Little House: The Pilot, aka Best Episode in Series

I am going to rewatch every episode of Little House on the Prarie, this time recording the antics for all at the Lint Ball to enjoy. This will be the most difficult post in the series since the pilot is actually very good. Away from the permanent set of Little House, the actors appear young and happy. The whole show lies ahead and the permanent cast is left to shine since there aren't side bit characters yet except Mr. Edwards, and I've always thought of him as family.

It's the show I fell in love with. To quote Laura, "It's a fine thing to go where there has never been a road before." Well, kid, you are right. You can never go home again, there's no going back, though I bet I'm not the only one who wishes the show were as good as it's first episode, when the dramatics made sense with the plot.

Oh, sh*t, the TEETH! Poor Laura's teeth are facing forward at attention. The sound is fantastic at first, left silent aside from the clatter of the wagon and the unending wind. Charles looks like he rode across a state park horse trail, but the womenfolk appear as if they just stepped from the trailer with the star on the door.

So confident Charles ushers them across the river. I'm blurring my eyes again. (refer to prior Little House post). Laura is annoyingly fixated on the dog Jack, and Mary bumps her head against the spinning wheel when they cross the river. They could have a spinning wheel, but not a cup for everyone?

Charles hair gets ruined, but when he goes to look for the dog he returns thank god perfectly coiffed. Caroline threatens Laura to wear her bonnet or her skin will get leathery (like the biker gal you messed around with last night, lady??). Caroline is very shrill in the first episode.

When Charles hugs the returning Jack, you are struck at how in emotional moments he is a decent actor. I've never seen a man who can cry so well. The drama continues, from Laura learning to spit to Indian Trouble. Caroline abhors Mr. Edwards because she doesn't like body hair (lesbian!) and says he isn't refined nor as womanly as Charles. "Caroline, you don't have to sleep with the man, but he's building us a house for free, so f*ck off!" I think that's what Charles said.

The indians are really italian actors wearing the orange foundation a woman I once worked with wore, with matching chin lines. Poor Mr. Edwards treks drunk through the snow to bring these kids a treat and Caroline is still a bitch!

Damn, Charles is sc good with kid actors. Poor Carrie. Even as a tiny thing, she can't even cry out "Santa!" very well. Every time I turn to type another disaster happens. This is the slow evolution toward over acting and too many debacles that will make Little House famous. A fire! The idiot man beats his roof with a coat to put out the freaking fire! That's how crazy Charles is. Then god sends the rain, and they all gather in front with a rainbow. Now you'd think this was the end of the episode, but no. They are just getting started. A decent imitation of an 'indian' drum beat, then the indians return. Now again, Charlie's plowing, and you are tricked into thinking all's well. But no! Here come the calvery, to tell the family who never had a chance they have to go back to civilization after all. Their shot at being pioneer heroes has ended, they will now turn into stereotypes and chuckle producers with the Olsens.

image courtesy of amazon.com