Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[jason88cubs]

"Christmas at Plum Creek" was on tonight. Love that episode

[debraran]

6 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

"Christmas at Plum Creek" was on tonight. Love that episode

If it wasn't for the horse gift, I'd love it to pieces. I really didn't like the contrived trade with Nel's at Laura's age etc. but loved the rest of it.

My fav is the Xmas in the first show with Mr Edwards. I even bought my young twins back when, a LHOP tin cup which came with penny and peppermint stick. ;)

Edited August 17, 2022 by debraran

[Mr. Sparkle]

10 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

"Christmas at Plum Creek" was on tonight. Love that episode

I agree, it's one of the better early episodes. 

[CountryGirl]

6 hours ago, Superclam said:

I agree, it's one of the better early episodes. 

The Bunny nonsense aside (because how dare your rip my heart out, alongside Laura's and all so unnecessary and it made me not like Nels), I loved the family working together to make the most of the holiday. 

Although the gold standard will always be the one in Kansas, although the looks between Ma and Mr. Ingalls almost set my screen ablaze. 

But keeping so close to the original book with the gifts and Laura's response to PrissPot saying she was going to save her peppermint stick, "Not me!" and crunch...just perfection.

[jason88cubs]

19 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

The Bunny nonsense aside (because how dare your rip my heart out, alongside Laura's and all so unnecessary and it made me not like Nels), I loved the family working together to make the most of the holiday. 

Although the gold standard will always be the one in Kansas, although the looks between Ma and Mr. Ingalls almost set my screen ablaze. 

But keeping so close to the original book with the gifts and Laura's response to PrissPot saying she was going to save her peppermint stick, "Not me!" and crunch...just perfection.

I always thought LHOP did a great job at really making it look like winter/cold in those type of episodes. Like you would see the characters walking in rubbing their hands, shivering. Small details

Edited August 18, 2022 by jason88cubs

[CountryGirl]

23 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I don't think anybody deserved to get smacked, but I liked both Mary and MSA better than Laura or MG.  I find that to be a largely unpopular opinion, but it's mine and I'm keeping it.

It might seem UO to cape for PrissPot but MG's acting really took a nose-dive when DB/Amanzo joined the cast. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I can think of times where each of the kids deserved a kick in the rear. 

[jason88cubs]

5 minutes ago, Superclam said:

I can think of times where each of the kids deserved a kick in the rear. 

especially when the kids would sneak out at night

That had to be SUPER dangerous back then with all the wild animals and they didnt have flashlights and I'm sure they were not allowed to use matches (maybe they were allowed to though?")

I know that there's the episode they walked in the middle of the night to Oelson's Mercantile. I can't imagine how hard of a walk that would have been in the dark

[Zella]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

I don't think anybody deserved to get smacked, but I liked both Mary and MSA better than Laura or MG.  I find that to be a largely unpopular opinion, but it's mine and I'm keeping it.

I also liked Mary much better too as a general rule in the TV show. Laura often came across as a major brat. In the books, I liked Laura better. I think in general TV shows don't often know how to write someone as feisty without veering into obnoxious. Book Laura was spirited. Show Laura was often just insufferable. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Zella

[jason88cubs]

In the show did they ever say how long Makato was from Walnut Grove? In real life it's 82 miles.

From what I have researched online you could go 20-30 miles a day with horse+buggy so your looking at a 2-3 day trip there, so also a 2-3 day trip back. Wow

Wow that really puts things into perspective on how long we have come.

[jird]

Look Back to Yesterday is on (and they're going to Mankato!), and I just realized that the Fatal Nosebleeds music sounds a lot like the fire music. Portents of doom, I guess.

[Egg McMuffin]

On 8/20/2022 at 6:05 AM, patriciahelenkit said:

Looks like Carrie and Alyssa's McDonalds franchise is up and running. Hope their shake machine works!

Colonel Sanders is gonna be pissed.

[jason88cubs]

Random question

When Charles would go to work, from memory he never took the horses+Wagon, he usually walked from what I saw

Would that have been normal back then? If you were going to be gone a extended time , and not be THAT far away would you just keep the horses at home?

I understand when the family would go to Walnut Grove why they would take it but why not to work?

[BigBingerBro]

25 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

but why not to work?

He would have had to stable and water the team while he was at work and I doubt that was free.  It was probably all down to $$$  When the family went to "town" for church or shopping, they didn't stay so long that the horses needed care.

[Egg McMuffin]

Also, Ma needed the team so she could go gallivanting around town while Pa was at work.

[debraran]

7 hours ago, Egg McMuffin said:

Also, Ma needed the team so she could go gallivanting around town while Pa was at work.

Yes, she didn't always have Chris. ; )

[ctlady]

Watching There’s No Place Like Home 2   Why didn’t Charles give Albert Carrie’s sleeping area and have Carrie and Laura room together in the loft?  It was terribly awkward to have Laura and Albert up there with a blanket curtain to give them privacy. What was Charles thinking?

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, ctlady said:

Watching There’s No Place Like Home 2   Why didn’t Charles give Albert Carrie’s sleeping area and have Carrie and Laura room together in the loft?  It was terribly awkward to have Laura and Albert up there with a blanket curtain to give them privacy. What was Charles thinking?

Likely Charles (and maybe Caroline) was thinking that Albert was old enough (and smart enough) to know what would have  been REALLY going on in the parental bed just feet away from Carrie's former sleeping area (unlike Carrie who at least was smart enough not to let them THINK she knew what was going on). .and maybe Grace would have gotten more cranky.

AND perhaps Laura didn't want to have to try to make small talk with Carrie up in the loft so maybe she had insisted on Albert behind the curtain instead!

[jird]

Our youngest kid moved out (well, to college, so only sorta), so I told my spouse that now we have to go to Mankato and adopt a psychopath.

[Egg McMuffin]

Make sure you slap a wig on the new child and pretend that they are a near-twin of the old one, even though they look nothing alike.

[debraran]

15 minutes ago, Egg McMuffin said:

Make sure you slap a wig on the new child and pretend that they are a near-twin of the old one, even though they look nothing alike.

It was bad enough, Walnut Grove had alcoholics and bigots and rapists, they had to bring a young woman, a child on the show, with NO empathy, no feelings, willing to kill someone to get her way, kill an animal, lie constantly, it was so beyond LHOP, it broke my heart. It was the nail in the coffin for me.  They never once gave her a do over, the "mermaid" episode might have but it didn't. 

After meeting Nancy, I'll take the mean, cold, noisy city over WG any day. ; )

[CountryGirl]

What I will never understand is ML’s disdain for the books and saying you couldn’t make a series out of them. 

I can think of so many examples and wasted opportunities, just off the top of my head. 

From LHITBW:

Dance at Grandma’s where Laura Ingalls Sr bests youngest son, George, at a dance-off and we get to meet the Ingalls extended clan. The Christmas chapter where Laura gets Charlotte. Laura getting punished for slapping Mary over boasting that aunt Lottie prefers blond hair.

LHOTP - the whole book was full of drama and granted, the TV pilot followed it as closely as the show ever would, but it could have easily been a full season.

OTBOPC - the Laura/Nellie rivalry (Town Party/Country Party came close but the Olga plot wasn’t needed). The grasshopper plague. The Christmas where Nellie had no muff LOL. Laura almost drowning in Plum Creek. Pa being trapped in a blizzard.

BTSOSL - Charles Jr’s birth (I know, not technically in the original series, Grace’s birth and Mary going blind. Laura and Lena’s friendship. Leaving Minnesota for the Dakota Territory. Grace being thought lost on the prairie.

TLW - like LHOTP, the entire book was made of drama, danger, and excitement. Hello, Cap and Almanzo risking their lives to go after the wheat to keep the town from starving.

LTOTP - Mary going away to school and Carrie helping to fill that void. Laura’s friendships with Mary, Minnie, and Ida. The return of Nellie Olesen. Laura’s crushes on Cap and Ben. The drama gold with her and Eliza Jane and “I’ll rock that desk, Miss Wilder!” Laura and Ida’s history recitation and Almanzo asking to see Laura home.

THGY - Laura and Almanzo’s relationship done right. Laura’s nightmare guest teaching job with crazy Mrs. Brewster. The clothing and accessories porn vs the same tired red-brown dress. Mary’s return. Laura and Almanzo’s wedding.

You get the idea.

[Zella]

2 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

What I will never understand is ML’s disdain for the books and saying you couldn’t make a series out of them. 

I can think of so many examples and wasted opportunities, just off the top of my head. 

From LHITBW:

Dance at Grandma’s where Laura Ingalls Sr bests youngest son, George, at a dance-off and we get to meet the Ingalls extended clan. The Christmas chapter where Laura gets Charlotte. Laura getting punished for slapping Mary over boasting that aunt Lottie prefers blond hair.

LHOTP - the whole book was full of drama and granted, the TV pilot followed it as closely as the show ever would, but it could have easily been a full season.

OTBOPC - the Laura/Nellie rivalry (Town Party/Country Party came close but the Olga plot wasn’t needed). The grasshopper plague. The Christmas where Nellie had no muff LOL. Laura almost drowning in Plum Creek. Pa being trapped in a blizzard.

BTSOSL - Charles Jr’s birth (I know, not technically in the original series, Grace’s birth and Mary going blind. Laura and Lena’s friendship. Leaving Minnesota for the Dakota Territory. Grace being thought lost on the prairie.

TLW - like LHOTP, the entire book was made of drama, danger, and excitement. Hello, Cap and Almanzo risking their lives to go after the wheat to keep the town from starving.

LTOTP - Mary going away to school and Carrie helping to fill that void. Laura’s friendships with Mary, Minnie, and Ida. The return of Nellie Olesen. Laura’s crushes on Cap and Ben. The drama gold with her and Eliza Jane and “I’ll rock that desk, Miss Wilder!” Laura and Ida’s history recitation and Almanzo asking to see Laura home.

THGY - Laura and Almanzo’s relationship done right. Laura’s nightmare guest teaching job with crazy Mrs. Brewster. The clothing and accessories porn vs the same tired red-brown dress. Mary’s return. Laura and Almanzo’s wedding.

You get the idea.

Yeah I read the books for the first time while watching the show about a year or two ago and was really shocked some of the things they never chose to adapt, especially that run for the wheat. That whole book is really intense. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I also read the books for the first time a year or so ago (except for LHotP, I read that as a kid.)

It was interesting to see the things briefly mentioned in the books but became big in the series, like Mrs. Oleson and even Johnny Johnson. Also, I understand why it was set in once place with the basic same set of townsfolk, but why Walnut Grove instead of DeSmet? I don't think they even really called it Walnut Grove in the books; they called it Hero Township IIRC. 

The Long Winter could have been a 3-5 episode arc and I think the cast would've have done a good job with it. 

[Blergh]

7 hours ago, Superclam said:

I also read the books for the first time a year or so ago (except for LHotP, I read that as a kid.)

It was interesting to see the things briefly mentioned in the books but became big in the series, like Mrs. Oleson and even Johnny Johnson. Also, I understand why it was set in once place with the basic same set of townsfolk, but why Walnut Grove instead of DeSmet? I don't think they even really called it Walnut Grove in the books; they called it Hero Township IIRC. 

The Long Winter could have been a 3-5 episode arc and I think the cast would've have done a good job with it. 

My guess is that the name of 'Walnut Grove' sounded more appealing than 'DeSmet' or 'Hero Township' (though the latter seemed to be the supposed 'metro area' that Walnut Grove was a tiny part of).

[debraran]

12 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

What I will never understand is ML’s disdain for the books and saying you couldn’t make a series out of them. 

I can think of so many examples and wasted opportunities, just off the top of my head. 

From LHITBW:

Dance at Grandma’s where Laura Ingalls Sr bests youngest son, George, at a dance-off and we get to meet the Ingalls extended clan. The Christmas chapter where Laura gets Charlotte. Laura getting punished for slapping Mary over boasting that aunt Lottie prefers blond hair.

LHOTP - the whole book was full of drama and granted, the TV pilot followed it as closely as the show ever would, but it could have easily been a full season.

OTBOPC - the Laura/Nellie rivalry (Town Party/Country Party came close but the Olga plot wasn’t needed). The grasshopper plague. The Christmas where Nellie had no muff LOL. Laura almost drowning in Plum Creek. Pa being trapped in a blizzard.

BTSOSL - Charles Jr’s birth (I know, not technically in the original series, Grace’s birth and Mary going blind. Laura and Lena’s friendship. Leaving Minnesota for the Dakota Territory. Grace being thought lost on the prairie.

TLW - like LHOTP, the entire book was made of drama, danger, and excitement. Hello, Cap and Almanzo risking their lives to go after the wheat to keep the town from starving.

LTOTP - Mary going away to school and Carrie helping to fill that void. Laura’s friendships with Mary, Minnie, and Ida. The return of Nellie Olesen. Laura’s crushes on Cap and Ben. The drama gold with her and Eliza Jane and “I’ll rock that desk, Miss Wilder!” Laura and Ida’s history recitation and Almanzo asking to see Laura home.

THGY - Laura and Almanzo’s relationship done right. Laura’s nightmare guest teaching job with crazy Mrs. Brewster. The clothing and accessories porn vs the same tired red-brown dress. Mary’s return. Laura and Almanzo’s wedding.

You get the idea.

Yes, he did embellish a lot but he left things out as you stated that could have worked well. I thought the long blizzard could have been a 2 part episode but from Karen said, he hated "gritty". I don't think he had to show the bleeding hands but showing what real pioneers had to do to survive at times. He cleansed it to the point that to this day people say they want to live like them at times. Karen was right that  they made it seem lovely,  I know they'd NEVER show them using chamber pot, but how about the frozen clothes, or more episodes trying to do chores in horrible weather. I liked Xmas episodes but why not show the barrels they would get, the gifts? I would have loved to see that over the Bunny episode. Why not have an episode that shows the magazines they got and lived for reading and Ma would tell them to stretch out reading them for the winter. Maybe incorporate a little of each into one? For whatever reason, the shows that he thought people wanted changed and instead of doing heartwarming, he wanted to compete with death, fires, death, rape, death, addiction, etc. Ratings were king but I agree, he could have used so much more from the books. Maybe he never really read them?

Edited September 3, 2022 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I always thought "Survival" could have been a 2 part episode

[Snow Apple]

Oh how I love the books showing how important reading was since prairie life was so hard and had little entertainment. One of my favorite part was Mrs. Broast giving Laura all those ledgers and Mary telling her to hurry up with the chores so they can start on the stories, and even Ma was so excited and told Laura to forget the chores and start reading.

And in The Long Winter, the excitement of Pa running back to inform the family the mail train made it through. The happiness when he came back with the magazines and letter from Reverend Alden. Later when spring finally arrives, Pa and Mr. Broast was so glad to have a  newspaper to read again while the ladies prepared the Thanksgiving (or was it Christmas?) dinner party held in May.

[Mr. Sparkle]

7 hours ago, Blergh said:

My guess is that the name of 'Walnut Grove' sounded more appealing than 'DeSmet'

I have to agree with that. DeSmet sounds like a sneeze. 

[Egg McMuffin]

I did hear them mention “Hero Township” on the show a few times. But yes, “Walnut Grove” sounds so cozy.

There is an opportunity for a true adaptation of the books. I never saw the 2005 miniseries, which I heard stayed closer to the source material. And another potential adaptation has been kicking around in development for the past few years. The issue is: can people put aside their memories of the original series to give it a chance. Not sure they were able to in 2005.

Edited September 4, 2022 by Egg McMuffin

[Brn2bwild]

On 9/3/2022 at 9:32 AM, Egg McMuffin said:

I did hear them mention “Hero Township” on the show a few times. But yes, “Walnut Grove” sounds so cozy.

There is an opportunity for a true adaptation of the books. I never saw the 2005 miniseries, which I heard stayed closer to the source material. And another potential adaptation has been kicking around in development for the past few years. The issue is: can people put aside their memories of the original series to give it a chance. Not sure they were able to in 2005.

They could make a good, unique version that also incorporates older Laura and her relationship with Rose.  The framing could be Rose encouraging her mother to write the books and then later assisting and at times embellishing the events that occurred, which would be portrayed on screen.

[jason88cubs]

We know they did Christmas themed episodes

Did they do any other holiday episodes besides the Halloween one?

[jird]

They did two Halloween ones, the good one and the awful one.

They mentioned Thanksgiving when Grandpa was there and Carrie  thought the turkey was going to be a dinner guest..

And I think The Last Farewell was set at Easter.

[jason88cubs]

3 hours ago, jird said:

They did two Halloween ones, the good one and the awful one.

They mentioned Thanksgiving when Grandpa was there and Carrie  thought the turkey was going to be a dinner guest..

And I think The Last Farewell was set at Easter.

That's one thing i miss about shows, episodes themed around holidays. Makes me wanna watch "the Honeymooners" Christmas episode now

[jird]

Agreed. I watch all the Frasier Christmas episodes every year, along with the Jeffersons.

[debraran]

I love holiday shows, even ER which I loved years ago, I'll watch holiday episodes on Hulu. They were always mixed but heartwarming too. I wish LHOP did more but I think Walton's did. You always wanted to sit with them around the table. ; )

[jason88cubs]

On 9/10/2022 at 7:39 AM, debraran said:

I love holiday shows, even ER which I loved years ago, I'll watch holiday episodes on Hulu. They were always mixed but heartwarming too. I wish LHOP did more but I think Walton's did. You always wanted to sit with them around the table. ; )

Yea Waltons had The Homecoming Christmas movie of course and I think 2 Christmas episodes? maybe 3? Had a Thanksgiving one where John Boy gets hurt,(it just took place around Thanksgiving) and when Olivia recovered from polio I believe it was on Easter

[jason88cubs]

Watched "The Stranger" yesterday. Great episode

[Mr. Sparkle]

2 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

Watched "The Stranger" yesterday. Great episode

I had to google that one, because the title wasn't familiar. It was a pretty good episode, but a weird title. Of course, several characters we never saw again. 

[jason88cubs]

Just now, Superclam said:

I had to google that one, because the title wasn't familiar. It was a pretty good episode, but a weird title. Of course, several characters we never saw again. 

yea seems like by the title you would think it would be a adult, maybe a relative  of Charles or Caroline, or a new person to town

[jason88cubs]

On 9/14/2022 at 11:13 AM, jason88cubs said:

I felt bad that Laura and Carrie couldn't go to Mary's wedding

[jason88cubs]

Having chicken noodle soup and I'm thinking, did they ever eat soup on the show? Feel like it would be common, but I don;t recall hearing it

[debraran]

27 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

Having chicken noodle soup and I'm thinking, did they ever eat soup on the show? Feel like it would be common, but I don;t recall hearing it

Now that you mention it you never hear "chicken soup" for colds or just because chickens were around and veggies. They seemed to love stews instead. Granted it would take bowls and they had those tin plates but if Ma kept the widows dishes, she had nice ones. ; )

On one site I found this The 1870’s “Housekeeping in Old Virginia Cookbook” is full of recipes for wild game, as well as parts of domestic animals we wince at today: barbecue squirrel, calf’s head soup, baked sheep’s head, scalloped sturgeon, baked hog tongue, pig jowl and turnip salad, turtle soup, pigeon pie, pig head hash, tongue a la terrapin (turtle), soused calves’ feet, roast ox heart, calf brain pudding, and lamb brain fricassee are just a sampling of delicious frontier cuisine.  Soups and stews were also popular and had the advantage of flexibility in using whatever leftovers were available. In 1910, Horace Kephart wrote "The Book of Camping and Woodcraft: A Guidebook for Those who Travel in the Wilderness." In it, he featured a classic pioneer concoction called the “Never-Go-Bad Perpetual Soup.” He wrote: “Into it go all the clean ends of game — heads, tails, wings, feet, giblets, large bones — also the leftovers of fish, flesh, and fowl, of any and all sorts of vegetables, rice or other cereals, macaroni, stale bread, everything edible.” The pot is “always kept hot” and its “flavors are forever changing, but ever welcome.”

Edited September 25, 2022 by debraran

[jird]

I remember Charles ordering soup at a fancy restaurant when he had to foot the dinner bill for Almanzo and Mary in the dumb episode where he and Almanzo raced their freight wagons.

[jason88cubs]

11 hours ago, jird said:

I remember Charles ordering soup at a fancy restaurant when he had to foot the dinner bill for Almanzo and Mary in the dumb episode where he and Almanzo raced their freight wagons.

wasn't there a similar episode where him and Edwards raced someone or was that a camping one?

Edited September 26, 2022 by jason88cubs

[jird]

15 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

wasn't there a similar episode where him and Edwards raced someone or was that a camping one?

Charles and Jonathan raced two other guys for a freighting contracts. That episode gave us Jonathan announcing, "Them's snails!" in the fancy French restaurant.

[Katy M]

19 hours ago, jird said:

Charles and Jonathan raced two other guys for a freighting contracts. That episode gave us Jonathan announcing, "Them's snails!" in the fancy French restaurant.

I felt so embarrassed for them in that scene. It was ridiculous.

[debraran]

42 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I felt so embarrassed for them in that scene. It was ridiculous.

I didn't know what seemed more ludicrous....a fancy French restaurant or how dumb they tried to make "country folk". He always wanted a huge divide between them and anyone not in Walnut Grove.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I thought they did Garvey dirty in that scene. He was perfectly normal, if a bit "country" every other time. In the restaurant he was practically brain damaged. Couldn't even say "Italian." Charles wasn't much better, but of course he's going to look better than Garvey. 

[Blergh]

9 minutes ago, Superclam said:

I thought they did Garvey dirty in that scene. He was perfectly normal, if a bit "country" every other time. In the restaurant he was practically brain damaged. Couldn't even say "Italian." Charles wasn't much better, but of course he's going to look better than Garvey. 

Why would I not be surprised if ML wished Mr. Edwards had been in that scene instead of Jonathan? Victor French was MUCH more convincing as an uncultured (but well-meaning) rube than Merlin Olsen was.