Gold Country

Tales From the Crick; or Just Wait Till Carrie Starts Saying “Cocksucker” (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Gold Country Airdate: April 4, 1977 Written by John Hawkins and B.W. Sandefur Directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: The Ingallses and Edwardses travel to Deadwood (!). Whilst in the Black Hills, they encounter muggers,Continue reading “Gold Country”

The Music Box

Desire Begets Punishment; or Head Games (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Music Box Airdate: March 14, 1977 Written by Robert Janes Directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Nellie engages in psychological warfare, blackmailing Laura and torturing a girl with a speech impediment. Then Laura is hanged to death. In other words,Continue reading “The Music Box”

To Live With Fear: Part One

Night Train to Rochester!; or The Betrayal of Ebenezer Sprague (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: To Live With Fear, Part One Airdate: February 14, 1977 Written by B.W. Sandefur Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: It’s the one where Mary gets kicked by the horse. RECAP: Mary Stories are always occasionsContinue reading “To Live With Fear: Part One”

I─── Kid

EDITOR’S WARNING (HE BEGAN DEFENSIVELY . . .) This recap features semi-fictional characters (at best) who use racist language in the context of a strongly anti-racist storyline and is rated 13+.    Grandpa Stokes is Not Alright; or Life Ain’t Easy for a Boy Named Spotted Eagle (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: I─── Kid Airdate:Continue reading “I─── Kid”

Quarantine

A Nightmare in Elmsville; or How Many Poison-Ivy Pandemics Can One Town Bear? (a recap by Will Kaiser) TITLE: Quarantine AIRDATE: January 17, 1977 Written by John Hawkins Directed by Victor French SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Southwest Minnesota reels from a twin outbreak of mountain fever and poison ivy. RECAP: We watched this episode outContinue reading “Quarantine”

The Hunters

Dead Horses are the Dead Horse of This Show; or Who Ordered a Michael Landon on the Rocks? (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Hunters Airdate: December 20, 1976 Written by Harold Swanton Directed by Michael Landon EDITOR’S NOTE: Our family watched this episode before our interview with Melissa Gilbert, so if you haven’tContinue reading “The Hunters”

The Bully Boys

Nice to Beat You; or What is This, Straw Dogs? (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: The Bully Boys Airdate: December 6, 1976 Written by B.W. Sandefur Directed by Victor French SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: When a new family comes to town, Mary and Pa are brutalized, and Ma is molested in the street. ButContinue reading “The Bully Boys”

Fred

When You Assume, It Makes a Goat Out of U and Me; or Charge-in’ Charles (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Fred Airdate: November 29, 1976 Written by Robert Vincent Wright Directed by William F. Claxton SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: Everybody gets an ass-butt from a goat. And, Charles is naked. RECAP: We’ve a specialContinue reading “Fred”

Journey in the Spring, Part Two

“The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Seen”: The Life, Times and Appalling Death of Bunny the Horse (a recap by Will Kaiser) Title: Journey in the Spring, Part Two Airdate: November 22, 1976 Written and directed by Michael Landon SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL: In what one of our reviewers described as “the worst thing I’ve everContinue reading “Journey in the Spring, Part Two”