Little House on the Prairie backdrop
Western•Drama•Family

The Worst Episodes of Little House on the Prairie

Every episode of Little House on the Prairie ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Little House on the Prairie!

Binge this in 7d 0h•Peaking at 10.0/10

When the big woods of Wisconsin becomes a difficult spot for hunting, Charles Ingalls reluctantly decides to move his family, pioneering west. Their life on the farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and

Airs on
NBC
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons9

All123456789

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
    Click to reveal
    Little House on the Prairie Season 2 Episode 21 - Soldier's Return
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Soldier's Return

    S2:E21

    The son of Mrs. Whipple returns to Walnut Grove after serving in the Civil War. To forget his painful past, he takes morphine, which he becomes addicted to.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:B.W. Sandefur

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Little House on the Prairie Season 2 Episode 22 - Going Home
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - Going Home

    S2:E22

    After a tornado ruins his crop, Charles decides to sell the land and return to the Big Woods of Wisconsin without consulting his family.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Michael Landon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 1 - The Collection
    0.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - The Collection

    S3:E1

    Reverend Alden gets sick while collecting donations. Caleb Hodgekiss, an ex-convict, helps the Reverend by giving him a place to stay and volunteering to get the donations from Walnut Grove. Caleb poses as a friend of the Reverend so that he might get donations which he initially planned to keep for himself.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Arthur Heinemann

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 4 - Little Girl Lost
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - Little Girl Lost

    S3:E4

    Carrie, having tagged along on Laura and Mary's classroom assignment, falls down a mine shaft, providing an alcoholic ex-miner a chance at redemption.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Paul W. Cooper

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 19 - The Music Box
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - The Music Box

    S3:E19

    Laura befriends a new girl, Anna, who stutters and has a hard time making friends. A jealous Nellie starts an elite club and although she invites Laura, she leaves Anna out. While at the Olesons, Laura steals one of Nellie's music boxes.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Robert Janes

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 21 - Gold Country
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - Gold Country

    S3:E21

    A heavy rain has been falling in Walnut Grove for two months, and it shows no signs of stopping. Farmers like Charles fear that their families will go hungry, and after reading an article in the newspaper, they take a 400-mile journey with their wives and children for a temporary new life in Gold Country. Things start out pretty well when Charles and Isaiah dig up some gold, but Laura and Carl get a completely different perspective from a new friend that they meet near their camp site. Meanwhile, Caroline opens and teaches a school in a tent, right in the middle of town, but it proves to be a less-than-ideal learning environment for everyone.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writers:John Hawkins, B.W. Sandefur

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 BEST Episodes of Little House on the Prairie

    READ
  7. Little House on the Prairie Season 4 Episode 20 - A Most Precious Gift
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - A Most Precious Gift

    S4:E20

    Charles and Caroline are going to have another baby. Caroline constantly refers to the baby as he. Caroline delivers the baby sooner than expected causing Charles to be the doctor. The baby ends up being a girl, Grace.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writers:Carole Raschella, Michael Raschella

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Little House on the Prairie Season 4 Episode 21 - I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (1)

    S4:E21

    Mary falls in love with Seth. When Mary's eyesight starts to get worse, Charles takes her to a specialist. He is devastated when the specialist tells him that Mary will lose her sight. Charles is unable to tell Mary for a while that she is going blind. When Mary does go blind, the whole family suffers.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writers:Carole Raschella, Michael Raschella

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Little House on the Prairie Season 4 Episode 22 - I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (2)

    S4:E22

    Charles and Caroline sign Mary up for the blind school in Iowa. At first, Mary is very reluctant to learn anything at the school. However, after being with her teacher, Adam Kendall, for a while, she turns her outlook on life around. Mary is such a great student that Adam asks her to help her teach at a blind school with him.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writers:Carole Raschella, Michael Raschella

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 13 - The Angry Heart
    0.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - The Angry Heart

    S6:E13

    A 17-year-old budding criminal named Tod Dortmunder is sent to Walnut Grove to live with his grandparents after his mother loses patience with his ill-tempered behavior. His behavior becomes more violent, and when he is caught stealing Charles' watch, the grandparents (in part because they fear for their safety) turn to Charles for help. Charles proves to be the role model Tod never had, and efforts to rehabilitate the lad seem to be working. But even Charles is unaware of some dark secrets from Tod's childhood that don't surface until he destroys the present he gave him.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:Del Reisman

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 17 - Silent Promises
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Silent Promises

    S6:E17

    Laura takes a job tutoring a deaf boy named Daniel, teaching him how to communicate through sign language. Daniel makes more than an academic breakthrough - he develops a huge crush on Laura! Laura doesn't know quite what to do, and makes some mistakes along the way in dealing with her situation.

    Director:Maury Dexter
    Writers:Carole Raschella, Michael Raschella

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 18 - May We Make Them Proud
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - May We Make Them Proud

    S6:E18

    Albert experiments with smoking in the basement of the School For the Blind and, when shooed out of the basement, hides the still-lit pipe in some cloths. It ignites and results in a late-night fire that kills Alice Garvey and Mary's baby son. As a result, several people struggle with the consequences: Albert becomes withdrawn when he learns his careless actions may have caused the fire, Mary in deep shock and Jonathan Garvey in an alcohol-induced state of denial. Albert, Mary and Jonathan - all deeply impacted by the fire at the school - continue to deal with their emotions. Charles helps Jonathan realize that his alcoholism has taken a toll on his son, Andy, while Mary snaps out of her shock when she hears the melody of the music box Albert had purchased for her as a gift. Albert panics when he finally understands his carelessness caused the fire that killed Mary's baby and best friend's mother. He runs away, leading Charles and a reformed Jonathan to frantically search for the lad.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Michael Landon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 19 - Wilder And Wilder
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - Wilder And Wilder

    S6:E19

    Almanzo's indolent brother, Perley, comes to town. Knowing that Almanzo's interest in a much younger Laura has deepened, Charles is convinced that Perley is the better man for his "Half Pint." However, those sentiments quickly change when Perley injures one of Almanzo's horses. Two things become clear to Charles: Perley is a troublemaker, and Almanzo is a responsible young man (especially when he nurses the horse back to health).

    Director:Maury Dexter
    Writer:John T. Dugan

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 20 - Second Spring
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - Second Spring

    S6:E20

    Nels finally loses patience with his henpecked family life and begins a mobile merchant business. During one of his stops, he meets a much younger woman whom is the exact opposite of his own wife. In the process, Nels struggles with temptation and going astray as the relationship blossoms.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:John T. Dugan

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 21 - Sweet Sixteen
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Sweet Sixteen

    S6:E21

    The school district's superintendent comes to Walnut Grove, looking for someone who can replace a teacher who has fallen and broken her leg. Eliza Jane recommends Laura. Almanzo thinks he has no chance of Laura falling in love with him.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:John T. Dugan

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 22 - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (1)

    S6:E22

    Almanzo asks for Laura's hand in marriage. Mr. Ingalls tells Almanzo to wait until Laura was eighteen. Not wanting to wait, Almanzo forces Laura to choose him or respect her father. Laura respects her father's wishes. Almanzo leaves town and causes Laura a lot of heartache. Harriet hires Percival Dalton to help her in the restaurant. Nellie and Percival fall in love and eventually Percival asks Nellie to marry him. Adam's father dies, which means that a new blind school wouldn't be built in Walnut Grove.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Michael Landon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 23 - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2)

    S6:E23

    Laura helps Adam and Mary set up a new blind school in Sleepy Eye to try to get her mind off of Almanzo. Almanzo gets very sick.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Michael Landon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 21 - The Lost Ones (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - The Lost Ones (1)

    S7:E21

    Charles and Albert travel with the Cooper family while on a delivery. A serious accident occurs while the Coopers are going down a steep hill. The Cooper parents are killed. Charles tries to find Cassandra and James a new home. When he can't find anyone to take them both in, he feels he has to send them to an orphanage. After thinking about this idea some more, Charles decides to take care of the kids himself for a short period.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Don Balluck

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 22 - The Lost Ones (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - The Lost Ones (2)

    S7:E22

    Reverend Alden eventually finds someone to take in the kids. However, this family just wants them to work. When Cassandra and James run away, their adoptive father doesn't even go to look for them. When Charles finds the kids, he tells them that he will adopt them if they could stand the house being more crowded. They happily agree to stay with the Ingalls.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Don Balluck

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Little House on the Prairie Season 8 Episode 6 - Gambini, the Great
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Gambini, the Great

    S8:E6

    In an episode about hero worship, Charles and Nels share deep concerns over an aging circus performer's influence on the children of Walnut Grove. Particularly since some of them - Albert and Willie in particular - have tried some of the daredevil's more dangerous stunts, with mixed results.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Jeri Taylor

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Little House on the Prairie Season 8 Episode 7 - The Legend of Black Jake
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - The Legend of Black Jake

    S8:E7

    Nels is kidnapped by two crooks. The crooks try to get Mrs. Oleson to pay ransom for her husband, but she refuses to. This makes Mr. Oleson upset and causes him to help the crooks. The kidnappers aren't very lucky. After kidnapping several different people, the crooks decide that they need to try another line of work. They leave without hurting any of the kidnapped people.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Chris Abbott

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Little House on the Prairie Season 8 Episode 8 - Chicago
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Chicago

    S8:E8

    Charles travels to Chicago to comfort a deeply grieving Mr. Edwards, whose son John Jr. had died in a tragic accident. But that grief soon gives way to rage when it becomes apparent John Jr.'s death was no accident. Charles and Mr. Edwards enlist the aid of the editor of the newspaper where John Jr. worked to uncover the truth.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writers:John Hawkins, B.W. Sandefur

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Little House on the Prairie Season 8 Episode 9 - For the Love of Nancy
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - For the Love of Nancy

    S8:E9

    An overweight boy comes to school at Walnut Grove. The schoolkids pick on him because he is so heavy. Nancy persuades the boy to bully the other school children. The jokes of the school children get so bad that the obese boy decides to quit school. The school children then decide that enough is enough. They go over and apologize to him.

    Director:Maury Dexter
    Writer:Chris Abbott

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Little House on the Prairie Season 8 Episode 10 - Wave of the Future
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Wave of the Future

    S8:E10

    Mrs. Oleson changes the restaurant into a franchise restaurant, She has a hard time living up to the agreement of the franchise. Charles and Nels get together and decide to open up a restaurant of their own, right across the street. The new restaurant forces Mrs. Oleson's restaurant out of business. The town is now back to normal, or at least as normal as it can be.

    Director:Maury Dexter
    Writer:Jeri Taylor

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Little House on the Prairie Season 8 Episode 11 - A Christmas They Never Forgot
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - A Christmas They Never Forgot

    S8:E11

    Mary, Adam, Hester Sue, the Wilders, and the Ingalls are all together for Christmas. The snow begins falling and soon they are snowed in by a blizzard. To pass time, several of them tell stories. Laura talks about the Christmas in Kansas when Mr. Edwards came.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writers:Chris Abbott, Don Balluck

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Worst Episodes Summary

"Soldier's Return" is the worst rated episode of "Little House on the Prairie". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by William F. Claxton and written by B.W. Sandefur, it aired on 3/24/1976. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Going Home".