Best known for its life-affirming lessons and heartwarming adventures, "LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE" made its TV debut in 1974 and significantly altered the landscape of television. Loyal fans will relive these exciting an... more »d touching adventures, while new viewers will discover the Ingalls? unconquerable courage to build a new way of life. The series, nominated for 17 Emmy Awards and 3 Golden Globes, has become a TV milestone. The Complete Eighth Season ? 1981-1982 - Nellie and Percival must move to New York and the Oleson?s adopt Nancy - Dr. Ledoux moves to Walnut Grove and proves, beyond a doubt, that he deserves the community?s respect ? Charles and Nels become concerned when the children of the town are influenced by a daredevil to attempt dangerous stunts - Mr. Edwards loses his son and enlists the aid of Charles to investigate the real circumstances behind his death ? The Ingalls and the Wilders share cherished memories when they are snowed in at Christmas ? Charles and Caroline risk losing James and Cassandra when an uncle files for custody of the children ? Laura and Almanzo?s budding marriage faces serious difficulties following Almanzo?s terrible stroke - When James is shot and lapses into a coma, Charles turns to his faith in order to save his adopted son - These and many other exciting adventures from the entire eighth season are presented in this Special Collector?s Edition! Special Features:Exclusive interviews with Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) and Dabbs Greer (Reverend Alden) Laura?s Long Winters, an exclusive documentary describing the hardship of a prairie winter, Interactive Quiz: Test your knowledge of Season 8, - This Special Collector?s Edition has been restored using state-of-the-art color correction, picture enhancement and noise reduction technologies.« less
Traci M. from FORT WAYNE, IN Reviewed on 12/14/2009...
Great Movie!
0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Jessica K. from RNCHO CORDOVA, CA Reviewed on 8/7/2009...
Great series.....Good for all ages...Loved them all
Movie Reviews
FULL EPISODE LIST & DESCRIPTIONS W/ ORIGINAL AIR DATES
JGC | 04/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First, please let me say that MICHAEL LANDON WAS A GENIUS, without him there would not be this series.
"Little House On The Prairie" Season Eight was the final year of the traditional series; Season 9 and the following TV movies revolved around the new(er) cast after Charles and his family moved to the city. As a result, most fans of this beloved program consider this to be the final season and the best of this long running family friendly dramatic program.
Mary and Adam move to New York in season eight and return for a Christmas visit with the entire family in the Ingallses little house. Nellie also moves and Mrs. Oleson adopts a new daughter who is even more warped (believe it or not) than Nellie ever was. Cassandra and James' uncle strikes it big and tries to steal his niece and nephew away from Charles and Caroline on the eve of their legal adoption. Caroline teaches Laura's class a very humanitarian lesson when Almonzo is away. ...These, and many more classic eps are just waiting to be viewed from Season 8!
Here is a detailed list of ever episode from Season 8:
The Reincarnation of Nellie (part 1) (October 5, 1981) Percival and Nellie move New York so that Percival can run the family business. The Olesons decide adopt a girl named Nancy who is even more spoiled than Nellie ever was. Suffice it to say, Mrs. Oleson falls in love with her new adopted daughter.
The Reincarnation of Nellie (part 2) (October 5, 1981) Coincidentally (because Nellie moved there in the previous episode), Adam and Mary move to New York at the beginning of the episode. Where Nellie was simply a spoiled brat, Nancy proves to be a demented creature hell-bent on causing trouble. With the help of Albert and Willie, Mrs. Wilder's students devise a plan to teach this monster a lesson.
Growin' Pains (October 12, 1981) The entire Ingalls home is in disarray with all of the children living under one (small) roof. Albert is especially annoyed, especially with James. Charles takes the time to remind him that Laura and Carrie never made him feel unwelcome when he first came to live with them. James runs away because he feels he won't be missed. Albert goes after him and the brothers learn to get along before they come back home.
Dark Sage (October 26, 1981) Dr. Baker gets a new associate, Dr. Caleb Ledoux. Dr. Ledoux finds that the town of Walnut Grove could use a lesson in tolerance, especially his new associate Dr. Baker. A women in labor needs immediate medical attention and her bigoted husband refuses to allow Dr. Ledoux to help her because he is African-American. Charles has to punch the ignorant bigot out so that his wife can get proper medical attention. In the end, Dr. Baker sees his mistakes and Dr. Ledoux agrees to stay in town.
A Wiser Heart (November 2, 1981) Laura meets up with her sister-in-law, Eliza Jane at a literary conference in Arizona. The ladies get in a nasty fight because Eliza Jane thinks that Laura is keeping her from their teacher who Eliza has a crush on. Come to find out, the teacher wants to get closer to Laura who doesn't want to have any part of him. There's also a couple of funny scenes when Laura took a part-time job as a dishwasher (Leslie Landon-Etta Plum in season 9 - Michael Landon's daughter has a cameo as another dishwasher).
Gambini The Great (November 9, 1981) Charles and Nels worry about the dangers of emulating a traveling circus performer who comes to Walnut Grove.
The Legend of Black Jake (November 16, 1981) Although not one of my favorites, this episode is sort-of a screwball episode. It was not the usual drama; it was more humorous. Crooks come to town and kidnap Mr. Oleson trying to get Mrs. Oleson to pay ransom. They also kidnap several other people but leave town without hurting anyone.
Chicago (November 23, 1981) Charles goes to Chicago to be with Mr. Edwards (a longtime Ingalls family friend, since the original pilot movie) because his adopted son John, Jr., died. The cause of John, Jr.'s death was a mystery and Charles and Mr. Edwards enlist the help of the newspaper that John worked for.
For The Love of Nancy (November 30, 1981) Mean-spirited Nancy is at her most devilish in this episode. Elmer, an overweight schoolmate takes a liking to Nancy and foolishly thinks she befriended him. Elmer learns a priceless lesson in self-respect.
Wave of the Future (December 7, 1981) Mrs. Oleson buys into a restaurant franchise causing Hester-Sue and Caroline to nearly quit because of all the extra work.
A Christmas They Never Forgot (December 21, 1981) The entire Ingalls family, including Laura, Almonzo, Adam, Mary and Hester-Sue recall past Christmas memories around the Ingalls table. This is also Mary and Adam's final appearance.
No Beast So Fierce (January 4, 1982) James makes friends with Gideon Hale, a schoolmate that stutters. There are hurt feelings when Gideon overhears James cruelly making fun of him. A wolf that follows James and Charles on a delivery trip may hold the key for bringing Gideon out of his shell.
Stone Soup (January 18, 1982) Laura finds that balancing her career and managing Almonzo's orchard, while he and Charles are gone on a delivery trip to Arizona, too much to handle.
The Legacy (January 25, 1982) The original episode shows a modern scene (from the 1980's) with a flashback to this episode. Charles beings making tables so that he could pass on a legacy. Charles soon realizes that memories of his family is a lot more important.
Uncle Jed (February 1, 1982) Uncle Jed comes into a lot of money (he struck gold) and comes to claim his estranged niece and nephew. A court battle ensues with Jed telling Charles that he will never win.
Second Chance (February 8, 1982) Hester-Sue's ex-husband comes to town trying to win her back. She reluctantly agrees to trust him again only to be let down.
Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (1) (February 15, 1982) The Wilders' marriage is put to its first major test when Almonzo, soon after recovering from an illness, is stricken by a stroke. This was a ninety minute episode.
Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (2) (February 22, 1982) Almonzo, bitter at his apparent life-crippling illness, nearly gives up on life, despite the birth of little Rose. His attitude nearly drives Laura to consider leaving her husband. A tornado that destroys the farmstead may hold the key to both of their futures.
A Promise To Keep (March 1, 1982) Mr. Edwards comes back to Walnut Grove for good because Grace divorces him (he started drinking again and she and Alicia did not want to have anything to do with him). Mr. Edwards' longtime friendship with Charles is put to the test when Mr. Edwards risks Albert's safety while he's drunk.
A Faraway Cry (March 8, 1982) A longtime friend of Caroline writes to her and asks for help. Her friend is pregnant and lives at a gold prospector's camp where there is an outbreak of influenza. With Dr. Baker's help, Caroline agrees to go because she knows that her dear friend wouldn't ask if she wasn't in need of dire assistance.
He Was Only Twelve (1) (May 3, 1982) James joins Charles, Albert and Mr. Edwards as they travel to Sleepy Eye for a delivery. James is shot in a store robbery and goes into a coma.
He Was Only Twelve (2) (May 10, 1982) When everyone has given up on poor James, Charles keeps his faith and hopes for the best. This is the final episode of "Little House On The Prairie" before it was renamed to "Little House: A New Beginning." This is also the last episode with the core cast of Charles and Caroline and their children, because they move away in the next season.
"
Little House grows up . . .
A. Grace | Michigan | 03/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Season Eight features the introduction of Nancy, the birth of Rose, the kidnapping of Nels by two incompetent crook-wannabes, the investigation of John Jr.'s death in Chicago, Christmas reminiscing from our favorite characters, the return of Hester Sue's ex-husband, and the miraculous recovery of James in the season finale. By this season, most of the plots revolve around more "adult" matters than those of the earlier years, but it is no less wholesome and heartwarming. A priceless show to grow up on!
And now, the episodes, first aired from October 1981 to May 1982:
The Reincarnation of Nellie (pts. 1 & 2) Growin' Pains Dark Sage A Wiser Heart Gambini the Great The Legend of Black Jake Chicago For the Love of Nancy Wave of the Future A Christmas They Never Forgot No Beast So Fierce Stone Soup The Legacy Uncle Jed Second Chance Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (pts. 1 & 2) A Promise To Keep A Faraway Cry He Was Only Twelve (pts. 1 & 2)"
The last season with Ma and Pa!! : (
sawahjeanie | Southern California | 04/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is last season with the Ingalls family (Pa, Ma, Albert, Carrie, James, and Cassandra), and in Season 9 the Carter family will move into the Ingalls' old house, while Pa moves his family to pursue other opportunites in a city (and we are left with just Laura, Almanzo, Rose, Mr. Edwards, and the townsfolk).
There is a lot of drama in this season (8): Almanzo gets hurt and cannot walk, then he and Laura lose their home, almost their relationship, and Eliza Jane tries to save the day and fails (all in one two-part episode). James gets shot and almost dies so Pa, slightly crazed, takes him away and erects an altar and prays for him out in the woods. "Stone Soup" is a touching episode where a very pregnant Laura struggles to look after the dying tree plot. We are also introduced to Nancy (Harriet, in her sadness over Nellie moving away adopts a replacement) and her famous line "You HATE me!!" Nancy creates a lot of drama as she is more evil than Nellie.
As a big fan of the show, and of the real Laura Ingalls Wilder, I enjoyed this season. It is definitely not true to the books, terribly inaccurate, but as a television show, it is great. Out of the whole series, the first season was the closet in authenticity to Laura's fiction books with more unique plot lines. As the series progressed through the years, it moved further and further from the literature. I also highly recommend the pilot episode to true fans; it is not found on any of the season disks, only separate."
Little House on the Prairie by:Jessica Beckner
sawahjeanie | 04/10/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I love Little House on the Prairie. I'v only seen through the 7th season, but I can't wait to see season 8. All of my friends don't exactly like Little House, and I get on their nerves occasionaly when I talk about it. My favorite season on DVD so far is season 6 when Almanzo comes and also Percival!I strongly recomend the Little House on the Prairie searies to everyone."
Michael Landon's final season in Walnut Grove
John M Spangler | Bryan, OH United States | 07/26/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Season 8 divulges itself as being one of the most "intense" seasons for the series and will bring tears to most fans. Most of the original characters left the show, Mary and Adam leave in the first episode, never to be seen again. Johnothan Garvey (Merlin Olesen) is strangely absent from the entire series and there is not a mention of him throughout the series. Nellie Olesen was replaced by "Nancy" and although the olsens, the Ingalls and Laura and Almonzo are still around, there is a whole new breed of characters. Victor French, not surprisingly comes back for some of the episodes. His family, bascially erased from the storyline, moved on without him as he couldn't "deal with the death of his son." Dabbs Greer (Revenrend Alden) is probably only in about 2 episodes during this season as his character seems to be out of the mix. Katheran McGreggor (Mrs. Olsen) is also around for one last stay, as I think she's gone from future seaons. Dr. Baker, Willie, Laura, Almonzo, Eliza Jane all are here too, but enjoy them now as most will be gone later...Laura and Almonzo (are the exceptions)
Amazingly though, Season 8 is one of my favorite seasons even with the loss of some big name characters. This season focuses on more "sadness, death, and overall morbidity as you will be crying for most of them". Flu Epidemics, Charles and Mr.Edwards seeking revenge, Laura and Almonzo losing their home to a Tornado, Almonzo suffers a stroke, Charles Ingalls son getting shot in a bank robbery, the loss of Mr. Edwards son (John Jr.) in a horrible accident that causes him to become a raging alcoholic and then eventually loses his family in the process. The final 2 hour episode "He was only 12" was one of Michael Landon's best performances as Charles Ingalls. The gutwrenching concluion of a much needed miracle to save his son's (James) life is terrific entertainment as this is Michael Landon's last stay with with the series with a few exceptions of a few cameos in future episodes. Morbid? yes... series losing steam? No way.
This series is a must have, as Season 8 is really not been televised as much as the others due to it's, well, "content". It's a very somber season, and although it ends with a happy bang, the thought of the "Michael Landon" finally leaving the show along with his wife (Karen Grassle) is a sad idea, but it's true. This is it fans! Enjoy them now, because they will be sorely missed as the future seasons just aren't the same without them.
The box set includes interviews with Dean Butler (Almonzo) and Dabbs Greer (Reverend Alden). It's nice having the interviews, but the annoying interviewer just seems to ask the most basic of questions for the chracters and it's far to short to boot. Oh well, it's still nice to see these guys, Dabbs Greer is still alive and kickin!
Michael Landon made the series what it is today and even after eight seasons, it just continues to get better and this season is no exception. Enjoy this season, as some serious changes are up and coming for Season 9."