Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[jason88cubs]

I would have enjoyed a spin off of Nels and Harriet lol

[jason88cubs]

I woke up last night to the original movie playing. Such a fantastic movie

[Blergh]

10 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I woke up last night to the original movie playing. Such a fantastic movie

I fully agree! IF it had been a single stand-alone movie, it would still gone done as a classic for viewers from all walks of life from all corners of the world to have drawn inspiration from! Not a single false performance in that movie (even the Greenbush twins seemed to be totally believable as a pioneer toddler joining her family in exploring their new homes). It's tough to top that the scene between Charles and Laura with them agonizing over Jack's uncertain fate with Charles feeling guilty but trying to act tough and Laura angry but wanting to forgive Charles with their bond frayed but not broken and them finally clearing the air & making up! 

[Egg McMuffin]

Yep - pilot is excellent. Makes you wonder how different the series would have been had Landon not forced out Ed Friendly, the other executive producer, after the pilot. Friendly wanted to stay faithful to the tone of the books.

[debraran]

9 hours ago, Kyle said:

Yep - pilot is excellent. Makes you wonder how different the series would have been had Landon not forced out Ed Friendly, the other executive producer, after the pilot. Friendly wanted to stay faithful to the tone of the books.

I understand "just the books" would have been boring but The Long Winter was so interesting. That could have been a GREAT 2 part episode, the cold, the twigs, the "roughness" Mike didn't want but was real. Showing how the town people dealt with the blizzard vs the Ingall's. (it had to be different) I would like to live in town, lol, near the store. ; )

Karen mentioned many people offered script ideas, her work with equality for women spurned on the episode with women's rights and property and taught how little they had then. Paid almost nothing, no rights, they were property really. Sure Charles might be nice, but another guy, no. I think Charlotte suggested the "teacher can't handle the boys" episode from something her relative told her. I think if he welcomed more ideas, they might have been better than Cassandra, James and God help us, Nancy. Then you just knew it would be awful. He seemed to keep the door open but slightly open.

She also mentioned his wanting to bring in more names to guest star for ratings, which is fine. Patricia Neal was great, I loved The Collection with Johnny Cash and wife, Mariette Hartley, Anne Archer, etc. It might have lessened the time of others but did bring in some fresh air. The repetition of some lesser known like  E.J. André (Zaccariah, angel, Zeb etc) was a bit much but he liked him obviously.

I think tiredness in any job happens, which is why the "fresh eyes" idea is used many times in business. You are too close, let someone give ideas from the outside, so what if they get credit, if it benefits the business or show. Control can be good and bad.

 

[Egg McMuffin]

Didn’t Melissa Francis (Cassandra) do a book too? Has anyone read it? I think her mother was quite the stage mother, to put it nicely.

Also what’s up with all the actresses named Melissa on this show? Did they get renamed Melissa when they joined, a la Peaches from Peaches and Herb?

[jason88cubs]

I have said it before but "Survival" as a 2 part episode would have been great. It was great as a 1 hr episode but you really could have gotten down and dirty doing a 2 part episode

Edited December 3, 2021 by jason88cubs

[Pirpana]

^ 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.

[CountryGirl]

2 hours ago, Kyle said:

Didn’t Melissa Francis (Cassandra) do a book too? Has anyone read it? I think her mother was quite the stage mother, to put it nicely.

Also what’s up with all the actresses named Melissa on this show? Did they get renamed Melissa when they joined, a la Peaches from Peaches and Herb?

I think she has authored 5 books. I read the one about her younger years (Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter). Her mother was a piece of work. 

[Blergh]

2 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

I think she has authored 5 books. I read the one about her younger years (Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter). Her mother was a piece of work. 

Yep! I read it. The true tragedy was what happened to Miss Francis's older sister Tiffany who did NOT get out from their female DNA Donor's thumb and seemed to be punished more for not being as successful in the industry as Melissa was. The elder Miss Francis wound up dying at age 33 in 2002- and, if Miss Francis   made any effort to try to help her sister after they both were adults, she didn't mention it in her book. .

[debraran]

Watched the movie today and first show puppy sitting. ; ) One thing I noticed in the movie, only thing that stuck out, was they had Caroline say AFTER Charles settled on land and she seemed happy, "What about church and school?" I would think that was better suited to when he said "This is it" and nothing was around and I mean nothing.  She was also helping him and feeling it until he found Mr Edwards. She said the walls wont go up themselves. Did they ever address how he built the 2 story house and stone fireplace by himself with Caroline not being able to do as much? The barn I guess was just there and the house not, maybe the other owners lived in the sod house?

Just questions after seeing it 100 times but that building without help is unrealistic especially since they now had a floor and loft and door and key. ; )  And I still laugh at Caroline thinking a key keeps a wolf out. lol

My favs though. I remember Karen in her book saying he thought Caroline was too rigid but she changed later. She did like it was more gritty than later though.

Edited December 6, 2021 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

Does anyone know if New Years eve was a big deal back then? Did they stay up till midnight?

[debraran]

1 hour ago, jason88cubs said:

Does anyone know if New Years eve was a big deal back then? Did they stay up till midnight?

I never saw much but this has a little mention and a LHOP reference at the bottom.

https://westernfictioneers.blogspot.com/2017/01/new-year-traditions-in-1880s-by-edward.html

[mustbeme]

I am finally seeing the God Sister 1 1/2 hour craziness I have heard about for years!  Half an hour in and I cannot believe this is a real episode........and why have I never seen this crap in 30 year of watching reruns.   that is all, please Carrie on....lol

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

1 hour ago, mustbeme said:

I am finally seeing the God Sister 1 1/2 hour craziness I have heard about for years!  Half an hour in and I cannot believe this is a real episode........and why have I never seen this crap in 30 year of watching reruns.   that is all, please Carrie on....lol

 

I kind of like the part of the episode where they're putting up the telephone poles, featuring Dolph Sweet. That could have filled up most of the episode, with a small part about Carrie missing Pa. No idea why they made it an extra long episode with all that extra Carrie crap. 

I remember I watched it once as a kid, and every other time it was on I would watch something else. I think they cut a lot out of the part with Pa, because it was always an hour long. 

[debraran]

I was always angry at MIke for letting this episode be. I heard a rumor (forgot where) that their mom wanted them to have more time and he did that awful script like "Here, how do you like this?" He could have just given them a line here and there. I think he made it 90 min because he knew it would not be shown much. The twins liked it so I don't want to bash but someone wrote that Alyssa crap and directed it. One of the twins said Mike did everything in one take and thought it was fine....something fishy there. They could have had a cute show and been 60 min. The picking on her in the episode, by everyone, all of it fell flat. They never did that

Edited December 9, 2021 by debraran

[Egg McMuffin]

On 12/7/2021 at 6:00 PM, jason88cubs said:

Does anyone know if New Years eve was a big deal back then? Did they stay up till midnight?

It was. They’d stay up until midnight and then leave the next day for a class reunion vacation trip. Or a river rafting trip.

[Egg McMuffin]

Here’s Ma, cheating on Pa (and Chris) with Joe Namath.

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Kyle said:

Here’s Ma, cheating on Pa (and Chris) with Joe Namath.

So was there any duel between 'knees and ribs' between the two men?

BTW, it's astonishing how drastically bangs changed Miss Grassle's appearance- even more than  wearing contemporary 1970's clothes instead of pioneer garb! 

[jason88cubs]

was at the bar and I heard a guy say the tv show "What will happen to Mary next?" and everyone was quiet and he said "You have never heard that! from the 70s! Little House on the Prarie! Michael Landon!!" then everyone was like "oh yea of course" and he was like "Yea I call it "What will happen to Mary next?" She goes blind, gets kicked by a horse"

lol I found it pretty funny

[jason88cubs]

ANyone watch the pilot movie every year for Christmas? I watch that and Christmas at Plum Creek

[jird]

5 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

ANyone watch the pilot movie every year for Christmas? I watch that and Christmas at Plum Creek

Yep! I also watch Blizzard. 

[debraran]

10 hours ago, jird said:

Yep! I also watch Blizzard. 

I have watched it a lot and even when my girls were young got them a LHOP kit I found that had the tin cup (one still around) a penny and peppermint stick. ; )  I'm in the minority that Plum Creek was perfect, I really liked it but didn't like the horse/stove story. It was so unrealistic to me for a lot of reasons (some discussed earlier on thread) and it spoiled it a bit for me. I also noted that except for that stove, Ma never really got anyone making or doing anything for her on Xmas or even birthday. Pa would get PJ's and shirts and hats etc but Ma would sit there and look sweet.

I did love Mary working and the Xmas store at Oleson's and Carrie even getting a toy. For me the end was just sad and didn't make any sense to me. I always hoped for a different Xmas show. The one telling stories was okay but Hester Sue's was sad, reminded of a slavery time made more saccharin for the show, Almonzo's brother being without toys (some might feel good about that but still) Caroline's was the best but still sad.

So for me, the pilot is the best, always love it and Plum Creek, I try to take the other parts and ignore the horse debacle they try to remedy later.

[CountryGirl]

The pilot Christmas is my favorite as it's the most true to the books. I love the inclusion of the now-iconic gifts of mittens, tin cups, peppermint sticks, Christmas cakes, and shiny new pennies. Laura's "We each get our own cups now!" still warms my heart as does her "Not me!" in response to Mary saying she'll save her candy stick because of course Mary would save hers. Although I doubt book Ma and book Edwards shared such smoldering looks between them, with Edwards in his longjohns of all things. 

I liked the family pulling together in Christmas on Plum Creek but hated the loss of Bunny (even though it was only temporary). It was one of the few times I did not like Nels (Bunny being "Laura's" - come on, she's a little girl!). Ma would have been thrilled with a picture of a stove, knowing one was on order. I also find it odd that Mary wouldn't have made a gift for Ma or Laura or Carrie. Just Pa. And did Carrie get anything? Even Jack got a gingerbread man.

The Christmas They Never Forgot had some nice moments with a bit of Caroline's backstory as well as that of Almanzo and Hester Sue. But they could miss me with the attempts to sanitize slavery or the "kindly, white master." 

Which brings me to the most depressing of all - the Blizzard episode. Nothing says Christmas like kids being sent out in a snowstorm and one of the parents of said kids dying from hypothermia. 

 

[jason88cubs]

7 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

The pilot Christmas is my favorite as it's the most true to the books. I love the inclusion of the now-iconic gifts of mittens, tin cups, peppermint sticks, Christmas cakes, and shiny new pennies. Laura's "We each get our own cups now!" still warms my heart as does her "Not me!" in response to Mary saying she'll save her candy stick because of course Mary would save hers. Although I doubt book Ma and book Edwards shared such smoldering looks between them, with Edwards in his longjohns of all things. 

I liked the family pulling together in Christmas on Plum Creek but hated the loss of Bunny (even though it was only temporary). It was one of the few times I did not like Nels (Bunny being "Laura's" - come on, she's a little girl!). Ma would have been thrilled with a picture of a stove, knowing one was on order. I also find it odd that Mary wouldn't have made a gift for Ma or Laura or Carrie. Just Pa. And did Carrie get anything? Even Jack got a gingerbread man.

The Christmas They Never Forgot had some nice moments with a bit of Caroline's backstory as well as that of Almanzo and Hester Sue. But they could miss me with the attempts to sanitize slavery or the "kindly, white master." 

Which brings me to the most depressing of all - the Blizzard episode. Nothing says Christmas like kids being sent out in a snowstorm and one of the parents of said kids dying from hypothermia. 

 

I still chuckle at the end of The Christmas They Never Forgot with all the snow and them all laughing and Charles saying "It's a beautiful morning for a walk" or something along those lines, and no concern for the animals or how they are going to get food to eat or get the milk or go to restroom or anything!!!

 

I know it's just a show but it always gives me a laugh

[Egg McMuffin]

I always watch the anthrax episode for Christmas. So festive. It’s really one of the top two mutton-centered TV episodes ever, I think.

Did anyone have any lingering after effects from eating the bad mutton, I wonder? “Salad’s got nuttin on this mutton!”

 

[Katy M]

30 minutes ago, Kyle said:

I always watch the anthrax episode for Christmas. So festive. It’s really one of the top two mutton-centered TV episodes ever, I think.

Are there more than two mutton-centered TV episodes?  LOL.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I can only think of LH & Seinfeld. 

[Blergh]

18 hours ago, Katy M said:

Are there more than two mutton-centered TV episodes?  LOL.

If they'd thrown in some old eggs from a henhouse, it could have been a case of 'mutton for nuttin' and chicks for free!'

[Pirpana]

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

[jird]

On 12/14/2021 at 8:26 AM, CountryGirl said:

The pilot Christmas is my favorite as it's the most true to the books. I love the inclusion of the now-iconic gifts of mittens, tin cups, peppermint sticks, Christmas cakes, and shiny new pennies. 

 

When my oldest son was in the first grade, he was reading Little House for school, and I will always remember him running into the room to announce, "Santa might not be able to get across the creek to see Mary and Laura at Christmas! And they've been such good girls!" 😅

[Egg McMuffin]

5 hours ago, Pirpana said:

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

Bless All The Dear Children taught me that it’s OK to leave children in the care of disturbed kidnapper/psychopath types. As long as the children are orphans and it’s Christmastime. 

[Zella]

15 minutes ago, Kyle said:

Bless All The Dear Children taught me that it’s OK to leave children in the care of disturbed kidnapper/psychopath types. As long as the children are orphans and it’s Christmastime. 

That is one of the most batshit crazy TV things my eyes have ever witnessed. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

"Hi, I kidnapped your kid and would have kept her if I didn't get caught. Sowwy!! We cool?"

"Well, since you said "sowwy" I guess it ok. Friends?"

"Friends."

"Oh, we have a spare kid no one wants. You want him?"

"OMG, yes!" 

[jason88cubs]

Something about sitting in the dark with Christmas lights on watching LHOP "Christmas at Plum Creek" just makes me smile.

[ByaNose]

Now, watching the show in my late 50’s it cracks me up how much Michael Landon was in to his body. Landon was all about his big pecs and looking studly as much as possible. Of course, reading the fellow actors tell all books confirms his always being shirtless behind the scenes and making sure his pants extenuated the positive. LOL!!!!! Granted, he was good looking but in its original run it totally won’t over my head.

The first 5 years of the show were the best. After that, they kept hiring too many kids when Mary, Laura and Nellie had gotten older. It just wasn’t the same. Usually, shows would add one kid but Little House hired a boat load.  

Edited December 17, 2021 by ByaNose

[BigBingerBro]

It was all that 70's hair that killed it for me re the show.  Sure they managed to get some pretty decent female hairstyles for the period by use of wigs, but God forbid if any of the men cut their hair.  

[jird]

21 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

It was all that 70's hair that killed it for me re the show.  Sure they managed to get some pretty decent female hairstyles for the period by use of wigs, but God forbid if any of the men cut their hair.  

Yes! They sure shaved every day, though!

[Blergh]

On 12/17/2021 at 12:01 PM, BigBingerBro said:

It was all that 70's hair that killed it for me re the show.  Sure they managed to get some pretty decent female hairstyles for the period by use of wigs, but God forbid if any of the men cut their hair.  

Luckily, Nels Oleson was perfectly coiffured for the 1870's thanks to the late Richard Bull being somewhat bald and not attempting to grow his remaining hair out. 

[Egg McMuffin]

COZI TV is having a marathon of Christmas episodes this Sunday from 7:00 pm to midnight. Included episodes: “Laura and Manly Give An Orphan To A Psycho” and “The Little House Is Buried In The Snow And No One Seems To Care.”

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Kyle said:

 “The Little House Is Buried In The Snow And No One Seems To Care.”

By any chance was one of the presents given a shovel for Carrie so she could burrow her way from the Little House to the Even Smaller [Out]House on the Prairie since they never seemed to have possessed a chamber pot- despite all those kids and  bad weathers the Little House got subjected to?

[debraran]

15 minutes ago, Blergh said:

By any chance was one of the presents given a shovel for Carrie so she could burrow her way from the Little House to the Even Smaller [Out]House on the Prairie since they never seemed to have possessed a chamber pot- despite all those kids and  bad weathers the Little House got subjected to?

No one else ever went to the bathroom on the show or said they had too. Just wasn't allowed.

Poor Carrie, if it wasn't for Uncle Chris (and the kids loved him on and off the set) she never would have had a toy. Somehow he made her one and almost finished a room in record time. ; )

 

Edited December 19, 2021 by debraran

[jird]

Watching the Ma Cuts Off Her Leg episode, the part where she struggles to go unlock the door, and I can't believe they did that and deprived ML of the opportunity to have Pa kick down the door in a super manly way.

[Egg McMuffin]

I’m watching A Christmas They Never Forgot. Everyone is so nonchalant about Mary and Adam showing up, like they sashayed in from Sleepy Eye. Did everyone forget that Mary and Adam had to come from New York, nearly 1500 miles away? How typical was it for people to travel like that for the holidays back then? When Ma and Pa left the Big Woods in Wisconsin, everyone acted as if they’d never see each other again.

[debraran]

10 minutes ago, Kyle said:

I’m watching A Christmas They Never Forgot. Everyone is so nonchalant about Mary and Adam showing up, like they sashayed in from Sleepy Eye. Did everyone forget that Mary and Adam had to come from New York, nearly 1500 miles away? How typical was it for people to travel like that for the holidays back then? When Ma and Pa left the Big Woods in Wisconsin, everyone acted as if they’d never see each other again.

Watching it now, not my favorite, so many unrealistic things, but liked seeing everyone together. How did he extend that table? I see a bench but it barely fit the regular family before.

Edited December 20, 2021 by debraran

[Egg McMuffin]

Oh the ending is dumb, too - Charles opens the outside door and the snow completely blocks the entry way and stays perfectly in place instead of falling into the house. And something like 10 feet of snow fell in 10 hours.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Kyle

[BigBingerBro]

If that snow storm happened in reality, Charles and most of the other men would have stayed up all night, working hard to clear a path as best they could from the house to the barn.  

Everytime I see Hester Sue wake up in Laura's bed, I always think, "She must be dying to take a piss"...  LOL   Yeah, sanitised 1880s is always fun!

[debraran]

8 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

If that snow storm happened in reality, Charles and most of the other men would have stayed up all night, working hard to clear a path as best they could from the house to the barn.  

Everytime I see Hester Sue wake up in Laura's bed, I always think, "She must be dying to take a piss"...  LOL   Yeah, sanitised 1880s is always fun!

 

As an adult that is all I could think of, how did ALL those people not have to go pee, even the kids. Can you imagine the smell with a chamber pot? Not Christmassy.....although not popular then, a composting toilet/bucket with sawdust off the kitchen would work much better than outhouse in the winter. I don't know whythey just thought of holes back then. Oh and ladies, just hope in a blizzard you were pregnant and didn't have your period or dirty diapers to wash without water. : )

I told myself it was a huge drift in front of door and not the back because that would take weeks to melt and what if Charles fell in the snow when walking on it? Much better observed young when reality wasn't needed.

Also Charles talked of "city coat" to Adam....like they don't get cold there but they never wore warm clothes either something someone noted in an earlier post. They had wool, animal skins, etc. Maybe too hot on the set to do it often.

[Blergh]

I imagine that 19th century pioneers had long since become quite oblivious to human and animal odors that would easily wipe out us New Millennial city folk. 

However, even WITH that said, it's hard to imagine that that Little House would not have been extremely rank to everyone within in just a few hours of getting snowed in on Christmas with all those folks.

BTW, what became of Hester-Sue's horse that had she had used to bring Adam and Mary out there- and was it and the wagon actually hers or had she borrowed those items? Of course, if  these were hers, where did she board them? Oh, and Adam was sighted again so why hadn't HE attempted to take the reins during the snowstorm?

[jason88cubs]

If I was in that house with all that snow I would have gone crazy.