Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[Zella]

20 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

The phallic monument actually healed James, not Albert. That and Pa’s manly beard. The things one remembers. 

Thank you! I second guessed putting Albert but couldn't remember anyone else's name that fit the bill. 😂😂😂😂😂

[CountryGirl]

4 hours ago, Zella said:

Thank you! I second guessed putting Albert but couldn't remember anyone else's name that fit the bill. 😂😂😂😂😂

I'm sure Pa-Messiah would have built a phallic shrine for Albert as well if his manfully shouting "let it out!" hadn't worked to make Albert barf up drugs.

[Blergh]

On 3/21/2023 at 4:02 AM, debraran said:

Thanks for that, not too much new for me, but I didn't know they turned her down for some negotiation on her contract. Who wouldn't want a little time off but then I remembered Mike didn't want Karen doing a movie or TV show either and I think she lost one. it's not like most are in every episode or very long. Some short scenes of giving lunch boxes to family or asking for coffee could have been filmed ahead. Maybe it would have been much better (I can't watch most of later ones) if she stayed with a little incentive.

I'm glad she disliked the stuttering episode...lol, that was pretty awful. Laura should have owned up to taking the music box and I thought it was odd she ended up being "punished enough" for lying.

I don't think the show is a mystery for lasting so long. Fans delete the awful shows from their minds or watching and nothing beats the earlier ones for a break from the constant barrage of sex, violence, death and reality shows on TV/streaming.

 

Yes, I'd read before that since Miss Arngrim herself had had a stuttering problem as a young child,she considered having Nellie deliberately make a stuttering child cry was the WORST act they had Nellie do! One thing I picked up is that, so far, she is the ONLY LHOTP cast member who seemed to understand if not like ML's blowing up almost all the Walnut Grove buildings. I mean, everyone else who has gone on record about the final destruction seems to have been bewildered and/or upset that he did that but Miss Arngrim (who was nowhere near the scene of the blowup) seemed to shrug it off as a boyish act on his part.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Blergh

[Katy M]

On 3/21/2023 at 8:07 AM, andidante said:

Laura never seemed to get punished for anything she did wrong. Pa seemed to think she was the best thing since sliced bread, LOL.

the only punishment I remember was Mary for burning down the barn.  And Pa was out of town, so Ma meted that one out.

[jird]

20 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

I'm sure Pa-Messiah would have built a phallic shrine for Albert as well if his manfully shouting "let it out!" hadn't worked to make Albert barf up drugs.

But when Albert was actually dying, Pa didn't build him a shrine, he just shook Laura and made her say "My brother is going to die!" 😂

[debraran]

5 hours ago, Katy M said:

the only punishment I remember was Mary for burning down the barn.  And Pa was out of town, so Ma meted that one out.

Yes, he threatened to hit her a couple of times for disobeying, visiting the old people he told her not too, the found baby episode maybe. Mary was at least trying to learn, to be educated, Laura was always just doing what Laura wanted to do. I felt bad for Mary especially seeing Pa's "half pint" always get away with things. Mary shouldn't have listened to her,  but even in The Gift, Laura had a dumb idea to sell elixirs but it was "fine" later. Rev Alden was kind.

Edited March 22, 2023 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I always thought it was ridiculous when they would have Laura sneaking out at night with no light and going all the way into walnut grove....come on now

[greekmom]

On 1/22/2023 at 1:37 PM, debraran said:

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.

You are onto something there. Albert could have interned, seen the doctor get more energy, second wind after using morphine and Albert would think - hey why not try it myself?  If local doc can do it, so can i.  His child could be in trouble for stealing and addiction and gone back to W.G.

[Blergh]

4 hours ago, debraran said:

Yes, he threatened to hit her a couple of times for disobeying, visiting the old people he told her not too, the found baby episode maybe. Mary was at least trying to learn, to be educated, Laura was always just doing what Laura wanted to do. I felt bad for Mary especially seeing Pa's "half pint" always get away with things. Mary shouldn't have listened to her,  but even in The Gift, Laura had a dumb idea to sell elixirs but it was "fine" later. Rev Alden was kind.

Let's not forget that when the semi-crippled Isaiah threatened to kill himself to end his own depression and Laura begged Charles NOT to leave Isaiah alone in that state, Charles DID slap her face on the grounds that he didn't need her 'falling apart'..

Yeah, Laura had no reason to beg Charles  not to leave Isaiah alone in that state much less 'fall apart'. YEESH!

Seriously, I know Laura could get overdramatic at time but. .why wouldn't she have gotten upset over that declaration?!

[Pirpana]

On 3/22/2023 at 2:55 AM, Blergh said:

Yes, I'd read before that since Miss Arngrim herself had had a stuttering problem as a young child,she considered having Nellie deliberately make a stuttering child cry was the WORST act they had Nellie do! One thing I picked up is that, so far, she is the ONLY LHOTP cast member who seemed to understand if not like ML's blowing up almost all the Walnut Grove buildings. I mean, everyone else who has gone on record about the final destruction seems to have been bewildered and/or upset that he did that but Miss Arngrim (who was nowhere near the scene of the blowup) seemed to shrug it off as a boyish act on his part.

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.

[debraran]

I'm glad they didn't blow up church/school and little house but sad it ended up in "Mr Carters" barn. I'm not sure what he wanted to do with it, but maybe I would have used it for a play house for kids : )

I have to remember the one out there before fires was a duplicate and inside was different because they filmed most of that on set. I sometime look for mistakes because of that. I heard on The Gift the girls are wearing different clothes in one scene and then walking another but need to check that out another time.

I'm not sure who Michael didn't want using the buildings, they were shells mostly, but it was a dramatic ending making sure no one ever returned there again, no specials, movie etc.

[Blergh]

On 3/24/2023 at 4:03 AM, debraran said:

I'm glad they didn't blow up church/school and little house but sad it ended up in "Mr Carters" barn. I'm not sure what he wanted to do with it, but maybe I would have used it for a play house for kids : )

I have to remember the one out there before fires was a duplicate and inside was different because they filmed most of that on set. I sometime look for mistakes because of that. I heard on The Gift the girls are wearing different clothes in one scene and then walking another but need to check that out another time.

I'm not sure who Michael didn't want using the buildings, they were shells mostly, but it was a dramatic ending making sure no one ever returned there again, no specials, movie etc.

I believe at the time, he was mad at NBC for cancelling LHOTP in the middle of the season and wanted to punish them via preventing the usage of the sets for any of their future productions.

 

However, it wasn't too much later that he put Highway to Heaven on the same network!

[debraran]

I just saw the somewhat disturbing "His Father's Son" show where Mr Edward's can't understand how a young man wouldn't want a gun for his birthday. I always thought Jonathan was more the thick one, but hiding he couldn't read, how did his wife not now?

What I didn't remember was that EJ Andre was in this too! His must of really had a good relationship with Mr Landon.

.His Father's Son (7 January 1976) - Amos Thoms (as E.J. Andre)
2.Going Home (31 March 1976) - Matthew Simms (as E.J. Andre)
3.Gold Country: Part 1 (4 April 1977) - Zachariah
4.Gold Country: Part 2 (4 April 1977) - Zachariah
5.The Godsister (18 December 1978) - St. Peter (as E.J. Andre)
6.The Lost Ones: Part 1 (4 May 1981) - Jed Cooper
7.Uncle Jed (1 February 1982) - Jed Cooper
8.At The End Of The Rainbow - 1975 - St Peter

[Blergh]

10 minutes ago, debraran said:

I just saw the somewhat disturbing "His Father's Son" show where Mr Edward's can't understand how a young man wouldn't want a gun for his birthday. I always thought Jonathan was more the thick one, but hiding he couldn't read, how did his wife not [k]now?

 

I suppose that since Grace had nearly derailed their nascent courtship when he said he didn't go to church because he was still upset about the early loss of his 1st wife and young daughter, she may have been too relieved to see him put an 'X' on their marriage license later on (the traditional and legal mark of an illiterate person who was a Christian) that she didn't delve any deeper.

[Egg McMuffin]

7 hours ago, debraran said:

What I didn't remember was that EJ Andre was in this too! His must of really had a good relationship with Mr Landon.

.His Father's Son (7 January 1976) - Amos Thoms (as E.J. Andre)
2.Going Home (31 March 1976) - Matthew Simms (as E.J. Andre)
3.Gold Country: Part 1 (4 April 1977) - Zachariah
4.Gold Country: Part 2 (4 April 1977) - Zachariah
5.The Godsister (18 December 1978) - St. Peter (as E.J. Andre)
6.The Lost Ones: Part 1 (4 May 1981) - Jed Cooper
7.Uncle Jed (1 February 1982) - Jed Cooper
8.At The End Of The Rainbow - 1975 - St Peter

He also appeared (as different characters) in four episodes of Bonanza, too. I’m guessing he was professional, knew his lines coming in, could hit his mark, and folded into the groove of the set. Those type of actors get hired again and again.

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Egg McMuffin said:

He also appeared (as different characters) in four episodes of Bonanza, too. I’m guessing he was professional, knew his lines coming in, could hit his mark, and folded into the groove of the set. Those type of actors get hired again and again.

Not to mention that Mr. Andre had known what to expect from ML prior to his LHOTP stints.

OTOH, I can't recall any guest stars or other one-shots who didn't consider ML's onset professionalism to somehow have made up for his tantrums,pranks and booze issues. Even Moses Gunn evidently  was willing to work with him again on Highway to Heaven despite the infamous KKK blooper reel prank (and Mr. Gunn had become more in demand as a performer by this point than when ML had initially hired him).

[debraran]

6 hours ago, Blergh said:

Not to mention that Mr. Andre had known what to expect from ML prior to his LHOTP stints.

OTOH, I can't recall any guest stars or other one-shots who didn't consider ML's onset professionalism to somehow have made up for his tantrums,pranks and booze issues. Even Moses Gunn evidently  was willing to work with him again on Highway to Heaven despite the infamous KKK blooper reel prank (and Mr. Gunn had become more in demand as a performer by this point than when ML had initially hired him).

i met Moses when he was in CT where he lived. Didn't really want to talk about LHOP but the newer show (off at that time) he did.  There were a lot of stunts and the sheet, KKK thing wasn't funny but he went along with it. You remember though. Another cast member (Alison?) brought that up too. 

I do like that on Highway (a bit over the top cheesy for me) he did hire disabled guest stars and recurring stars which doesn't happen to often.

Edited March 27, 2023 by debraran

[Blergh]

On 3/27/2023 at 3:51 AM, debraran said:

i met Moses when he was in CT where he lived. Didn't really want to talk about LHOP but the newer show (off at that time) he did.  There were a lot of stunts and the sheet, KKK thing wasn't funny but he went along with it. You remember though. Another cast member (Alison?) brought that up too. 

I do like that on Highway (a bit over the top cheesy for me) he did hire disabled guest stars and recurring stars which doesn't happen to often.

I'm not saying that Mr. Gunn wasn't upset by that . .stunt (and he had every right to have been) and may not have been eager to have talked about his LHOTP time as a result.

Nonetheless, he appeared to have at least been willing to work with ML again on the HtH show. Maybe by that point, ML possibly could have actually gotten contrite over the stunt and apologized to him over it. I'd like to think that it might have happened that way.

[debraran]

Yes, I didn't talk to him about gossip but having a show he starred in as a black actor at the time was good and money in the bank. I'm sure there were a lot of "guy" talk and I know from other actors at the time, male, female, black, white, Asian, list is long, that things went on you didn't like and if you wanted to work, pushed it down. Maybe Moses did a practical joke back or just brushed it off as a dumb move. Probably the latter since he wanted to work. : )

I did note that Hester Sue really didn't have racism issues in Walnut Grove or elsewhere but Joe did. He had to be voted in church and she sung. She ran restaurant, etc.

I did see this pic of her and Moses in FBI series before LHOP.

https://m.facebook.com/Little.House.Cast/photos/a.1605122486453584/1605122499786916/?type=3&source=43&paipv=0&eav=AfYGOX_ProiPVWW5pyi1-J564iBv6ZMVymWqJEgyaOX9ssYo6olb9DbbiIW2wDVGW4w

 

 

[Blergh]

16 hours ago, debraran said:

Yes, I didn't talk to him about gossip but having a show he starred in as a black actor at the time was good and money in the bank. I'm sure there were a lot of "guy" talk and I know from other actors at the time, male, female, black, white, Asian, list is long, that things went on you didn't like and if you wanted to work, pushed it down. Maybe Moses did a practical joke back or just brushed it off as a dumb move. Probably the latter since he wanted to work. : )

I did note that Hester Sue really didn't have racism issues in Walnut Grove or elsewhere but Joe did. He had to be voted in church and she sung. She ran restaurant, etc.

I did see this pic of her and Moses in FBI series before LHOP.

https://m.facebook.com/Little.House.Cast/photos/a.1605122486453584/1605122499786916/?type=3&source=43&paipv=0&eav=AfYGOX_ProiPVWW5pyi1-J564iBv6ZMVymWqJEgyaOX9ssYo6olb9DbbiIW2wDVGW4w

 

 

But what's odd is that in her autobio, Miss Lester merely stated that she and Mr. Gunn worked together on LHOTP without giving any POV about what she might have thought of him either as a performer or as a person. Quite the contrary to her praises of Miss MacGregor and ML!

[debraran]

7 hours ago, Blergh said:

But what's odd is that in her autobio, Miss Lester merely stated that she and Mr. Gunn worked together on LHOTP without giving any POV about what she might have thought of him either as a performer or as a person. Quite the contrary to her praises of Miss MacGregor and ML!

Maybe in editing? In quote below from podcast, she did other times. I don't know how they got along but those 2 characters you mentioned, were ones would want to know about and everyone seemed to love Katherine. : ) She was their union in a sense, pushing the women to do things, before they had one. lol

In a quick google I saw this on IHeart podcast on her book. Didn't listen to it, but it did say "In this segment, Ketty talks to Ed about how she came to join the cast of Little House, as well as some of her other film and TV roles. She also shares a few memories of working with Moses Gunn (both before and during Little House), Bernie Mac, David Janssen, and with William Marshall and director William Crain on Blacula"

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-tv-confidential-a-radio-ta-30991071/episode/ketty-lester-moses-gunn-and-blacula-93482141/

Listened a bit before work. She really does praise him . Always nice.

https://televisionconfidential.com/celebrities/tv-confidential-show-no-570-with-guest-ketty-lester-is-available-for-listening-as-a-free-podcast/?utm_source=ReviveOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

Edited March 30, 2023 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I went to this today

https://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/

 

be cool if they had something like this for LHOP

[debraran]

11 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I went to this today

https://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/

 

be cool if they had something like this for LHOP

Yes, we have Strubridge about an hour from me. Used to go once a year. If you went early you could almost pretend you were in 1800's town with buggies etc

https://www.osv.org/

Before Covid, they had a place in MA where you could reenact staying at a home in 1800's where you'd dress like them, (no phones) stay in home with what they would have had, pick a chore to do etc. You ate what they would eat and they would teach you things. Pretty cool but I haven't seen it since.

 

[Blergh]

Actually, I can think of a 'pioneer fair' that takes place once a year about a half-hour from my house in a former settlement in which the re-enactors make home crafts (for sale) and explain to the visitors exactly what steps it took to make said crafts. ..as well to survive in those times. Very eye-opening and something LHOTP fans would cherish.

 

However, I think what would be even better would be an all-age LHTOP boot-camp in which the fans would have to take an entire week  off from 'civilization' to recreate pioneer life. Not only would most very quickly gain respect for what the Ingallses and countless millions had had to go through but they'd understand WHY labor-saving inventions were eagerly embraced by as many knowledgeable folks with monies to spare ASAP!

[Zella]

7 minutes ago, Blergh said:

However, I think what would be even better would be an all-age LHTOP boot-camp in which the fans would have to take an entire week  off from 'civilization' to recreate pioneer life.

My grandma did that to my cousin and her friend for an afternoon when they were about 10/11, and they decidedly lost all interest in LHOTP style life. LOLOL 

[debraran]

9 hours ago, Blergh said:

Actually, I can think of a 'pioneer fair' that takes place once a year about a half-hour from my house in a former settlement in which the re-enactors make home crafts (for sale) and explain to the visitors exactly what steps it took to make said crafts. ..as well to survive in those times. Very eye-opening and something LHOTP fans would cherish.

 

However, I think what would be even better would be an all-age LHTOP boot-camp in which the fans would have to take an entire week  off from 'civilization' to recreate pioneer life. Not only would most very quickly gain respect for what the Ingallses and countless millions had had to go through but they'd understand WHY labor-saving inventions were eagerly embraced by as many knowledgeable folks with monies to spare ASAP!

So true! In reviews for the reenactment mentioned in my post previously, many loved it (one day/night) but many said the reality, even if not the same, was too much and TV really made it seem much easier. Common sense but still.

The hardest was making dinner and some of the chores. It just took so long and uneven with fire vs gas and electric. The beds were ok but hay etc is not pillowtop. ; ) it was nice to disconnect from phones, play simple games, talk at dinner but not "I want this daily" type of thing. It's different from the "green" people now who live off grid with much better technology, clothes, food and solar. If I ever see it again though, I'll post.

Edited April 3, 2023 by debraran

[debraran]

Found old article

https://www.courant.com/2017/08/21/a-19th-century-getaway-boarding-with-the-bixbys-at-old-sturbridge-village/

[jason88cubs]

Since it's Easter did they ever do a LHOP episode of Easter?

 

I can't recall

[Blergh]

8 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

Since it's Easter did they ever do a LHOP episode of Easter?

 

I can't recall

I don't think so- or else they'd have had Carrie say 'Habby Birdy Eater Bummy!'

[Egg McMuffin]

 

On 4/9/2023 at 3:14 PM, jason88cubs said:

Since it's Easter did they ever do a LHOP episode of Easter?

 

I can't recall

They did do an Easter episode where the Easter Bunny was orphaned, went blind, and then was trapped in house fire and killed.

(all kidding aside, “The Last Farewell” took place in the days leading up to Easter, and Jason actually mentions this when he’s starting his rabbit business.)

[jird]

21 hours ago, Blergh said:

I don't think so- or else they'd have had Carrie say 'Habby Birdy Eater Bummy!'

WAZ EASTEH?

[jason88cubs]

Somehow LHOP became a discussion at bar

 

bartender: Michael Landon was always good looking

guy: yea

me: wow didn't know you were into that Jimmy

guy: huh what I say

 

(then we told him and he laughed)

[Blergh]

2 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

Somehow LHOP became a discussion at bar

 

bartender: Michael Landon was always good looking

 

patron: He must had great contact lenses

The above is what I thought you were say! LOL

[BusterHymen]

I've read the majority of comments on these 73 pages and it seems like we are all pretty much in agreement for the most part. I basically echo everyone else's exact same sentiments but will add my own personal nuggets from the LHOTP series. First and foremost, all of the Ingalls family were insufferable and utterly annoying. Holier than thou, can do no wrong, but yet always whining, bitching, complaining, etc. about something. Not one bad bone in their bodies. Fully tolerant and accepting of all ethnic groups including Blacks, Native Americans, etc. Sorry but the vast majority of families during this time period were bigoted and prejudiced to some degree or another. I didn't care for the character arcs of Mary and Laura. Both of them come across as whiny, spoiled brats when something doesn't go their way. Laura being a smart aleck whippersnapper who runs away in just about every other episode and Mary always balling and crying and way overreacting to every dilemma the show presented no matter how big or small. Also agree with everyone about the vast assortment of oddball tertiary characters (both children and adults alike) who come and go for only one episode and then are never seen or heard from again. I think between seasons 2 - 5 there were like 100 new kids at the school! LOL!

 

The character of Mrs. Oleson left a lot to be desired. Bigoted, proud, prejudiced, rich, arrogant, pompous,, (insert whatever) to the umpteenth degree. But what really got under my skin was in the latter seasons when she would always be eavesdropping and wiretapping on everyone's telephone calls and then spread gossip about it! of course that's a major felony in most states nowadays. Are we supposed to believe the whole town of Walnut Grove did nothing to stop her or take any kind of corrective measures? Especially when she's gotten caught several times throughout the series for the very same crime. Sorry guys and gals, but I didn't like Hester Sue. Was her character even necessary? and I know I'm in the minority but her "singing" was god awful! Sounded like a wailing and screaming banshee! kind of like the time I accidentally stepped on my cat when I woke up in the middle of the night to take a leak! Here a couple of funny flubs and flaws on the show that I don't think anyone has mentioned so far. In the older brothers episode  (season 9 EP 14) you can clearly see the rope or string pulling back Geoffrey Lewis after each dynamite explosion! and also did anyone else notice that from seasons 7 -9 when Caroline got her name put on Nellie's restaurant (the red letters on the window) sometimes it would say "Caroline's" and other times it would say "Nellie's"??!!..LMAO! It kept flip flopping back and forth on almost every episode, a lot of times on the very same episode! Also, since the Sylvia rape scene seems to be a popular on this forum but did anyone else notice that even after the town's blacksmith Irv Hartwig (the mime who raped her) was shot and killed by Sylvia's father that his name was still on the sign at the Blacksmith shop for at least several episodes more! I would go as far to say up until John Carter moved in and bought the house from the Ingalls family. Well, that's it for now. I still want to extrapolate some more the show's characters and plots and will do a follow up post when I'm finished watching the series. (currently on season 9)

 

 

[kathyk24]

Have you read the Little House books? Most of the plots in the show never happened to the Ingalls. Laura never ran away from home and Mary never married and had a baby. The Olesons were a composite of people who Laura knew throughout her life and not a real family. I don't like the show as much as I used to because I know the scripts have nothing to do with the Ingalls family.

[BusterHymen]

2 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

Have you read the Little House books? Most of the plots in the show never happened to the Ingalls. Laura never ran away from home and Mary never married and had a baby. The Olesons were a composite of people who Laura knew throughout her life and not a real family. I don't like the show as much as I used to because I know the scripts have nothing to do with the Ingalls family.

Hi Kathy,

No, I haven't read the books and don't plan on reading them to be honest with you...but I thought this forum was exclusively for the television series?...I could be mistaken but I was under that impression...The biggest mistake people (generally speaking) make is when they try to compare novels, stories vs. to their respective movie or tv series counterparts. Very seldom will you find two that correlate exactly the same way. The tv shows and movies generally have different adaptations. I'm not the least bit surprised the books of LHOTP are the complete opposite of the TV series...par for the course. Ditto for Harry Potter, Great Expectations, Moby Dick right off the top of my head. 

[jason88cubs]

lol what a rant

 

I see alot of what you are saying though

 

Sometimes I wonder why i watch it and I think it's a comfort thing.

There are some really great episodes "Survival" "The Plague" and I love the pilot movie

[BusterHymen]

1 hour ago, jason88cubs said:

lol what a rant

 

I see alot of what you are saying though

 

Sometimes I wonder why i watch it and I think it's a comfort thing.

There are some really great episodes "Survival" "The Plague" and I love the pilot movie

No doubt about it! Survival was hands down and arguably the best episode of the entire series...drama, action, suspense, adventure, etc! It was kind of like watching a horror movie anticipating or having no idea what's going to happen next. One of the very few realistic and entertaining episodes. Ditto for the pilot and plague. but as has already been said on the various LHOTP forums, it's no secret that the first few seasons were the best of the bunch! Unfortunately, as with a lot of several other TV series, the show for all intents and purposes ran it's course and had basically run out of material. Each season had gotten progressively worse which explains the crappy writing and subliminal ridiculous cheesy storylines behind them. Orangutan, Godsister, two guardian angel episodes, bumbling crooks which act like a combination of the keystone cops and three stooges mixed together just to name a few!

Edited May 10, 2023 by BusterHymen

[jason88cubs]

17 minutes ago, BusterHymen said:

No doubt about it! Survival was hands down and arguably the best episode of the entire series...drama, action, suspense, adventure, etc! It was kind of like watching a horror movie anticipating or having no idea what's going to happen next. One of the very few realistic and entertaining episodes. Ditto for the pilot and plague. but as has already been said on the various LHOTP forums, it's no secret that the first few seasons were the best of the bunch! Unfortunately, as with a lot of several other TV series, the show for all intents and purposes ran it's course and had basically run out of material. Each season had gotten progressively worse which explains the crappy writing and subliminal ridiculous cheesy storylines behind them. Orangutan, Godsister, two guardian angel episodes, bumbling crooks which act like a combination of the keystone cops and three stooges mixed together just to name a few!

Once they went to Winoka they lost me

[Brn2bwild]

I watched for the Olesons.  The TV show Oleson family was a brilliant addition to the show.

[Zella]

5 minutes ago, Brn2bwild said:

I watched for the Olesons.  The TV show Oleson family was a brilliant addition to the show.

There are so many episodes that, IMO, would be much more interesting if it focused on the Olesons rather than the Ingalls. 

[Blergh]

Ironically, when I was first watching it as a kid (and doing my best to avoid getting frustrated with how it veered off 'The Books'), I liked the Ingalls family and loathed Nellie and Harriet while enjoying their comeuppances.

However, as I've gotten older, I see the Ingallses as being far more self-righteous up to and sometimes beyond being hypocritical while Nellie and Harriet more or less showed their true, sneaky colors throughout . The banter between Harriet and Nels seemed more fun overall than with Charles& Caroline, Jonathan& Alice. . Until they decided to trash their characters, Isaiah and Grace Snyder Edwards actually had the most fun of the 'good guy' couples!

Yeah, I know that the Ingallses were more fair-minded to African-Americans, Native Americans, Jews and even Catholics than many folks in that time and place but I found that somewhat refreshing (even if it wasn't what typical of the attitudes encountered back then).

Anyway, I can see why this show has been a comfort to folks for nearly five decades in virtually every corner of the world it's ever been broadcast!

[Zella]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

However, as I've gotten older, I see the Ingallses as being far more self-righteous up to and sometimes beyond being hypocritical while Nellie and Harriet more or less showed their true, sneaky colors throughout . The banter between Harriet and Nels seemed more fun overall than with Charles& Caroline, Jonathan& Alice.

I also feel like the fact they keep expecting Harriet to not do what she always does and then getting mad when when she does what she always does says more about their brains than her character. You know she's a hateful bitch. Why are you surprised she's once again being a hateful bitch? 

That being said, I feel like a lot of the writing for her is super lazy. It's not okay to make fun of fat people unless they're Harriet, who's not even overweight. She's absolutely loathsome until the script needs her to be more sympathetic. They paint her as a complete harridan, but then also try to frame it so you root for the Olesens to stay together. It's just silly. 

I think she's actually more interesting (and more insidious because it's so believable) when she's a garden variety asshole who's fairly sharp at business but terrible at customer service because she's so petty rather than when she's being over-the-top bad.  

Edited May 11, 2023 by Zella

[jason88cubs]

I never liked how it seemed Laura was able to play jokes and be mean and Charles would turn the other way

[andidante]

31 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

I never liked how it seemed Laura was able to play jokes and be mean and Charles would turn the other way

Laura was a horrible child and Charles would not care what she did. It was so irritating!

[kathyk24]

That's the difference between book Laura and tv Laura. Book Laura was devoted to her parents and was a hard worker especially after Mary became blind. The tv series was a showcase for Michael Landon not an Ingalls biography.

[jason88cubs]

Only Laura could sneak out in the middle of the night walk to walnut grove or somehwere random, not get hurt, walk back home hours later and not get caught

[Zella]

I've never gotten over Laura trespassing on the hermit miner's property and then screaming at him when he doesn't want her there. It's not your property. You don't have a God-given right to be there. She actually does that a lot. 

Edited May 11, 2023 by Zella

[jason88cubs]

51 minutes ago, Zella said:

I've never gotten over Laura trespassing on the hermit miner's property and then screaming at him when he doesn't want her there. It's not your property. You don't have a God-given right to be there. She actually does that a lot. 

I like when Laura stole Nellie's doll or whatever, then Nellie punished Laura herself(which was bad) and when Laura reported it to Nels, Charles said Nels could decide the punishment and Nels said you've been punised enough and Charles just said"Ok time to go to school!"

[Blergh]

8 hours ago, Zella said:

I've never gotten over Laura trespassing on the hermit miner's property and then screaming at him when he doesn't want her there. It's not your property. You don't have a God-given right to be there. She actually does that a lot. 

Not to mention, she'd just found out that the poor miner had someone (one of her classmate's fathers) STEAL the gold under the creekbed he had used as a resting place for his beloved late wife  desecrating her resting place(and Laura had blabbed the poignant memorial all over the school like it was a fairy tale). Not only did she not have zero right to have screamed at him when he was clearly extremely shattered and upset (for good reason) but what on Earth did she think she could say to him that would possibly have made up for her having been a blabbermouth especially after he WARNED her how greed made folks do terrible things!

I'm not sure Charles covering up the horrific aftermath of him burning himself to death to follow his wife but faking to Laura that somehow CHARLES had been able to get the miner to think Laura was ginger-peachy again was the best course of action. I mean, yes, it would have been an incredibly hard burden to know that one's big mouth had contributed to the chain of events that led to a suicide. OTOH, maybe if Laura HAD known just how horrible the outcome of gossip CAN be, maybe she'd have been far less inclined to have grown up to be a nosy, meddlesome bully.

Still, Charles told Caroline the awful truth but implored her to keep it a secret from Laura. Hence, if what was depicted in LHOTP was supposed to be what Laura (the character) knew then how did she find out? Did Caroline  eventually blab it -possibly due to disliking how much of a meddler her daughter had become?