THE PLOT THUS FAR
The life and adventures of the Ingalls family in the 19th century American West.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Little House On The Prairie”,had enough staying power for the nine and a half years that it ran on NBC-TV(1974-1983)and from there became one of the best family oriented shows of the 1970′s,and it stayed that way throughout the remainder of the early-1980′s. The series produced 203 episodes,and also developed a spin-off as well,”Father Murphy”,which ran for three seasons. Not to mention three successful made for TV movies based on this series as well,from the premiere episode in 1974,to the fiery climax of the series in mid-1983.
However,about the episodes,as one comment mentioned them as sweet and sappy as it was remembered,but in other terms it was a series that tackled some very disturbing issues that were relevant in its day while at the same time staying within the frame of the moralistic/family oriented genre. Some of it tackled even darker subjects,and this was a first in the family oriented dramas of the 1970′s. But at the same time,it has some very touching moments.
Landon portrays Charles Ingalls. Along with his wife Caroline (Karen Grassle) and children Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson), Laura (Melissa Gilbert), and Carrie (Lindsay-Sidney Greenbush), the Ingalls family endures tremendous hardships in their daily lives, including life among American Indians, crop failures, disease, hunger, wild animals, rough weather, and their neighbors in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. The series is depicted from the perspective of Laura Ingalls.
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, 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 DVD comes with commentaries, featurettes, interviews, photo albums and related show nostalagia. I like how the DVDs are laid out in the covered wagon case. Basically, it’s an overglorified CD binder that works in a simplistic sense. We have materials that aren’t getting thrown around, but all we sacrifice is aesthetic value. The A/V Quality is far better than I remember.
I can’t quite tell what the show was shot on due to my infamiliarity with a lot of 1970s television. However, it suffers from the glow that Universal’s SNL sets sported for the first five seasons. The coloring is off throughout the entire presentation, but I’m not sure how far a digital remastering can go to fix this. A lot of the material would need to be cleaned from the print on out. Oh well, it’s still a solid show and worth a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
