Little House on the Prairie

I confess that the first time I sat down and watched this show, I thought it would be lame. However, after watching a few episodes, I found myself to be drawn to it. Many people today wouldn't like the show because it has values. Instead they like smut like "Temptation Island" and crap like that. Shows like this with class and emotion are rare to say the least. I love this show and I think everyone who would take an hour out to watch it, would feel the same.

It's funny how time dates certain TV shows. "Little House on the Prairie" is certainly not one of them. This program ranks as one of the best ever.

"Little House" was one of those series which taught moral, religious lessons without preaching; stories that could happen in real life, usually leading up to the show's moral. However, some episodes were "just-for-fun" and didn't really have a lesson tied to them. It's great to see the balance between drama (the meat of the show) and comedy (an occasional but always welcome break from the drama).

The show's topics showed that today's problems certainly aren't new -- infidelity, drugs/alcohol abuse, corruption (usually fueled by money) and racism, to name a few. Unlike many family shows where the parents were always right and the children were the ones with faults, "Little House" presented adult regulars with real failings, somewhat akin to "All in the Family" and its presentation of adult regulars with shortcomings (in particular, Archie Bunker).

It was always heartwarming to see how the townspeople banded together to support the Ingalls. The pilot movie definitely set the tone for the nine-year series which followed.

I was lucky to grow up watching Little House and now with repeats I've found it still holds up against the best shows on offer.

Criticisms that the show is too sweet is a little unfair. The characters may be endearing and the children polite but this can not be seen as reason for dismissing the show. In fact not every episode had a happy ending.

The show also dealt with rascism, drugs and alcohol abuse from time to time. Mostly the show gained the impressive ratings with thought provoking story lines, good humour, a sense of love the characters displayed towards another and characters that people could identify with. The hardworking honest farmer (Charles Ingalls) and caring wife (Caroline) tomboy (Laura) studious sister (Mary) as well as the brow beaten store owner (Nells Oleson) his nagging wife (Harriet) and his terrible two-some children (Nellie and Willie) along with others.

The hardships the Ingalls faced were over come with the love they had for each other, friendships with those in the town and a solid belief in God and Christian values.

The show hit all the right places that a solid family drama series should and today it is very hard to find another show that can compare.

I've never sat through a complete episode of Little House on the Praire, but my wife, Michelle, is an addict. She watches the show in syndication constantly. She watches back to back one hour episodes from 9 :00 AM - 11:00 AM several days a week.

She swears by Little House. She thinks that it is one of the best television series ever made. She's told me all about the Ingalls and the life that they live. She actually has the original books that the show is based on. Who even knew there were books. She claims that she has the books. Actually, she said that her father has the books in storage, but he might have misplaced them.

The bottom line is very simple. If my wife thinks this show is that great, it has to be a phenomenal series.

We give it two thumbs up.

I grew up watching Little House, and I still watch it today as often as I can. I do nothing between 10-12 and then from 4-6 everyday! My children watch it with me and they are small, 4 and 2. I have never had the opportunity to read the books, but someday I hope I get the chance. My family makes fun of me for still watching it, they say that I'm crazy for liking that "sap", but I would rather watch something wholesome with my children rather than the unwatchable stuff that is on today! They don't make programs for families to sit down and watch together anymore and that is sad. I will always watch Little House on the Prairie and will encourage my children to do the same with their children.