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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!

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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

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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Little House on the Prairie Season 2 Episode 21 - Soldier's Return
    0.0/10(401 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

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  2. Little House on the Prairie Season 2 Episode 22 - Going Home
    0.0/10(395 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

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  3. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 1 - The Collection
    0.0/10(532 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

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  4. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 4 - Little Girl Lost
    0.0/10(417 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

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  5. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 19 - The Music Box
    0.0/10(400 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

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  6. Little House on the Prairie Season 3 Episode 21 - Gold Country
    0.0/10(388 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

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  7. Little House on the Prairie Season 4 Episode 20 - A Most Precious Gift
    0.0/10(341 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

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  8. Little House on the Prairie Season 4 Episode 21 - I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (1)
    0.0/10(481 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

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  9. Little House on the Prairie Season 4 Episode 22 - I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (2)
    0.0/10(492 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

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  10. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 13 - The Angry Heart
    0.0/10(329 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

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  11. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 17 - Silent Promises
    0.0/10(333 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

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  12. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 18 - May We Make Them Proud
    0.0/10(423 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

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  13. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 19 - Wilder And Wilder
    0.0/10(373 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

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  14. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 20 - Second Spring
    0.0/10(320 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

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  15. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 21 - Sweet Sixteen
    0.0/10(342 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

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  16. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 22 - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (1)
    0.0/10(405 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

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  17. Little House on the Prairie Season 6 Episode 23 - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2)
    0.0/10(380 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

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  18. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 13 - Come, Let Us Reason Together
    0.0/10(361 votes)

    #18 - Come, Let Us Reason Together

    S7:E13

    Percival's parents decide to pay a visit. Mrs. Oleson and Mr. Percival don't hit it off so well. Mrs. Oleson is strongly against Mr. Percival's idea of raising Nellie's child as a Jew. An agreement is finally reached between the two. A girl would be Christian and a boy would be Jewish. Nellie ends up having twins, a boy and a girl.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writers:Carole Raschella, Michael Raschella

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  19. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 14 - The Nephews
    0.0/10(350 votes)

    #19 - The Nephews

    S7:E14

    Almanzo's brother, Royal, leaves his two kids with the Wilders while he and his wife are on vacation. Laura and Almanzo have their hands full taking care of these boys.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:Chris Abbott

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  20. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 15 - Make a Joyful Noise
    0.0/10(290 votes)

    #20 - Make a Joyful Noise

    S7:E15

    Joe Hagen moves to Sleepy Eye to help at the blind school. He begins to fall in love with Hester Sue. However, she is planning to marry someone that has a more promising future. One day Hester Sue hears Joe comforting one of the blind students. Hearing this makes her decide not to marry the other person.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:Kathleen McGhee-Anderson

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  21. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 16 - Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder
    0.0/10(302 votes)

    #21 - Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder

    S7:E16

    Mrs. Oleson wants Laura to add several courses to her school curriculum, including art appreciation and French. Since Laura believes that the kids don't need to know these subjects, she quits. Mrs. Oleson is the person who takes over as teacher.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:Don Balluck

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  22. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 17 - Sylvia (1)
    0.0/10(465 votes)

    #22 - Sylvia (1)

    S7:E17

    A schoolyard escapade involving Albert brands 15-year-old girl Sylvia a tease. The two fall in love, but Albert is unaware of a number of circumstances which have thrown Sylvia's life into a frightening tailspin - getting raped by an unknown assailant and the girl's domineering father.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Michael Landon

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  23. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 18 - Sylvia (2)
    0.0/10(432 votes)

    #23 - Sylvia (2)

    S7:E18

    A pregnant Sylvia finds Albert is the only one she can turn to for solace, since her father blames her for her situation. Albert and Sylvia decide they want to elope so she doesn't have to move with her father, over both their parents' objections.

    Director:Michael Landon
    Writer:Michael Landon

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  24. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 19 - Blind Justice
    0.0/10(296 votes)

    #24 - Blind Justice

    S7:E19

    Adam and Mary move back to Walnut Grove so that Adam can start a law practice there. Adam's first case involves a person who has been swindling people in Walnut Grove. Adam believes the person is innocent until he finds out the truth. Adam convinces the jury to have pity on this man who was just trying to help out his family before he dies.

    Director:Maury Dexter
    Writers:Carole Raschella, Michael Raschella

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  25. Little House on the Prairie Season 7 Episode 20 - I Do, Again
    0.0/10(296 votes)

    #25 - I Do, Again

    S7:E20

    Caroline is crushed when she learns she is no longer able to carry a baby, and fabricates a pregnancy to deal with the pain.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:Don Balluck

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Soldier's Return" is the worst rated episode of "Little House on the Prairie". It scored /10 based on 401 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".