Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[Snow Apple]

The Godsister will be on today. I know y'all can't wait for this fine piece of work.

[debraran]

A lot of Godsister wasn't Greenbushes' fault.  Michael wasn't dumb, he knew her acting ability, he knew a 90 min show was too long and the "Alyssa!" stuff was annoying. Dan Balluck could write better than that. Everything was off in that show, Ma was yelling at Carrie, the girls, she was a "pest" underfoot, but it was so obvious and staged. Nothing felt right.

The heaven part was cute but why look up Charles Jr and have St Peter say No, but I see a Jack. For some reason that bothered me, if she hadn't asked about him, it would be fine.  To me seeing Jack was the best part. ; )  Just a dream but seemed odd to me and seeing "Uncle Jeb" again a bit much.  Mike owed him a lot of favors. lol

 

[Snow Apple]

I'm watching Blind Journey now and remembered how Harriet's speech to the bigoted man is usually cut out in reruns and wondered why since it was her moment of glory and redemption.

I just looked it up and was horrified the N word was used. What?! I did not remember that at all! Now I know why they cut that scene and I think it's right move for tv showings.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Snow Apple

[Mr. Sparkle]

I'm watching now. Decent episode, if a bit predictable. Mrs. Oleson fell into the stream?? Who saw that coming?? 

I don't remember another speech about racism, just the one with the kid that they showed. 

[Snow Apple]

I spoke too soon in the above post. Today's showing put back that scene but they silenced that word.

Superclam, as you probably already figured out, the speech I was talking about is at the end when they arrived in Walnut Grove.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Snow Apple

[Mr. Sparkle]

1 hour ago, Snow Apple said:

I spoke too soon in the above post. Today's showing put back that scene but they silenced that word.

Superclam, as you probably already figured out, the speech I was talking about is at the end when they arrived in Walnut Grove.

I missed the end, so thanks. I'm assuming it was the older man, the one who sided with Mrs. Oleson initially. 

I turned off the hour and a half Carrie episode. 

[debraran]

I watched The Return of Mr Edwards last night when Charles finds him in town. In the beginning there is a guy rowing a boat up a river and the town in the background. You can see a palm tree sticking out above on the buildings. Funny the things you never noticed before when you watch many times.  The hand someone pointed out shaking the buggy in one episode was pretty noticeable though , I guess they feel you will be looking at the stars.

Because the outside scenes were done one time and the indoor on the set, many fans catch hair or clothing differences because they had to be careful to match everything up.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Episodes from 9-3 today! It's hot and there's a quarantine, so I'm staying in! 

Up now: The Craftsman - Albert gets beat up for helping the one Jewish person in town. 

[jason88cubs]

It is quite funny how Charles and Carrie really had limited interaction between each other if you look back and think about it

[Mr. Sparkle]

There are two marathons today! Hallmark Channel is also showing episodes until 11 tonight! 

They're showing the one with Charles' father now. 

So chilling when the barbed wire comes into the shot... 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Superclam

[Mr. Sparkle]

Turned off "Bully Boys." Watching "Dance With Me." Ray Bolger trying to get with a lonely spinster. 

[debraran]

I'm watching Ma's Holiday where Karen Grassle said the only episode where she got to show bare arms and shoulders. ; )

There is a scene with Mr Edwards trying to feed Carrie, food is on  her bib, then off, then on. lol I guess some scenes needed a lot of takes, some not.

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by debraran

[Mr. Sparkle]

Oooh, Blizzard! I like this one. One of the messed-up ones. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Ugh, up at 2PM: Carrie falls in a well vs. Kezia's house. That may be a sign to turn off the TV. 

[jason88cubs]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

Oooh, Blizzard! I like this one. One of the messed-up ones. 

Blizzard is great and a bit "woah" for its time

[jason88cubs]

 

I hated the way Charles talked to the banker

When Charles sat there and said the banker had no friends

I mean how rude could you be? Charles was just pissed 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 lol

 

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Damn, I got a little choked up at the end of that well episode. Good episode, I don't remember ever seeing it before. 

"Little Women" is on now. Good for comic relief. 

LOL, I remember that the girl cuts off her hair to pay for something. The wig she's wearing right now is so obvious it's laughable. 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Superclam

[jason88cubs]

I do enjoy that in one episode that the Ingalls will be very poor but the next episode their buying stuff with no problem

[Mr. Sparkle]

On 6/27/2020 at 12:34 PM, Snow Apple said:

I just looked it up and was horrified the N word was used. What?! I did not remember that at all! Now I know why they cut that scene and I think it's right move for tv showings.

I'm watching the Todd Bridges episode on Hallmark and they muted out the N-word. It would have been hard to cut the scene; it was integral to the plot. 

[jird]

22 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

 

I hated the way Charles talked to the banker

When Charles sat there and said the banker had no friends

I mean how rude could you be? Charles was just pissed 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 lol

 

 

And it was so tortured how Laura was hanging out with a random adult man (one of many in this series), and talked about him constantly, but she never asked his name and her parents never bothered to find out who he was despite her constant yammering about him. "Oh, you're spending all your time with someone who obviously just moved here because you don't know him, but that's not weird or creepy at all. Also, let's keep talking about the other person who coincidentally just moved here and is obviously unrelated to your friend."

[CountryGirl]

22 hours ago, Superclam said:

Damn, I got a little choked up at the end of that well episode. Good episode, I don't remember ever seeing it before. 

Most of the well episode is annoying to me - even just the premise of Carrie falling down a well, because, of course she would.

But even I have to admit that the end, where it's assumed there's a cave-in and Carrie is dead, it's pretty moving to see Caroline collapse by the well and then to hear that faint "Caroline" in the background and to see Charles stepping into the firelight, something in his arms, and then we see it's Carrie, saying "Mama."

Even though I knew, even the first time I saw it, that Carrie wasn't about to be killed off (unless ML really went off the rails), the characters didn't know that. I also liked that moment where Ma wasn't perfect and almost had to be restrained from attacking Miss Beadle, whom she blamed for the assignment that led them to exploring the woods near the abandoned well. Save it for the blizzard, Ma.

[CountryGirl]

LOL. Or one of the kids from Clan of the Cave Bear.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Yeah, the best part was that Carrie wasn't actually in the episode more than 2 minutes. 

[debraran]

2 hours ago, Superclam said:

Yeah, the best part was that Carrie wasn't actually in the episode more than 2 minutes. 

I think she was actually better younger. She talked "young" later, whether they wanted her too or not, that whiny voice and acting like she couldn't tie her shoes without help at 8. I liked her in the Xmas show with the star and climibing in the "tub" after Laura's bath with the dog. (Country Girls) asking Mr Edwards to stay with a smile. Later making her have the same dialogue when she was losing the baby look was as dumb as Grace shoved in a high chair at 4. 

 

Edited June 29, 2020 by debraran

[Cheezwiz]

On 6/28/2020 at 8:23 AM, Susan Easey said:

Grace and the high chair for a 4 year old was not much better.

Wasn't Grace basically a toddler in a high-chair for the show's ENTIRE RUN? I always forget there were younger siblings, because they never featured in the stories except as background!

[jason88cubs]

I always lost track if the kids and pregnancies by the time we got to season 6

[CountryGirl]

2 hours ago, Cheezwiz said:

Wasn't Grace basically a toddler in a high-chair for the show's ENTIRE RUN? I always forget there were younger siblings, because they never featured in the stories except as background!

Yep. Ridiculous. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I just caught the end of that silly balloon episode. Now the one where Nellie gets married is on. Much more entertaining, if only for Nellie & Mrs. Oleson's acting. 

[debraran]

42 minutes ago, Superclam said:

I just caught the end of that silly balloon episode. Now the one where Nellie gets married is on. Much more entertaining, if only for Nellie & Mrs. Oleson's acting. 

That is one of my favs. The one liners about what she wanted for her daughters future, the "make her a widow" and many more. It was nice to see more of them that episode and little of the rest, they all were good actors and refreshing to see them have more than Mrs O and Nellie being bullies.

Nelson "Nels" Oleson: [talking about Nellie's new boyfriend in bed] He's a bit rough around the edges but I kind of like the boy.

Mrs. Oleson: You never had any taste.

Nelson "Nels" Oleson: You're right.

Mrs. Oleson: What did you say?

Nelson "Nels" Oleson: I said good night!

Edited June 30, 2020 by debraran

[CountryGirl]

Bingo, @Susan Easey. RL Carrie and Grace likely wanted to kick ML's behind for doing them so dirty on the show.

[RedbirdNelly]

On any show, I always hate and want to skip any episode where a character thinks they are rich but turns out they are not and part of the episode is them dreaming about what they will do with the money. I believe Little House has one with Laura finding fools gold. I could be mixed up since if I see that in the episode description, it's a definite "nope; find something else to watch." Also, in general, I'm not a fan of any dream episodes. Waste of time.

 

[CountryGirl]

Carrie had a pretty interesting life in her own right as she worked for several newspapers, even managing one at one point (so Laura and Rose weren't the only writers in the family). Carrie helped her sister recall many memories from the past in the writing of the LH books. Her husband, David Swanzey, gave Mount Rushmore its name and her stepson, Harold, was one of the workers who helped carve the monument. 

Here's a link with some good details re Carrie's life:

http://www.keystonehistory.com/index.php/cultural-innovators/carrie-ingalls

[Snow Apple]

2 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

On any show, I always hate and want to skip any episode where a character thinks they are rich but turns out they are not and part of the episode is them dreaming about what they will do with the money. I believe Little House has one with Laura finding fools gold. I could be mixed up since if I see that in the episode description, it's a definite "nope; find something else to watch." Also, in general, I'm not a fan of any dream episodes. Waste of time.

 

I don't usually like the dream episodes either, but I find Laura's dream of the Olesons being poor funny. I remember Nellie looked prettier without her curly wig.

[Katy M]

17 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

I don't usually like the dream episodes either, but I find Laura's dream of the Olesons being poor funny. I remember Nellie looked prettier without her curly wig.

That dream was hilarious.  And it only lasted a few minutes, so it isn't like it was the whole epi.  And the music. LOL.  And then Mary annoyed she was woken up by laughter.  I would have been, too.

That episode is one of my favorites. It's realistic that a couple of kids would be fooled by fool's gold.  And then trying to pan it over several days while going to school and doing their chores and keeping it a secret, until the last day when they decided to forget about school and just finish up already.  

I have a feeling that had it been real gold, life wouldn't have turned out like she thought anyway.

[RedbirdNelly]

11 minutes ago, Katy M said:

That dream was hilarious.  And it only lasted a few minutes, so it isn't like it was the whole epi.  And the music. LOL.  And then Mary annoyed she was woken up by laughter.  I would have been, too.

That episode is one of my favorites. It's realistic that a couple of kids would be fooled by fool's gold.  And then trying to pan it over several days while going to school and doing their chores and keeping it a secret, until the last day when they decided to forget about school and just finish up already.  

I have a feeling that had it been real gold, life wouldn't have turned out like she thought anyway.

I don't like these episodes because I feel badly for the kids. That feeling ruins the whole watching experience for me. But I get what you are saying.

[CountryGirl]

Now, now, some of the dream episodes were fun.

I mean, where else would you see normally mild-manner Nels looking like this.

Or Harriet's head where it belonged...on a platter.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Harriet's head on the platter scared the living sh!t out of me when I first saw it!!! 

[Mr. Sparkle]

10 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

On any show, I always hate and want to skip any episode where a character thinks they are rich but turns out they are not and part of the episode is them dreaming about what they will do with the money. I believe Little House has one with Laura finding fools gold. I could be mixed up since if I see that in the episode description, it's a definite "nope; find something else to watch." Also, in general, I'm not a fan of any dream episodes. Waste of time.

 

"The Inheritance" is on Hallmark right now. Since I know where the Ingalls family ends up, I can tell what's going to happen even though I don't remember this one. 

ETA: Yes, I do remember this one, specifically the auction at the end, which I always liked. Mrs. Oleson was such a ______ in this. 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Superclam

[Mr. Sparkle]

Mary goes blind 2-parter is up at 7. I don't know if I have the energy for that today. 

[CountryGirl]

Ah, the "Mline? I'm gonna be..mmmline?" two-parter. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I watched the first 45 minutes or so and then I was called away. Definitely some of the better acting on this show, from Mary and Charles. 

[libgirl2]

7 hours ago, Katy M said:

That dream was hilarious.  And it only lasted a few minutes, so it isn't like it was the whole epi.  And the music. LOL.  And then Mary annoyed she was woken up by laughter.  I would have been, too.

That episode is one of my favorites. It's realistic that a couple of kids would be fooled by fool's gold.  And then trying to pan it over several days while going to school and doing their chores and keeping it a secret, until the last day when they decided to forget about school and just finish up already.  

I have a feeling that had it been real gold, life wouldn't have turned out like she thought anyway.

That was always one of my favorite episodes. And I agree, the music was funny too! 

[jason88cubs]

Edwards or Garvey?

 

who did you like more

[Mr. Sparkle]

I liked Garvey, but definitely Edwards. 

[CountryGirl]

1 hour ago, jason88cubs said:

Edwards or Garvey?

 

who did you like more

Ole Dan Tucker vs Them’s Snails. 

Tough call.

Probably Edwards. For the Christmas in Kansas, his flirting with Grace, and his love of the Henderson orphans. 

[debraran]

I know Merle didn't seem to have the same acting experience as Victor but his character always rubbed me the wrong way. They made him kind of dense, no matter what they were talking about. I feel how he treated Alice at times probably was "1800 correct" but Charles and others were more progressive. Mr Edwards seemed more fun and although both drank at times, they had Mr Edwards during those scenes have more layers. I also feel since Mr Edwards was there from the first Xmas, there was more history.

 

8 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

That was always one of my favorite episodes. And I agree, the music was funny too! 

I liked the gold one a lot too and how Charles handled it and the banker. I could see me and my best guy friend back at her age, doing something similar, maybe not hiding it for so long, but thinking we found something special. But of course we all knew the Ingall's could never get real money or gold in a windfall. ; )

[CountryGirl]

Adding on to the Edwards vs Garvey discussion, Garvey got on my nerves with how sexist (or 1800s) he could be with Alice - didn't want her working when the barn burned down (although she taught school for a season!?!) and was ready to divorce her, threw a conniption when he found out she had been a teenage bride and the marriage lasted all of two weeks, and he was always spending money without talking to her first. Yes, she should have told him about Harold, but to be that angry? And to toss a perfectly good telephone and all its trappings. I could go on for days. Most of all, he just never seemed to be much fun. 

Edwards and Grace seemed to have fun together, even from the moment they meet and he had her convinced the jug that had had liquor in it still did. Her shenanigans to make him jealous over Doc L'Orange so he'd invite her to the sweetheart dance only she got found out and had to ask him instead. I just love this whole exchange:

Grace: "They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Edwards: "You must be collecting hearts the way Geronimo collected scalps. It's downright shameful!"

Grace: "Oh, I admit it! I have been shameful! Using poor, innocent Dr. Baker to make you jealous just so you'd break down and invite me to the spring dance." A moment as he takes this in. "Well, if you're not gonna ask me, I'm going to have to ask you. Well? Yes or no?"

Edwards pauses, then has a smile: "Never could resist your cherry pie." And with a quick peck, he's off and back to work and both of them with smiles on their faces.

Ma and Pa had their share of fun, too, and the chemistry between KG and ML was something. One of my favorite moments is from The Richest Man in Walnut Grove where Pa comes home from working one of his many jobs to pay off the mercantile bill (so much for cash on the barrel!) to find Caroline plowing.

Charles: "Look at you."

Caroline, fussing with her hair: "I must be a sight."

Charles: "You are. Your face is dirty, your hair's all askew, and you're still the prettiest woman a man ever set his eyes on. The only thing I regret about being married to you is that I'll never have the joy of asking you to be my wife again." 💓💓💓

And then there was all that popcorn...

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

- didn't want her working when the barn burned down (although she taught school for a season!?!)

Honestly, I can't imagine an 1800's farm wife having time to work outside the house, outside possibly taking in some laundry or mending.  There was a lot of work to do.

[CountryGirl]

Just now, Katy M said:

Honestly, I can't imagine an 1800's farm wife having time to work outside the house, outside possibly taking in some laundry or mending.  There was a lot of work to do.

That's absolutely true and I can't imagine it either.

I think it grates that he wasn't looking at like that - he said he wouldn't take "charity" from his wife, which that's called marriage, you dolt. 

[debraran]

3 hours ago, Katy M said:

Honestly, I can't imagine an 1800's farm wife having time to work outside the house, outside possibly taking in some laundry or mending.  There was a lot of work to do.

They never made that realistic though.  Caroline worked and Laura and of course the widows. Harriet always worked.  It was never accurate but that would have been too gritty and Michael probably was right about that .  You never saw Ma do more than pluck a turkey. Food appeared without seeing vegetable garden or storage or prep. They were always clean no matter how hot, cold or humid. If Charles was dirty a few rubs down at the creek did it.  His clothes were never shown but pioneers hung fithy clothes in house or barn for the week. That must have smelled   And no one brushed teeth!

Probably better this way 😉