EXTRA: Melissa Gilbert – The Walnut Groovy Interview

The holidays came a little bit early for us here at Walnut Groovy. A week before Thanksgiving, we had the intense pleasure of interviewing the magnificent Melissa Gilbert . . . or, as she styled herself on the call, “the Artist Formerly Known as Half-Pint.” In the best Walnut Groovy tradition, the conversation took aboutContinue reading “EXTRA: Melissa Gilbert – The Walnut Groovy Interview”

Journey in the Spring, Part One

La La Lansford; or Can You Imagine CHARLES INGALLS is Your Fucking Brother? (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Journey in the Spring, Part One Airdate: November 15, 1976 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: We meet Charles’s parents, and, like the good Little House characters they are, they immediately goContinue reading “Journey in the Spring, Part One”

Little Girl Lost

Caaaaarrriiiiiieeeeeeeee!; or She’s Fine, She Can Barely Speak, Same as Always (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Little Girl Lost Airdate: October 18, 1976 Written by Paul W. Cooper Directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: It’s the one where Carrie falls in the well. Meanwhile, Mr. Hanson battles an old enemy for theContinue reading “Little Girl Lost”

The Collection

The Murder of Mary Ingalls; or He’s Getting Ten Years of Songs Out of This One Episode (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Collection Airdate: September 27, 1976 Written by Arthur Heinemann Directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Aldi becomes the victim of kidnapping and identity theft when he encounters some unethicalContinue reading “The Collection”

The Runaway Caboose

Throw Carl From the Train!; or Throw Mary From the Train (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Runaway Caboose Airdate: February 11, 1976 Written by John Hawkins Story by Ernie Durham Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: A runaway caboose. RECAP:  DAGNY: While you were gone we watched two of theContinue reading “The Runaway Caboose”

Plague

“When Charles says you’ll be fine, you will.” “Yeah, not like when Doc says it and it’s the kiss of death.” (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Plague Airdate: January 29, 1975 Written by Michael Landon Story by William Keys and Michael Landon Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Everybody in townContinue reading “Plague”

The Award

Stupid Mary; or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Skip My Final (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Award Airdate: December 11, 1974 Written by Michael Landon Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Stupid Mary almost burns down the barn while studying for a test. Ma freaks out and forbidsContinue reading “The Award”

The Voice of Tinker Jones

Reverend Alden: Prince of Liars (a recap by Will Kaiser) TITLE: The Voice of Tinker Jones AIRDATE: December 4, 1974 Written by Tony Kayden and Michael Russnow Directed by Leo Penn SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: The Walnut Grovesters go to war with each other over whether to put up a church bell. A local hearing-impairedContinue reading “The Voice of Tinker Jones”

Little House on the Prairie [Pilot]

If I Had a Remembrance Book . . . (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Little House on the PrairieAirdate: March 30, 1974Written by Blanche HanalisDirected by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: The Ingallses drive from Minnesota to Kansas, make friends with Indians and Mr. Edwards, then get kicked out by the damn guvmint.Continue reading “Little House on the Prairie [Pilot]”