Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[debraran]

Some tidbits on dogs 
MIchael Landon had decided to have Jack die of old age to change the story line and open the door for a new dog to enter into the Ingals lives. He told me it was to boost the ratings of the show. (because dog death always does that ?)

Michael Landon bestowed the name of “Bandit” on Jeff the dog because he thought the black fur across the dog's face looked like a mask. Jeff (Jeffrey) the dog had two other litter companions: Jake and Joey. After three seasons, Jeff was retired from the show. He is now in doggy heaven.

 

[bunnyblue]

On 9/14/2020 at 3:37 PM, jason88cubs said:

when laura found jack who had passed away in the barn, charles comes in no shirt all sweaty, and laura hugs him and we see a close up shot of laura crying with charles sweat pouring on her and a great view of his nipple

just straight up awkward and uncomfortable

I fast forward this scene every single time I watch the episode because I can't deal with fictional dog deaths, so I've never watched what sounds like a terrible moment. I mean, an adult male actor pressing a child actress against his naked sweaty chest? Yikes. Things were just different in the 1970's, I guess.

[alexa]

Alicia is on an episode as another young girl.  It is the episode where Charles stays at a house he is buying some horses.  I am not sure why Charles acted like he never met her before.  Lol!

[Snow Apple]

I always laugh when comparing the show to the books. Book Ma keeps her ears covered because a teacher once scolded her for being un-ladylike for showing them. What would she think of Michael Landon flaunting his body when portraying her husband?

[CountryGirl]

Talk about flaunting one’s flesh in temptation’s rainment. In this case, nothing but a pair of suspenders. 

[jason88cubs]

2 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Talk about flaunting one’s flesh in temptation’s rainment. In this case, nothing but a pair of suspenders. 

Even when they had visitors Charles would flaunt them instead of doing the proper thing and covering up

[jason88cubs]

In the richest man in walnut grove, charles told the REV that he didnt like tea

this surprises me

i thought everyone back then drank tea

water, milk, tea or coffee usually

and well beer

but charles didnt seem to partake in alcohol

[Snow Apple]

9 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

In the richest man in walnut grove, charles told the REV that he didnt like tea

this surprises me

i thought everyone back then drank tea

water, milk, tea or coffee usually

and well beer

but charles didnt seem to partake in alcohol

Sorry to bring up the books again but the real Charles like tea. I think he was the one who called it a "man's drink." 

[debraran]

12 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

Sorry to bring up the books again but the real Charles like tea. I think he was the one who called it a "man's drink." 

Tea was used a lot back then and maybe cheaper, that I'm not sure about. It's sad to learn an actor you liked had issues like anyone else, but he was honest later. Many actor's drank too much but since he was able to work, a working alcoholic as they put it, he was given a pass. If you need alcohol daily, have to drink it during the day, talk about the boozing with pals etc. you have a problem. The heavy cigarette smoking fits in with the addictive substances. I read 4 packs unfiltered a day but I also read he quit after Victor French's death. (not sure if that were true) I know a friend who had cancer, couldn't quit, but 4 years later with another cancer scare, she did cold turkey. You never know, never stop trying.

[jason88cubs]

Honestly it surprised me to learn how much he drank and smoked. I mean he must've worked out like a madman to keep those pounds off

[debraran]

1 hour ago, jason88cubs said:

Honestly it surprised me to learn how much he drank and smoked. I mean he must've worked out like a madman to keep those pounds off

He did, he worked out a lot. Some people can drink a lot and not eat as much but as you get older, it gets harder. Karen Grassle commented He reached frequently for a cup with a little inch of vodka in it, so it wasn’t obvious for the children that he was drinking vodka,” recalls Karen Grassle, Landon’s former costar. “But his costumer always knew when to go and get a little snort for Mike — and that could be morning, noon, or night.”

I think vodka also has less of a smell but it's funny how a family show would have "3 case days" as the staff put it when things were stressful. I'm glad the kids didn't really know but the older ones realized it.

Edited September 19, 2020 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

The way Charles talked to the banker annoyed me

When Charles sat there and said the banker had no friends

I mean how rude could you be? Charles was just mad the banker hadn't given him the loan yet

Can you blame the banker? Charles was a walking fraud. I'm surprised Charles didnt break his ribs putting together the bank

Also CHARLES DIDNT EVEN GET IT BUILT IN TIME. He was like 40 minutes late. Great first impression Charles

The banker thought charles sent laura fishing to soften up the banker and guess what CHARLES WOULD do something like that

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

Also CHARLES DIDNT EVEN GET IT BUILT IN TIME. He was like 40 minutes late. Great first impression Charles

I never really understood that. He got there.  They were done.   Why did he get there 40 minutes after he wanted it done?  Maybe they should have charged him for being late taking possession and it would have washed.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Holy sh!t! I've never actually seen the "Caroline Almost Cuts Her Leg Off" episode, although I've heard about it. That was messed up! It would have terrified me if I watched it when I was a kid. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Followed by "The Runaway Caboose" or "The Little Engine That Couldn't," which I do remember. Even the kid version of me knew that Laura and Mary weren't getting hurt on that train. 

Edited September 22, 2020 by Superclam

[debraran]

13 hours ago, Superclam said:

Holy sh!t! I've never actually seen the "Caroline Almost Cuts Her Leg Off" episode, although I've heard about it. That was messed up! It would have terrified me if I watched it when I was a kid. 

I never thought she meant to cut it off ,that would be impossible, but knew she had to cut it . My mom would say ( before penicillin) you had to let the toxins out and “ let it bleed” . Of course in real life they would probably kill her if it went on too long . Doc was right that it had to be done just right and God knew when.

[Katy M]

31 minutes ago, debraran said:

I never thought she meant to cut it off ,that would be impossible, but knew she had to cut it . My mom would say ( before penicillin) you had to let the toxins out and “ let it bleed” . Of course in real life they would probably kill her if it went on too long . Doc was right that it had to be done just right and God knew when.

I don't know about that.  She did read the Bible verse about cutting off your hand and poking out your eye.  This is one of the plots stolen from Bonanza.  Little Joe was left behind to wait for a late cook to go on a cattle drive or round up and he cut himself and was going to cut off his hand.

[Mr. Sparkle]

20 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I don't know about that.  She did read the Bible verse about cutting off your hand and poking out your eye.  

This was my take. She heated up that knife and tied on a tourniquet. Personally, I would have gone with an axe... 

[jird]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

This was my take. She heated up that knife and tied on a tourniquet. Personally, I would have gone with an axe... 

Yeah, I figured that she was kind of delusional from the high fever and the pain, and she was taking the Bible verse kind of literally.

[debraran]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

This was my take. She heated up that knife and tied on a tourniquet. Personally, I would have gone with an axe... 

That’s what I meant, she realistically couldn’t have done that and would have bled to death but I thought the verse was to give her guidance and strength 

[Mr. Sparkle]

57 minutes ago, debraran said:

That’s what I meant, she realistically couldn’t have done that and would have bled to death but I thought the verse was to give her guidance and strength 

"Realistically" is the keyword here. 

[BigBingerBro]

What always strikes me in that episode is how the freshly baked pies didn't get waterlogged during that epic storm.  I know they were under the front door overhang, but that was one windy storm!  

[CountryGirl]

It always bugged that Rev Alden and Mrs. Foster didn't spend more than 5 seconds to see if Caroline was home. Yes, the door was locked, the shutters closed, but she could have been in the barn, out back, etc. 

They just nabbed the pies and were out of there.

No wonder Ma looked so pissed off here.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

On a total shallow note, I thought Caroline looked really good here with her hair down and in the nightgown. I guess the bonnet and frumpy dress don't do it for me. 

Edited September 24, 2020 by Superclam
Grammah.

[CountryGirl]

I liked seeing her with her hair down, too. 

[debraran]

4 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

I liked seeing her with her hair down, too. 

She had beautiful hair, nice and thick. During Handyman she had it down too and it looked lovely. I don't think I ever saw Miss Beadle's down, maybe Harriet's a few times but since she usually had a face mask on or something, it's wasn't "pretty". ; ) I don't think Alice did, Patricia Neal did in bed. You would think they'd keep it shorter since it was always up but I guess that wasn't "womanly back then.

I found it fascinating how fast Charles got back, if he had a car it would have been 100 miles an hour! Since food was real, I'm sure the crew had some nice dessert that day.

[BigBingerBro]

1 hour ago, debraran said:

I don't think I ever saw Miss Beadle's down

When she wiped out in the runaway buggy and was recouperating in her room, she had a super long thick braid, which was obviously false.  I don't think her has was very long in real life.

[debraran]

24 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

When she wiped out in the runaway buggy and was recouperating in her room, she had a super long thick braid, which was obviously false.  I don't think her has was very long in real life.

No in all her pictures, it was short. This one of Harriet shows a somewhat blurry pic of her hair down. It was pretty.

 

[jason88cubs]

I wish Edwards and Gravey made a appearance together.

 

WHo does Charles pick as his best friend?

 

FIND OUT TONIGHT!

[alexa]

How on earth in the episode with Mary’s baby in the fire did she and Adam not give a thought to grabbing the baby?  The baby was right there and Mary just runs off without a thought!  And then they sit outside as if they have everyone. 

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I wish Edwards and Gravey made a appearance together.

 

WHo does Charles pick as his best friend?

 

FIND OUT TONIGHT!

He'd pick Edwards.  No doubt about it.

[Mr. Sparkle]

40 minutes ago, alexa said:

How on earth in the episode with Mary’s baby in the fire did she and Adam not give a thought to grabbing the baby?  The baby was right there and Mary just runs off without a thought!  And then they sit outside as if they have everyone. 

It's been brought up many times. We have not come up with a good answer. When I watched it recently for the first time in decades I had to rewind it 3 times to make sure I was seeing it correctly. Why Hester Sue left the basement door open is another good question. 

[alexa]

17 minutes ago, Superclam said:

It's been brought up many times. We have not come up with a good answer. When I watched it recently for the first time in decades I had to rewind it 3 times to make sure I was seeing it correctly. Why Hester Sue left the basement door open is another good question. 

Yes definitely!  It is a rather crazy turn of events.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Ugh, I just watched "The Older Brothers." So ridiculous. Practically a Yosemite Sam cartoon, complete with dynamite and an exploded cigar. 

[CountryGirl]

^^ I think I must have wiped that one out of my mind. See also: Halloween Dream and The Godsister. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Well, morFEEN is on now, and then the orangutan one later. I think I'm done for today. The good thing is first season episodes are coming soon. When my grandkids ask me what I did during the pandemic, I'll tell them "I watched Little House reruns over and over!" 

[Mr. Sparkle]

1 hour ago, CountryGirl said:

Halloween Dream

I had to google this one, I've never heard of it. I thought you were talking about "Laura thinks Nels cut off Mrs. Oleson's head." Looks like one of those that would NOT be made today. 

1 hour ago, CountryGirl said:

The Godsister

I also googled this one, and many people agree that this is one of the worst episodes in the whole series. It's the one I used to skip even when there were only 5 other channels to watch. 

[jird]

3 hours ago, Superclam said:

I also googled this one, and many people agree that this is one of the worst episodes in the whole series. It's the one I used to skip even when there were only 5 other channels to watch. 

What are some other episodes we always skip? I always skip

• Halloween Dream
• Mr. Olseson gets kidnapped
• Laura teaches a Deaf boy to sign in 3 1/2 minutes
• Most of the episodes featuring "Indians"

[CountryGirl]

21 minutes ago, jird said:

What are some other episodes we always skip? I always skip

• Halloween Dream
• Mr. Olseson gets kidnapped
• Laura teaches a Deaf boy to sign in 3 1/2 minutes
• Most of the episodes featuring "Indians"

Those are all definitely on my must-miss list. I also can’t watch the May We Bake Them Brown and Thylvia two-parters anymore. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Season 9 has been showing lately, and most are hard to take. Orangutan, Shannon Doherty almost drowns, the first half of James gets shot at the bank (oddly enough, I enjoy the ridiculous second half.) Billy Barty works at the bank I can skip. I don't mind Thylvia, but I have to be in the mood for Mary Goes Blind or Baby Gets Burned. 

[Snow Apple]

I skip Albert is addicted to MORphine. 

Ma's infected leg, but only because I'm squeamish. The acting was excellent.

Gambini the Great

Mr. Edwards lose Grace and family because of his depression and alcoholism.

Episodes that focus on James.

[debraran]

2 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I skip Albert is addicted to MORphine. 

Ma's infected leg, but only because I'm squeamish. The acting was excellent.

Gambini the Great

Mr. Edwards lose Grace and family because of his depression and alcoholism.

Episodes that focus on James.

I agree with most of the late episodes , Landon gave up on the show (IMHO) even if he didn't say it. Kids wanting to commit suicide, orangutans , silly kidnappings, poor Doc Baker being slammed again.  The writers left or starting smoking pot and drinking more. No more Bonanza scripts? When I see a show like Mr Carter's son liking a widow, I love it more than I should, not because it's that good but the rest are that bad. 

[CountryGirl]

Ah yes...I forgot about Gambini the Crispy.

A guy is wrapped up in chains, then is placed in a coffin and shut inside, then mounds and mounds of hay are forked over said coffin and lit on 🔥. What could possibly go wrong?

I do think it was pure evil that ML tried to kill Ginny, I mean, Jenny by drowning, not once, but twice. 

[bunnyblue]

9 hours ago, jird said:

What are some other episodes we always skip? I always skip

• Halloween Dream
• Mr. Olseson gets kidnapped
• Laura teaches a Deaf boy to sign in 3 1/2 minutes
• Most of the episodes featuring "Indians"

Yep, I definitely skip the Native American episodes. I suppose they were considered progressive in the 1970's when they first aired, but now they are so cringey. FFS, one episode is even titled "Injun Kid". 🤦🏻‍♀️

One episode I usually skip is "The Racoon" because of the way Laura neglects & mistreats poor Jack in favor of that damn racoon. Plus seeing Charles point a rifle at Jack as the poor sweet boy just stares at him with love traumatized me as a child. I also tend to skip "The Love of Johnny Johnson" because, man, that kid was fug and I never understood why Laura & Mary would fight over him.

Edited October 13, 2020 by bunnyblue

[Mr. Sparkle]

Since I've been watching all summer and it's on all day, there have been a few that I've seen so often I don't need to see them again for a while. The first season on where the old lady fakes her death to see her family again, Olga's shoe, and Laura breaks Nellie's music box come to mind. Actually, I'd probably watch Olga's shoe if it was on. 

Tomorrow on UP TV the whole things starts again with the made for tv movie at 8AM! 

[CountryGirl]

If I Should Wake Before I Die - I am probably one of the lone folks who actually like that episode. Her kids were shits, especially the youngest, Andy, whom she didn't even know if he had been killed in the Civil War and it was what, late 1870s by this point? Not a letter, not a telegram, nothing!

I still remember her words to him: "15 years of hurt and worrying! And not a move do you make . . . until you think I'm dead and gone."

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I don't hate it, it just that I've seen it about 4 times in the last few months. For whatever reason, some of the episodes I see over and over, others I rarely see. It's just coincidence of when I happen to be watching. For example, I like the first Percival episodes, but it's only in the last week or so that I happenned to catch them. I seem to catch the pack of wild dogs episode and Albert on morFEEN more times than I care to. Luckily, I haven't happened upon Halloween Dream or the Godsister yet. 

Edited October 20, 2020 by Superclam

[Snow Apple]

I don’t watch the episodes whenever an Ingalls lose their babies. Caroline, Mary (twice!), and Laura.

Also the episode where Caroline help her friend with birth and gave her baby to another couple after the friend dies. I think that’s the story. Or maybe she gave her friend another couple’s baby? I don’t remember because I haven't watch it after the first viewing.

[Mr. Sparkle]

1 minute ago, Snow Apple said:

Also the episode where Caroline help her friend with birth and gave her baby to another couple after the friend dies. I think that’s the story. Or maybe she gave her friend another couple’s baby? I don’t remember because I haven't watch it after the first viewing.

This was on yesterday. A 9th season episode? I don't like it either. 

[CountryGirl]

51 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

I don’t watch the episodes whenever an Ingalls lose their babies. Caroline, Mary (twice!), and Laura.

Also the episode where Caroline help her friend with birth and gave her baby to another couple after the friend dies. I think that’s the story. Or maybe she gave her friend another couple’s baby? I don’t remember because I haven't watch it after the first viewing.

Caroline's friend, whom, of course, we've never, ever heard of before, dies in childbirth. Another woman gives birth at the same time, but her child dies. Caroline's friend's husband is a real douchebag, including hitting on Caroline (!!!), and the other woman's husband is a sweetheart. So Caroline decides to swap the babies. To be fair, she's helping with both births and is holding the crying baby and he hears the baby and comes into the tent, assuming it is his child. Caroline doesn't correct him.