Little House On The
Prairie: Season Eight
161. The
Reincarnation of Nellie (1)
Guest Star: Allison Balson (Nancy) Ivan Bonar (Mr. Case)
Percival and Nellie go to New York so that Percival can run the family
business now that his father has died. Mrs. Oleson gets very depressed
because of Nellie leaving. The Oleson's decide to adopt a girl to take the
place of Nellie. While they are in Sleepy Eye, they find a girl that looks
almost exactly like Nellie when she was young.
b: 05-Oct-1981 w: Michael Landon d: Michael Landon
NOTE: Note how Willie Oleson has started to mature. His voice is deeper
and his attitude has started to mature (i.e., he will cause much less
trouble than he has in the past -- though he won't completely shake the
"trouble" bug until later on in the season -- and start resisting his
mother's babying). Although always having been a good friend with Albert
Ingalls, the two become better friends this season.
At the start of the new season, we notice
Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) moves to New York with Adam, and is taken out
of the opening credits (Which should have been done a long time ago, since
half the episodes she was credited for she never appeared in.) A new
season and a number of cast and crew changes. Hester-Sue, James and
Cassandra Cooper, as well as Baby Grace feature in the town's opening
credits. A lot of emotional tears as people are departing, Mrs. Oleson has
a bad time, but as the story title shows there is a someone coming
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162. The Reincarnation of Nellie (2)
Guest Star: Allison Balson (Nancy) Ivan Bonar (Mr. Case)
Nancy turns out to be worse than Nellie ever was. She even locks another
girl in the ice house. The students devise a plan to teach Nancy a lesson.
They trick her into being the star in a dunking tank. Also during this
episode, Adam and Mary move to New York so that they can earn a living and
Hester Sue comes to Walnut Grove to work at the restaurant.
b: 12-Oct-1981 w: Michael Landon d: Michael Landon
NOTE: Nancy is a real nasty piece of work. But she gets what's coming to
her. Boy! Does she get it. Listen out for the narration at the end,
especially you kids out there. The kids tricking Nancy into the dunk tank
is much like when Laura tricked Nellie into being the dunk tank girl
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163. Growin' Pains
James is trying to be more like Albert. He even wants to shave like Albert
has to. While James is shaving, he breaks Albert's razor. James steals a
razor from the mercantile hoping Albert wouldn't notice the difference.
When the truth is found out about the razor, James runs away. Albert takes
off after him. When Albert finds James, it takes a lot of convincing
before James decides to come back home with him.
b: 09-Oct-1981 w: Larry Bischof d: Maury Dexter
NOTE: There were no guests for this episode (plenty of co-stars though).
Allison Balson (Nancy) was credited as one of the town's people from this
episode onwards.
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164. Dark Sage
Guest Star: Don Marshall (Dr. Caleb Ledoux) Marlene Warfield (Mattie
Ledoux) John Shearin (Nathan Sherman) Anne E. Curry (Jenny Sherman) Kevin
Hagen (Dr. Baker)
Doc Baker post an ad for another doctor. A black doctor answers the ad.
Doc Baker decides to give the black doctor just a few minor cases. Doc
Baker soon realizes that the black doctor is probably better than him
after the black doctor saves a pregnant mother and her child. Doc Baker
even asks the black doctor to stay.
b: 26-Oct-1981 w: Vince R. Gutierrez d: Maury Dexter
NOTE: Kevin Hagen as Dr. Baker was credited as a guest in this episode, as
the story revolves around him in part. This story is of prejudice from
every side. Mistrust and unfairness. Something we could all do without.
Look real close and you'll see a plaque when Walnut Grove was founded and
by whom. (1840 by Lars Hanson)
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165. A Wiser Heart
Guest Star: Patrick Collins (Mortimer Carstairs) Joseph Lambie (William
Woestehoff) Lucy Lee Flippin (Eliza Jane Wilder)
Laura goes to visit Eliza Jane because of a literature seminar that is
going on in town. Laura has to find a part-time job to pay for meals and
other stuff. She ends up hating the job. There is a person who Laura met
on the train who begins to like Eliza Jane. Eliza Jane in turn begins to
like the professor teaching the seminar and the professor likes Laura. The
professor tells Laura that her writing is bad when Laura tells him she is
happily married. The man on the train eventually defends Laura's writing.
It only takes one punch by the man to get the professor to take off and
leave.
b: 02-Nov-1981 w: Chris Abbott d: Michael Landon
NOTE: A story of a quadrangle, Mortimer wanting Eliza Jane, Eliza Jane
wanting Professor Woestehoff and Professor Woestehoff wanting Laura. Some
nice humor, provided by Mort in some parts and the penultimate scene in
the lecture room turns out nicely, for those who may be watching for the
first time in particular. Mrs. Pierce gets her 'just deserts' too!
Another appearance of Michael's daughter Leslie, as Laura's co-worker in
the restaurant
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166. Gambini The Great
Guest Star: Jack Kruschen (Gambini) Stephen Manley (Marco) Gloria Manos
(Anna Rosa)
We meet Gambini, an aging circus performer who specializes in escape
stunts. In the opening, Gambini suffers from smoke inhilation after
failing to escape a "burning box;" during his recovery, he angrily disowns
his oldest son, Stefano, who does not want to continue the Gambini act.
Turns out Marco, too, wants nothing to do with the family act when it
passes to his generation. Later, Gambini and his family plan several
performances in Walnut Grove (thanks in part to promoter Mrs. Olesen, who
gleefully welcomes the circus to town). After school, the schoolchildren
watch the practices, and Albert is smitten ... not only by the new girl in
town, but by Gambini's daring feats. Albert decides he, too, must be just
like Gambini and devotes more time to imitating his stunts than his
schoolwork. Other children do likewise -- Willie nearly blows up the
Mercantile when he attempts the "cannonman" act with Nancy's cat, Pepper.
Meanwhile, Mr. Olesen is the first to express grave concerns about
Gambini's influence on the children when he hears a comment from an adult
about how they can't wait for the performers to do their high-flying
stunts without nets. Charles agrees and, after learning that Albert has
tried increasingly dangerous stunts, forbids his adopted son to go to the
show (Mr. Olesen will also not allow Nancy to take an announcing job at
the opening show, of course over Harriet's objections). In the end, both
Albert and Nancy disobey their parents ... only to have them witness
Gambini fail to escape the "burning box." Only this time, the results are
deadly, and a saddened Albert has learned a hard lesson about hero
worship.
b: 09-Nov-1981 w: Jeri Taylor d: Michael Landon
NOTE: Gambini's influence on the town's older children leads them to
attempt some of the showman's very dangerous stunts. Willie attempts the "cannonman"
stunt (using a makeshift cannon and Nancy's cat, Pepper), and nearly blows
up the Mercantile when he uses too much gunpowder. Later, Albert tries
impressing a girl when he attempts to escape from Lake Kezia with his
hands tied behind his back. While Albert is not injured in his trick, the
lesson here is obvious -- "Don't try this at home!"
This episode makes a strong statement
about hero worship -- worshipping entertainers (such as Gambini) vs.
following the paths of true heroes (i.e., Dr. Baker). Jeri Taylor is
better known for shaping the Star Trek Universe with her work on The Next
Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. She even wrote the "bible" on
Captain Janeway with her "Official" Star Trek novel-Pathways & Mosaic.
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167. The Legend of Black Jake
Guest Star: Todd Susman (Max) Royce D. Applegate (Georgie)
Nels is kidnapped by two crooks. The crooks try to get Mrs. Oleson to pay
ransom for her husband, but she refuses to. This makes Mr. Oleson upset
and causes him to help the crooks. The kidnappers aren't very lucky. After
kidnapping several different people, the crooks decide that they need to
try another line of work. They leave without hurting any of the kidnapped
people.
b: 16-Nov-1981 w: Chris Abbott d: Michael Landon
NOTE: This is a funny episode, in which Nels puts flour on his face to
pretend he's a ghost talking to his wife. Harriet faints at four times,
and Nancy faints once.
This is a funny episode, with many laughs, if you want a good story to
laugh at, this is one of them.
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168. Chicago
Guest Star: M. Emmet Walsh (Callahan) Victor French (Mr. Edwards) Gene
Ross (Drummond) Chez Lister (B. J. Jackson)
Mr. Edwards adopted son gets killed, which causes Mr. Edwards to become
very depressed. Mr. Ingalls helps Mr. Edwards through this period. A
chance encounter with a stolen watch makes them believe that the boy did
not die accidentally. They, along with the help of an editor from a city
newspaper, help find the corrupt businessman who paid to have the boy
killed. (The boy who was killed was John Jr, the oldest of the 3 children
Mr. Edwards & Grace adopted.)
b: 23-Nov-1981 w: John Hawkins & B.W. Sandefur d: Michael Landon
NOTE: Though a sad story, especially about the death of a child (for any
parent), the story in compelling as a chance encounter turns an accident
into something sinister and detective work has to be done, leading to
corruption in the Windy City at all levels. It turns into a good story.
Radames Pera (John Jr.) visited the set
during this episode and showed up too late, the character was already
killed off.
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169. For The Love of Nancy
Guest Star: J. Brennan Smith (Elmer Miles)
An overweight boy comes to school at Walnut Grove. The school kids pick on
him because he is so heavy. Nancy persuades the boy to bully the other
school children. The jokes of the school children get so bad that the
obese boy decides to quit school. The school children then decide that
enough is enough. They go over and apologize to him.
b: 30-Nov-1981 w: Chris Abbott d: Maury Dexter
NOTE: Story today revolves around the school, the Oleson's and Elmer.
The trick Willie & Albert play on Nancy is sadly at Elmer's expense and
this leads distress for Elmer and a decision he announces at school. There
are two scenes where the founding of Walnut Grove sign is shown and the
background to it is the Nellie hotel and restaurant.
Elmer is the first (and last??) person who has a crush on Nancy, but it
doesn't last very long.
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170. Wave of the Future
Guest Star: Laurie Main (Major Guffey)
Mrs. Oleson changes the restaurant into a franchise restaurant, She has a
hard time living up to the agreement of the franchise. Charles and Nels
get together and decide to open up a restaurant of their own, right across
the street. The new restaurant forces Mrs. Oleson's restaurant out of
business. The town is now back to normal, or at least as normal as it can
be.
b: 07-Dec-1981 w: Jeri Taylor d: Maury Dexter
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171. A Christmas They Never Forgot
Guest Star: Newell Alexander (Mr. Holbrook) Tom Lester (Mr. Wilder) Victor
French (Mr. Edwards)
Mary, Adam, Hester Sue, the Wilders, and the Ingalls are all together for
Christmas. The snow begins falling and soon they are snowed in by a
blizzard. To pass time, several of them tell stories. Laura talks about
the Christmas in Kansas when Mr. Edwards came.
b: 21-Dec-1981 w: Don Balluck d: Michael Landon
NOTE: In addition to Laura's reminiscence of the Ingalls' first Christmas
in Kansas (reviewed via clips from the original LHOTP movie), other
stories revolve around Caroline's first Christmas with her stepfather as a
part of the family; the first time Almonzo stopped believing in Santa
Claus; and Hester Sue's tale of a memorable Christmas.
The fierce Christmas Eve snowstorm leaves
so much snow the front door is completely blocked with snow! Carrie (one
of the Greenbush twins' last times on camera) questions where Santa left
all the presents, and Charles and Almonzo help get the gifts from the
barn.
This truly-delightful show was one of
four Christmas-themed episodes in LHOTP's run. The others included
"Christmas at Plum Creek" (Season 1); "Blizzard" (Season 3, though it
actually aired in January 1977); and "Bless All the Dear Children" (a
post-LHOTP movie that aired in December 1984). That, plus the "Christmas
in Kansas with Mr. Edwards" scenes add up to a plethora of memorable
Christmases for the Ingalls family.
Victor French is credited as a Special
Guest Star as an earlier episode with him in it is shown.
An odd note as to why Adam and Mary were guest stars in this episode, yet
Adam was shown in the Towns opening credits and Mary in the co-stars.
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172. No Beast So Fierce
Guest Star: Dennis Howard (Braden Hale) Peter Billingsley (Gideon Hale)
A new kid in school, Gideon, has a speech problem. Although James has
become friends with Gideon, he and the other school children make fun of
Gideon. This causes Gideon to run away from home. Caroline is the one that
eventually finds Gideon and takes him back home. When James sees Gideon
again, he immediately apologizes.
b: 04-Jan-1982 w: Carole Raschella & Michael Raschella d: Michael Landon
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173. Stone Soup
Charles and Almanzo go away for a while, leaving Laura, who is pregnant,
to take care of the farm. When a drought occurs, Laura goes out in the
heat trying to water the plants. She ends up working herself so hard she
suffers a heat stroke. She ends up being OK. The greatest part of this
episode occurs when the school children come over to Laura's place and
water the crops.
b: 18-Jan-1982 w: Peter Dixon d: Maury Dexter
NOTE: This episode, though it revolves around Laura's seemingly-obsessive
desire to care for her and Almonzo's farm (while he and Charles are away
on a months-long trip), actually centers on a major character change in
Willie Oleson. Though he begins to mature with the season 8 premiere and
causes less mischief, Willie still can't shake the misbehavior bug at
school. After being sent "to the corner" again for his misdeeds (this
time, reading a Cowboys and Indians story during class), Laura has a
heart-to-heart talk with Willie. She tells him that he is now one of the
older students in class and is an influence on the younger students and
that she expects him to be a positive role model instead of the external
class clown. That, plus hearing Caroline's telling of "Stone Soup" (while
substituting for her daughter, who had suffered a heat stroke) is a major
influence in the Willie Oleson that would be featured in the final years
of LHOTP. Never again would Willie be sent "to the corner" (though he
voluntarily went in the Season 9 premiere, when Laura bade farewell to the
school); Miss Plum would be the ONLY Walnut Grove School teacher not to
have to deal with a naughty Willie Oleson. A great episode about how, with
the help of a caring teacher and others, an underachieving, mischievous
student can change his ways and be a model student (which Willie
definitely became).
No guest stars in this episode. Willie
the Hero, and his taking an interest in history, is a change from where we
usually see and find him in the school room.
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174. The Legacy
Guest Star: Claude Earl Jones (Jack Prescott) Robert Boon (Sven Johanssen)
Charles beings making tables so that he could pass on a legacy. While he
is at this, Albert begins taking care of the farm. Charles gets very upset
when someone steals his design and starts producing the tables in large
quantities. Charles soon realizes that memories of his family is a lot
more important.
b: 25-Jan-1982 w: Vince R. Gutierrez d: Michael Landon
NOTE: This episode starts out in the present day (1982) at auction barn in
rural Minnesota, where a farming couple bids on a table made from Charles'
blueprints. After the "flashback" to the story proper, we return to
current times, where the table is loaded in the couple's Ford F-series
pickup (a mid- to late-1970s model) and they drive away.
The 1982 scenes were a nice touch for the
storyline as an outsider looking in and to the history of one piece of
furniture. Addison Fisk, when he gets his hands on Charles design and is
about to mass produce and make a killing, puts a cigar to his mouth. What
a nasty character wee see, and you may even boo and hiss at him. He
certainly has the face of a nasty piece of work.
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175. Uncle Jed
Guest Star: E.J. Andre (Uncle Jed)
An elderly relative of James and Cassandra tries to get custody away from
Charles. He ends up being unsuccessful in the lawsuit, which means that
Charles kept custody of the children.
b: 01-Feb-1982 w: Don Balluck d: Maury Dexter
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176. Second Chance
Guest Star: J.A. Preston (Sam Terhune) Ketty Lester (Hester-Sue)
Hester Sue's ex-husband, Sam, comes to town. He tells Hester Sue that he
was no longer a drinker and a gambler. Hester Sue believes he has changed
and soon decides to marry him. Hester Sue learns the truth about Sam when
his wife and kids come and warn Hester Sue that Sam is still a drinker and
gambler.
b: 08-Feb-1982 w: Don Balluck d: Maury Dexter
NOTE: As this story is based around Hester-Sue, she is credited as a guest
in this episode.
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177. Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (1)
Guest Star: Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) Lucy Lee Flippin (Almanzo Wilder)
Almanzo suffers a stroke when he goes out to work soon after he was very
sick. He ends up being partially paralyzed. When Laura has her child,
Almanzo's sour outlook on life doesn't change. Eliza Jane decides it would
be better if Almanzo and Laura came with her.
b: 15-Feb-1982
NOTE: This was a 90 minute episode. Almanzo was credited as a guest in
this two-parter, as the story revolves around the loss of his mobility.
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178. Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (2)
Guest Star: Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) Lucy Lee Flippin (Eliza Jane
Wilder)
Things get worse when a twister comes by and destroys the Wilder's home.
This causes Almanzo to finally wake up and try to walk again. With the
help of Charles, he is able to learn to walk again and rebuild the
homestead.
b: 22-Feb-1982 w: Chris Abbott d: Michael Landon
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179. A Promise To Keep
Guest Star: Victor French (Isaiah Edwards) Corinne Camacho (Grace Edwards)
Kyle Richards (Alicia Edwards) David R. Kaufman (Carl Edwards)
Mr. Edwards begins drinking again because he can't forget the death of his
son. His wife finally asks him to leave. Mr. Edwards returns to Walnut
Grove. Laura and Almanzo decide to have Mr. Edwards become the godfather
of their child. Meanwhile, Albert is trying to earn enough money to buy a
microscope for a school project. Charles allows Albert to go along with
Mr. Edwards to Sleepy Eye to pick up some goods. In Sleepy Eye, Mr.
Edwards gets drunk. Mr. Edwards speeds out of the town with the wagon
causing Albert to fall off it. Albert gets seriously injured when he is
run over by another horse and wagon. Charles is furious at Isaiah and
never wants to see him again. Laura steps in to help Mr. Edwards get over
his drinking problem. Mr. Edwards gets better until he finds out that his
wife wants to divorce him. He goes into Walnut Grove to get some alcohol,
but when he sees the church, he changes his mind. Mr. Edwards then goes
into the church to pray for the strength to get through this rough period.
b: 01-Mar-1982 w: Vince R. Gutierrez d: Michael Landon
NOTE: A heartwarming episode detailing the power of anger, forgiveness and
asking the Lord for help when the storms of life arise, this episode
marked the return of Victor French to the regular cast as Mr. Edwards, the
cherished childhood friend of the now-married Laura Ingalls Wilder. Mr.
Edwards would often be the foil of that nasty Mrs. Olsen, always having a
snappy comeback whenever she tried to insult him.
By watching "A Promise to Keep" and other
episodes, Mr. Edwards obviously was very deeply devoted to his children,
and it pained him deeply when something bad happens to them. He almost
takes very drastic measures in to help him get over what might have
happened to daughter, Alicia, in "The Return of Mr. Edwards." Plus, we
learn early in the series that Mr. Edwards once had a wife and beautiful
young daughter (while he lived in Kansas as a farmer), but they died
during a smallpox outbreak; he became an alcoholic at that time, but
Charles helped him get over the habit during an early meeting. Until "A
Promise to Keep," where Mr. Edwards deeply grieves his son's violent
death, he is able to keep his alcoholism under control.
Brian Part is replaced by David R. Kaufman
as Carl Edwards. Brian Part , the original actor was too muscular for the
part and there was a scene where he had to get struggled by Victor. They
didn't want Brian to look like he was beating Victor up. Interesting about
this episode is Carl was close to the same age as Laura when the Edwards
family left Walnut Grove and when they return in this episode Carl is a
kid still and Laura is a adult. Grace is also replaced with a new face.
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180. A Faraway Cry
Guest Star: Brion James (Amos) Ruth Silveira (Louisa "Nolan" Beckwith)
Calvin Bartlett (Horace Beckwith) James Griffith (Preacher Bob) Dennis
Lipscomb (Sherman Andruss) Betty McGuire (Nora Cramer)
A longtime friend of Caroline writes to her and asks for help. Her friend
is pregnant and lives at a gold prospector's camp where there is an
outbreak of influenza. Caroline finds out that her friend's husband
doesn't like her wife. In fact, he wants his wife's baby to die.
Caroline's friend dies during childbirth, but the child survives. In
another tent, a mother's child dies while be born. Caroline decides to
give the baby to the other mother since she knows that the baby will be
taken care of properly.
b: 08-Mar-1982 w: Don Balluck s: Pamela Balluck & Don Balluck d: Maury
Dexter
NOTE: As this story is placed mostly away from Walnut Grove and involves a
medical story, the only townsperson at the beginning, to feature, is Dr.
Baker. This episode is the only mention of Dr. Ledoux (though he is not
seen) since the episode of his introduction
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181. He Was Only Twelve (1)
Guest Star: Chris Hendrie (Coy) John Dennis Johnston (Lawrence) Tom Roy
Lowe (Leon) Bill Vint (Escal) R.D. Call (Dwayne) Victor French (Isaiah
Edwards)
James joins Charles, Albert and Mr. Edwards as they travel to Sleepy Eye
for a delivery. James – who has saved some money – and Albert visit a
general store, but after looking over the merchandise, James wants to
deposit his money into a savings account. The two unknowingly walk into a
bank robbery; one of the outlaws shoots James, and they flee. James lapses
into a coma, and the doctor tells Charles that he will likely die. An
embittered Charles convinces Mr. Edwards to help him track down the
criminals and bring them to justice. Albert later tags along, even though
he's told to stay at the hotel. Charles and company eventually catch up
with the bank robbers, and in a trance-like state, Charles nearly breaks
the neck of one of the outlaws.
b: 03-May-1982 w: Paul W. Cooper d: Michael Landon
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182. He Was Only Twelve (2)
Guest Star: Don Beddoe (Old Man) Martin Rudy (Dr. Stanfill) Victor French
(Isaiah Edwards)
James still is comatose from gunshot wounds he suffered when he and Albert
stumbled upon a bank robbery. Charles is convinced that James will
recover, even though everyone else has told him there is no hope. Charles
becomes delusional, verbally abusing his family and shunning his friends.
Finally, he leaves, taking James with him. There, Charles builds an altar,
in front of which he lays James. Caroline sends Mr. Edwards to look for
her husband, and the two of them eventually find Charles. That is, after a
thunderstorm moves through the area and a lightning bolt strikes the
altar. Miraculously, James has made a full recovery, and Charles and
Caroline reunite.
b: 10-May-1982 w: Michael Landon d: Michael Landon
NOTE: There were no co-stars for this episode. We get to see Charles
Ingalls looking very different, with a beard. He looks good though and is
shown to show us of how time has passed.
