EXTRA: The 1980 Walnut Groovy Awards

Readers may remember I possess an archive of flotsam from the Walnut Groovy Awards, the annual Little House celebration held every summer during the show’s original run. (If you’re thinking of looking the Groovies up, don’t even bother. Because in this age of AI-distorted, -supplanted, -suppressed and -forgotten knowledge, who knows what to trust anymore?)Continue reading “EXTRA: The 1980 Walnut Groovy Awards”

“He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” (Part Two)

Alamanzy! Alamanzy!; or It’s a Christmas Miracle, Susan Goodspeed (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” [sic] Airdate: May 12, 1980 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Journeys end in lovers meeting, and so does Season Six as it draws to a joyous close. Editor’sContinue reading ““He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” (Part Two)”

Sweet Sixteen

That’s Professor Pint To You; or Two Girls, One Churn?  (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Sweet Sixteen Airdate: February 25, 1980 Written by John T. Dugan Directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Suddenly and magically, Laura becomes a grown-up woman teacher, which inexplicably makes Almanzo fall in love with her. Guest-starring theContinue reading “Sweet Sixteen”

“May We Make Them Proud” (Part Two)

The Nineteenth-Century Betty Hazelden; or Nellie, You’re Letting This Place Go to the Dogs (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: “May We Make Them Proud” [sic] Airdate: February 4, 1980 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY: Mary has lost her marbles with grief, so the show locks her in a hotel room to focusContinue reading ““May We Make Them Proud” (Part Two)”

“May We Make Them Proud” (Part One)

“She’ll Be Fine”; or Mary’s Baby Was Ugly . . . But Not Too Ugly to Live! (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: “May We Make Them Proud” [sic] Airdate: February 4, 1980 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: [screams uncontrollably] RECAP: We live in bad times, everybody. We’re down inContinue reading ““May We Make Them Proud” (Part One)”

Silent Promises

It Must Be Hard to Ghost Somebody in Walnut Grove; or The Deafisode? (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Silent Promises Airdate: January 28, 1980 Written by Carole and Michael Raschella Directed by Maury Dexter SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Laura teaches herself ASL in about ten minutes to help socialize a deaf teenager, who thenContinue reading “Silent Promises”

Crossed Connections

When Harry Met Allie; or Girls Just Want to Have Phone (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Crossed Connections Airdate: December 10, 1979 Written by Don Balluck Directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Scandal rocks Hero Township when switchboard operator Mrs. Oleson learns a Grovester’s dark secret. (I won’t tell you who itContinue reading “Crossed Connections”

The Faith Healer

The Banality of Evil; or Total Eclipse of the Appendix (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Faith Healer Airdate: November 19, 1979 Written by Don Balluck Directed by Maury Dexter SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Another Reverend Alden one. This time, Dabbs gets to flex his acting muscles when Aldi is challenged by a rivalContinue reading “The Faith Healer”

The King is Dead

Milo Meatloaf; or Charles’s Head is Disappearing Into His Hair (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The King is Dead Airdate: November 12, 1979 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: It’s a clash of the titans when amateur wrestler Jonathan Garvey turns pro. RECAP: First things first, very sad to hearContinue reading “The King is Dead”

The Preacher Takes a Wife

Reverend Fallden; or You May Ask Yourself, Where is My Beautiful Wife? (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Preacher Takes a Wife Airdate: October 22, 1979 Written by John T. Dugan Directed by Maury Dexter SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Mrs. Oleson schemes to destroy Reverend Alden’s new love relationship – until surprise! a darkContinue reading “The Preacher Takes a Wife”