The Talking Machine

She Humiliated Me . . . With Science! (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Talking Machine Airdate: January 14, 1976 Written by Harold Swanton Directed by Victor French SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Nellie is bested by Laura in matters of love, so she plans a humiliation far exceeding anything else she’s done so far.Continue reading “The Talking Machine”

The Gift

The Grifters; or The Wheels of Evil (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Gift Airdate: December 17, 1975 Written by Rocci Chatfield Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Laura gets entangled in history’s first pyramid scheme, steamrolls Mary, and pretends Caroline is dead. RECAP:  DAGNY: You know, I realized today WalnutContinue reading “The Gift”

At the End of the Rainbow

The Problem is, Laura Isn’t Really This Stupid; or Nels Doesn’t Deserve To Be in This Dream Sequence (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: At the End of the Rainbow Airdate: December 10, 1975 Written by Arthur Heinemann Directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Laura strikes gold (she thinks) and hallucinates hillbillies. RECAP:Continue reading “At the End of the Rainbow”

The Spring Dance

The Love of Willie Oleson; or She’s My Cherry Pie (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Spring Dance Airdate: October 29, 1975 Written by Gerry Day Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Laura fakes a love affair with Willie to get a boy’s attention. Meanwhile, Grace Snider does the exact sameContinue reading “The Spring Dance”

Four Eyes

Mary Inglasses; or Four-Eyes Four-Eyes Four-Eyes Mary’s Got Four Eyes Four-Eyes Nyah Nyah Four-Eyes Four-Eyes (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Four Eyes Airdate: September 17, 1975 Written by B.W. Sandefur Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Stupid Mary returns! In this soft launch of the Mary Goes Blind Saga, Mary hidesContinue reading “Four Eyes”

The Richest Man in Walnut Grove

The Return of Lemon Verbena (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Richest Man in Walnut Grove Airdate: September 10, 1975 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: After getting laid off, Charles panics because he can’t pay his bill at the Mercantile, even though Nels says it’s no big deal. That’s theContinue reading “The Richest Man in Walnut Grove”

Founder’s Day

The Load of Bull (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Founder’s Day Airdate: May 7, 1975 Written by John and Ward Hawkins Story by Byron Twiggs and Ward Hawkins Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: A huge insane old idiot is an asshole to everyone, but Charles feels sorry for his wife,Continue reading “Founder’s Day”

Doctor’s Lady

Don’t Cry Out Loud, Mr. Hanson In Which Doc Baker is Propositioned by a Hot Young Woman and the Vestiges of His Heterosexuality are Destroyed Forever (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Doctor’s Lady Airdate: January 22, 1975 Written by Arthur Heinemann Story by Arthur Heinemann and Ann Beckett Directed by Lewis Allen SUMMARY INContinue reading “Doctor’s Lady”

The Lord is My Shepherd: Part One

Mother’s Milk . . . or Murder? or, You Couldn’t Wear a Floppy Bonnet in a Serious Situation Like This (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Lord is My Shepherd [Part 1] Airdate: December 18, 1974 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Ma has a baby boy, but Laura praysContinue reading “The Lord is My Shepherd: Part One”

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”