Whether absolutely realistic or not, this is a wonderful and touching glimpse of rural Western family life in the 1800's. The series is based, albeit loosely, on the actual pioneer family tales of Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose Little House books I must confess to not having read.
The series chronicles the everyday experiences of the simple farming Ingalls family, who live near the Prairie village of Walnut Grove. The family consists of father Charles Ingalls, mother Caroline, and their three young daughters...Mary, Laura, and Carrie. Later the family is joined by baby daughter, Grace, an adopted son, Albert, and orphaned siblings, James & Cassandra. The viewer witnesses the growing up years of the Ingalls children. Mary learns to cope with blindness, later marries Adam (a teacher at the blind school), and suffers through the tragic death of her baby. Laura matures to take up teaching, weds sweetheart Almanzo Wilder, and becomes a mother to little daughter, Rose. Other Walnut Grove townsfolk are also regularly depicted, including the schoolteacher Miss Beadle (and later others), the parson Rev. Alden, the country doctor Dr. Baker, and the Olsens, who operate the local mercantile. Ingalls family friends, especially the Edwards and the Garveys, are included in some of the episodes.
The Olsen family members, chief rivals to the Ingalls, are especially cleverly depicted. Harriet, the snobbish, opinionated, buxom family matriarch, frequently receives her comeuppance, but by the next episode is unrepentantly as bad as ever! Her nasty daughter, Nellie, with her well orchestrated blonde curls, is one of the most deliciously evil villains in TV history. She is a constantly whiny, jealous, uppity, and conniving thorn in young Laura's side...the girl everyone loves to hate. Nellie's mischievous younger brother, Willie, sometimes aids & abets his sister in her various schemes to outshine, hoodwink, or humiliate the Ingalls girls. Rivals Laura and Nellie frequently duke it out in one form or another. Only the long-suffering Olsen patriarch, Nels, emerges as a decent and sympathetic personage, forced to cope patiently with the arrogant, unscrupulous antics of his other family members.
Years later Nellie grows into quite a reasonable young woman, who unexpectedly chooses a Jewish husband. The Olsen parents adopt Nancy, another girl with blonde curls and intended as a nasty little carbon copy of the younger Nellie. However, whereas Nellie was primarily a spoiled brat, Nancy seems downright hatefully dangerous.
The stories of the strong, loving Ingalls family and their neighbours are amusing or heart wrenching, sometimes a little of both. I'm always touched by the earlier episodes' heart to heart talks shared by sisters Mary & Laura in their little loft bedroom at the Ingalls farmhouse. I also enjoy the portrait of the small, friendly community of Walnut Grove and the assorted goings on at the one room schoolhouse, as viewed from both the perspective of the pupils and later the young novice teacher, Laura. The program at times tackles some difficult issues, such as gossip, racism, child abuse, adultery, murder, and drug addiction. A sense of faith in God and messages of kindness and integrity shine through even in the darker tales.
Family and village life are often viewed through the eyes of the middle daughter, Laura, the heroine of the piece. We are given a vivid portrait of her growing up years, as she blossoms from a dreamy, feisty schoolgirl to a lovely young woman, who finds her own fulfillment as a schoolteacher, wife, and mother. The series beautifully captures Laura's romance with the handsome, teasing young Almanzo (her 'Manley'), who always calls her Beth, her middle name. Her older sister, Mary's struggles in adjusting to her blindness are also moving, but the series is really Laura's story.
The acting is universally stellar, especially the wonderful late Michael Landon, who portrays the hard working, good natured father, Charles Ingalls. Other notables include Karren Grassle as the gentle, compassionate wife & mother, Caroline, Katherine MacGregor as the condescending & domineering Harriet Olsen, Victor French as rough around the edges Mr. Edwards, Dean Butler as Almanzo Wilder, and Lucy Lee Flippin as his spinster sister, Eliza Jane Wilder. The young actresses portraying the girls are brilliant for their years... Melissa Sue Anderson as the gentle Mary and Alison Arngrim as that nasty bit of goods, Nellie Olsen. Above all, the incredible child pro, Melissa Gilbert, sparkles as the empathetic young heroine, Laura.
This series provides surely one of the most brilliant ever TV portrayals of a touching father-daughter relationship, between Half Pint (Laura) and her Pa (Charles). Laura questions her Pa at times but always with love and respect. As for Charles, he's usually wise and patient, always has a twinkle in his eye and a good understanding of his young daughter. It's very moving to learn of the warm real life relationship enjoyed by the two stars, Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, and to read trivia tidbits as to how the mature actor could elicit tears from the child actress when called for by the script.
In terms of family viewing, the only other series in its category is the Waltons. The Little House characters are so familiar that they almost seem like family members. Far better this warm, wholesome, and uplifting show than The Simpsons, with its glorification of rude manners (and even worse programs these days). Little House makes excellent family viewing, a series infinitely re watchable in re runs. If only we had more TV programming of its quality and values nowadays!
The series chronicles the everyday experiences of the simple farming Ingalls family, who live near the Prairie village of Walnut Grove. The family consists of father Charles Ingalls, mother Caroline, and their three young daughters...Mary, Laura, and Carrie. Later the family is joined by baby daughter, Grace, an adopted son, Albert, and orphaned siblings, James & Cassandra. The viewer witnesses the growing up years of the Ingalls children. Mary learns to cope with blindness, later marries Adam (a teacher at the blind school), and suffers through the tragic death of her baby. Laura matures to take up teaching, weds sweetheart Almanzo Wilder, and becomes a mother to little daughter, Rose. Other Walnut Grove townsfolk are also regularly depicted, including the schoolteacher Miss Beadle (and later others), the parson Rev. Alden, the country doctor Dr. Baker, and the Olsens, who operate the local mercantile. Ingalls family friends, especially the Edwards and the Garveys, are included in some of the episodes.
The Olsen family members, chief rivals to the Ingalls, are especially cleverly depicted. Harriet, the snobbish, opinionated, buxom family matriarch, frequently receives her comeuppance, but by the next episode is unrepentantly as bad as ever! Her nasty daughter, Nellie, with her well orchestrated blonde curls, is one of the most deliciously evil villains in TV history. She is a constantly whiny, jealous, uppity, and conniving thorn in young Laura's side...the girl everyone loves to hate. Nellie's mischievous younger brother, Willie, sometimes aids & abets his sister in her various schemes to outshine, hoodwink, or humiliate the Ingalls girls. Rivals Laura and Nellie frequently duke it out in one form or another. Only the long-suffering Olsen patriarch, Nels, emerges as a decent and sympathetic personage, forced to cope patiently with the arrogant, unscrupulous antics of his other family members.
Years later Nellie grows into quite a reasonable young woman, who unexpectedly chooses a Jewish husband. The Olsen parents adopt Nancy, another girl with blonde curls and intended as a nasty little carbon copy of the younger Nellie. However, whereas Nellie was primarily a spoiled brat, Nancy seems downright hatefully dangerous.
The stories of the strong, loving Ingalls family and their neighbours are amusing or heart wrenching, sometimes a little of both. I'm always touched by the earlier episodes' heart to heart talks shared by sisters Mary & Laura in their little loft bedroom at the Ingalls farmhouse. I also enjoy the portrait of the small, friendly community of Walnut Grove and the assorted goings on at the one room schoolhouse, as viewed from both the perspective of the pupils and later the young novice teacher, Laura. The program at times tackles some difficult issues, such as gossip, racism, child abuse, adultery, murder, and drug addiction. A sense of faith in God and messages of kindness and integrity shine through even in the darker tales.
Family and village life are often viewed through the eyes of the middle daughter, Laura, the heroine of the piece. We are given a vivid portrait of her growing up years, as she blossoms from a dreamy, feisty schoolgirl to a lovely young woman, who finds her own fulfillment as a schoolteacher, wife, and mother. The series beautifully captures Laura's romance with the handsome, teasing young Almanzo (her 'Manley'), who always calls her Beth, her middle name. Her older sister, Mary's struggles in adjusting to her blindness are also moving, but the series is really Laura's story.
The acting is universally stellar, especially the wonderful late Michael Landon, who portrays the hard working, good natured father, Charles Ingalls. Other notables include Karren Grassle as the gentle, compassionate wife & mother, Caroline, Katherine MacGregor as the condescending & domineering Harriet Olsen, Victor French as rough around the edges Mr. Edwards, Dean Butler as Almanzo Wilder, and Lucy Lee Flippin as his spinster sister, Eliza Jane Wilder. The young actresses portraying the girls are brilliant for their years... Melissa Sue Anderson as the gentle Mary and Alison Arngrim as that nasty bit of goods, Nellie Olsen. Above all, the incredible child pro, Melissa Gilbert, sparkles as the empathetic young heroine, Laura.
This series provides surely one of the most brilliant ever TV portrayals of a touching father-daughter relationship, between Half Pint (Laura) and her Pa (Charles). Laura questions her Pa at times but always with love and respect. As for Charles, he's usually wise and patient, always has a twinkle in his eye and a good understanding of his young daughter. It's very moving to learn of the warm real life relationship enjoyed by the two stars, Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, and to read trivia tidbits as to how the mature actor could elicit tears from the child actress when called for by the script.
In terms of family viewing, the only other series in its category is the Waltons. The Little House characters are so familiar that they almost seem like family members. Far better this warm, wholesome, and uplifting show than The Simpsons, with its glorification of rude manners (and even worse programs these days). Little House makes excellent family viewing, a series infinitely re watchable in re runs. If only we had more TV programming of its quality and values nowadays!