Most Favorite Episode from Each Season of Little House on the Prairie (Seasons 4 - 6)

Continuing to share my favorite episode of each season of Little House on the Prairie, this time covering Seasons 4, 5, and 6. 

Season 4 - "Here Come the Brides"

Adam Simms and his son, Luke, arrive in Walnut Grove. Nellie is quickly smitten with the barefooted pig farmer who has joined the one-room schoolhouse, much to her mother's dismay. Meanwhile, Adam and Miss Beadle's relationship blossoms into love. When Nellie and Luke run off to elope, Adam, Miss Beadle, and the Olesons race off to stop them before it's too late.

Why it's my favorite from Season 4: If you look at the rest of my favorites from this season, there is a ton of intense drama. The entire season is way more drama than comedy: Laura's dog dies; Mary finds out that John Jr. no longer loves her; Laura is kidnapped; Doc Baker quits when he loses a patient; the Garveys lose their entire crop; oh, and Mary loses her eyesight. Seriously, thanks to episodes like "Here Comes the Brides" and "The Creeper of Walnut Grove," viewers get a comedy break. 

Though watching Nellie fall in love for the first time is fun, it is the sometimes awkwardly developing relationship between Eva Beadle and Adam Simms that makes this a great episode. Miss Beadle has had a beau in the past ("Four Eyes" in Season 2), but mature single people in Walnut Grove don't seem to have much luck in the romance department. These two, however, fall in love, get married, and later in the season welcome a son ("A Most Precious Gift.") 

This episode is filled with memorable scenes, and I will share two. The first takes place at 42:05, as Luke is pacing the hotel room floor, waiting for Nellie to change behind the screen. He watches while she slings her dress over the top, growing more uncomfortable with each passing second. Then it is Luke's turn to change, and Nellie watches with wide eyes as his overalls appear over the top of the screen. You know they are already regretting their decision. 

Then, at 44:38, the now fully dressed Luke and Nellie are marched back to the Justice of the Peace. When he trudges to the front door and sees them standing there, he moans, "Oh no!" He opens the door and says, "Tell me, what's Walnut Grove got against me?" You can't help but laugh.

Season 5 - "The Wedding" 

Caroline and Charles receive word that Mary and Adam are going to be married. Because of the expense, Ma and Pa make the decision to leave all the children at home, and they journey by train to Winoka. As they sit down to dinner with Mary and Adam, Caroline shares stories of raising children. Suddenly frightened by the prospect of two blind people needing to care for a sighted child, Mary calls off the wedding. When Susan Goodspeed is lost during a sandstorm, Mary and Adam must search for her, giving Mary the confidence she needs to proceed with the wedding.

Why it's my favorite from Season 5: There are a ton of great Caroline moments in this episode: 

• When Charles brings her the telegram, she says, "Oh, my goodness. My baby's getting married." Then she is overcome with emotion, which doesn't often happen to Caroline.
• When Reverend Alden tells her he will go to Winoka to marry them, she is so excited that she kisses him on the cheek. 
• How she brings her wedding dress for Mary to wear, and the tender conversation they have.
• Her expression when Adam shows up at their hotel room after Mary has called off the wedding. 
• After the storm is over, as Caroline and Mary are in her room getting ready for the wedding, they have a laugh, and Caroline says that her old Mary is back. 
• Her expression, holding back tears, as Mary weds Adam, with Reverend Alden officiating. 

Another nice moment takes place in Walnut Grove at about 7:57. Nels calls Charles into the storeroom and asks him to give Mary a decorative box with a singing bird on it. When Charles argues that it costs too much, Nels tells him, "That little girl has been my pet since the first day she walked into the store." 

Season 6 - "Sweet Sixteen"

Laura earns her teaching certificate before her sixteenth birthday, so that she can teach in Curry while the regular teacher recovers. Almanzo helps Charles out by bringing her to Curry and picking her up a week later, which is enough time apart for Almanzo to realize she is no longer a little girl. Once home, Laura confides in Ma that she thinks what she has been dreaming of is finally happening between Almanzo and her, but his jealousy threatens their budding romance.

Why it's my favorite from Season 6: Choosing a favorite in this season was tougher than I thought it would be. "Back to School" is great because it introduces Almanzo Wilder, and Laura decides that she will make him see her as a woman one day. "Annabelle" is wonderful because we get some Nels backstory and a stunned Almanzo receives a kiss from an unknown clown. "Wilder and Wilder" is awesome because Laura teaches Almanzo a lesson not to underestimate her. But who can't appreciate Almanzo's change of heart toward Laura in "Sweet Sixteen?" 

As he admits to Charles, he always saw Laura as a young friend, but something changed after she went away. Suddenly, she doesn't seem like the young girl that he pulled off Nellie Oleson in the watering hole ("Back to School.") He's jealous when he thinks Chad Brewster is coming on to Laura, which she bites his head off for. And amazingly, throughout this episode, Laura is finally the one in control of her emotions, even as she is about to get a kiss from the man she has been pursuing since they first met. Almanzo is the one whose feelings are all out of sorts. This is a really good way to bring them into their married years, where Laura was more of an equal partner.