Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[RedbirdNelly]

5 minutes ago, Katy M said:

To refresh your memory, the kids had an assignment to collect leaves (not even identify or anything, just collect*), and when Nellie heard that the Ingalls were going camping, she was afraid that they would get more/better leaves than her and so demanded that her parents take them camping.  I felt bad for poor Nels.  He wanted nothing to do with the whole project.

*Nellie and Willie grabbed some poison ivy.  Laura knew what it was and didn't tell them even as she watched Mrs Olson rub it on her face.  Miss Beedle also apparently didn't know what it was because when the kids turned in their leaves she also rubbed it all over her face, IIRC.  I know she was at least handling it because you could tell Laura wanted to tell her, but it was too late.

I remembered it involving poison ivy somehow. thanks for the write up.

[CountryGirl]

I enjoyed the scratchy sounding music to accompany the poison ivy admiration. 

[jird]

1 hour ago, CountryGirl said:

I enjoyed the scratchy sounding music to accompany the poison ivy admiration. 

There was a lot of specific music themery going on in LH. Fire had its own music, poison ivy, Bunny the horse, and of course the 7,482 different renditions of Old Dan Tucker to accompany whatever mood Mr. Edwards was in.

[CountryGirl]

Oh yes and the super sad “Mary and Adam  are blind” theme. 

[debraran]

14 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

Oh yes and the super sad “Mary and Adam  are blind” theme. 

Usually accompanied by rain. ; )

[debraran]

5 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I remembered it involving poison ivy somehow. thanks for the write up.

And poor Miss Beadle got it at the end also since Nellie and Willies collection of leaves won.

It was nice seeing Nels and Harriet out of the store and she was funny, but she had funnier episodes.

[BigBingerBro]

I always love the music played in Laura's dream where they are rich and the Olesons are poor.  I call it the "Country Bumpkin" theme.

[Mr. Sparkle]

2 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Oh yes and the super sad “Mary and Adam  are blind” theme. 

I'm going to hell, but I did actually LOL at that. 

1 hour ago, BigBingerBro said:

I always love the music played in Laura's dream where they are rich and the Olesons are poor.  I call it the "Country Bumpkin" theme.

Yes, I can hear that. I believe it's played with a Jew's Harp? 

[debraran]

A lot of interesting music in Here Comes the Brides. I don't know why that dopey episode always makes me laugh but i liked having a show without Charles and Caroline and just a little of Laura and Mary. Harriet was hysterical with her quips and I liked seeing Miss Beadle have a life.

[Fostersmom]

On 1/31/2020 at 2:56 PM, jird said:

Yeah, one of the students told her she looked kinda small to be a teacher, so she bought the heeled shoes.

Speaking of teaching, I was watching the county fair episode where Mary totally ditches poor cute Patrick for the stupid balloon guy. Turns out maybe Mrs. Peele was right and Mary is a jezebel!😅

I saw the county fair episode the other day for the first time, I don't know how since I've been watching like my entire life (43). Mary was a total jezebel and the balloon guy was a future date rapist. But at least Bandit seemed to have found true love at the fair. 

I've never noticed Laura's nose job, but I'd love to know what they did to her jaw over a summer to fix her giant buck teeth that she had at the beginning. 

[Claire85]

IIRC, Melissa Gilbert had braces on the backs of her teeth so they wouldn’t show. 

[jird]

Oh my goodness, have you guys seen Livin' on a Prairie? I feel so seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67weHPMkdsY&feature=emb_err_woyt

 

[debraran]

I liked looking at the behind the scenes pictures. I always like to see how it's done even if some of the magic is gone and seeing a more relaxed cast. I thought I saw them all but there were many I didn't. I laughed at the 2 from The Handyman, one with Chris catching Caroline at the creek and then acting it out with Laura instead. ; ) 

https://www.pinterest.com/welcometomylittlehouse/little-house-behind-the-scenes/

 

Edited June 2, 2020 by debraran

[CountryGirl]

I've been doing a lot of reading (even more than I usually do) during the pandemic and picked up this book: The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure.

It's about a woman immerses herself in all things Laura, including churning her own butter and visiting many of the Little House sites, the latter of which I've always wanted to do. 

It's been a pretty quick and amusing read thus far. 

[libgirl2]

2 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

I've been doing a lot of reading (even more than I usually do) during the pandemic and picked up this book: The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure.

It's about a woman immerses herself in all things Laura, including churning her own butter and visiting many of the Little House sites, the latter of which I've always wanted to do. 

It's been a pretty quick and amusing read thus far. 

I really enjoyed that book a lot! 

[Snow Apple]

I read that too but don't remember much about it. I think I remember she tried to make vanity cakes?

[CountryGirl]

She did and she didn’t think she captured how she thought they’d be based on the book. 

[BigBingerBro]

I recently read "The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder" and even she couldn't remember how the vanity cakes were made. She remembered her mother making them and how they tasted.  She eventually obtained a recipe.  Just thought it was interesting.

[Snow Apple]

Goodness. I'm watching Sweet Sixteen and the age difference between Dean and Melissa looks so much more obvious now that I'm watching as an adult. I thought it was romantic when I was watching as a child.

If they ever remake it, I bet they wouldn't introduce Almanzo until both Laura and the actress are 18.

eta, it was also creepy how once he decided that he loves Laura, he wanted to marry her right away claiming two years is forever and trying to make her choose between him and her Pa. Say what? She *just* turned 16.

Edited June 5, 2020 by Snow Apple

[jird]

I've been watching way too much LH lately, and am realizing there are lots of times that Pa was really kind of a butthead.

• not telling Mary when she was going blind
• not stopping Ma from finding out her ma died before she saw the coffin in the back of the wagon
• getting all indignant when the Olesons wouldn't give credit to a complete stranger when they'd just moved to town
• generally being the nosiest person in Walnut Grove

[Mrs Shibbles]

Melodrama alert! May We Make Them Proud Part 1 aka the “baby battering ram” episode is on Cozi right now.

 

 

[Snow Apple]

2 hours ago, jird said:

I've been watching way too much LH lately, and am realizing there are lots of times that Pa was really kind of a butthead.

• not telling Mary when she was going blind
• not stopping Ma from finding out her ma died before she saw the coffin in the back of the wagon
• getting all indignant when the Olesons wouldn't give credit to a complete stranger when they'd just moved to town
• generally being the nosiest person in Walnut Grove

I posted this before but what about the time the criminals broke into the blind school and one of them was about to assault Mary? Pa knocked him out, but then went to hold Mary without saying anything. If course Mary will assume it's the bad guy. Way to traumatize your blind daughter, butthead.

[Katy M]

14 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I posted this before but what about the time the criminals broke into the blind school and one of them was about to assault Mary? Pa knocked him out, but then went to hold Mary without saying anything. If course Mary will assume it's the bad guy. Way to traumatize your blind daughter, butthead.

No.  Mary knows Pa's smell.  And the feel of him.  

[Snow Apple]

41 minutes ago, Katy M said:

No.  Mary knows Pa's smell.  And the feel of him.  

I'm not sure if your comment is serious or not, but Mary screamed and fought until Pa spoke. She probably didn't recognize anything about him in her moment of panic.

Edited June 6, 2020 by Snow Apple

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I'm not sure if your comment is serious or not, but Mary screamed and fought until Pa spoke. She probably didn't recognize anything about him in her moment of panic.

I actually was serious. I hadn't remembered the scene.  But, when hugging someone, I generally know them by smell as well.  It was probably just because of the situation that she didn't.

[debraran]

20 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I posted this before but what about the time the criminals broke into the blind school and one of them was about to assault Mary? Pa knocked him out, but then went to hold Mary without saying anything. If course Mary will assume it's the bad guy. Way to traumatize your blind daughter, butthead.

I agree with coffin one and the Oleson's early on. His "Cash on the barrel" was good but not for him at that time. Sure chances are he wouldn't leave but they didn't know his character yet. I didn't think they were "evil" and even Mr Oleson agreed.

The blind episode, he did tell her but denial is a hard thing. He probably didn't want to believe it and didn't know how to tell her. They didn't know about blind schools or how to pay for it (how did they?) and it was pretty scary.

I think Harriet edged everyone out on "nosey " lol

[ChicksDigScars]

Oh lordy, a treasure trove for the old time TWOpers!  This weekend, UP TV had Baby Battering Ram/MY BABY on and today, I cruise through the channels and SYLVIA IS ON!!! NOW!

Why can't I watch either of these episodes and not laugh my ass off (despite the awful subject matter). Oh yeah, because of snark like this and the former TWOP. 

[ChicksDigScars]

On 5/31/2020 at 5:02 PM, Claire85 said:

IIRC, Melissa Gilbert had braces on the backs of her teeth so they wouldn’t show. 

And she probably wore a retainer that could be removed, and head gear outside her mouth to realign her jaw at night. I had similar issues due to preschool thumb sucking. Brought my entire jaw out of alignment. I never had formal braces,  but for four years had the head gear (which one of my great uncles called my "harmonica") and a retainer INSIDE my mouth.  I'm also the same age as MG, and this was in the 70's, before Invisialign.  I always assumed she had the same work done as I did. 

[jird]

My mind has been blown. I looked up the actor who played one of my favorite one-episode characters, Stanley Novak, who was the excited dad-to-be who fell off the roof and then died, causing Doc Baker to quit doctoring because he thought it was his fault.  I love, him, and how excited he is about building the new room for the baby, etc. Turns out the same actor played Jeremy Quinn, Albert's mean old bio-dad who kept demanding to know if Albert was strong. Now my brain is all confused.

Side note: the actor who played his wife, who needed Doc Baker to help deliver her baby at the end (of course), played Mayella Ewell in To Kill A Mockingbird.

[RedbirdNelly]

I watched the episode (believe season 7) this weekend when the woman's rights person comes to town and Ma leads all the town women in leaving their jerk husbands until they sign the petition for women to own their own property and not lose everything upon marriage. Pa is a jerk but of course eventually comes around, causing everyone else to see the light. It was still fun seeing the women step it up and of course Percival was the only cool guy from the get go.

[CountryGirl]

38 minutes ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I watched the episode (believe season 7) this weekend when the woman's rights person comes to town and Ma leads all the town women in leaving their jerk husbands until they sign the petition for women to own their own property and not lose everything upon marriage. Pa is a jerk but of course eventually comes around, causing everyone else to see the light. It was still fun seeing the women step it up and of course Percival was the only cool guy from the get go.

I enjoyed that episode, too, although it did grate that the men held out until Charles (aka Pa Messiah, TM TWP) signed.

Percival ruled. Sorry, Ma and Pa and Laura and Zaldamo, Nellie and Percival were my favorite couple. 💓

[jird]

2 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Percival ruled. Sorry, Ma and Pa and Laura and Zaldamo, Nellie and Percival were my favorite couple. 💓

Yes, they were the best. I have a weird little soft spot for Willie Oleson and Rachel Brown, too.

[Snow Apple]

55 minutes ago, jird said:

Yes, they were the best. I have a weird little soft spot for Willie Oleson and Rachel Brown, too.

I love the episode where they got married. Even Nancy cracked me up when she abandoned Harriet because Rachael asked her to be the bridesmaid. The little psycho fair-weather friend.

The only weird part was Willie asking Mr. Edwards to be his best man. I never thought they had much interaction.

Fun fact. According to IMDB, the actress who played Rachel was the body model for Disney's Ariel and Belle.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Snow Apple

[Katy M]

14 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

The only weird part was Willie asking Mr. Edwards to be his best man. I never thought they had much interaction.

I guess he didn't have any other friends.

[CountryGirl]

3 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I guess he didn't have any other friends.

Yeah, DripLip, I mean, Albert had succumbed to the Nosebleed of Doom by then.

[SandyToes]

Watching Sylvia now.  I have a strange urge to speak only in haiku.... 

#TWoP

[CountryGirl]

I found a recap of Sylvia (aka the "Raped By a Mime" episode).

http://www.angelfire.com/ultra/misc/lhotp_sylvia.htm 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Now I remember this one! I remember the peeping scene with Willie at the beginning (Mrs. Oleson asks him if he saw "the difference" or something like that.) I also remember Albert with Doc Baker. "No! No! Never!" 

I seemed to have blanked out the mime part. Maybe it was too disturbing to me. 

ETA: I don't think I ever saw part 2. It doesn't sound familiar to me. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by Superclam

[RedbirdNelly]

I read the recap. I had remembered it wrong. I thought Sylvia jumped in front of a gun shot and got shot in the stomach. Am I remembering some other character's death? 

[jird]

6 minutes ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I read the recap. I had remembered it wrong. I thought Sylvia jumped in front of a gun shot and got shot in the stomach. Am I remembering some other character's death? 

I remembered it wrong, too, until I saw it again a few years ago. I thought her dad was the creepy mime rapist, which made the whole episode even more disturbing (who knew it could be more disturbing?).

[BigBingerBro]

I don't ever remember the last part in the recap where she and Albert spoke before she dies...  Maybe I just changed the channel too soon?

 

[CountryGirl]

3 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I read the recap. I had remembered it wrong. I thought Sylvia jumped in front of a gun shot and got shot in the stomach. Am I remembering some other character's death? 

James was shot during a bank robbery. 

[jird]

1 hour ago, BigBingerBro said:

I don't ever remember the last part in the recap where she and Albert spoke before she dies...  Maybe I just changed the channel too soon?

 

You were very, very smart to do so.

 

 

[RedbirdNelly]

3 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

James was shot during a bank robbery. 

thanks but I was picturing a girl getting shot in the stomach. Now wondering where I got that idea!

[ChicksDigScars]

Okay, I'm sure this has been rehashed over and over, but this morning, UP just started the Little House; A New Beginning episodes in their rotation, so we're getting introduced to Jenny and RE-introduced to Royal, who Zaldamo claims he "hasn't seen in 10 years."

Earlier this week was the episode were Royal dumped his two bratty sons on Laura and Zaldamo's doorstep. Does he have TWO brothers named Royal? 

And there is NOTHING entertaining about Nancy. Nellie was at least a fun brat to hate. Nancy isn't. she's just mean.

 

 

[Katy M]

52 minutes ago, ChicksDigScars said:

Earlier this week was the episode were Royal dumped his two bratty sons on Laura and Zaldamo's doorstep. Does he have TWO brothers named Royal? 

He does.  One is named Royal King and the other Royal Prince.

[Mr. Sparkle]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

He does.  One is named Royal King and the other Royal Prince.

Royale With Cheese is their cousin from France. 

[jird]

What ever happened to Rev. Alden's wife? Did she get locked up in the Dungeon of One-Episode Central Characters on the outskirts of town after they got married?

[MollyMelrose]

Zaldamo!!

Still miss the TWOP Little House thread. Inspired, snark-filled, hysterical genius. Truly some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere.

Will never forget a summer morning many years ago back when I was a baby teacher. WGN and TBS (neighbors on the dial) both had Little House reruns on, TBS starting 5 minutes after the hour. Never watched Little House during its first run, and really never got into the books as a kid, but decided that day I could use a dose of some wholesome family entertainment. The WGN episode that morning - Mary's baby goes up in smoke. Thought that was depressing, so switched to TBS ... for the Sylvia episode. Remember thinking, "Yipes! This is crazy!!"

Lucille Tarlek said it best on WKRP in Cincinnati: Oh, well... The Little House in the Prairie, that's a fine, wholesome show. It's about blind children out west, and every week they have a fire, or someone gets an incurable disease. We enjoy it very much!

[debraran]

Anna, Reverend's wife, was mentioned once, I think she had dinner waiting, lol.  She was a sweet, older character, I'm sure she would have appreciated some short appearances, maybe showing her in the congregation etc. Anna was so important and then....poof. ; )

But Uncle Jeb, reincarnated multiple times!

Edited June 12, 2020 by debraran