Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[Blergh]

@Debranran,

I'm a bit confused by your latest post. When you said you loved Miss MacGregor's back story and how ' it affected her with her daughter', I take it you mean how Miss MacGregor's real life back story affected how she portrayed Harriet as she related with her character's daughter Nellie- insasmuch as Miss MacGregor hahad no children despite having had two brief marriages. Yes, I agree that it was interesting to have found out that Harriet herself had had 'a small mercantile' when she'd met Nels who'd been [naturally]'smitten with' her but her having the enterprise 'helped make the marriage happen'. Nellie (and Harriet) were REALLY lucky Nellie got Percival who insisted on himself and Nellie running the hotel as a team instead of bossing Nellie and taking advantage of legally owning the hotel entirely in his own name upon the marriage!

[debraran]

I'm sorry, should have read it over to make it clearer but I meant her character and I shifted from the real person of Richard Bull. I realize she didn't have children.

Yes Percival was funny and if they wanted, as I alluded too, to send Nellie to a women's college or teaching school, she'd be fine and probably find the one guy who isn't well off and fall in love but she did fine in WG. I wish they had them on more. The restaurant gift from someone who didn't cook and her mom didn't cook just seemed silly to me. My mom cooked but if she did that to me, they better like 3 meals and be happy. lol

I read many times by Allison if wasn't 100% her choice to go, they wanted everyone to keep same pay all the years it was on. “The network refused all requests from my agent for raises, extra episodes, or any type of concession he suggested, no matter how small,” she recalled. “Their offer was four years, same money, same conditions – take it or leave it.”

I'd leave it too but sad the repercussion was a quick goodbye, Nancy and one return with a very bad wig. : (

[Blergh]

I agree! It would have been MUCH better had the show focused on the Olesons and Daltons/Cohens with their growing family instead of Laura treated Zaldamo like a log bump - not unlike Pa wound up treating Ma in the last years!

[methodwriter85]

On 3/26/2023 at 12:57 PM, Blergh said:

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!

Does this mean that when Highway to Heaven shot, every set was new or on location since Michael Landon didn't believe in re-using sets? I seriously do wonder.

At the very least, the costumes survived. Supposedly when they were getting ready to film Dr. Quinn, they looked into the archives but allegedly the costumer said, "Get this 70's polyester crap out of here! Jane Seymour isn't going to wear this!" lol

[Blergh]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:14 PM, methodwriter85 said:

Does this mean that when Highway to Heaven shot, every set was new or on location since Michael Landon didn't believe in re-using sets? I seriously do wonder.

At the very least, the costumes survived. Supposedly when they were getting ready to film Dr. Quinn, they looked into the archives but allegedly the costumer said, "Get this 70's polyester crap out of here! Jane Seymour isn't going to wear this!" lol

Since not only ML himself but also Victor French starred in it- and Richard Bull as well as Moses Gunn guested on it, I guess it has enough LHOTP alums check it out. Anyway, as per wiki, it seems that HtH mostly shot on location with only a few indoor sets but I'm not sure how many (besides Jonathan's car) were permanent ones. As per AA, they didn't wear '70's polyester' on LHOTP but  actual woolen clothes which she said would quickly become quite rank- despite the fact that the cast bathed daily (unlike 'Saturday night baths were a luxury' for pioneers)!

Of course, Charlotte Stewart admitted that she herself went commando beneath Miss Beadle's skirts which only the most destitute of women would do back then.

[Zella]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

actual woolen clothes which she said would quickly become quite rank

The Downton Abbey cast has also commented that their costumes, many of which were not reproductions and were clothes from the time period, smelled pretty bad too. 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Zella

[Blergh]

On 9/21/2023 at 10:07 PM, Zella said:

The Downton Abbey cast has also commented that their costumes, many of which were not reproductions and were clothes from the time period, smelled pretty bad too. 

And keep in mind that their characters' RL counterparts lived rather sedate lives of constantly going to banquets, teas and the occasional ballroom dance compared to the RL Ingalls who'd have literally earned every morsel of food by sweat! Also, the wealthier (or with access to more funds) a woman was, the more times she'd have had her entire outfit changed on a DAILY basis whereas servants and pioneers would wear the very same clothes (and underwear) day-in/day-out sometimes for weeks and months AND the laboring classes sweated far more yet had far less access to bathing than their wealthy counterparts!

[debraran]

4 hours ago, Blergh said:

And keep in mind that their characters' RL counterparts lived rather sedate lives of constantly going to banquets, teas and the occasional ballroom dance compared to the RL Ingalls who'd have literally earned every morsel of food by sweat! Also, the wealthier (or with access to more funds) a woman was, the more times she'd have had her entire outfit changed on a DAILY basis whereas servants and pioneers would wear the very same clothes (and underwear) day-in/day-out sometimes for weeks and months AND the laboring classes sweated far more yet had far less access to bathing than their wealthy counterparts!

So true...LHOP was as Karen put it, a "sanitized" pioneer show where even the hands and nails had to be shown neat and clean and everyone smelled nice most of the time and changed clothes etc. When people would say "I wish I lived with them, she knew they meant "on the set" and not back then. One day of freezing cold temps, bathroom out of the house, no way to really wash your clothes adequately and just the drudgery of everything taking so much longer, they'd grow disenchanted. Now I'd love to visit the Ingall's where breakfast is done at sunrise, coffee always on and no one but Carrie ever used the outhouse. You can be be literally buried in snow and be fine. : )

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, debraran said:

So true...LHOP was as Karen put it, a "sanitized" pioneer show where even the hands and nails had to be shown neat and clean and everyone smelled nice most of the time and changed clothes etc. When people would say "I wish I lived with them, she knew they meant "on the set" and not back then. One day of freezing cold temps, bathroom out of the house, no way to really wash your clothes adequately and just the drudgery of everything taking so much longer, they'd grow disenchanted. Now I'd love to visit the Ingall's where breakfast is done at sunrise, coffee always on and no one but Carrie ever used the outhouse. You can be be literally buried in snow and be fine. : )

It wasn't the only series that sanitized things. Even when The Waltons was at its grittiest trying to show the struggles of a large family working together to survive the Depression, while John, Grandpa and the kids were depicted as sweaty, dirty and even in patched clothes, neither Olivia or Grandma were ever seen so much with a hair out of place or with a smudged apron despite the two women having to constantly  feed, clothe and clean  their household of eleven!

Edited September 24, 2023 by Blergh

[debraran]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

It wasn't the only series that sanitized things. Even when The Waltons was at its grittiest trying to show the struggles of a large family working together to survive the Depression, while John, Grandpa and the kids were depicted as sweaty, dirty and even in patched clothes, neither Olivia or Grandma were ever seen so much with a hair out of place or with a smudged apron despite the two women having to constantly  feed, clothe and clean  their household of eleven!

True, re the guys, I appreciated how authentic and grubby they were and the kids were normal to me, disheveled at times, clothes not perfect in fit, hand-me-downs, hair looked cut at home. : )  Going to church was the fancier outfits.

I would have my hair falling out of bun, sweating in the heat, cuticles cracked, wrinkles etched in face from trying to feed so many and sew their clothes! I did appreciate from what I could remember, they showed actual cooking at times and the food was good. The actress who played Mary Ellen did a video on the dinner scenes. Their stove did work but they brought in some of course.

I realize with all the talk of outhouses once on forum, no one did go to the bathroom at all. No child but Carrie,not Charles and Caroline, no diapers changed. I guess bodily functions unless vomited narcotics were not "family friendly". ; )

[crazy8s]

Cozi TV played the pilot episode yesterday and Harvest of Friends was on today.

Every single time I see this episode I think why were there like 20 guys hanging around town, all ready to help when the "wee ones" were not up to the task? Didn't they have farms to work or something? For all those referred to men working at the sawmill, we almost never saw anyone besides Hanson, Charles and Charles's BFF of whatever season.

 

 

[Katy M]

19 hours ago, crazy8s said:

Every single time I see this episode I think why were there like 20 guys hanging around town, all ready to help when the "wee ones" were not up to the task? Didn't they have farms to work or something?

While I always wonder why they were just standing around watching UNTIL the "wee ones" tried to help.  I mean, really, who stands there watching an obviously not well man try to stack things as entertainment?  I mean, they were under no obligation to help, but at least walk off like you have something better to do.

[debraran]

6 hours ago, Katy M said:

While I always wonder why they were just standing around watching UNTIL the "wee ones" tried to help.  I mean, really, who stands there watching an obviously not well man try to stack things as entertainment?  I mean, they were under no obligation to help, but at least walk off like you have something better to do.

Yes, I know Mike wanted effect by pausing it, but who would watch little kids lifting heavy bags...I was expecting Charles to start yelling, "Did everyone lose their muscle?| I can't afford to have halfpint pull a muscle or get hurt". It was so nasty for an established merchant in WG to do that. Didn't he read the bylaws??

[Blergh]

On 10/4/2023 at 4:43 PM, debraran said:

Yes, I know Mike wanted effect by pausing it, but who would watch little kids lifting heavy bags...I was expecting Charles to start yelling, "Did everyone lose their muscle?| I can't afford to have halfpint pull a muscle or get hurt". It was so nasty for an established merchant in WG to do that. Didn't he read the bylaws??

I suppose the idea was that seeing the small girls struggle to carry their father's load was more shame-inducing for the grown men than just watching the kite-injured grown man stranger hauling the heavy sacks  solo. Then,too, that grain merchant (Liam O'Neil played by Ramon Bieri) seemed to have amscrayed out of WG almost immediately after that episode so I guess he was  run out of town for attempting to insist Charles actually fulfill the contract he'd agreed to.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Blergh

[debraran]

6 hours ago, Blergh said:

I suppose the idea was that seeing the small girls struggle to carry their father's load was more shame-inducing for the grown men than just watching the kite-injured grown man stranger carrying them solo. Then,too, that grain merchant (Liam O'Neil played by Ramon Bieri) seemed to have amscrayed out of WG almost immediately after that episode so I guess he was  run out of town for attempting to insist Charles actually fulfill the contract he'd agreed to.

Well, it's hard to conduct business with Charles "cash on the barrel" unless he wanted something, Ingall's .  : )

That was my only real pet peeve with the show, they never had Charles have a good year while others in WG seemed fine (except when they all moved) Jonathan was even getting a telephone for a bit. lol They didn't pay mortgage, electricity, cable, doctor bills were minimal unless someone got kicked in the gut by horse. They didn't need to be rich but just show them having something for all the work he did. Laura never struggled like that, Mary and Adam seemed okay, poor Caroline, had to have rumors of infidelity to get some nice but used dishes, that she never used. lol I always said she sold them to get something else. 

Charles was so talented, he farmed well (thats maybe questionable) did mill work, he could make things, craft furniture, do woodwork, do high risk jobs etc. Make some extra money. |Caroline had to work at home, clean, sew, make meals, tend her garden, wash clothes and then work in a restaurant and take care of so many kids you brought home...she deserves the medal.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Sorry, can't talk. Schlong of Healing is on. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Lest you think I wasn't telling the truth... 

Look at those special effects! Star Wars had nothing on Walnut Grove! 

[Zella]

I remember y'all talking about that episode before I got to it. And all the snark I'd read still didn't adequately prepare me for when I first saw it. I was thinking "Surely it couldn't be as ridiculous as they're letting on." I was wrong, you were all right, and it was. 😂😂😂😂

Edited October 8, 2023 by Zella

[Blergh]

Yet, I'm sure that future pioneers/archeologists who'd have come across this structure would have most likely considered it a failed chimney and wondered why the builder would have opted to put a wooden lightning rod instead of a metal one atop it. That is if it didn't just crumble into a pile of rubble after the first big storm came through.

[Lisa418722]

I watched that episode once, but I cannot watch it again.  It is just too ridiculous even for Little House.  Seeing the pictures and reading the comments helps me to realize I'm not missing anything by not watching it.  

[Mr. Sparkle]

It is completely over the top, but I'll watch it. I'll take it over any Nancy, Carters or Shannen Doherty episode. The first part is ok as a TV revenge Western episode. The second half has been discussed here over and over, but I'm still up to make fun of it at any time. 

If you want to talk over the top, I'm watching Albert kick morFEEN right now. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Now we have "Laura's Baby Dies" followed by a Carter episode, followed by "For the Love of Blanche."

Someone telling me it's time to stop watching TV? 

[Zella]

7 minutes ago, Superclam said:

Now we have "Laura's Baby Dies" followed by a Carter episode, followed by "For the Love of Blanche."

Someone telling me it's time to stop watching TV? 

[Egg McMuffin]

Re: the men in town for not helping Charles. Who are we to judge the mores of the 19th century, while we sit in our BarcaLoungers eating spicy curly fries?

[Blergh]

2 hours ago, Egg McMuffin said:

Re: the men in town for not helping Charles. Who are we to judge the mores of the 19th century, while we sit in our BarcaLoungers eating spicy curly fries?

Well, they'd have had straight fried potato wedges with just salt and eaten them at their dinner tables instead of their lounge chairs- but they'd have been more ready to hoist a sack of grain than modern TV viewers.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Blergh

[Mr. Sparkle]

Now I want curly fries. :(

[debraran]

I remember in the books the kids loving the pigs tail. I guess like our bacon, which sounded good. I don't think it was ever in the show. Or the pig’s bladder can be blown up to make a nice balloon. They had mainly turkey roasts. I pretty much gave up pork, once in a while but it did look good.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Now I want roast pork. :(

[Blergh]

On 10/9/2023 at 12:15 PM, Superclam said:

Now I want roast pork. :(

Perhaps you should surf here AFTER you've eaten a large meal!

Amazing how many large meals got served in Casa Ingalls- despite there being no refrigerator to store anything or even any kind of pantry or storage area depicted!

[Mr. Sparkle]

For those who haven't read the books, LIW is always talking about food. Those make me hungry! 

[debraran]

8 hours ago, Blergh said:

Perhaps you should surf here AFTER you've eaten a large meal!

Amazing how many large meals got served in Casa Ingalls- despite there being no refrigerator to store anything or even any kind of pantry or storage area depicted. 
 

And perfect every time. ;)   Never saw dishes washed. I want that kitchen!

[Blergh]

5 hours ago, debraran said:

And perfect every time. ;)   Never saw dishes washed. I want that kitchen!

Would you have been willing to let your minor child trade one of the family horses to a mean child to have gotten it?

[debraran]

8 hours ago, Blergh said:

Would you have been willing to let your minor child trade one of the family horses to a mean child to have gotten it?

On No!! I meant the seamless cleanup. lol. I am in the minority for real, that is what ruins the Xmas show for me. I didn't think a child that young could barter with an adult (sorry Nels, you are almost perfect but not this time) and the chaos to get it back, silly, because we can't make Nellie like animals or Laura have a bad decision. Her dad could have bought the stove and Laura bartered by working or whatever, something else special, but alas I know I'm in minority. Just didn't like it.

I realize though though you are jesting and I had a visceral reaction to something "sweet".  😉

 

[Blergh]

17 hours ago, debraran said:

On No!! I meant the seamless cleanup. lol. I am in the minority for real, that is what ruins the Xmas show for me. I didn't think a child that young could barter with an adult (sorry Nels, you are almost perfect but not this time) and the chaos to get it back, silly, because we can't make Nellie like animals or Laura have a bad decision. Her dad could have bought the stove and Laura bartered by working or whatever, something else special, but alas I know I'm in minority. Just didn't like it.

I realize though though you are jesting and I had a visceral reaction to something "sweet".  😉

 

Yes, I agree that the whole storyline of the grown man merchant Nels letting Laura trade in Charles's horse to Nellie for the stove (instead of, at the very least, telling Laura that he'd have to clear it with Charles) was preposterous and annoying.

However, on a . . jesting note I can't help but think you'd at least have been momentarily tempted to have allowed your [hypothetical] kid render the above transaction if it meant that you got a wood burning stove that never needed to have its chimney or base swept out- much less needed any wood placed into it to work and somehow this included having no dishes to wash (since the Widow Thurman's never were seen again after Charles did chores[and batted his eyes] for them and only in the Big Bad Cities of Winoka and Rochester did dishes require washing).

[debraran]

Yes, you nailed it. 😄

And knowing Charles wanted to buy his wife a stove like an "adult" he gives him a catalog picture and doesn't tell him his very minor daughter is giving him her horse for the stove. It wasn't HIS gift. Even if he mentioned working on the saddle, he would have kept mum I bet.  Totally ludicrous. Poor Caroline never got anything really for Xmas, things were made for Charles, it was her only big gift in 20 years. Even the dishes were not to be. Tin plates, same clothes, 50 kids in a room, but never broke her.

In the "bad " city though, their home was lovely. I saw scenes with Caroline on the phone (gasp) talking to a relative, and it seemed very nice and although we never saw the little ones, with all the rooms maybe they were lost. lol.

Edited October 13, 2023 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

yea what DID Charles end up getting her for Christmas?

[Zella]

1 hour ago, jason88cubs said:

yea what DID Charles end up getting her for Christmas?

Popcorn. Probably. 😁

[Blergh]

8 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

yea what DID Charles end up getting her for Christmas?

I think this may have been about the time they conceived the poor doomed Freddie.

[debraran]

Yes, his presence was enough, I'm sure that extra money for the stove got spent somewhere else. Charles got many gifts, remember the pajamas and hat and shirt and scarf and mittens, but Ma? Even Carrie got a toy Laura made I think but Uncle Chris make her a nice wooden one when he saw she was left out during his visit. Another one who never really had a birthday on LHOP. I  never saw a gift of cloth doll, rocking horse etc. We saw one birthday cake Ma got when they made a mess they couldn't clean up yet but more were made for others. She was just the silent,"it's not about me" wife/mother. 

For whatever reason when they were ridiculously snowed in , there were gifts galore for everyone, store bought gifts, I remember being  distracted by it. But again, Charles knew what was in his because he "peeked" but what did Caroline get???

Edited October 15, 2023 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I wish they had a set time with how long it took to get to Walnut Grove from their house, seem liked it would change base on situation

[Katy M]

3 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I wish they had a set time with how long it took to get to Walnut Grove from their house, seem liked it would change base on situation

Well, it would definitely take longer in 2 feet or more of snow than in clear weather.  Also walking with Carrie when she was little would take much longer.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Charles is at his literally preachiest at the end of "Gold Country." 

[Mr. Sparkle]

And he's at his literally nipple-est in "Castoffs."  

[jason88cubs]

On 10/19/2023 at 3:20 PM, Katy M said:

Well, it would definitely take longer in 2 feet or more of snow than in clear weather.  Also walking with Carrie when she was little would take much longer.

I meant sometimes it seemed like it was a short walk, sometimes it seemed like it was miles away depending on the episode even if the weather was fine

[Blergh]

It was odd that sometimes it seemed like a short walk over a single hill from Casa Ingalls to Downtown Walnut Grove while other times it seemed a wagon ride of roughly an hour was required!

[Mr. Sparkle]

I was watching an ep the other day ("The Inheritance") and they said the Ingalls farm was 3 miles from the Oleson's store. Of course, this show is not know for its consistency. 

[Katy M]

On 10/26/2023 at 7:26 AM, Superclam said:

I was watching an ep the other day ("The Inheritance") and they said the Ingalls farm was 3 miles from the Oleson's store. Of course, this show is not know for its consistency. 

I always thought it was about 2 or 3 miles. That's an hour leisurely walk, 20-30 minute speed walk, 15 minutes for a kid to run. Not too long if they hook up the horse and wagon.  I can't recall any episodes (besides the blizzard, where it makes sense) that it seemed like it was far away.

[debraran]

He also had them take other routes home from school, not the road. They would go by creeks and other homes, etc. If they took just the road home, I doubt they'd get into so much mischief. ; )

Edited October 28, 2023 by debraran

[Blergh]

7 hours ago, debraran said:

He also had them take other routes home from school, not the road. They would go by creeks and other homes, etc. If they took just the road home, I doubt they'd get into so much mischief. ; )

Not to mention, that they would have been able to have gotten started on their homework and [non-existent] chores straight away! LOL

[debraran]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

Not to mention, that they would have been able to have gotten started on their homework and [non-existent] chores straight away! LOL

Yes, you rarely saw chores being done, just promises to do them or Laura saying she'd do Mary's to get her to do something else. They did fish and pick berries (which also got them in trouble) and Laura met older men but the hard things like laundry and dishes and peeling potatoes, no. I guess they couldn't have a show if everyone was as  busy as a real pioneer family. Unlike the poor chap who got beaten like he killed someone for being late for his chores (which was Albert's fault) for talking him into staying longer. He never had to do anything either.