Episode Guide – Season 9

by Website Editors | Oct 1, 2016

The adventures of the Ingalls Family continue in Season Nine of “Little House on the Prairie.” The original episodes aired from September 27, 1982, to March 21, 1983.

In Season 9 of “Little House on the Prairie”,change is in the air! The Ingalls family (apart from Laura) leave Walnut Grove and move to Iowa. Laura and Almanzo adopt Almanzo’s niece, Jenny, following the death of his brother, Royal Wilder. We witness the birth and death of Baby Boy Wilder. Laura and Almanzo move into the huge house of a widower and turn it into a boarding house. Nellie Oleson returns to Visit Walnut Grove. These and many other exciting adventures continue through the ninth season of “Little House on the Prairie.” 

Little House on the Prairie – Episode Guide – Season 9

For the first time since their original TV broadcast, all twenty-one Season 9 episodes are presented complete and uncut and newly restored and remastered for optimal picture and sound quality! In this ultimate Season 9 episode guide, you’ll relive all of the heartwarming adventures and learn some new facts along the way. Some of our favorite facts and tidbits come from Alison Arngrim’s autobiography, Wendi Lou Lee’s memoir, Melissa Francis’ memoir, and Melissa Gilbert’s memoir. Below is a complete index with links to the Season 9 episodes:

Season 9, Episode 1 – Times Are Changing – Part 1

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Description:
The Ingalls can’t make ends meet so they move to the city to find work. John and Sarah Carter buy the little house. Laura has decided she wants to spend more time with Rose so the town has hired a new teacher, Etta Plum. Almanzo’s brother, Royal has come to visit and brings with him, his daughter, Jenny.

Fun Fact!
Notice that Charles’ hair has suddenly gotten very gray, and it is actually Michael Landon’s real hair, even though he was still pretty young at this point. It started going gray when he was in his 20’s, and he dyed it from then on.

Did you know?
Little House casting director Susan McCray has hailed actress Shannen Doherty (Jenny Wilder) as one of the very best child stars she has ever worked with, coming second only to Melissa Gilbert.

More Trivia!
Near the beginning of the episode, Charles enjoys one last evening of fun with his Walnut Grove friends. He is dancing and laughing wildly with both Nels Oleson and Reverend Alden, and he almost seems as if he is drunk. This is indicative of what has been reported about Michael Landon’s behavior in real life.

Season 9, Episode 2 – Times Are Changing – Part 2

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Description:
Almanzo’s brother, Royal, has a serious heart condition. He dies and leaves Jenny devastated. She tries to drown herself so she can go to heaven to be with her poppa.

Fun Fact!
At the end of the episode, when Nancy is standing outside the schoolhouse and taunting Jeb about his swimming abilities, Jeb shoots back at her, “Nancy, go jump in the lake!” Given that Jenny’s recent suicide attempt involved her jumping in the lake and trying to drown herself, this probably wasn’t the smartest piece of dialogue to use.

Did you know?
In this episode, we hear Almanzo call his baby daughter “Rosie Posie” for the first time, and it quickly becomes his own special nickname for her. However, in the autobiographical books that were written by Roger Lea MacBride about Rose Wilder’s life, Almanzo called her his little “Prairie Rose.”

More Trivia!
At the end of the episode, Nancy taunts Jeb by saying repeatedly, “Jeb can’t swim! Jeb can’t swim!” Strangely, even after Jeb jumps in the water and swims a couple of strokes, she continues to chant. Seeing as Jeb never even went near the water before that, wouldn’t Nancy have been surprised and stopped?

Season 9, Episode 3 – Welcome To Olesonville

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Description:
While cleaning out a home in Walnut Grove that she recently purchased, Harriet comes across a bearer’s bond that apparently requires everyone in town to pay her $10,000 each.

Fun Fact!
Walnut Grove must have grown by leaps and bounds just since season 4’s “A Most Precious Gift.” In that episode, it’s established that the town’s population is 127, but in this episode, 121 people vote in the election. Assuming a conservative ratio of one child per voting adult, that would put Walnut Grove’s population at 242, a huge jump in just two years.

Did you know?
Lem McCary is elected mayor of Walnut Grove and it appeared that he would be staying on, but he is never seen again and there is never another mention of him or a mayor in Walnut Grove.

More Trivia!
In the part where Jenny and the others go over to Mr. Moffets’ place to bring him to vote, he doesn’t want to but his daughter says she will go and vote. Women didn’t have the right to vote in this time period.

Season 9, Episode 4 – Rage

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Description:
A man named Mr. Stark learns that because of his family’s debt, they will be evicted from their home.

Fun Fact!
Baby Rose doesn’t even blink when the three shots of gunfire go off.

Did you know?
In one scene of this episode, Jason Carter scurries into bed with Jeb when the storm scares him. When he does this, you can clearly see his underwear underneath his nightgown. It is very visible, and a bit surprising that this shot wasn’t edited out.

More Trivia!
This is the second time in the series that Laura is held hostage by a delusional person who mistakes her for a member of their family. It happened first in Season 4’s “My Ellen” when a grieving mother–in the wake of her child’s death–believed that Laura was her daughter.

Season 9, Episode 5 – Little Lou

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Description:
A little person named Lou becomes the single father of a baby girl when his wife dies in childbirth.

Fun Fact!
When Harriet sees Lou in the store, she says that she’s never seen a midget before. This isn’t true. Back in season’s 6’s “Annabelle,” she would have seen a midget then. Especially at the scene where they’re at the restaurant, the midget opens up the doors and says, “Let us begin. Our leading lady is here.” And by the way, the actor that played the midget in that episode was played by Billy Bart, the same one that’s in this episode.

Did you know?
Laura’s over voice at the end of the episode indicates that Lou stuck around Walnut Grove for a long time, working at the bank, and yet we don’t see him for the rest of the series.

More Trivia!
Look closely when Lou goes down the well to get Nancy out. When he first locates her, she is all sweaty and grimy, with dirt caked on her face, and her bangs are sticking with sweat to her face. However, when she is pulled out and reunited with her parents, her bangs are all neat and in place, she is not at all sweaty, and she appears to have only a little bit of dirt on her.

Season 9, Episode 6 – Wild Boy – Part 1

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Description:
A traveling sideshow, run by Dr. Joshua McQueen, features the “Wild Boy of the North” as its main attraction.

Fun Fact!
Matthew is the fourth child that Mr. Edwards adopts on the show and the first child that he has ever taken in completely on his own, without a wife.

Did you know?
When Jeb, Jason, Jenny, and Nancy sneak into the tent to see “The Wild Boy,” notice Nancy’s wig. Right before she goes to poke the Wild Boy, and right after Jenny pushes her to the ground, one side of her wig is hiked up as if it’s not attached tightly enough to her head.

More Trivia!
Actor Jonathan Hall Kovacs, who makes his first appearance in this episode as the mute Matthew Rogers, is also deaf in real life.

Season 9, Episode 7 – Wild Boy – Part 2

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Description:
Matthew’s life has taken a complete turn, thanks to the love and support of so many people in Walnut Grove, and he is now living happily with Mr. Edwards.

Fun Fact!
Mr. Edwards says in his final speech that two years ago, Nels extended credit to everyone in town because of a drought. He is obviously referring to Season 8’s “Stone Soup,” which wasn’t even one year ago.

Favorite Episode Quote:
“Judge: Well, Mr. Edwards, that was quite an interesting argument you made in there. Maybe you ought to become a lawyer.
Mr. Edwards: Thanks, Judge, but I wouldn’t defend a law that doesn’t respect people’s feelings.
Judge: You think you could do me a favor by transporting Matthew to the authorities?
Mr. Edwards: You want me to do that?
Judge: My own schedule won’t allow me to take the boy in myself, so if you could deliver him to the asylum in say, twenty years, I think that would be just fine.
Mr. Edwards: You mean that?
Judge: Yeah. Just make believe that I was never here, all right? Goodbye, and good luck to you and Matthew.”

Season 9, Episode 8 – Return Of Nellie

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Description:
The Oleson’s are thrilled to learn that Nellie is returning home for a visit, but Nancy is not pleased about sharing the spotlight.

Fun Fact!
While in Laura and Almanzo’s house, Nellie is clearly wearing a different wig than the one she wears for the rest of the episode. The wig she wears in this scene has curls and is much more flattering.

Did you know?
When Nellie picks up Nancy’s essay, glances at it, and asks what it is about, it’s at least a full five seconds before Nancy snatches it back and says “Ask Miss Plum after I’ve turned it in.” Later, we find out that the essay was titled “Why I Hate My Life.” Given that Nellie glanced at the paper for at least a few seconds, it’s surprising that she didn’t notice what it was about right away–and yet she didn’t seem to have a clue.

More Trivia!
Watch closely when Harriet dips her finger into the cake frosting and says, “Ooooh, that’s so good, Hester Sue!” Her finger doesn’t appear to touch the frosting at all, and it almost looks like it is done in fast forward motion.

Season 9, Episode 9 – The Empire Builders

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Description:
Having a railroad built to pass directly through Walnut Grove sounds like a wonderful idea for many town residents, particularly since it would increase the size and popularity of the area.

Fun Fact!
Near the end of the episode, when Almanzo, Mr. Edwards, John, and some other men go over to the Carter place to corner the people who beat up John, notice that John has a white bandage around his head. In the very last scene, though, which clearly takes place on the same day, the bandage is gone.

Did you know?
When Sarah goes outside to look for John, after he was beaten up by a couple of Wilkenson’s gang, the wind is blowing. Wouldn’t Sarah’s hair be blowing all over the place if the wind was very strong? Her hair is resting on her shoulders.

Favorite Episode Quote:
“Sarah: That looks nice.
John: Thanks.
Sarah: You almost finished? I’ve got a pot of coffee on.
John: Any gingerbread left?
Sarah: Mm-hmm.
John: Then I’m done!”

Season 9, Episode 10 – Love

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Description:
Laura’s childhood friend, Jane Canfield, comes back to Walnut Grove. Despite being blind, she develops a fondness for Isaiah Edwards (who is twice her age) and the two fall in love. Jane’s vision is restored when she receives eye surgery. Isaiah is hopeful about building a future with her, but negative input from his friends turn this into one of the most difficult decisions of his life.

Fun Fact!
At the beginning of this season, Mr. Edwards said he couldn’t read, but in this episode, he read the letter that Jane gave to him.

Did you know?
Mr. Edwards had adopted young Matthew by the time this episode aired, but we never see the child once, and it is mentioned a few times that Mr. Edwards is “alone.” Apparently, they forgot that they paired him up with Matthew a few episodes ago, because it’s like the boy doesn’t even exist here.

More Trivia!
When Laura handed baby Rose to Jane, you could see that Rose was wearing a disposable diaper. That was almost 100 years before they were invented.

Season 9, Episode 11 – Alden’s Dilemma

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Description:
Mr. Edwards is suspicious of a handsome young minister sent to Walnut Grove by the diocese and Reverend Alden feels his position is threatened.

Fun Fact!
John Carter mentions early in the episode that the family’s money is going to be tight, and his wife Sarah says, “When hasn’t it been?” This might be a more convincing statement if the Carters’ house was less fancy and decorated on the inside, and besides that, they both have jobs in Walnut Grove, so even if they’re not rich, they should be doing decently.

Did you know?
Look out for a badly hidden tattoo on John Carter’s left arm as he and Almanzo go for a bath in the Japanese hotel. There is some kind of greenish stuff covering it, but you can totally see it.

More Trivia!
Watch closely when John and Almanzo are leaving for San Francisco, and Sarah gives John one last kiss. The kiss does not look authentic in the very least.

Season 9, Episode 12 – Marvin’s Gardens

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Description:
Dr. Marvin Haynes has been practicing in Walnut Grove, but his failing eyesight prevents him from renewing his license, leaving him angry and depressed over the loss of his career.

Fun Fact!
Apparently, Dr. Marvin Haynes has been practicing in Walnut Grove for years, but this is the first we have seen or heard about him. Since when has the town had two doctors?

Did you know?
In the first episode of Season 9, it was obvious that Jeb had a bit of a crush on Jenny Wilder. Those implications held strong for most of the remainder of the series, but in this episode, notice how Jeb seems almost annoyed by Jenny when she insists on going back in the water to retrieve her locket. No scenes are shown of Jeb visiting her after her accident or being concerned about her, and in the episode, it seems like he just views her as a “dumb girl.”

More Trivia!
This marks the last of three “Little House” episodes that focus on a child whose stuttering problem causes issues for them at school. The first episode was with Laura’s friend Anna in Season 3’s “The Music Box,” and the second was with James’ friend Gideon in Season 8’s “No Beast So Fierce.” In this episode, Jenny starts to stutter after a nearly fatal swimming accident, but unlike Anna and Gideon, her condition is only temporary.

Season 9, Episode 13 – Sins Of The Father

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Description:
Sarah Carter’s estranged father Elliot shows up unexpectedly with painful news. As the man plans an extended visit and causes trouble throughout the town, it becomes evident why he was separated from his daughter’s family for so many years. Over time, Sarah must come to terms with the fact that she never really had a healthy relationship with her father, and time is running out to fix it.

Fun Fact!
Notice when Elliot comes into the Carter house to talk to Sarah later in the episode, and Jeb and Jason are doing their homework at the table. Jeb is supposed to be angry at his grandfather at this point, but if you look closely at Jeb’s face, you can tell that he is smiling as Elliot walks in.

Did you know?
Laura tells Sarah that it took “years” for her to convince her father to let her marry Almanzo, but that is not true. Laura had known Almanzo for less than a year when he popped the question, and Charles told them they’d have to wait for two years, but then, soon after that, he shortened it to just one year. That’s hardly considered “years.”

Favorite Episode Quote:
“Jeb: Why did you and Mrs. Oleson print that story about Mrs. McAndrews?
Elliot: All I did was print the truth.
Jeb: All you did was hurt her for no reason! You don’t even know her!”

Season 9, Episode 14 – The Older Brothers

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Description:
The Older Brothers is a gang that used to have a notorious reputation.

Fun Fact!
When Cole Younger is blasted backward from the exploding door, the wire that pulls him back is clearly visible.

Did you know?
The stick of dynamite used to get out of the padlocked bank would have blown the building half apart and most definitely killed the biggest “younger” brother standing on the other side of it. The concussion throwing him into the street would have done the trick, as a human body could not stand that much pressure. Not to mention the fact that the doorframe remains intact!

More Trivia!
In the beginning, when the Older brother (Cole) puts his foot through the door of the Ghost Town bank, the hole is perfect (pre-cut), and what happened to the spur cut? There wasn’t even a scratch on the door and we see the boot he uses with the spur on.

Season 9, Episode 15 – Once Upon A Time

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Description:
After substituting for Etta Plum at Walnut Grove’s school, Laura realizes that being a housewife is not enough for her restless spirit.

Fun Fact!
In this episode, it’s Almanzo and Jenny who talk Laura into writing down her stories and submitting them for a contest. In real life, Laura’s daughter Rose–a talented young journalist who had already written quite a bit herself–convinced her mother that people would indeed be interested in her tales about a prairie girl’s childhood and that she should share those stories with the world.

Did you know?
If the excerpt that Laura reads to Jenny and Almanzo sounds familiar to you, it’s because they make up the final sentences of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s first book, Little House in the Big Woods.

More Trivia!
The real Laura Ingalls Wilder did not start writing down stories about her prairie childhood until she was in her fifties. Her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, was very well-received and prompted immediate sequels that were published exactly as Laura wrote them, so this episode is very fictional.

Season 9, Episode 16 – Home Again

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Description:
Charles is forced to address Albert’s recent criminal behavior. The two of them take a trip back to Walnut Grove, and Charles is hopeful that the experience will straighten out his son.

Fun Fact!
It is interesting that the restaurant is still called Caroline’s. In Season 8’s, “Wave of the Future” when they took down the sign that said “Mrs. Sullivan’s” they put “Nellie’s” back up. But then in Season 9’s, “The Empire Builders“, after a man was thrown threw the glass, it was replaced with “Caroline’s” and it was like that for the remainder.

Did you know?
This episode borrows heavily from season 2’s “Soldier’s Return,” where a lot of the same plot elements are present: a morphine addict returning to Walnut Grove, a parent who tries desperately to help, the theft of morphine from Doc Baker, and his accurate diagnosis of the addictions.

More Trivia!
Near the beginning of the episode, Laura places baby Rose on a chair in the restaurant kitchen, then turns her back to her. This is a pretty foolish and irresponsible move on a parent’s part, especially since a baby could roll to one side and fall.

Season 9, Episode 17 – A Child With No Name

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Description:
With the birth of a beautiful baby boy in the spring, it appears that Laura and Almanzo’s family is now complete.

Fun Fact!
There is a significant time jump between this episode and the previous one. The announcement of Laura’s pregnancy, the following nine months, and the birth of her and Almanzo’s baby boy are all crammed into the first few seconds of the episode.

Did you know?
It appears that Almanzo is not able to tell when a baby has a fever. He is putting his hand all over little Rose’s head as she is screaming hysterically, and he has no reaction. It’s only when Laura takes her and feels the back of her head that they realize she is burning up.

More Trivia!
At the beginning of the episode, Laura mentions that baby Wilder was born in the late summer of 1889. However, in “Times are Changing, Part 1,” Laura said that it was 1887. It’s not likely that two years passed all of a sudden, especially since none of the children on the show have aged.

Season 9, Episode 18 – The Last Summer

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Description:
When young Jason Carter accepts his first job as an assistant to an aging woman in Walnut Grove, he just wants to earn some money and buy his mother a birthday gift.

Fun Fact!
When Ruthy arrives at the mercantile on a horse, Mrs. Oleson is disgusted at the lack of decorum shown by a woman of that age. While it is not out of character for Harriet to offer her bold opinion on “The Way Things Ought To Be,” she normally falls all over herself to accommodate the wealthy, despite any eccentricities they might have. Therefore, it is unusual for her to be critical of a well-to-do person such as Ruthy, who had the potential to bring a lot of business to the mercantile.

Did you know?
Ruthy has been away long enough that she does not know that Laura is now married and has a baby. Surely, then, she would also not know that the Ingalls family has moved away. Yet, when Laura tells her that the Carters live in her old home, Ruthy does not question where the Ingalls went.

More Trivia!
While some may question the fact that school was in session during the summer in this episode, it should be noted that school terms ran differently in farming communities back in the 1800s. In reading a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, one learns that there was indeed a summer term that ended just before the harvest, and a fall term that began when the harvest was over (sometime in October).

Season 9, Episode 19 – For The Love Of Blanche

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Description:
On his way back from Sleepy Eye, Isaiah Edwards meets up with a dying old man, whose last request is for Isaiah to take care of his 3-year-old Blanche.

Fun Fact!
This is the second time in the same season that the twin girls playing baby Rose are emotionally distressed in front of the camera, for the sake of getting footage for certain scenes. This was also done in Season 9’s “A Child With No Name” when Rose’s character was ill. Young Grace Ingalls was also seen crying uncontrollably in previous seasons, which is all very disturbing to watch.

Did you know?
After Jenny puts out the fire, the shot of the table from Jenny’s front doesn’t look like it had been burned. In the next shot from Jenny’s back, you can tell the tablecloth is burned more than from the other angle. Also, you would think that as big as the fire was, it would have burned a lot more than just a small piece of the tablecloth.

More Trivia!
In the scene where Mr. Edwards is talking to Almanzo outside of the mercantile, Almanzo’s hair is brushed neatly over to the right side for the whole conversation. When Edwards steps of the mercantile porch and Almanzo turns toward his direction, his hair is covering his forehead and messy, but there was no sign of any wind blowing to make it that way.

Season 9, Episode 20 – May I Have This Dance

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Description:
Laura receives an unexpected inheritance from an ailing friend, which promises huge changes for the Wilder family.

Fun Fact!
Willie tells Rachel that he kissed a girl named Amy Horn when he was six years old. That would have been around Season 1, which is when someone by a very similar name lived in Walnut Grove–Amy Hearn.

Did you know?
Willie’s age is never confirmed, but couldn’t have been older than 5 or 6 in Season 1’s “Country Girls,” which would make him 14 or 15 now. This means that he is the youngest person on the show to ever get married. Mary was 16 when she married Adam, and Laura and Nellie were both about 17 on their respective wedding days.

More Trivia!
After Willie asks Rachel’s father for permission to marry her, Mr. Brown says, “I guess you better start calling me Dad,” and Willie responds, “Okay, Dad”– although in the 1800s, Dad was not a common term. It was always Father or Pa. And, later, when Willie has his heart-to-heart talk with Nels in the storeroom, he calls him both Pa and Dad at different times throughout the scene. When confronting Harriet about her attitude, he refers to Nels as Father. It seems the writers couldn’t make up their minds!

Season 9, Episode 21 – Hello And Goodbye

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Description:
Mr. Montague, a renowned author who is undergoing research for his next book, moves in with Laura and Almanzo at their newly implemented boarding house.

Fun Fact!
Mr. Montague tells Doc Baker that he trained at the Mayo Clinic. This would seem unlikely since the Mayo Clinic didn’t open its doors until 1890. Even if the viewer believes that Mr. Montague (who is approximately in his 40’s) just completed his medical training, which is unlikely as it is, he couldn’t have trained at Mayo, if this episode takes place in the late 1880s.

Did you know?
Although Mr. Edwards adopted Matthew fairly early in the season, the young actor was used very sparingly, appearing only in 4 episodes: the 2-parter “The Wild Boy,” Part 1 of “Home Again,” and now this episode. Many times during the season, you would have never been able to tell that Mr. Edwards had a child unless you were a regular viewer.

More Trivia!
Viewers will be as baffled as Laura and Almanzo when they see how Mr. Montague miraculously causes baby Rose to stop crying on demand. She literally goes from screaming to being completely calm within one second, and in one single shot, which seems virtually impossible, but it was somehow captured on film.

 

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9 Comments

  1. In episode 3 on COZI today, Nels mentions that Lars Hansen’s house has sat empty since he died. Didn’t his house become the blind school and burn down?

    Reply
  2. I’ve just finished the series for the 100th time! This is my favorite show and I watch it every day! My favorite character is either Willie Oleson or Mary Kendall. I’d like to hear others favorite characters! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  3. Love little house on the parities

    Reply
  4. I watched Little House on the Prairie when I was a child in the 1970’s and enjoyed it, and now it’s available on Peacock and it’s 2021 and I’m watching it all over again but with my grandkids. They love it as well.❤️

    Reply
  5. Thank you so much for these insights! I love this show!

    Reply
  6. Avez-vous remarqué dans l’épisode 9 THE EMPIRE BUILDERS que nous voyons le reflet de l’équipe de tournage dans les fenêtres du train au début de l’épisode et particulièrement le reflet d’une automobile à 3min 47 secondes? C’est vraiment très drôle. Did you notice in episode 9 THE EMPIRE BUILDERS that we see the reflection of the film crew in the train windows at the start of the episode and especially the reflection of an automobile at 3min 47 seconds? It’s really, really funny.

    Reply
  7. I watched Little House on the praire when i was younger
    And now this programme is still number 1 with The Waltons at number 2

    Reply
  8. I always *hated* this show growing up, but I just finished watching all 9 seasons. (Movies are next, but I don’t see those in the guide, so I’m commenting now.) It’s still so dumb and tedious in places, but I really grew to enjoy it (obviously), and having these little blurbs and comments helped a lot. I’m also about halfway through Confessions of a Prairie Bitch audiobook, which I also probably wouldn’t have done except for this site. I’m absolutely loving that! I’m going to miss this show and the site now, but I read every single word in these guides as I watched the episodes and enjoyed it all… except for that episode where Carrie dreams she shrunk! Thanks so much for the time and effort put into creating and maintaining this site. Much appreciated 🙂

    Reply
  9. Love the show have watched them over and over .????????

    Reply

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