Top Five Favorite Episodes from Little House on the Prairie - Season 1

We all have our favorite Little House on the Prairie episodes. As we discuss favorite episodes, I will break them down by season and share my top five favorites, starting with Season 1.

"Harvest of Friends"

After settling in Walnut Grove, Charles takes on a job with Hanson at the mill to pay for the lumber to build a new house. When he is rejected for credit at Olseon's Mercantile, he enters into a deal with Liam O'Neil, owner of the Feed and Seed. When Charles is injured on a family picnic, he can no longer finish the job. Thanks to his generous help during his short time in Walnut Grove, the town's residents step in to lend a hand.

Why I like it: This sets up most of the town as we know it in the first season: Reverend Alden, Doctor Baker, the Olesons, and Hanson. We see the Ingalls family settle in. We expect that Mrs. Oleson will pit herself against them in the name of good business. And we quickly discover that this is a town of mostly good people.

"If I Should Wake Before I Die"

After the death of her dear friend, Amy Hearn decides the only way her family will visit her is if they think she has died. She strongarms Doctor Baker and the Ingalls family into throwing an eightieth birthday party disguised as a wake. 

Why I like it: This episode reminds us to cherish the older generation and to keep family close. We can't get so busy that we forget to spend time and make memories with the ones who mean the most to us.

"School Mom"

Caroline Ingalls steps in to teach school when Miss Beadle is injured. She takes extra time to help an older boy, Abel, learn how to read. But when Mrs. Oleson interferes, all her work is ruined.

Why I like it: Caroline truly shines in this episode, showcasing her tender and caring nature. This episode, like others in the series, focuses on tolerance and acceptance of those who are differently abled than others. 

"Christmas at Plum Creek"

The Ingalls family spends their first holiday season in Walnut Grove, secretly planning special gifts for each other. 

Why I like it: It is so fun to watch them trying to hide what they are doing from each other. While one part of this episode is sad, overall, this is a playful episode about the excitement and spirit of the season. 

"Survival"

On their way back from Mankato, a late blizzard strands the Ingalls family in a deserted cabin with little food and supplies. Forced to hunt between storms, Charles is saved by Sioux Chief Jack Lame Horse. Being hunted by Marshal Jim Anders, Lame Horse has managed to evade capture, but helping Charles puts his life in danger.

Why I like it: I appreciate the episodes that focus on the hardships pioneers faced. This also has an excellent lesson surrounding the treatment of Native Americans and the bigotry and prejudice they endured. 

Updated "Times Are Changing" Season 9 Rewrite

 

Years ago, fans of my stories requested that I create a series of fanfiction stories that would rewrite Season 9 of Little House on the Prairie: A New Beginning. As we had previously discussed here, Season 9 seemed to find the writers of Little House on the Prairie having exhausted the source material. With the Ingalls family now living in Burr Oak, Iowa, the Carters had moved into the little house on Plum Creek. Royal, father to two pesky boys--Myron and Rupert--in Season 7, suddenly had a young daughter named Jenny and no wife. 

No one can deny Michael Landon's ability to write stories that tugged at the heartstrings. If he and his team weren't so talented, we wouldn't be talking about the show more than 50 years after it originally aired. As we can now stream and binge-watch Little House on the Prairie, however, those kinds of details become more noticeable. 

Needing some stress relief, I revisited the first four chapters of that rewrite of the episode "Times Are Changing" that I had begun earlier. If you're curious about it, you will find the updated chapters here. I've changed some points of view and corrected grammar. Maybe I will keep going with it. Not sure how much time in the schedule there will be, but now I want to get back to it. Hope you enjoy the first four chapters. 

Five Hardest to Watch Little House on the Prairie Episodes

Little House on the Prairie remains one of the most popular family dramas of our generation. Michael Landon's knack for delivering consistent dramatic storytelling is a good part of why the show is still popular today. 

Some episodes are simply too hard for me to watch, even now. I'm not talking sad, though there are some sad episodes of Little House on the Prairie. These episodes challenged the characters and viewers in such a way that I now choose not to watch them or choose not to watch certain scenes from them. Here is my list of ...

Five Hardest to Watch Little House on the Prairie Episodes

Number 5 - "A Promise to Keep" (Season 8, Episode 19)

The death of John Jr. in Chicago fractured the Edwards family beyond repair. A year later, Isaiah is drinking his grief away while he reads the final letter John wrote to them before his death. That night, a drunken Isaiah ruins Carl's birthday, which prompts Grace to ask him to leave. Months later, Isaiah receives a letter from Grace telling him she is sending him papers to dissolve their marriage. 

The end of Grace and Isaiah's marriage is so heartbreaking that I can't watch the opening scenes of this episode. Isaiah has already clawed his way out of the clutches of grief and loss in the past to find a new relationship with Grace and the Edwards children. Now, the loss of another child drives him back to the grief he attempts to relieve with whiskey. The final interaction between Grace and Isaiah is so unsettling that I skip over it and pick up this episode once Isaiah is back in Walnut Grove.

Number 4 - "Soldier's Return" (Season 2, Episode 21)

Mrs. Whipple's only son, Granville, returns to Walnut Grove to restart his job as a music teacher. Injured in the Civil War, Granville is haunted by the memories of being the only surviving member of his regiment. When the son of his best friend wants to connect with him and talk more about the father he never met, Granville's mental health continues to deteriorate, and his morphine addiction proves fatal. 

This episode and Graville's suffering frightened me as a child. It's barely less disturbing to watch as an adult. 

Number 3 - "Gold Country, Parts 1 & 2" (Season 3, Episodes 21 & 22)

When months of rain prevent farmers from planting in Walnut Grove, making it impossible for Isaiah and Charles to find work in the surrounding towns, the Ingalls and Edwards families travel west to Dakota's Gold Country to try their hands at panning. While there, Carl and Laura stumble upon Zachariah, an old miner, who warns them that people change as they search for gold. Laura sharing Zachariah's story leads to unexpected consequences that prove deadly. 

This two-parter was never one of my favorites, so I don't feel bad about skipping it. As the viewer watches the realization on Laura's face, they know nothing good is going to come out of her revealing Zachariah's story. When Laura races out to check on him, I was not prepared for the agony and despair on Zachariah's face or how he screams at Laura to get out. I certainly wasn't expecting the fire. These last few scenes before Charles decides to take his family home are what nightmares are made of. 

Number 2 - "Sylvia, Parts 1 & 2" (Season 7, Episodes 17 & 18)

"Sylvia" could have been a great opportunity to explore romance for Albert Ingalls. It appears he simply wasn't meant to have a long-lasting, happy relationship. Sylvia is a girl in town who lives with her abusive father. When she is assaulted and becomes pregnant, her father blames her and wants to move away, but she and Albert are in love, so they make plans to run off. While waiting for Albert in an abandoned barn, the guy with the creepy clown mask shows up to assault her again. She falls as she tries to escape and ends up dying.

This is one of those episodes I recall being traumatized by when it first aired. There aren't many of those, but even when I think about it now, my pulse races. I am not afraid of clowns, but if you look up photos from this episode, tell me that isn't one of the creepiest clown masks you have ever seen. How this guy skulks toward Syliva, how he grabs her from behind, dressed in all black with those nasty black eyeballs and rosy cheeks painted on the mask, and how even when the mask is knocked off his face and lying in the straw, it gives me goosebumps, make this an episode I don't watch.

Number 1 - "May We Make Them Proud, Parts 1 & 2" (Season 6, Episodes 18 & 19)

There are entire scenes in this two-part episode that I can't watch: Albert and Clay going down to the basement with the pipe (beacause we know what happens); Alice Garvey and the Kendalls' baby being trapped in the school; Mary breaking her hand through the hotel window, screaming Adam is lying to her about the fire and the baby; Albert's realization that he and Clay started the fire; Albert and Mary's scenes with the music box; and how Jonathan disengages from his son, Andy, as he grieves the loss of his wife, Alice. That doesn't even cover Albert's decision to run away because of the guilt he feels over the accident.

This entire episode is hard. That anyone comes away from this episode without being scarred amazes me. I would rather watch Mary cry, "I can't see!" a thousand times in "I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away," than watch this episode in its entirety.  And it's odd because I have brief recollections of watching the fire scene when it first aired on television, and then the ending scene where they unveil the plaque, but not so much the middle of the episode. 

What do you think of these five hardest to watch Little House on the Prairie episodes? Do you share the same as me? Are there others you would add to this list? 

Actor/Character Matches That Likely Wouldn't Happen Today

I've been watching/listening to the Little House on the Prairie 50 Podcast--which seems to be on hiatus as cast appearances have ramped up--and a GenX podcast that is now defunct. Both podcasts discussed character matches where there were age differences between the actors and how that wouldn't happen today. 

Let's take a peek at a few of these matches. 

Dean Butler and Melissa Gilbert

Dean Butler and Melissa Gilbert have spoken about the challenges of working alongside each other on Little House on the Prairie in their memoirs. Gilbert expected they would cast one of her contemporaries. Butler's Almanzo was romancing a character several years his junior, played by an actor who was eight years younger than him and hadn't started dating yet. While everyone has stated they felt safe on the Little House set, not sure how eager casting directors would be these days to have a minor and an adult courting.

Alison Arngrim and Bob Marsic

Alison Argrim, who played the girl we all loved to hate, Nellie Oleson, had an episode where she was also paired with an adult actor who played her romantic lead. Bob Marsic portrayed Luke Simms in the episode, "Here Come the Brides." Luke and his father are pig farmers who have moved to Walnut Grove. Luke starts school, and Nellie is instantly taken with him. Despite Harriet's objections, a budding romance ensues, ending in Luke and Nellie running off to get married. Luckily, Harriet and Nels find them and make the justice of the peace void their marriage. Marsic was 22 in this episode. Arngrim talks about how she was 15 at the time, and Nellie was supposed to be 13. I always liked how they handled this episode because it is the first time Nellie falls in love. You can read an article where the actors talk about this episode here. 

Mitch Vogel, Melissa Gilbert & Melissa Sue Anderson

Mitch Vogel portrayed Johnny Johnson in two Season 1 episodes: "The Love of Johnny Johnson" and "To See the World." Johnny is a historical figure who knew the real Ingalls family and helped them on the farm. In Little House on the Prairie, he is a new boy at the Walnut Grove school. In "The Love of Johnny Johnson," Laura develops a crush on him, but Johnny only has eyes for Mary. Vogel was 18 at the time. Gilbert was 10, and Anderson was 12. This storyline and the actor/character ages seemed totally plausible to me, and since it was a schoolgirl crush, there really wasn't a romantic element to it. The episode focused more on how it divided the two oldest Ingalls sisters. Side note: Michael Landon and Vogel worked on Bonanza together. 

Linwood Boomer and Melissa Sue Anderson

Linwood Boomer was 23 years old when he portrayed Adam Kendall, the teacher Mary Ingalls meets while she is studying at school for the blind in Season 4. Mary was almost 16 at the time. She would celebrate her sixteenth birthday in Winoka, where she and Adam had gone to open a new blind school. Anderson was 16 in the first episode where Adam appears, "I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away." Anderson has spoken fondly of acting alongside Boomer in interviews. 

As a Gen Xer, I honestly thought nothing of the ages of the characters and actors when I watched the original run of Little House on the Prairie. How the stories tugged at the heartstrings was what I focused on. Having loved the show all these years, I can't imagine other actors in these roles. Did you pick up on that during the show's original run, or did it come to mind later in reruns? As the actors have stated, they all felt safe on the set. They speak about how there were tons of kids on set, so the adults really looked after them. 

Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Edited by Pamela Smith Hill

 

Started reading Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder and edited by Pamela Smith Hill. Not sure how long it will take me to get through it because of my limited reading time. Here is the book's description:

Follow the real Laura Ingalls and her family as they make their way west and discover that truth is as remarkable as fiction.

Hidden away since the 1930s, Laura Ingalls Wilder's never-before-published autobiography reveals the true stories of her pioneering life. Some of her experiences will be familiar; some will be a surprise. Pioneer Girl re-introduces readers to the woman who defined the pioneer experience for millions of people around the world.

Through her recollections, Wilder details the Ingalls family's journey from Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, back to Minnesota, and on to Dakota Territory, sixteen years of travels, unforgettable stories, and the everyday people who became immortal through her fiction. Using additional manuscripts, diaries, and letters, Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography builds on Wilder's work by adding valuable context and explores her growth as a writer.

Author of an award-winning Laura Ingalls Wilder biography, editor Pamela Smith Hill offers new insights into Wilder's life and times. In an introduction, Hill illuminates Wilder's writing career and the dynamic relationship between the budding novelist and her daughter and editor, Rose Wilder Lane. Sharing the story of Wilder's original manuscript, Hill discusses the catalysts for Pioneer Girl and the process through which Wilder's story turned from an unpublished memoir into the national phenomenon of the Little House series.

Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography also explores the history of the frontier that the Ingalls family traversed and the culture and life of the communities Wilder lived in. This groundbreaking volume develops a fuller picture of Wilder's life and times for the millions of readers who wish to learn more about this important American author. It contains one hundred and twenty-five images, eight fully researched maps, and hundreds of annotations based on numerous primary sources, including census data, county, state, and federal records, and newspapers of the period.

An important historic and literary achievement, this annotated edition of Pioneer Girl provides modern readers with new insights into the woman behind the fictional classics Little House in the Big Woods, Farmer Boy, Little House on the Prairie, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, and The First Four Years.

Have you read it yet? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. 

Which Areas of the World Read Laura's Little Houses

 

Occasionally, I check to see where this blog's traffic is coming from. Most recent stats show that the most readers of Laura's Little Houses originate from Brazil. Singapore, which was in the top spot in May, is now number two on the list, followed by the United States, Vietnam, and India. 

Thanks to everyone who spends time reading Laura's Little Houses!

Book Review: The Three Faces of Nellie: The Real Story Behind Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Nellie Oleson" by Robynne Elizabeth Miller

 

By now, most fans of the books and the television show know that Nellie Oleson is a composite of three historical figures from Laura Ingalls Wilder's life: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Stella Gilbert. In her 2016 book, The Three Faces of Nellie: The Real Story Behind Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Nellie Oleson," Robynne Elizabeth Miller dives deeply into the three young women who became Nellie Oleson to the world. In addition, she shares biographical information about their families, including dates of birth and death, occupations, marriages, and so much more!

Nellie Oleson became a fascinating character from the moment readers first met her in On the Banks of Plum Creek. Thanks to future books and the Little House on the Prairie television series, she continued to be the character everyone loved to hate. As brought to life in fiction, Nellie Oleson protected the identities of others and allowed Wilder to create one arch-nemesis for the entire series. 

The Three Faces of Nellie begins with Nellie Owens and her family, moves onto Genevieve Masters, and ends with Estella "Stella" Gilbert. Along the way, Miller provides insight into how much each historical figure influenced the Nellie Oleson character. Readers learn details about their lives that required loads of research--clearly cited in the extensive bibliography at the end--that supports the author's belief that, "Their lives, individually, and collectively..." are worth more than simply being "one of the most iconic and enduring antagonists in literary history." 

If you are a lover of Laura and her work, you need to own a copy of The Three Faces of Nellie.

Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press

Publication date: November 28, 2016

Edition: 1st

Language: English

Print length: 140 pages

ISBN-10: 069281258X

ISBN-13: 978-0692812587

I purchased a copy of this book in February of this year. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

New from Pamela Smith Hill: Too Good to Be Altogether Lost: Rediscovering Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Books

 

Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the well-known Little House series, wrote stories from her childhood because they were “too good to be altogether lost.” And those stories seemed far from being lost during the remainder of her lifetime and through most of the twentieth century. They were translated into dozens of languages; generations of children read them at school; and dedicated readers made pilgrimages to the settings of the Little House books. With the release of NBC’s Little House on the Prairie series in 1974, Wilder was well on her way to becoming an international literary superstar. Simultaneously, however, the novels themselves began to slip from view, replaced by an onslaught of assumptions and questions about Wilder’s values and politics and even about the books’ authenticity. From the 1980s, a slow but steady critical crescendo began to erode Wilder’s literary reputation.

In Too Good to Be Altogether Lost, Wilder expert Pamela Smith Hill dives back into the Little House books, closely examining Wilder’s text, her characters, and their stories. Hill reveals that these gritty, emotionally complex novels depict a realistic coming of age for a girl in the American West. This realism in Wilder’s novels, once perceived as a fatal flaw, can lead to essential discussions not only about the past but about the present—and the underlying racism young people encounter when reading today. Hill’s fresh approach to Wilder’s books, including surprising revelations about Wilder’s novel The First Four Years, shows how this author forever changed the literary landscape of children’s and young adult literature in ways that remain vital and relevant today.

Check Goodreads to see where you can buy Too Good to Be Altogether Lost.

Starting Today: Little House on the Prairie Cast Reunion in Columbia

 

Photo credit: Little House Gold Country website

The Little House on the Prairie Cast Reunion in Columbia, California starts today. Hope all of you who are attending have a blast. You can find more information and purchase tickets by visiting https://www.littlehousegoldcountry.com 

Book Review: Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond by Dean Butler

 

Dean Butler brought Almanzo James Wilder to life for legions of Little House on the Prairie fans in the late 70s and early 80s. Now, learn about his life, his career, and more in Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond.

Since Dean signed my hardcover book when I saw him in Farmington, Connecticut, last year, I downloaded an Audible copy of the book to read this wonderful memoir of his early life, details of his career--including roles I had totally forgotten about like CHiPs, personal interactions with family, friends and fans, the complicated relationship with his father, former love interests and his appreciation for his beloved wife Katherine, and people he considers influential. 

Coming from an affluent family allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming an actor, but as Butler shares, it didn't come easily for him. With advice from his father, he would eventually return to finish college, something he expresses gratitude for. He discusses how even back in his Little House days, he was interested in work behind the camera, and shares how he came to work on the talk show, Feherty. It was also nice to hear more about his theater work. 

Prairie Man is told in a way that is respectful of those involved. Honestly, I couldn't expect the Dean Butler I've been lucky to meet more than once at events to be any different. There were a few surprises along the way, which I won't spoil, but Dean, like Almanzo, is that quiet and shy guy who occasionally allows his stubbornness and pride to get in the way. He even admits how much like his most notable role he is--which won't surprise any Little House fan. 

I'm not sure if Dean recalls this, but back in the days of the Dean's Divas Yahoo Group, we had asked if he was ever going to write a memoir. As an aside, I appreciate the mention of Dean's Divas in the Acknowledgments.

For those of us who have followed Dean's career for decades, Prairie Man is a welcome addition to books by other Little House on the Prairie cast members. And if you follow the Little House: Fifty for 50 Podcast, you'll know he is already at work on a second book very different from his memoir. 

While I don't think we learn anything new about Butler's time on the show that he is most well known for, Prairie Man provides insight into a life that has spanned close to seven decades, many years of which have involved his connection and commitment to the legacy of a young American pioneer girl who has captured the hearts of generations. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Citadel
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 25, 2024
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0806543299
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0806543291

I purchased a hardcover and audio version of this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Which Areas of the World Read Laura's Little Houses

 

Occasionally, I check to see where this blog's traffic is coming from. Most recent stats show that the most readers of Laura's Little Houses originate from Singapore. Though last week the United States topped the list, they are now in second place, followed by Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. What shocks me is that France is so low on the list, despite the popularity of the show there. If you have friends in France, I would appreciate it if you shared a link to this blog.

Thanks to everyone who spends time reading Laura's Little Houses!

Who Should I Profile Next?

I am moving this up from February, hoping for reader input. These are some of the most popular posts at Laura's Little Houses, so readers should have an opinion on who comes next. You can always send me a Facebook direct message by clicking here.

So far, I have profiled:

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Mary Ingalls Kendall

Almanzo James Wilder

Caroline Ingalls

Nels Oleson

Charles Ingalls

Who should be next on the list?

Harriet Oleson

Reverend Alden

Doc Baker

Eliza Jane Wilder

Nellie Oleson Dalton

Albert Quinn Ingalls

Leave a comment on this post to let me know. Thanks for your feedback!

Is It Time to Stop Saying Michael Landon Strayed Too Far from the Books?

Readers have graciously followed me through numerous posts comparing the Little House books to the Little House on the Prairie television show. Here they are again if you missed them:

"Little House in the Big Woods & Little House on the Prairie Versus Little House on the Prairie Pilot"

Click here to read the first post.

"The Long Winter & Little Town on the Prairie Versus Season 6 of Little House on the Prairie"

Click here to read the second post.

"Laura and Almanzo's Courtship - These Happy Golden Years Versus Season 6 of Little House on the Prairie & the Episode 'Laura Ingalls Wilder' (Season 7)"

Click here to read the third post.

"Laura and Almanzo's Married Life - The First Four Years Versus Seasons 7 - 9 of Little House on the Prairie" 

Click here to read the fourth post.

"On the Banks of Plum Creek Versus Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie"

Click here to read the fifth post.

There tend to be three groups of Laura Ingalls Wilder fans: 

• Fans of the books and Wilder's real life, 
• Fans of the television show, and 
• Fans who willingly accept and appreciate that they exist in the same universe. 

With news of a planned Little House on the Prairie production coming from Netflix (see here), there is a new division in Laura land: those who plan to watch it and those who have already sworn it off due to their dedication and love for the original television series. I remain cautiously optimistic, just like when the 2005 Little House on the Prairie mini-series and the television movies, Beyond the Prairie and Beyond the Prairie II, aired. 

I also totally understand the reservations of others. Michael Landon, who the world lost in 1991, had a vision for bringing the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family to life for viewers that has resonated with people across the globe for more than half a century. The show has not been off the air since 1974. People found themselves rewatching and discussing Little House on the Prairie during the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out one viewer's article here. In 2024, Little House on the Prairie garnered 13.3 billion minutes of streamed viewing time, which topped viewing minutes for everything else out there, including new shows. Check out this Dateline article that talks about it by clicking here. Others have tried to recreate Landon's magic with the same source material, but have been nowhere near as successful. And there is a growing movement toward modern homesteading that embraces frugal living, self-sufficiency, and environmental consciousness. Those themes run throughout the show, even if that last one wasn't fully developed or discussed. 

But, I digress...

When we compare the books to the Little House on the Prairie television show, what are themes we see running through them?

Books

• The importance of family and working together for the common good
• How to be resourceful, especially when times are tough
• The enjoyment of the simpler things in life
• The need to be resilient, work hard, and persevere to survive 
• The importance of community--school, church, town

Television Show

• The importance of family and working together for the common good
• How to be resourceful, especially when times are tough
• The enjoyment of the simpler things in life
• The need to be resilient, work hard, and persevere to survive 
• The importance of community--school, church, town
• Acceptance of and respect for others
• Women as equal partners

When we boil it right down to this, Michael Landon embraced the core themes of the source material. Did he add characters that never existed? Yes, but the stories he wrote for those characters still embraced everything fans love about the Little House books and the themes Wilder wrote about in her sixties.

More than two decades after the first parent expressed concerns for Wilder's depiction of Native Americans, Landon was writing shows for her fans that espoused acceptance of and respect for others in episodes like "Injun Kid," and "The Wisdom of Solomon" and "The Craftsman," which elevate the source material and allow for engaging, meaningful discussions between modern readers and viewers. 

Perhaps the Almanzo and Laura romance storyline is the best example for those who say he strayed too far from the books. Could anyone, however, see a twenty-something-year-old man pursuing a fifteen-year-old girl as acceptable in the late 70s? What was Landon to do? And after some nonsense in the early days of their marriage, can't we say that Landon captured the true partnership between Laura and Almanzo that we see reflected in the books and in real-life accounts?

Even in Season 9, when one could truly say the show had some out-there episodes, did Landon ever regularly deviate from the core themes of Wilder's books? I believe he didn't.

Michael Landon's magic was in being able to take scenes and themes from the books and either reimagining those scenes or crafting new stories based on those themes that touched the hearts of Laura fans. Clearly, he sought to honor Wilder's work while bringing it to the small screen. Landon had one foot in Wilder's world and the other in his, creating an enduring, cherished show that fans will continue to love for decades to come. 

Who is Attending the LHOP Cast Reunion in Columbia State Historic Park

 

Photo credit: Little House Gold Country website

Curious if any of our readers plan to attend the Little House on the Prairie Cast Reunion in Columbia, California. According to their website, tickets for Saturday are almost sold out. You can find more information and purchase tickets by visiting https://www.littlehousegoldcountry.com 

Book Versus TV Show: On the Banks of Plum Creek Versus Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie

As I was reading through all the posts that compared the Little House books to the Little House on the Prairie television show, I realized On the Banks of Plum Creek was skipped. Yikes! How did that happen? I think I'm too much of an Almanzo/Dean Butler fan and wanted to get to the romance. LOL! Though that book was mentioned, we didn't journey through On the Banks of Plum Creek like we did with most of the other books. Let's do that now. 

After leaving Kansas at the end of the Little House on the Prairie book, the Ingalls family travels across Missouri and Iowa, and "a long way into Missouri," before Pa stops the wagon by a grassy bank where he says there is a creek (pgs 1 - 2). Charles is looking for Mr. Hanson, who wants to sell the place and move west. After some trading, Pa and Ma set up their family in the little dugout house on the banks of Plum Creek (pgs 2 - 17). 

The opening scene of the Little House on the Prairie show reimagines Charles meeting Mr. Hanson, a founder of Walnut Grove. TV Mr. Hanson owns the mill in town. TV Charles works for Hanson at the mill to pay for lumber to build his family a house on the banks of the creek, and also trades their horses for a head of oxen, who are strong enough to plow the fields ("Harvest of Friends").

"Harvest of Friends" also sets up the town of Walnut Grove for viewers, who meet mercantile owners Nels and Harriet Oleson, Doctor Baker, Reverend Alden, and, although not mentioned, we see Mrs. Foster in the congregation at church. 

In the same episode, Pa would agree to re-roof the Feed and Seed for Liam O'Neill and stack the newest sacks of grain coming in from Mankato in exchange for a plow and seed. Just like the book Charles worked for Mr. Nelson in exchange for a cow (pg 40).

Charles is working so hard that he is too tired to play the fiddle at night (pg 52), just like TV Charles is too tired from working at the mill, at the Feed and Seed, and building the house in the show. 

Book Laura and Mary could see cattle from the long gray rock beyond the stable, but they never went to play there in the morning or when the sun was going down because the herd boy, Johnny Johnson, was busy bringing the cattle out to graze or bringing them home (pgs 38-39). 

TV viewers will remember Johnny Johnson as a new boy who arrives at school ("The Love of Johnny Johnson"). Laura develops a crush on Johnny, but he only has eyes for Mary, something that will happen to Laura more than once in the television series. 

When the book Charles and Caroline decide to head into town with Carrie (pg 67), they leave Laura and Mary at home with their dog Jack. Two pages later, Laura disobeys Mary, and the girls find the cattle eating the haystacks that Pa had told them must be left alone to feed the oxen and the cow through the winter because Johnny Johnson had fallen asleep (pg 72). 

It will be in the Season 4 episode "The Wolves" when Mary and Laura are left at home with Carrie while Charles and Caroline head to Twin Falls for two days. Laura spends a fair amount of time arguing with Mary, who is telling her what to do. The sideplot is that Andrew Garvey has been nursing a mother wolf back to health and keeping her pups in their barn until neighbors complain, so he brings them to the Ingalls' place. Starving, stray dogs descend upon the Ingalls farm while Ma and Pa are away, trying to get into the barn where Andrew, Laura, Mary, Carrie, and the wolves are locked in. Both provide an element of suspense. 

That first "Christmas at Plum Creek" is portrayed differently on the show than in the book as well. The TV show is all about secrets and using ingenuity to supplement their limited resources to spread joy to each other. In the book, however, it's about the girls learning the importance of thinking of the greater good when they agree that they will all ask for horses for Christmas because that is what they need (pg 86).

In what might have been taken from the book, Carrie receives a button necklace for "Christmas at Plum Creek." Laura and Mary worked with Ma to make one for her in On the Banks of Plum Creek (pg 90). During this episode, we also see Laura talking to Charles while he builds a fish trap, which also happens in the book (pgs 134-135). 

Ma's surprise cookstove happens in the book (pg 114) and the show, but in "Christmas at Plum Creek," Charles is working on a set of wheels for a customer of Nels Oleson to pay for the stove, while Laura has secretly bartered with Mr. Oleson to sell him her pony, Bunny, in exchange for the stove. This is one of the saddest moments from Season 1. In the book, Pa brings the stove from town as a surprise for Ma. 

Laura and Mary will start school in the show in the episode "Country Girls," which is where viewers first meet Nellie and Willie Oleson, Christy Kennedy, and her brother Sandy. This corresponds with the book chapter titled "School." This is where Sandy and the other children call the Ingalls girls "Long-legged Snipes," because their dresses are too short (pg 145). Christy tells her brother to knock it off and befriends the Ingalls girls. Nellie, looks upon them with disdain, calling them "Country girls," just like she did in the book (pg 148).

This is also where viewers meet Miss Beadle for the first time. Book Laura (pg 150) and TV Laura don't know how to read, but kind Miss Beadle is encouraging. The slate incident appears in the book (pgs 151 - 156) and in the show, with the show even using some of the words from the book in its scenes. We even get to read about Mr. Oleson scolding Nellie and Willie for raiding the candy jars (pg 155). The playground scene with Laura and Nellie arguing over what to play also appears in the book (157). 

Later in Season 1 comes "Town Party, Country Party." Nellie invites the girls from school to her house for a party. Book Laura is amazed by what a fancy house and room Nellie has. Nellie tells her mother that they can play with Willie's things, to which he responds, "They can't ride on my velocipede!" (pg 162) Can you hear Jonathan Gilbert's voice saying that in the show?

Mrs. Oleson is kinder to Laura during the book party than TV Mrs. Oleson is. When Nellie brings out her doll, Laura reaches out to touch it. Nellie screams at her and pulls the doll away (pgs 165 - 166). Laura wanders off to sit in a chair, where Mrs. Oleson finds her and gives her books to read. In the show, the lace on the doll's dress is ripped when Nellie snatches the doll away, and Mrs. Oleson scolds Laura, telling her she should be more careful. In both instances, this is where Laura's plot to avenge herself is hatched. 

In the book, Caroline suggests the girls throw their own party as a way of repaying Nellie's hospitality (pg 168). Their classmates come, and though Nellie also attends, she is as rude as ever. So, Laura leads the girls down to where she saw a crab in the creek, which frightens Nellie. Laura sends her over to the muddy water, and when Nellie comes out, she has leeches all over her legs (pgs 172 - 175). Michael Landon's team reimagined this chapter from the book well in the episode, "Town Party, Country Party," which also had the sideplot of a girl named Olga with one leg shorter than the other. 

One of the nice things Caroline liked about being near a town was also the chance to attend church. Reverend Alden is a traveling missionary who officiates services in Walnut Grove at the book's new church. Book Charles meets Reverend Alden in town, and is encouraged to bring his family to Sunday service. (pg 177). Laura and Mary are approached by Mrs. Tower that Sunday, who teaches them their Sunday school lesson (pgs 183 - 185). 

In the show, Caroline had to attend church alone with the girls the first time, because an exhausted Charles had fallen asleep ("Harvest of Friends"). Oddly, Reverend Alden was stern in this episode, talking about the people who weren't in the congregation, specifically stating that some wives were there without their husbands, making Caroline uncomfortable. Of course, that discomfort turned to anger once she saw Charles plowing the fields upon her return home. 

Another Season 1 episode inspired by the books is "The Hundred Mile Walk." A hailstorm destroys crops in Walnut Grove, so Charles and some of their neighbors must head east for work. In On the Banks of Plum Creek, a cloud of grasshoppers hails down upon the community, destroying their crops (pgs 194 - 205). This is when the Kennedy family leaves Walnut Grove (pg 205). Because the grasshoppers had laid their eggs, Charles knew he wouldn't have a wheat crop the following year, so he decided to travel east for work (pg 210). 

In both the book and the show, Charles needs new boots. Book Charles has three dollars to buy boots in town, but when he runs into Reverend Alden, who says he is short three dollars to buy the bell for the church's bellfry, Charles gives him the three dollars instead (pgs 190 - 191). Pa returns at night, surprising his girls in the morning, wearing his new pair of boots (pgs 236 - 237). The family gets to go to town to buy the supplies they need (pgs 240 - 244).

In "The Hundred Mile Walk," Charles, now without a crop, cannot afford new boots and has to walk in his cracked boots to find work. He works for the railroad, which everyone knows is very dangerous, but it will provide them with money for winter. 

Then it is time to celebrate Christmas again in On the Banks of Plum Creek. The church has a Christmas tree filled with presents for everyone, thanks to Reverend Alden's congregation back east (pgs 251 - 257).

Little House on the Prairie's first season is just as much about the town of Walnut Grove and its residents as it is the Ingalls family unit. Mr. Edwards, their friend from Kansas, is brought back to Walnut Grove when Charles finds him in Mankato ("Mr. Edwards' Homecoming"). The Ingalls family and Doctor Baker help Amy Hearn plan her funeral to encourage her children to come home for a visit ("If I Should Wake Before I Die"). The town residents fight over how to afford a bell for the church ("The Voice of Tinker Jones"). Doctor Baker has a chance at love ("Doctor's Lady"). And two episodes focus on the dangers of living on the prairie in the 1800s: "Plague" and "Survival." The first season also includes the birth and death of Charles Fredrick Ingalls, which Laura Ingalls Wilder never wrote about because she didn't want to upset her audience. 

Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie feels like a lot of imagination with inspiration from the books sprinkled into the mix. I loved that Landon and his team remained true to some of the book events when bringing "Country Girls" and "Town Party, Country Party" to life.

I'm sure there is always more to say about the books versus the show. How have you enjoyed this analysis so far?