Karen Grassle returns to play the role of Caroline Ingalls for the last time. This was the only one of the TV movie sequels she appeared in, and her first time playing the role since leaving the series at the end of series eight.
From the late 1960s until the mid-1990s, James Karen (who played evil tycoon Nathan Lassiter) was the TV spokesman for the New York/New Jersey-based Pathmark supermarket chain. After his appearance here, Karen reported being accosted by people on the street, in addition to hundreds of people writing directly to Pathmark, asking how they could employ the heartless man who destroyed Walnut Grove. Concerned about possibly losing his lucrative Pathmark gig, as well as the negative attention it might bring the company, Karen made a point of personally responding to many of those who complained, and the controversy quickly died down, with Karen continuing to serve as "Mr. Pathmark" in their commercials for another 10 years.
According to her YouTube interview, Harriet Oleson was not on a pilgrimage to India. She chose not to appear due to a longtime personal conflict with Landon over salary and the use of her talent.
This was the third of three "Little House" telemovie sequels, and the last story to be filmed, but not the last to be broadcast (it debuted during February 1984, while the film made before it, Little House: Bless All the Dear Children (1984), aired ten months later, in December of that same year).
Ruth Foster is the only Guest Star to be in the Pilot and last episode.