Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[Mr. Sparkle]

Hey, I just watched Mary Goes Blind, Part II. I know everyone has to leave Walnut Grove because of some economic problem, but I missed what it was. The Rev. said something about "greed of others" or something like that, but what was it? 

[alexa]

30 minutes ago, Superclam said:

Hey, I just watched Mary Goes Blind, Part II. I know everyone has to leave Walnut Grove because of some economic problem, but I missed what it was. The Rev. said something about "greed of others" or something like that, but what was it? 

It had something to do with the railroad big wigs screwing over the farmers to make little on their crops.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Thank you! It seems like they went to that "bigwigs screw over the little guy" well a few times. 

[debraran]

Yes Charles used Grange meeting a few time for visits. I think when they did their reunion and when Mary met John in the big bad city (and Ma stayed home) Unfortunately bigger farms were going to be able to sell for less and unless the small farmers pulled together it was hard. You could always feed yourself but making money to pay your bills was the purpose for most living off the land.

I remember having to look up what a grange was years ago. https://ap.gilderlehrman.org/resources/grange-movement-1875

[jird]

Watched "Election" today, which seemed appropriate.

Apparently class president isn't that important, since Elmer was never heard from again after his big victory.

[jason88cubs]

6 minutes ago, jird said:

Watched "Election" today, which seemed appropriate.

Apparently class president isn't that important, since Elmer was never heard from again after his big victory.

Charles ran him out fo town I'm guessing

Typical day for Charles:

5:00 wake up, fall out of bed tripping on blanket, break 1 rib
530: milk the cow , get kicked by cow, break a rib
600: eat breakfast tell awful jokes
630: walk to walnut grove to the mill for work, trip on a rock, break a rib
710: show up late, get yelled at by Hansen. Walk away mad punch a board,board falls, hits a rock , which hits him in the head, falls backwards, breaks a rib
830: yells at Edwards to pick up the pace. Edwards trips Chalres, breaks a rib
12:00 lunch. Charles walks to Nels pay off debt, gets in a argument with Harriet, acts like a goody goody, trips walking out of store, breaks a rib
500: quittin time, happy to be heading home. not looking where walking , run into a wagon break a rib
600: home for supper, sit in chair, it breaks, break a rib
700: go out to finish chores, kids are throwing a ball, Charles goes to catch, misses and breaks rib
900: goes to bed but misses falls out of bed , breaks a rib

[Mr. Sparkle]

7 hours ago, debraran said:

Yes Charles used Grange meeting a few time for visits.

Yeah, the grange also played a big part in a few of episodes. I just caught the one where they set up Charles & Mary in a nice hotel in Chicago. They send a hooker up to the room, not knowing, of course, that Charlie is the most moral man in not just Minnesota, not just these United States, but in the entire known universe. 

[jird]

I was thinking about all the times that Mary kind of sucked (ditching Patrick at the fair, being a crazy bossypants when Ma left her in charge, etc.), and then started thinking about all the other characters and their various times of suckitude. Was there ever an episode where Ma was a big jerk?

[Mr. Sparkle]

1 hour ago, jird said:

Was there ever an episode where Ma was a big jerk?

I just saw her yell at poor Carrie for saying "damn!" 

[BigBingerBro]

2 hours ago, jird said:

Was there ever an episode where Ma was a big jerk?

I can't recall her ever being jerky, but she did get awfully nosey and buttinski in the Blind artist episode where the girls birth mother wanted to see her.

[Mr. Sparkle]

She was a little mean to Mary when she was taking that test. 

[jason88cubs]

"The Man Inside" wa son over night. i caught maybe 20 minutes of it

 

Those Winoka episodes are so bad! I can see why they quickly decided to take them back to Walnut Grove

[CountryGirl]

On 11/3/2020 at 3:05 PM, jird said:

Was there ever an episode where Ma was a big jerk?

I can think of a few. The noted one where Ma was a little OTT re Mary and the test (yes, in the moment, she was scared that Mary could have been killed in the barn fire) but it just dragged on so dang long and Ma, as the adult, should have sat Mary down and talked it out.

Her comment to Mary after she had spent several weeks at the blind school and made/served a lopsided cake: "It's as if this whole thing never happened."

Then, just a few episodes after the blind school fire that killed Adam Jr., Ma giggles with Pa about Laura and Almanzo finally getting together and tells Charles, "Welll, I'm just dying to call you Grandpa."

[Snow Apple]

I think the citizens of Walnut Grove live by the motto "It's as if this whole thing never happened."

[jason88cubs]

when they went to Winoka were the originally planning on staying their or wad the reaction so bad they decided to go back?

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, jason88cubs said:

when they went to Winoka were the originally planning on staying their or wad the reaction so bad they decided to go back?

I always assumed the meant to stay.  Otherwise it was so pointless.  If they had temporarily wanted to move the Ingalls for just a few epis, I don't think they would have said the entire town was going bankrupt and had pretty much everyone go with them.

[CountryGirl]

I always wondered if the Winoka/Gold Country episodes were there trying to put in something about real-life Pa's wanderlust ways.

[jason88cubs]

I wish I could find the week by week ratings back then

 

Did the rating slip and they reacted quickly and ended the storyline

[BigBingerBro]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the whole Winoka storyline came from production/scheduling issues with the Simi Valley location vs studio.  I'll have to pull out Melissa and Allison's books to see if I can find it.  Anyone remember hearing about this too?

[jason88cubs]

You know how there's that joke, when a tv show has a special episode like drugs, or sexual assault , something totally different than what they usually do and people will joke and say "A very special episode"

 

I wonder if LHOP started that? lol

[jird]

Because it can never be said enough: Harve Miller is the worst. The worst.

[jason88cubs]

surprised we never had a thanksgiving episode

[Mr. Sparkle]

3 hours ago, jird said:

Because it can never be said enough: Harve Miller is the worst. The worst.

That scene where Eliza Jane tells him she loves him is so painfully awkward. 

[Snow Apple]

At the end of I Remember, I Remember, were those pearls that Charles gave Caroline? How can he afford them?

Edited November 13, 2020 by Snow Apple

[CountryGirl]

6 hours ago, jird said:

Because it can never be said enough: Harve Miller is the worst. The worst.

I still want to throat-punch him for friend zoning EJ after he basically used her to figure out to get his school crush to notice him. And I don’t buy for one minute that he had no idea she had feelings for him or that he did nothing to lead her on. The kisses on the cheek, the long walks, the talks over dinner and him stroking her hand at Nellie’s. Ass-hole. When Pa and Hester Sue learn the truth, I’d like to think Hester Sue’s side eye and disdainful glances were all about Harv and his assholery. 

[CountryGirl]

2 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

At the end of I Remember, I Remember, were those pearls that Charles gave Caroline? How can he afford them?

I assumed they were fake and made of glass like those An Mei from The Joy Luck Club crushed. 

[alexa]

7 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

I still want to throat-punch him for friend zoning EJ after he basically used her to figure out to get his school crush to notice him. And I don’t buy for one minute that he had no idea she had feelings for him or that he did nothing to lead her on. The kisses on the cheek, the long walks, the talks over dinner and him stroking her hand at Nellie’s. Ass-hole. When Pa and Hester Sue learn the truth, I’d like to think Hester Sue’s side eye and disdainful glances were all about Harv and his assholery. 

I agree.  Especially because that is how they courted back then--so clearly he knew better.  This is why I wonder why she was so stupid in an episode that came later where she goes to Arizona and falls for an arrogant professor.  You would have thought Harv would have taught her a thing or two.  

That said, I do like that 2 part episode for the Laura/Almanzo story.

[CountryGirl]

I wonder if Reverend Alden was ticked he didn't get the honors.

Also, in RL, Laura and Almanzo were married at Reverend Brown's home (the father of her good friend, Ida and apparently a distant cousin of John Brown). I loved that RL Laura bucked the trend of women saying "obey."

[jird]

2 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Also, in RL, Laura and Almanzo were married at Reverend Brown's home (the father of her good friend, Ida and apparently a distant cousin of John Brown). I loved that RL Laura bucked the trend of women saying "obey."

Yes! My husband commented on that when it was on because he thought it was a 70s tv thing, and I got to tell him that nope, Laura was way ahead of her time!

 

Today I am watching Back to School, and when Laura yells that she's a woman (a WOMAN!) and she hates all of them, I always think of poor Jonathan standing there going, "What did I do? All I did was give Pa a ride out here."

Also, love how confidently Ma says that it's not the first test Laura's failed, "and it certainly won't be the last."

 

Edited November 13, 2020 by jird

[CountryGirl]

3 hours ago, jird said:

Yes! My husband commented on that when it was on because he thought it was a 70s tv thing, and I got to tell him that nope, Laura was way ahead of her time!

 

Today I am watching Back to School, and when Laura yells that she's a woman (a WOMAN!) and she hates all of them, I always think of poor Jonathan standing there going, "What did I do? All I did was give Pa a ride out here."

Also, love how confidently Ma says that it's not the first test Laura's failed, "and it certainly won't be the last."

 

Poor Jonathan - while he burned my popcorn about his freaking out over Alice working and her three-week teenage marriage - he really did get treated poorly. He gets screamed at for Laura's raging hormones. He was almost fed "them's snails!" He got dragged into tracking down the firebug who barbecued his wife. He was ushered into the Sleepy Eye sunset when ML and VF made up.

But he did get a spin-off show. 

[debraran]

20 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

surprised we never had a thanksgiving episode

That would have been a nice reunion show without any religion. Michael hated them and said people wanted to see you"old" but we would love them no matter what.  Even without Mr Edwards, having Laura or Nellie invite them over, having the twins and younger Ingall's or even 2 families and going back and forth from each town. We would have loved an older MSA or Gilbert and Karen never aged. I'm talking 5 years or so and even if Michael passed, they could have explained that.

But alas, just a good idea now.

 

9 hours ago, alexa said:

I agree.  Especially because that is how they courted back then--so clearly he knew better.  This is why I wonder why she was so stupid in an episode that came later where she goes to Arizona and falls for an arrogant professor.  You would have thought Harv would have taught her a thing or two.  

That said, I do like that 2 part episode for the Laura/Almanzo story.

That other guy was so nice, I suppose we assume they stayed together? Why she didn't give him the time of day, I don't know.

[Mr. Sparkle]

This morning I opted for "Make A Joyful Noise" over "If I Should Wake Before I Die." I'm always up for a Joe Kagan episode, but I realized Moses Gunn is a terrible singer. Sounds awful, and he's completely out of time! 

Now I'm watching "Town Party, Country Party" over "Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder." No contest. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Now it's Thylvia Part 1 vs Mr. Edwards watches the girls. It's a bit too early for mime rape. 

[CountryGirl]

On 11/15/2020 at 10:09 AM, Superclam said:

This morning I opted for "Make A Joyful Noise" over "If I Should Wake Before I Die." I'm always up for a Joe Kagan episode, but I realized Moses Gunn is a terrible singer. Sounds awful, and he's completely out of time! 

Now I'm watching "Town Party, Country Party" over "Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder." No contest. 

It should be called "Make an Annoying As Hell Noise" with tertiary blind kid/singer singing "Go Tell It on the Mountain" over and over and OVER again. Fun fact, he was played by Keith Coogan, grandson of Jackie Coogan (who I'm sure some will already know was a child actor in Charlie Chaplin's The Kid." Keith guest starred in a ton of stuff and also had roles in teen movies Adventures In Babysitting and (LOL ) Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead.

[jason88cubs]

The Lord is my Shepherd wa son this morning

 

I noticed when Caroline and Michael came home to announce the baby had passed, Grace made no facial expressions at all

 

Just literally stood there like she was day dreaming

[Mr. Sparkle]

3 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

It should be called "Make an Annoying As Hell Noise" with tertiary blind kid/singer singing "Go Tell It on the Mountain" over and over and OVER again. Fun fact, he was played by Keith Coogan, grandson of Jackie Coogan (who I'm sure some will already know was a child actor in Charlie Chaplin's The Kid." Keith guest starred in a ton of stuff and also had roles in teen movies Adventures In Babysitting and (LOL ) Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead.

Yeah, that kid looked familiar. 

[debraran]

I rewatched Sprague last night since I had a hard day and wanted to decompress (can't do that in the news) I liked him and forgot some minor things watching.

I don't understand  though out the series Charles going from cash on the barrel to buying things on credit to cash on the barrel to let me take a big loan. : )  I read the real Mr Ingall's did leave town at night when he had debt?

My only beef with this sweet episode is crazy people lived back then too (as we've seen with many characters on this show too) and your young daughter never gets an old guys name who is fishing with her ? She calls him her friend? Mr Edwards was one thing, he was a family friend but some random guy she runs off to see but wont come home with her? I'm sorry, I know we needed the surprise at the end, but Walnut Grove is only so big and this was creepy. I feel it was creepy too when Michael chastises him for not being a good friend to her. Okay...

I also find it hard to believe he lived his whole life alone, not a bad guy, had money and not bad looking. But all the guys on LHOP seem to have trouble getting or keeping women other than Charles. ; )

[jason88cubs]

12 hours ago, debraran said:

I rewatched Sprague last night since I had a hard day and wanted to decompress (can't do that in the news) I liked him and forgot some minor things watching.

I don't understand  though out the series Charles going from cash on the barrel to buying things on credit to cash on the barrel to let me take a big loan. : )  I read the real Mr Ingall's did leave town at night when he had debt?

My only beef with this sweet episode is crazy people lived back then too (as we've seen with many characters on this show too) and your young daughter never gets an old guys name who is fishing with her ? She calls him her friend? Mr Edwards was one thing, he was a family friend but some random guy she runs off to see but wont come home with her? I'm sorry, I know we needed the surprise at the end, but Walnut Grove is only so big and this was creepy. I feel it was creepy too when Michael chastises him for not being a good friend to her. Okay...

I also find it hard to believe he lived his whole life alone, not a bad guy, had money and not bad looking. But all the guys on LHOP seem to have trouble getting or keeping women other than Charles. ; )

funny thing is 8 episodes earlier in the series, was richest man in walnut grove when Charles was way behind at Oleson's cuz the mill closed

[jird]

12 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

funny thing is 8 episodes earlier in the series, was richest man in walnut grove when Charles was way behind at Oleson's cuz the mill closed

"CASH ON THE BARREL FROM HERE ON OUT!"

[alexa]

I just saw the episode in Season 8 that Mr. Edwards comes back to Walnut Grove because Grace kicked him out for continually drinking.  It turned out to be a very nice episode.  I like that Laura took him in and he didn't do the typical TV thing where he messes up with the person that gives him a chance.  I also loved that he went into the church to pray and Rev Alden talked to him about his own past.  It was very sweet--I like those types of episodes.  And Charles apologized to him in the end.  

I also noticed in Season 8 is where Laura starts to suddenly look older and more mature--she doesn't have that look of a little girl trying to look older.  She is very pretty at this stage, in my opinion, and she has a nice confidence as a character and an actress.  

[jason88cubs]

I woke up this morning to James calling Charles "PA" and e being confused cuz I can't keep track of all the kids Charles adopted

[jird]

40 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

I woke up this morning to James calling Charles "PA" and e being confused cuz I can't keep track of all the kids Charles adopted

I saw part of the one where James gets shot and Pa goes batshit crazy and builds a phallic temple of some kind and there's a lot of really bad purple flashing special effects and then James is healed.

The craziest part of that all for me is how no one ever brought it up again. Like, ho hum, kid almost died, Pa went nuts and ran to the woods long enough to grow a big fluffy beard, God spoke to him and miraculously healed James, hey look, Mr. Edwards has an orangutan.

Seems like that would have been something that came up in family discussions, or that at least one family member would have had a crazy religious conversion after that, but nope, let's go see what kind of pie they have at Nellie's today.

[jason88cubs]

43 minutes ago, jird said:

I saw part of the one where James gets shot and Pa goes batshit crazy and builds a phallic temple of some kind and there's a lot of really bad purple flashing special effects and then James is healed.

The craziest part of that all for me is how no one ever brought it up again. Like, ho hum, kid almost died, Pa went nuts and ran to the woods long enough to grow a big fluffy beard, God spoke to him and miraculously healed James, hey look, Mr. Edwards has an orangutan.

Seems like that would have been something that came up in family discussions, or that at least one family member would have had a crazy religious conversion after that, but nope, let's go see what kind of pie they have at Nellie's today.

If I recall that was the final episode of LHOP, then it turned into A NEW BEGINNING

[Snow Apple]

Bonanza was before my time, but I love stumbling on episodes that got reused in LHoTP. Right now, Little Joe is teaching a deaf girl sign language and she falls in love with him.

[CountryGirl]

5 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

Bonanza was before my time, but I love stumbling on episodes that got reused in LHoTP. Right now, Little Joe is teaching a deaf girl sign language and she falls in love with him.

Was she cute?

Because Daniel was kind of fug. Not as fug as Fugly Johnson but fug.

[Snow Apple]

32 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

Was she cute?

Because Daniel was kind of fug. Not as fug as Fugly Johnson but fug.

Yes she was cute. She was played by Stella Stevens and the episode was called Silent Thunder. Sadly I missed the end.

[jird]

54 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

Was she cute?

Because Daniel was kind of fug. Not as fug as Fugly Johnson but fug.

I was going to say that, but I worried it was mean. I should have remembered that we have the proper attitude about making fun of a 45 year old tv show. 🙂

[debraran]

24 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

Yes she was cute. She was played by Stella Stevens and the episode was called Silent Thunder. Sadly I missed the end.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0529654/mediaviewer/rm3240471297/

 

https://bonanza.fandom.com/wiki/Silent_Thunder

Edited November 19, 2020 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I really enjoy teh episode "The Afterman" with the James boy's taking Mary hostage

 

Fun episode

 

Also the only episode where Charles doesnt try to rough up the bad boys. He knew he couldn't mess with them

I like how "The Stranger" is after "The Inheritance"

 

"Here charles , take my nephew and teach how to be a hard worker, even though you just bought  a bunch of stuff on credit waiting on money to come that turned out to be confederate money, maybe you can not teach him that"

[jason88cubs]

Gonna spend my friday night watching "the Last Farwell"

 

Never seen it