Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) Little House on the Prairie (1974) User Reviews

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[blue141 · 9/10 · 20 August 2006]

I love little house on the prairie. I watch it every day. Looking at the show, it is impossible to date it in TV decade time. I find this show so much better than the awful shows full of violence and vulgarity on TV today. Sappy? Yes, but it is sure nice to have some cotton candy every now and then. Each time I watch this show, I go back to better days and happy thoughts. There really was a time of innocence and moral values. Hard to believe today. I have given up on todays TV, and I do not allow my children to watch todays TV shows full of demeaning bad behavior and put downs. It seems todays TV is full of bickering, one up-man-ship, and getting over someone else, especially ones own family and friends. Were there a time machine, I would go back to the happy and safe days of my childhood that this TV show was so much a part of. Great TV show!

The Beginning of an Era.

[ExplorerDS6789 · 9/10 · 5 October 2012]

Times being what they were, Charles Ingalls decided it was time for he and his family to pull up stakes and head east in hopes of a better life. With his wife Caroline, their three daughters Mary, Laura and Carrie, and faithful dog, Jack, there'd be no stopping him. They hit the road after a tearful goodbye to Caroline's parents, and the trip to Kansas was long and uneventful, save for a treacherous river crossing, in which poor Jack was swept down stream. The family figured him for dead, but Laura would not give up hope. Then one night, as Charles and Caroline argued over what ever perspective future the Ingalls patriarch was hoping to find, Jack came out of nowhere, apparently having tracked them. Damn, Rin Tin Tin's got NOTHING on ol' Jack! So after another day of endless travel and the family beginning to chafe about the journey, Charles found what he'd been looking for: endless green acres, the place to be. Farm livin' is the life for he. They're home at last. So quickly Charles and Caroline set to building their first little house on the prairie... um, why aren't the girls helping? The job was a pain in the ass and there was nobody in miles to lend a hand, except for... Isaiah Edwards, a kindly mountain man who lived nearby. He taught Laura how to spit, much to Caroline's chagrin. The rest of the family took a liking to him right away, though. Caroline sent the girls to bed early that night 'cause she's a meanie-head. Well, finally, the house was finished. Now what? Charles had a big to-do list. Also, one of their horses was preggers and had itself a foal. At least now Laura won't be begging for a pony. Next day, Charles went out huntin' and encountered a pack of ornery wolves, so naturally he ran away and naturally, the wolves gave chase. Um, Charles, you know you've got a rifle, right? So he brought home nothing from the hunt because he's a chicken-sheet and they were forced to eat leftover stew again. I think they had it better in Wisconsin.

Guess who's coming to breakfast? Two Injuns! While Charles went off to try another hunt, two Indians ran up to the house. They made a heap big mess and robbed the Ingallses of their tobacco and cornbread before running off. Charles came home and hit the roof. Oh, not because they were robbed, but because Laura wanted to untie Jack to ward off the Injuns, after Charles specifically told her not to...you know what? Charles Ingalls is a Grade-A jerk-ass. But then he and Laura have one of their world-famous talks and that makes everything okay. Before Full House, there was Little House. Anyhoo, Charles lands a position on a cattle drive and brings home a cow and calf. Steak and hamburgers tonight! Before long, their Injun "friends" came back, though one of them appeared to be French, by the name of Soldat Du Chene, so they invited Du Chene into their cabin and Charles let him smokeum his peace pipe. He seemed like a decent guy, but Caroline and Mary still held their dislike of the red man, because... Hey, it's snowing! Christmas came before they knew it, and the girls anxiously awaited their visit from St. Nick. Sure enough, that night, a frozen-stiff Isaiah Claus came through the Ingalls' front door. Seems he'd been sent personally by the man in red to ensure the girls got their gifts, and they did: silver cups, candy canes and a penny each. And Edwards finally gained Caroline's respect. So from here on out, it seemed everything was going to work out okay for the Ingalls family...uh oh, brush fire! Frantically, they worked to put out the flames on the house and barn. The Ingallses are genuine firefighters. Fortunately, they're saved by a downpour. Sure enough, the Indians came back again, after two straight days of drumming. The Ingallses feared for their lives, but it turns out Du Chene was the tribal chief and they'd come to make a peace offering. So NOW it seemed as if everything was going to work out okay for the Ingalls family, they have a fine crop and everything seems hunky-dory. But then two cavalrymen showed up and delivered Charles a message: he's been drafted. No, only kidding, they're being evicted, just like what the government was doing to the Indians. Ain't that a kick in the groin? Rotten luck that! So with help from Mr. Edwards, they loaded up their wagon, and bid their farewells to that jovial mountain man, hoping they'd all meet again some day. They headed out towards Minnesota for a place called Walnut Grove, hearing there was a lot of action out that way.

Well done! A well done pilot to a great series. Very well acted! Michael Landon was terrific as Charles, Karen Grassle went above and beyond the call of duty as Caroline, Melissa Gilbert, Melissa Sue Anderson and Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush were adorable as the girls. And of course, Victor French stole the show as Edwards. Excellent direction from Landon, a good script by Blanche Hanalis, it was just great. I urge all Little House fans to see how it all began. Why the hell this and the series never won Emmys for acting, writing and directing is beyond me. Incidentally, there's a rumor that the jagoff who directed Pineapple Express wants to direct a remake of Little House. Stay away from the Prairie, my friend! Go make Pineapple Express 2, but don't you dare touch the Ingalls' legacy! But anyway, check out the pilot episode, it's one for the ages!

False History

[drexmaverick · 8/10 · 15 June 2019]

I don't care how its depicted in film. I doubt any man was ever dumb enough to leave his family unarmed and incapable of using firearms. That old musket would not suffice

A wonderful start to a wonderful show

[Monika-5 · 10 April 2001]

This was the pilot to the wonderful TV series. The series did kind of get a little sappy and saccharine as it went along, but it was NOWHERE near as bad as Full House in that department! One of the things I really like about the show is the closeness of the Ingalls family. Melissa Gilbert, Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Melissa Sue Anderson, and Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush all looked so comfortable and at ease with each other. If you didn't know better, you'd swear they really were a family. This TV movie kicked off a great series that lasted almost a decade and introduced us to many actors who became very familiar and very beloved to viewers. Long live Little House!

My favorite show

[Jenn-69 · 10/10 · 2 November 2000]

I'm nearly 40 years old, I love Little House on the Prairie. I didn't watch too much of it 20 years ago, but totally enjoy watching 2 hours every week-day morning. I actually set my clock to wake up during the summer months, so I don't miss any shows, even though I've seen them all several times. It is a clean show. I say by far, this is my favorite show on tv.

I would love to see a 2000 reunion with all the surviving cast members. I think the Oleson's are pretty cool people. I love the on-going "fussing" with the Ingall's & the Oleson's. I truly hope they don't take this show off the air.

Has what makes a great show: Plot and Melissa Gilbert

[TheSoupNazi · 10/10 · 25 June 2002]

A while back I had accidentally left my television on in my living room. I walked in ready to channel surf when I was curious about what was on. I started to watch what I would later find out was Little House on the Prairie. Now, it may have been because I had fallen in love with Melissa Gilbert. It also may have been because the episode that I saw dealt with the same thing I was going through. It also may have been because it was a type of show that I had not seen before. Whatever it was, I knew I had become addicted.

I now watch this show on a daily basis. Everyday from 9 to 11, I'm watching it. And if I'm busy or gone, you can bet that my VCR is taping it.

What I love about this show most is ... Melissa Gilbert. What I love about this show second most is that it takes place in the 1800s, but it deals with problems that people go through even today.

I know a lot of you skeptics our there do not want to watch this show. But, I think everyone can get a little bit of something out of it. After all, this is coming from a guy who watches Married With Children and The Drew Carey Show.

Show Rating: 10 / 10

Wonderful start to a wonderful show!

[mitchrmp · 10/10 · 30 January 2013]

Being born in the early 1970's, I wasn't around to witness the beginning of this wonderful series. In fact, I had probably already seen every episode more than once by the time I got to see this premiere movie.

This movie isn't one of those makes you laugh and feel good kind. The west was a hard place to be. When watching this, we can't help but to gain a new respect for the pioneers who worked and sweated over the land. It was a tough life. When you think you're finally going to get somewhere, you are knocked off your feet. But this family had a lot of love for each other and God. Through fire, fears of Indain attacks, months of traveling, floods, wild animals, and injuries; one thing remained unchanged: the love they had for each other.

And if you haven't seen this and you expect a happy ending, I'm sorry but you will be very disappointed. there is no happy ending here. This only goes to explain why the Ingalls family did not settle in Kansas like they originally planned to do.

When watching this series, you cannot compare it to the books. There are a lot of differences between the two. While Charles was a big man with a wild beard, this Charles was quite different. Also, Carrie had not been born yet when they went to Kansas Territory.

Watch this show. It shows how "simple" life used to be.

Rewind the simpler times

[brendankids-98699 · 10/10 · 8 April 2020]

Husband and I relax to show. Really great values.I used to Watch the show in the 70s. I could watch the shows over and over and over again.

Big Mansion in the Valley.

[yantiqueties · 10/10 · 2 January 2021]

That's exactly what I felt like when growing up watching it on Thursday nights right before The Waltons came on. My Omi from Germany, when she came to visit, usually 4 months at a time, loved this show too.

A good pilot

[jmmustchin · 10/10 · 3 June 2018]

I've never read Laura Ingalls' Wilder's books, but I've watched this movie and the ensuing TV series. It's extremely good - and heartwarming. You'll easily enjoy this delightful family film. A VERY good start to the series. Well worth the watch.

Not Bad and Not Good

[garyldibert · 5/10 · 19 February 2009]

This picture hit TVs on March 30 1974 starring Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls, Karen Grassle as Caroline Ingalls, Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls, Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls and Victor French as Isaiah Edwards. The movie opened with the following quote. The Ingalls family is shown standing with Caroline parents in front of her parent's house as Laura gives this opening quote. If I had a remembrance book, I would mark down how it was when we left our little house in the big woods to go west to Indian Territory. We had to go, Pa said, because so many people had come to live in the big woods, there wasn't enough game anymore for him to hunt and he feared we might go hungry. Ma said we might never again see Grandma and Grandpa, or Aunt Docia and Aunt Ruby and Uncle George. Though it made me sad, I still thought it a fine thing to go where there had never been a road before. We'd go where the land was more bountiful, he said, and he sold our house and land and cow, and packed whatever would fit in the wagon. I was glad Pa took his fiddle, for it makes a joy some sound. Mary was afraid to go, but I knew nothing bad could happen as long as we had Pa and Jack. Jack is my best and truest friend and Pa says there has never been a better watchdog. I knew there would be rivers to cross and hills to climb, and I was glad, for this is a fair land and I rejoiced that I would see it. So Charles and his family headed West towards Kansas in attempt to start a new life however, getting wasn't easy. The Ingalls family had to deal with high rivers that were treacherous to cross. Wild weather that includes thunderstorms and heavy down pours. So once they reached Kansas the family set up home that included a small house and small shed that stored there animals. Here are some questions that made need answer as you watched this movie. Do the Ingalls get the new start as they were hoping for? Where does stranger Isaiah Edwards play in all this? Here are some of my own thoughts about this TV movie that turn into a hit TV Series. I thought this movie was kind of a sequel to the Walton's with the only difference being that the Walton's was during the depression while the Ingalls was in the Western times. I didn't really care too much for this and I'm not sure why? There was no leading lady in this picture nor was there very much drama that kept you on the edge of your sit like other shows. With that in mind I give this movie 5 weasel stars.

Big Fan!

[hillberry1971 · 1 October 2005]

I grew up watching Little House, and I still watch it today as often as I can. I do nothing between 10-12 and then from 4-6 everyday! My children watch it with me and they are small, 4 and 2. I have never had the opportunity to read the books, but someday I hope I get the chance. My family makes fun of me for still watching it, they say that I'm crazy for liking that "sap", but I would rather watch something wholesome with my children rather than the unwatchable stuff that is on today! They don't make programs for families to sit down and watch together anymore and that is sad. I will always watch Little House on the Prairie and will encourage my children to do the same with their children.

where did shows like this go?

[Riff98 · 2 September 2001]

I confess that the first time I sat down and watched this show, I thought it would be lame. However, after watching a few episodes, I found myself to be drawn to it. Many people today wouldn't like the show because it has values. Instead they like smut like "Temptation Island" and crap like that. Shows like this with class and emotion are rare to say the least. I love this show and I think everyone who would take an hour out to watch it, would feel the same.

Perfect Family Series

[StffnInglls · 15 July 2001]

I was lucky to grow up watching Little House and now with repeats I've found it still holds up against the best shows on offer.

Criticisms that the show is too sweet is a little unfair. The characters may be endearing and the children polite but this can not be seen as reason for dismissing the show. In fact not every episode had a happy ending.

The show also dealt with rascism, drugs and alcohol abuse from time to time. Mostly the show gained the impressive ratings with thought provoking story lines, good humour, a sense of love the characters displayed towards another and characters that people could identify with. The hardworking honest farmer (Charles Ingalls) and caring wife (Caroline) tomboy (Laura) studious sister (Mary) as well as the brow beaten store owner (Nells Oleson) his nagging wife (Harriet) and his terrible two-some children (Nellie and Willie) along with others.

The hardships the Ingalls faced were over come with the love they had for each other, friendships with those in the town and a solid belief in God and Christian values.

The show hit all the right places that a solid family drama series should and today it is very hard to find another show that can compare.

It's a television show about life on the Prairie in the 1800's in the US

[David-119 · 9 September 1998]

I've never sat through a complete episode of Little House on the Praire, but my wife, Michelle, is an addict. She watches the show in syndication constantly. She watches back to back one hour episodes from 9 :00 AM - 11:00 AM several days a week.

She swears by Little House. She thinks that it is one of the best television series ever made. She's told me all about the Ingalls and the life that they live. She actually has the original books that the show is based on. Who even knew there were books. She claims that she has the books. Actually, she said that her father has the books in storage, but he might have misplaced them.

The bottom line is very simple. If my wife thinks this show is that great, it has to be a phenomenal series.

We give it two thumbs up.

One of the best shows ever

[briguy_52732 · 21 August 2001]

It's funny how time dates certain TV shows. "Little House on the Prairie" is certainly not one of them. This program ranks as one of the best ever.

"Little House" was one of those series which taught moral, religious lessons without preaching; stories that could happen in real life, usually leading up to the show's moral. However, some episodes were "just-for-fun" and didn't really have a lesson tied to them. It's great to see the balance between drama (the meat of the show) and comedy (an occasional but always welcome break from the drama).

The show's topics showed that today's problems certainly aren't new -- infidelity, drugs/alcohol abuse, corruption (usually fueled by money) and racism, to name a few. Unlike many family shows where the parents were always right and the children were the ones with faults, "Little House" presented adult regulars with real failings, somewhat akin to "All in the Family" and its presentation of adult regulars with shortcomings (in particular, Archie Bunker).

It was always heartwarming to see how the townspeople banded together to support the Ingalls. The pilot movie definitely set the tone for the nine-year series which followed.

Never has gone out of style.

[yenlo · 25 January 2001]

I was a Junior in High School when this show premiered on NBC. A number of us were discussing the new shows on TV and everyone was in agreement that this one would probably not last long even though it seemed to be very well written and done. Well how wrong we all were. Even now years after it has gone off the air the episodes are still great to watch. Some shows just never go out of style. Little House on the Prairie is one of those shows.

What a great show!

[serendipity · 3 September 1999]

Little House on the Prairie - what a great show! Yeah it may be a little cheesy, with a few thousand too many shots of Laura Ingalls wearing ever-present braids and petticoat running away from some shocking news, but still, a very feel-good show. It's nice to watch a show that doesn't rely on nudity or fist-fights to be entertaining. All around a fun show, with good characters, interesting plotlines, and hey where else can you hear the famous Nelly Olsen screech!

A Great Movie and Series

[lonestarangel007 · 20 July 2004]

I read the "Little House" books several times before watching the movie and series, and I have to say I like the television show better. Not only did it bring the story to life, it also brought a more emotional side to it. Don't get me wrong, I love the books, too; I just loved the show more. Although, the show might have done well to not add so many things as they did. While I loved them adding Adam in (it really was a sweet story and I always thought it was sad how Mary ended up alone in real life 'cause of her blindness), I did not like the addition of James and Cassandra. I know the producers wanted to bring younger people in since Laura and Mary were grown up, but hello? What about Carrie? She was just the background girl in the series. She and Cassandra were about the same age, why couldn't they have made Carrie's story lines bigger? For example, in the books, Carrie had some trouble with Miss Wilder. A great storyline would've been Laura feeling torn between her affection for Almanzo and her dislike of the way his sister was treating her sister. That was pretty much the biggest problem I had with the show, other than that, a great show.

One of the best movies around....

[ktexas · 22 August 2003]

As someone else said, this series is not accurate. But what movie is completely accurate? This is a series that is BASED on the "Little House" books. At the start of each episode it is written that it is based on the books. Nothing is said that it is accurate. When a movie is based on the true story, it just means that names and places are about the only things that ARE accurate. This is a wonderful movie and excellent series. And now it has come to DVD. You can't ask for anything more..

Appallingly historically inaccurate

[Blondie_ · 2 July 2002]

As a diehard Laura Ingalls fan, I grew up watching every episode of this show. However, I also read all her books, and once you do, this TV show is unwatchable. It is so historically inaccurate in terms of clothes, appearance and people's attitudes and behavior. It is an insult to the real Ingalls-Wilder family. The stories are also nearly fictional-only a quarter of the stories portrayed on TV ever happened, and most of the true ones have fiction added to them. I know a TV show has to sell to a modern audience and if it was done accurately, people would find it so boring they would never watch it. Yet it smears the repuation so much of the real Ingalls-Wilder family. I would urge everyone who is a diehard fan of this show to read all her books to get the REAL story without Hollywood additions.

Some real truth:

Pa Ingalls was a very peaceful man who never fought anyone, unlike the TV show where he gets into brawles daily. He taught his kids that they should never strike anyone as well.

The Ingalls family lived in many locations throughout their history, not just the one town that is portrayed on the TV show.

Laura and Almanzo courted for a long time before they hooked up. There was never even the remotest display of physical affection shown to one another until they were engaged. Laura did not have a big crush on him as she did in the show. In fact, she played very hard to get with Almanzo.

Mary Ingalls accepted her blindness from the beginning with great courage and dignity, unlike the character portrayed on the show. The character of Adam never existed (although I wish he did, what a sweet story that was!). Mary never married.