Albert and Andrew have gone into business for themselves and saved up a hefty profit, at this rate they'll be $10 or $12 richer by the end of the summer. But with working outside the house, Albert has fallen behind on his chores at home, so the family holds an intervention. Charles shows him his messy side of the loft, and the chicken coop he'd neglected cleaning out. Charles and Albert then get into a heated debate about being a man and doing a man's work and why Albert gets the short end of the deal. Charles gives him the old "I'm a grownup" excuse and sends him into the coop. Alice wasn't so keen about Andrew's job away from home either. Jonathan approved, however, until Andrew thought about quitting school and doing a man's work for a living. Hard-assed Alice sent the second man of the house to his room. That night, Charles and Jonathan discuss their smart-ass sons who think they rule the roost because of a little hard work. Jonathan recalled a time he ran away from home, and spent three lonely nights in the woods, his pa having tailed him the whole time, and Charles got an idea: why not try that on Albert and Andrew? So they sent them down a treacherous road to Sleepy Eye, instructing them to live off the land as they go. After spending the first part of the trip bickering, the boys began to make progress down the wooded trail. They caught and grilled some fish and set up a decent camp site, while their fathers sat huddled under a tree a few feet away, hungry, freezing and full of foolish pride. They assumed their boys would've given up and gone home by now. Nope.
Next day, Albert and Andrew catch a rabbit, but can't find it in their hearts to kill it, so they turn the rabbit loose, prompting Charles and Jonathan to laugh at them, knowing they'll starve now. But what's this? They found a berry bush. Hope they ain't poisonous. By the time the boys made it to Sleepy Eye, it began to rain. They stopped in the post office because, to help along his ruse, Charles told the boys he'd mailed himself a letter to Sleepy Eye and that they must retrieve it to prove they got there. They get the letter, and are pointed towards Mrs. Channing's boarding house for food and lodging. They had no money, but were sure their puppy-dog eyes would get them in for free. It works when they lie about being orphans. So while Albert and Andrew dine indoors, Charles and Jonathan watched from outside in the pouring rain. As if their luck couldn't get any worse, they didn't bring any money along. Cue muted trumpets. Worse yet, they're spotted by a flat-foot. They tell the constable their convoluted story, he takes them for a pair of madmen and tells them to get lost. So while Andrew and Albert enjoy a peaceful night in a warm, cozy bed, the two schmucks manage to take shelter in a barn, after being put to work by the owner to earn it. Next morning, the boys headed for home, packs full of food from kindly Mrs. Channing, while their weary, starving fathers staggered along behind. The Ingalls/Garvey School of Hard Knocks provided a much tougher lesson for the teachers, as opposed to the students, it seems. The boys reach the river, now much higher because of the rain, but they managed to find a fallen tree on which to cross. When Charles and Jonathan tried, they lost their balance and got carried down stream. Charles lost his trademark hat in the process. So after being scared away by a psycho mountain man, Albert and Andrew finally made it home, hours ahead of their fathers. So finally the families were reunited, and Charles and Jonathan explained they did all this to teach the boys a lesson, even though it was them who really got schooled. So it all worked out, and the boys decided to go back to being boys.
This episode was both funny and endearing. It wasn't too silly, they played it straight for the most part. Watching Jonathan and Charles think they know it all and are so full of pride fail at everything they did is priceless. The only thing that didn't fail was their lesson, at least they got through to their boys. Michael Landon and Merlin Olsen were terrific, they made a great comedy team, and brothers Matthew and Patrick Laborteaux were excellent as young men on a quest to prove themselves to their prideful fathers. If you like the Ingallses' and the Garveys, this is one to see. You won't regret it.
Next day, Albert and Andrew catch a rabbit, but can't find it in their hearts to kill it, so they turn the rabbit loose, prompting Charles and Jonathan to laugh at them, knowing they'll starve now. But what's this? They found a berry bush. Hope they ain't poisonous. By the time the boys made it to Sleepy Eye, it began to rain. They stopped in the post office because, to help along his ruse, Charles told the boys he'd mailed himself a letter to Sleepy Eye and that they must retrieve it to prove they got there. They get the letter, and are pointed towards Mrs. Channing's boarding house for food and lodging. They had no money, but were sure their puppy-dog eyes would get them in for free. It works when they lie about being orphans. So while Albert and Andrew dine indoors, Charles and Jonathan watched from outside in the pouring rain. As if their luck couldn't get any worse, they didn't bring any money along. Cue muted trumpets. Worse yet, they're spotted by a flat-foot. They tell the constable their convoluted story, he takes them for a pair of madmen and tells them to get lost. So while Andrew and Albert enjoy a peaceful night in a warm, cozy bed, the two schmucks manage to take shelter in a barn, after being put to work by the owner to earn it. Next morning, the boys headed for home, packs full of food from kindly Mrs. Channing, while their weary, starving fathers staggered along behind. The Ingalls/Garvey School of Hard Knocks provided a much tougher lesson for the teachers, as opposed to the students, it seems. The boys reach the river, now much higher because of the rain, but they managed to find a fallen tree on which to cross. When Charles and Jonathan tried, they lost their balance and got carried down stream. Charles lost his trademark hat in the process. So after being scared away by a psycho mountain man, Albert and Andrew finally made it home, hours ahead of their fathers. So finally the families were reunited, and Charles and Jonathan explained they did all this to teach the boys a lesson, even though it was them who really got schooled. So it all worked out, and the boys decided to go back to being boys.
This episode was both funny and endearing. It wasn't too silly, they played it straight for the most part. Watching Jonathan and Charles think they know it all and are so full of pride fail at everything they did is priceless. The only thing that didn't fail was their lesson, at least they got through to their boys. Michael Landon and Merlin Olsen were terrific, they made a great comedy team, and brothers Matthew and Patrick Laborteaux were excellent as young men on a quest to prove themselves to their prideful fathers. If you like the Ingallses' and the Garveys, this is one to see. You won't regret it.
