Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[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

[CountryGirl]

I pretend S9 does not exist. 

[Cheezwiz]

5 hours ago, MollyMelrose said:

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!

If you watched it avidly as a youngster, it's not until you reach adulthood and look back that you realize what an incredibly fucked up family show this really was.

Oh, and for quoting WKRP? Especially THAT hilarious quote? YOU ARE ONE OF MY PEOPLE!!!

 

 

[debraran]

I was reading about the the things left out of the books and maybe the fire scenes weren't so crazy. Geez, the life hard enough without a a drunk guy with kerosene.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2726615/Wilder-memoir-gritty-view-prairie-life.html

[jason88cubs]

I love "The Inheritance"

 

Charles gets told he's in his uncles will, so they buy a bunch of stuff without having the actual money then its confederate money and everyone blame sthemselves and Charles gets away scot free

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, jason88cubs said:

I love "The Inheritance"

 

Charles gets told he's in his uncles will, so they buy a bunch of stuff without having the actual money then its confederate money and everyone blame sthemselves and Charles gets away scot free

Well, let's look at what he bought.  Books for the school and an organ for the church.  The town should have at least paid him back for those anyway.

[jason88cubs]

1 minute ago, Katy M said:

Well, let's look at what he bought.  Books for the school and an organ for the church.  The town should have at least paid him back for those anyway.

No I agree,

 

It's just he' so cash on the barrel and he just threw that motto away and started promising and charging stuff

[Katy M]

Just now, jason88cubs said:

No I agree,

 

It's just he' so cash on the barrel and he just threw that motto away and started promising and charging stuff

Yeah, I  know.  I just hate that episode because everyone pressures him to buy stuff before he had the money.  They should have not let the kids know and then it wouldn't have gotten blabbed all over town and then he would have waited for the money before spending it all.

Also, why on earth didn't the lawyer tell him it was confederate money in the first place.  I actually don't remember the details, but he either didn't give them a dollar amount, in which case they wouldn't know how much they could spend anyway, or he just flat out lied if he left out the small teeny tiny detail of it being worthless money.

[jason88cubs]

1 minute ago, Katy M said:

Yeah, I  know.  I just hate that episode because everyone pressures him to buy stuff before he had the money.  They should have not let the kids know and then it wouldn't have gotten blabbed all over town and then he would have waited for the money before spending it all.

Also, why on earth didn't the lawyer tell him it was confederate money in the first place.  I actually don't remember the details, but he either didn't give them a dollar amount, in which case they wouldn't know how much they could spend anyway, or he just flat out lied if he left out the small teeny tiny detail of it being worthless money.

Lawyer didn't know if I recall.

 

The money was in a chest which was locked and if I recall the lawyer told Charles he had no clue what was in it

 

[Katy M]

30 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

Lawyer didn't know if I recall.

 

The money was in a chest which was locked and if I recall the lawyer told Charles he had no clue what was in it

 

That just makes Charles super stupid.  It's one thing to spend money you don't have yet if you know how much you're getting.  It's unconscionable to do so otherwise.  

[BigBingerBro]

The inheritance resulting in nothing is a recurring theme.  When Adam's father died, he ended up with nothing as well.  That one ticked me off because you'd think he would have had more assets to offset whatever debts he had.

[Katy M]

Now that we're talking about the episode, the whole organ thing is bugging me.  That's the best use of money that Reverend Alden can think of?  Does anybody in that town know how to play the organ? A piano would have made more sense. Was he thinking one of those huge organs with a million pipes?  But, more importantly, half the time Walnut Grove is depicted as a dirt poor farming community.  And you're going to waste money on a musical instrument instead of setting up some kind food/clothing/shelter fund for the poor? Come on, Reverend Alden.  And, really, does anyone know how to play it?  You're going to end up with a very expensive conversation piece.

[CountryGirl]

And we never saw that organ until The Scarecrow, ahem, Ray Bolger’s Toby Noe showed up in an episode, his heart set on wooing a mean old bat, and he was playing the organ at church to impress her. 

And it’s not like they needed an organ to accompany their two songs “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “Bringing in the Sheaves.” The latter of which Charles never managed to do  

[debraran]

Yes, in the books I vaguely remember a giving tree at Xmas and getting magazines and other things since everyone was so poor. Nothing like that in this show.

I wondered how old widows lived, they didn't farm, did they have any help? We take SS and other things for granted now (although not much money) but back then you were on your own. Grace worked at the post office but did that really pay enough for food and taxes and other things you needed. I can only imagine what women got paid back then.

Edited June 13, 2020 by debraran

[Katy M]

9 minutes ago, debraran said:

I wondered how old widows lived, they didn't farm, did they have any help?

If they had kids they would move in with them.  If not, maybe a sibling.  If they were young widows, they would do their best to remarry.  So would widowers in order to have a mother for their children.

[debraran]

37 minutes ago, Katy M said:

If they had kids they would move in with them.  If not, maybe a sibling.  If they were young widows, they would do their best to remarry.  So would widowers in order to have a mother for their children.

Yes I guess you had to be practical. (or starve) Grace seemed to be alone. The other widow with the dishes on this show was rich. The Sanderson widow died, not sure how she got by.

Found this cool overnight as a pioneer from a few years ago near me. I wonder if they will do this after Covid is gone. I bet quite a few people found it not as attractive as they thought. I do love Sturbridge Village though.

https://www.concordmonitor.com/Boarding-with-the-Bixbys-11881043

https://shunpikingwithray.com/2018/09/18/boarding-with-the-bixbys-15-16-september-1838-2018-osv-org/

Edited June 14, 2020 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I don't understand how the heck Walnut Grove got a bank in the first place. They were constantly broke

 

heck 8 episodes before the "Ebenezer Sprague" episode wa s"The Richest Man in Walnut Grove" when the Ingalls family was poorer than poor, but then 8 episodes later Charles wants a loan?!?!?

[BigBingerBro]

1 hour ago, debraran said:

The other widow with the dishes on this show was rich.

The widow Thurmond wasn't it?  I love Mariette Hartley so that is one of my favorite episodes.  Too bad she wasn't a recurring character.  I would have loved to hear more about her backstory.  What was her rich husband doing on the prairie?  I read Melissa Gilbert's autobiography and she said Ms  Hartley was one of only two stars who got their own trailer on the set because she was nursing at the time.

[debraran]

9 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

The widow Thurmond wasn't it?  I love Mariette Hartley so that is one of my favorite episodes.  Too bad she wasn't a recurring character.  I would have loved to hear more about her backstory.  What was her rich husband doing on the prairie?  I read Melissa Gilbert's autobiography and she said Ms  Hartley was one of only two stars who got their own trailer on the set because she was nursing at the time.

I loved her too and the commercials she did with James Garner. ; )  I think that was their Prairie house like some people have summer/winter homes in the country. One of the few later shows I liked was with Jason Carter and the widow Ruthie Leland (?) who also was visiting. She was kind to him and she left before she died. I think that place was her "summer place" too. If only they stayed long enough to invest in the town. lol

I found it odd Charles asked for money from the bank for dishes but the other time was for Mary and I think he couldn't because he left but the church took up a collection. I never got how the bank stayed open and was it even secured then?

Edited June 14, 2020 by debraran

[BigBingerBro]

The bank is one thing but I also often wondered how the Mercantile stayed in business as well.   I know it's TV, but the population of Walnut Grove MN in 1880 was 153.  That does not account for surrounding areas, but that still does not seem to bode well for any business.  Perhaps they made money from pioneers coming through as they were heading west?

[parrotfeathers]

On 6/9/2020 at 10:58 AM, CountryGirl said:

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. 💓

I really enjoyed the episodes with Percival and Nellie.  

I cannot seem to get through any episodes with Albert.  I just don't like his character at all.  

[jason88cubs]

11 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

The bank is one thing but I also often wondered how the Mercantile stayed in business as well.   I know it's TV, but the population of Walnut Grove MN in 1880 was 153.  That does not account for surrounding areas, but that still does not seem to bode well for any business.  Perhaps they made money from pioneers coming through as they were heading west?

and the Olson's had tons of stuff too geez

[debraran]

10 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

and the Olson's had tons of stuff too geez

Yes you had to suspend reality in how they bought all the expensive things when people mainly bought eggs, sugar, spices, grain, etc and fabric. I think Harriet had money when she married Nels which probably helped too.

The store didn't stick out as much as the restaurant, where did all the customers come from? I'm sure the farmers working their butts off in the field didn't eat there daily and use up whatever they had in savings. I liked the scenes there though, loved Percival and Nellie, but it wasn't a bustling town to stop over in. ; )  It did add to some of the scripts and comedy.

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by debraran