Probably one of the dumbest episodes of Little House opens on newly weds Almanzo and Laura Wilder. This whole mess started when Laura forgets to wash the towels and only tells Almanzo after he's taken a bath. They quarrel over dinner, because Laura didn't prepare the soup properly (not a very good house wife, is she?) nor is he allowed to sing at the table. That night, Almanzo slept on the tiny sofa. The next day, Charles Ingalls buys a nice pane of glass for his new picture window (I'm 100x more interested in this than the Wilders' troubles). He meets up with Laura, hears of their troubles, and suggests making amends, so Laura heads to the feed and seed place where, to her surprise, she sees Almanzo talking with...a girl. What nerve. Talking to another girl? A married man? Actually, this was Brenda Sue Longworth, an old school friend from way back when. But Laura automatically assumes the worst and won't listen to reason. Nothing gave her any indication that Almanzo would cheat on her, so why would she assume this? So she goes home crying to Mommy and Daddy, breaking Charles' new window in the process. She wants to leave Almanzo, and get this: they don't blame her. Well to make matters worse, Harriett Oleson gets wind of the Wilders' marital problems and launches into gossip mode.
Next day, Laura sleeps it off and is ready to make amends, just as Almanzo leaves the house after having left a note that said "My Only Love- Brenda Sue". Oh deary dear! It was actually the name of Brenda Sue's new song, which he had gone to pick up, but Laura didn't know this so once again, here come the misunderstandings. So, Charles goes out to buy another pane of glass while Laura lashes out at her students over her own problems. Albert tried to intervene, but Laura snapped at him too. What a bitch! To make matters worse, she meets up with Brenda Sue in town, one thing leads to another (misunderstandings) and they wrestle in the mud! Like she used to do with Nellie! Grow up, Laura! Charles meets up with Almanzo and gets a very different side of the whole mess: he loves Laura, he hates Brenda Sue, except for her music. So, Charles intervenes and forces Laura to go home and hear Almanzo out, and so, after breaking his window again, Laura is taken home, and the whole thing is explained. They both feel foolish, but make amends and love each other again. Next day, Charles tries a third time for a picture window, only to have it shattered by a run away wagon. After this, he decided the old windows weren't so bad after all.
"Divorce, Walnut Grove Style" sucks. It was just terrible from beginning to end. Obviously another attempt at a funny episode, well they succeeded with "Fred" in Season 3 and "The Older Brothers" in Season 9 (so bad it was good), but this one is so bad, it's bad! I mean, I'm all for funny Little House episodes, but this was crap! The writing is horrible. Laura overreacting to seeing another woman talking to Almanzo was ridiculous. A woman her age should know better than to act that way. What she should have done was calmly intervened, say hi to Manly and ask who his friends was, and he would truthfully explain. The whole matter would have been laid out in ten minutes! But no, Laura just wanted to be a whiny little bitch who never grew up! Charles and his attempts at getting a picture window was the only saving grace to this episode! Bottom line, this episode is awful! It's not funny, it's not dramatic, it should not even exist. Michael Landon directed this, so there is no excuse! Also, what is with the title? "Divorce, Walnut Grove Style". Was it trying to be a take off of Love, American Style? And second, this was the 1880s, divorce was almost unheard of because wedding vows back then actually meant something! Just stay away from this pile! It's as bad as "The Godsister"!
Next day, Laura sleeps it off and is ready to make amends, just as Almanzo leaves the house after having left a note that said "My Only Love- Brenda Sue". Oh deary dear! It was actually the name of Brenda Sue's new song, which he had gone to pick up, but Laura didn't know this so once again, here come the misunderstandings. So, Charles goes out to buy another pane of glass while Laura lashes out at her students over her own problems. Albert tried to intervene, but Laura snapped at him too. What a bitch! To make matters worse, she meets up with Brenda Sue in town, one thing leads to another (misunderstandings) and they wrestle in the mud! Like she used to do with Nellie! Grow up, Laura! Charles meets up with Almanzo and gets a very different side of the whole mess: he loves Laura, he hates Brenda Sue, except for her music. So, Charles intervenes and forces Laura to go home and hear Almanzo out, and so, after breaking his window again, Laura is taken home, and the whole thing is explained. They both feel foolish, but make amends and love each other again. Next day, Charles tries a third time for a picture window, only to have it shattered by a run away wagon. After this, he decided the old windows weren't so bad after all.
"Divorce, Walnut Grove Style" sucks. It was just terrible from beginning to end. Obviously another attempt at a funny episode, well they succeeded with "Fred" in Season 3 and "The Older Brothers" in Season 9 (so bad it was good), but this one is so bad, it's bad! I mean, I'm all for funny Little House episodes, but this was crap! The writing is horrible. Laura overreacting to seeing another woman talking to Almanzo was ridiculous. A woman her age should know better than to act that way. What she should have done was calmly intervened, say hi to Manly and ask who his friends was, and he would truthfully explain. The whole matter would have been laid out in ten minutes! But no, Laura just wanted to be a whiny little bitch who never grew up! Charles and his attempts at getting a picture window was the only saving grace to this episode! Bottom line, this episode is awful! It's not funny, it's not dramatic, it should not even exist. Michael Landon directed this, so there is no excuse! Also, what is with the title? "Divorce, Walnut Grove Style". Was it trying to be a take off of Love, American Style? And second, this was the 1880s, divorce was almost unheard of because wedding vows back then actually meant something! Just stay away from this pile! It's as bad as "The Godsister"!