Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983) Okay, I'm not much on family drama. I think that most shows of this kind try to cram a message down your throat in a manner that isn't even pretty. You feel like you've just gone to church or something. Yes, Little House On The Prairie did this to a certain level (I mean really...we're the Ingalls family really the saints of Walnut Grove?), but I also felt that there was more integrity in this show than in other family shows. While you had to love Michael Landon's Charles Ingalls (especially when he broke ribs on the show and had to be bandaged shirtless), it was those loveable moppets Melissa Gilbert as Laura and Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary who made you love the show. And then (for the gay child) there was Almanzo (Dean Butler) and Adam (Linwood Boomer). Interestingly enough, I just found out that many pieces of the Little House On The Prairie mythos did not really exist. Take for instance the Olesons...these main staples of Walnut Grove were never there. They were apparently an amalgam of several families Laura Ingalls Wilder met during her childhood. But, we loved overpowering Harriet (Katherine MacGregor), good hearted Nels (Richard Bull), sinister brat Nellie (Alison Arngrim) and prankster Willie (Jonathan Gilbert). Also, did you know that Mary died a spinster? That meant that Adam never existed either. And, there was no Albert (Matthew Laborteaux), or James (Jason Bateman), or Cassandra (Missy Francis). And Jenny, an early role for Aaron Spelling fave Shannen Doherty...she never existed either...and speaking of them, why did they add all these fake kids instead of letting poor Sidney or Lindsay Greenbush (who played Carrie) a chance to shine? Oh, and did you know that Walnut Grove was not the first place to abolish racism or approve women's rights to vote or house a school for the blind or have an argument over a church bell only to be taught a valuable lesson by the towns' children about the importance of community? What was I saying about preaching? Oh, well...the show was great. Besides, it's my grandmother's favorite show. So, you gotta love it. Little House On The Prairie Links Come Home To The Little House Little House on the Prairie: The Homepage The Ultimate "Little House on the Prairie" Guest Star Page Internet Movie Database: Little House on the Prairie

Loren's Favorite Shows Absolutely Fabulous (1992-1996) Alien Nation (1989-1991) All In The Family (1971-1979) Angel (1999-present) Bewitched (1964-1972) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-present) The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1979) Dawson's Creek (1998-present) Ellen (1994-1998) E.R. (1994-present) Felicity (1998-present) French & Saunders (1987-???) Friends (1994-present) Green Acres (1965-1971) Golden Girls (1985-1992) I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970) I Love Lucy (1951-1957) Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983) Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997) Maude (1972-1978) One Life To Live (1968-present) Roseanne (1988-1997) Soap (1977-1981) Star Trek (1966-1969) Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) Star Trek: Voyager (1995-present) Tracey Takes On... (1996-present) The Tracey Ullman Show (1987-1990) The Vicar of Dibley (1994-present) Will & Grace (1998-present) Wonder Woman (1975-1979) Back to Television Index