First, while Michael Landon may be a good ACTOR, he certainly DIDN'T look it (look at his fluffy afro and his good 1970s-style looks while the REAL Pa Ingalls had a long BEARD like in the books!) There was also the many, many additions to the Laura Ingalls story like a circus, a fire, the wild dogs, etc. to pile on more adventure and drama than ever. Nothing like the original books, which were supposedly based on a REAL little girl's life in the pioneering world.
Some characters (like Nellie Oslen, the little monster) were either made to be a little like cartoon characters with exaggerated personalities or overly idealized, like the sweet, saintly Caroline Ingalls - and of course, the ruggedly handsome hunk of dad played by Michael Landon himself. What's more, the language and manners of the characters were probably not 100% authentic, either.
This is just like romanticized 1870s gone 1970s.
Some characters (like Nellie Oslen, the little monster) were either made to be a little like cartoon characters with exaggerated personalities or overly idealized, like the sweet, saintly Caroline Ingalls - and of course, the ruggedly handsome hunk of dad played by Michael Landon himself. What's more, the language and manners of the characters were probably not 100% authentic, either.
This is just like romanticized 1870s gone 1970s.