually a prize-winning one. And yes, you guessed it, for writing!

Happy Birthday from me too. That's way nicer than me who was born on same day as real life Laura died. Well, 32 years later but anyway.

I find it a bit strange that Miss Beadle, teacher and the one who gave the assignment, doesn't recognize poison ivy. And she's scratching her face, did she also rub the leaves on her face?

He should have said there "Tell them I broke my ribs". That would had been more accurate, the one excuse the Olesons had believed, had it gone that far!

I for one interpreted it as he doesn't actually notice any change with her hair. Like he just compliments Laura on how cute she looks with her pigtails. And then Laura is shocked that he didn't even notice her new hairstyle. By the way, when listening carefully, it's quite obvious that Almanzo's last line before "See ya, Beth" is an ADR-one. Maybe they even had different line there, maybe not. And now that I checked this scene, I even found a goof: Laura has a plastic headband! I don't think there were those in 1870s-1880s.

Going back briefly to the Winoka stint, I'm with you 100% they could have taken advantage of bigger town setting so much more. Come to think of it, they didn't at all. Like Kyle said, they had a two-parter for getting there and one episode and about a fifth of sixth one for leaving. Those two regulars in-between could easily have taken place in Walnut Grove. Especially the one with fatty daddy.

I don't think bunnyblue is upset to Kyle for spoiling it for him/her but rather pointing out how TV channel doesn't give a damn with their episode descriptions. They really shouldn't give plot away like that.