What happened in the last episode of little house on the prairie?

The following is a list of episodes for the television show Little House on the Prairie, an American Western drama about a family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota from the 1870s to the 1890s. The show is a full-colour version of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s series of Little House books.

The regular series was preceded by the two-hour pilot movie, which first aired on March 30, 1974. The series began on the NBC network on September 11, 1974, and ended on May 10, 1982. Then it was re-tooled as a spin-off sequel series known as Little House: A New Beginning from September 27, 1982 to March 21, 1983–this is generally considered “Season Nine” for purposes of television syndication.

The majority of the episodes run approximately 50 minutes (not counting commercials, they have since been edited for syndication to accommodate more commercial time). Expanded episodes (90 minutes to 2 hours) have been indicated as such; many of these may not currently be shown in some rerun markets due to their length.

Series overview[edit]

Pilot movie premiere (1974)[edit]

Episodes[edit]

Season 1 (1974–75)[edit]

Season 2 (1975–76)[edit]

Season 3 (1976–77)[edit]

Season 4 (1977–78)[edit]

Season 5 (1978–79)[edit]

Season 6 (1979–80)[edit]

Season 7 (1980–81)[edit]

Season 8 (1981–82)[edit]

This is Michael Landon’s and Karen Grassle’s final full season. However, Victor French would return later in this season, and Melissa Sue Anderson would make her final series appearances as a featured cast member in two of this season’s episodes. Melissa Sue Anderson decided to leave the show because she was getting tired of playing Mary but she was grateful for being on Little House. So, the opening credits were revised.

Season 9: A New Beginning (1982–83)[edit]

This season (considered as such for syndicated distribution purposes) is also known as Little House: A New Beginning. When Michael Landon decided to stop acting on the show a spin-off sequel was created with this new name, the focus now being put on the characters of Laura and Almanzo, and more recurring characters were added. Landon did, however, stay on as executive producer, and wrote and directed occasional episodes as well.

Fans of Little House on the Prairie were shocked when Walnut Grove was blown up in the series finale. Turns out, it was always the plan to blow up the set and they ended up showing it on the show. It was actually always an agreement with the landowners. The producer made an agreement with the landowners that it would go back to normal after filming.

It was Michael Landon‘s suggestion to blow up the village so they could get rid of everything easily. The series finale aired in March 1983. A few months later, they aired a Christmas special that showed the town before everything blew up.

The last scene of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ saw the destruction of Walnut Grove

What happened in the last episode of little house on the prairie?
‘LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE,’ Matthew Laborteaux, Melissa Gilbert, Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, (behind Grassle) Dean Butler, Lindsay Greenbush, Melissa Sue Anderson, Linwood Boomer, 1974-1983 / Everett Collection

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In a New York Times article from 1984, Michael Landon , ”I think it makes for a good strong pioneer ending. It was also a nice catharsis for the cast and crew. There were lots of tears when we finally blew up the town. The actors had all become very attached to their own buildings, so it was very emotional.”

RELATED: ‘Little House On The Prairie’ Cast Then And Now 2020

What happened in the last episode of little house on the prairie?
Walnut Grove blew up in the finale / NBC

They reportedly did tests to make sure no one would get hurt and the entire scene happened in one day. Poof, ten years of memories were gone. After the town blew up, it went back to a normal nature landscape.

Little House on the Prairie became an instant hit in 1974. Viewers tuned into the show to watch the simpler times of the Ingalls family. The show’s fictional town of Walnut Grove served as the backdrop for the series. 

What happened in the last episode of little house on the prairie?
Michael Landon as Charles Philip Ingalls, Karen Grassle as Caroline Quiner Holbrook Ingalls| NBCU Photo Bank

In 1984, Little House on the Prairie aired its final episode. The tv movie finale greatly affected the show’s matriarch, Karen Grassle. 

Karen Grassle played Caroline ‘Ma’ Ingalls on ‘Little House on the Prairie’ 

When Little House on the Prairie aired, the show marked Grassle’s first time on television. Before she landed the role as Caroline “Ma” Ingalls, Grassle was a stage actor. She studied theatre professionally at both University of California, Berkeley, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Grassle also participated in theatre companies that allowed her to tour through the United States and England. 

In the early 1970s, Grassle moved back to California to try her hand at television acting. She recalled being “flat broke” when she first auditioned for Caroline. After meeting with Little House on the Prairie star and creator Michael Landon, Grassle got the offer. For Caroline, Grassle used someone personal to her to land the part. 

“I based her on my mother,” Grassle said during an interview with Closer Weekly. “If you read [Laura Ingalls Wilder’s] books and see photos, Caroline was very tough and sturdy.  

My mother rode a horse barefoot to school, and as a young woman, she taught in a one-room schoolhouse! So I took her character, strength, and wisdom and infused Caroline with that.”

Karen Grassle didn’t like the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ finale

After Landon selected Grassle to play Caroline, she remained on the series for eight seasons. In 1982, Grassle and Landon’s characters were retired. The network decided to focus the show on Laura Ingalls’ (Melissa Gilbert) life with her husband, Almanzo Wilder (Dean Butler). The final season of the show Little House: A New Beginning aired in 1983. 

For the month of May, we're celebrating TV Moms! Here's Karen Grassle who played Caroline Ingalls, mom to Mary, Laura, Carrie, Grace, Charles, and adoptive mom to Albert, James, and Cassandra on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.#Emmys70 pic.twitter.com/elqYUlHwZH

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) May 25, 2018

Little House on the Prairie premiered its farewell episode in 1984. Landon decided to end the series with a two-hour movie special called Little House: The Last Farewell. The finale brought Caroline and Charles back on the series. At the end of the film, Laura convinces Walnut Grove’s residents to blow up the beloved town. The decision to destroy Walnut Grove is something that upset Grassle years later, per Entertainment Weekly. 

“I thought it was a shame,” she said of the finale. “We could have done annual specials about the characters. But once you blow up the town, you can’t do that.”

‘Little House on the Prairie’s’ finale was reportedly Michael Landon’s retaliation

Although Grassle has been vocal about not liking the finale, many cast members took the movie hard. Gilbert shared with Entertainment Weekly that she “weeps” every time she watches the town explode at the end of the series. 

Happy Birthday Karen Grassle who played the matriarch of the Ingalls family. #LHOTP, today at 5PM & 6PM ET. pic.twitter.com/NqWVwl2E53

— INSP (@insp_tv) February 25, 2019

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As heartbreaking as the finale was for Little House fans, rumors about Landon’s motives swirled after the show ended. According to CBR, executives accused Landon of blowing up the town due to Little House’s cancellation. However, Bill Kiley, a publicist for NBC, explained that Landon didn’t have a sinister plan when he created the ending, per UPI. 

“Mike decided that if the town had to go, he might as well send it out in a blaze of glory on the screen,” Kiley said. 

What happened in the very last episode of Little House on the Prairie?

In the series finale, the town of Walnut Grove is revealed to have been built on land owned by a railroad tycoon. The citizens deal with the loss of their town and lifestyles, and some must decide how best to respond to this explosive event. Final chapter of the "Little House" saga.

Why was Mrs Oleson not in the last episode?

Katherine MacGregor who played Harriet Oleson in all 9 seasons of the series was not available to appear in The Last Farewell because she had become a Hindu and was on a pilgrimage to India while they were making this final episode movie. Karen Grassle returns to play the role of Caroline Ingalls for the last time.

What's the last episode of Little House?

Hello and GoodbyeLittle House on the Prairie / Latest episodenull

Why did everyone leave Walnut Grove on Little House on the Prairie?

Their stay in Walnut Grove was cut short by crop failures in 1875 and 1876 caused by the grasshopper plague that was sweeping the area. They left their farm and moved east, settling briefly in Wabasha County with extended family.