Customer Reviews

Little House on the Prairie - The Complete Season 4

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This television series is based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957), who wrote the story of her family's life on the prairie. I read these books growing up and then loved the TV series as well. Michael Landon, that I had seen on "Bonanza", was the icing on the cake: one of my favorite actors helping to tell one of my favorite stories.

Here's an episode guide, with a tiny description:

1. Castoffs: Pa gives Laura a new dog after her dog Jack dies. She doesn't want a new dog.

2. Times Of Change: Charles and Mary are very disappointed in what life in Chicago is really like.

3. My Ellen: Friend Ellen drowns and Ellen's mother thinks that Laura is her daughter.

4. The Handyman: When Charles is away, Mary suspects that Caroline and a hired man are falling in love.

5. The Wolves: After Laura and Andy set up a pen for wolf cubs in the barn, wild dogs try to get into the barn.

6.. The Creeper of Walnut Grove: Laura and Andy try to figure who is stealing things in Walnut Grove with hilarious results.

7. To Run And Hide: Dr. Baker finds a new doctor for the town after he loses a patient, only to find that the new doctor may not be so dedicated.

8. The Aftermath: Jesse and Frank James take hostages.

9. The High Cost Of Being Right: After their barn burns down, Mr. Garvey's wife gets a job in spite his objections.

10. The Fighter: Charles boxes a man who turns out to be very ill.

11. Meet Me At The Fair: At the fair, Carrie climbs into the basket of a hot air balloon.

12. Here Come The Brides: A newcomer falls in love with Miss Beadle, and Nellie Oleson falls in love with the newcomer's son.

13. Freedom Flight: The citizens of Walnut Grove are hostile toward an Indian boy and his sick father.

14. The Rivals: Charles tries to save his business from a competitor. Laura competes with another girl for a boy that she loves.

15. Whisper Country: As a new teacher in a backwoods community, Mary gets opposition from a resident who tries to convince everyone that a school isn't needed.

16. I Remember, I Remember: On Charles and Caroline's wedding anniversary, Charles is unable to make it home on time.

17. Be My Friend: Laura and her Pa find a baby.

18. The Inheritance: Charles spends an inheritance and then discovers the money is worthless.

19. The Stranger: Mr Oleson sends his nephew to Charles to learn some morals.

20. A Most Precious Gift: Caroline has a new baby.

21. I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away (1): Mary goes blind.

22. I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away (2): Mary goes to a blind school in Iowa.

I hope that Goldhil Home Media corrects what were problems in early season DVD's with some audio and visual quality problems, cut scenes, and episodes out of order. The improvements we saw in the third season included chapters within episodes, and credits with each episode. Although LHOTP was geared toward children, many adults watch it. I hope that whoever is putting season 4 together has realized that and makes the other needed improvements! This is a five star show and deserves five star DVD treatment!

For those who'd like to know, here is the in-order list of episodes from Season Four, which first aired from September 1977 to March 1978. Memorable moments include the death of Laura's beloved dog Jack (and the introduction of his replacement Bandit), a near divorce of the Garveys (that concludes in the judge pronouncing both of them "crazy,"), Carrie's adventures in a hot-air balloon, the birth of Grace Ingalls, Mary's dealing with blindness, and the introduction of Adam Kendall. Thanks to all involved in the DVD release of this beloved TV series! I can't wait to buy this one!

Castoffs
Times of Change
My Ellen
The Handyman
The Wolves
The Creeper of Walnut Grove
To Run and Hide
The Aftermath
The High Price of Being Right
The Fighter
Meet Me at the Fair
Here Come the Brides
Freedom Flight
The Rivals
Whisper Country
I Remember, I Remember
Be My Friend
The Inheritance
The Stranger
A Most Precious Gift
I'll be Waving As You Drive Away, Parts One and Two

Season 4 of the Little House series brings lots of firsts. The first season with the Garvey's, the first appearance by Kezia, the arrival of baby Grace, Joe Kagen is introduced, it is the season that Mary loses her sight, but meets Adam Kendall, and of course in the very first episode we meet "Bandit". We say goodbye to "Jack" the dog and the Edwards family is also gone with no explanation(maybe Harriet has them tied up somewhere!).

It is a season filled with emotion, love and a sprinkling of comedy. The girls are a little older and dealing with joys and woes of life. Mary and Pa visit Chicago, and both are in for big disappointments in "Times of Change". Doc Baker decides to pack up his medicine bag and become a farmer when he loses a patient in "To Run and Hide". Divorce is a frightening word in Walnut Grove as Johnathon and Alice Garvey cannot agree in "The High Cost of Being Right", but will leave you smiling in the end. "The Fighter" is one of my personal favorites, as Charles cares for an aging and weary Joe Kagen. Laura and Pa both discover that trying to be something you're not will not always bring the intented results in "The Rivals". Mary goes toe to toe with Miss Peal in her first teaching assignment and discovers she is up against a powerful woman in "Whisper Country". "Here Come the Brides", will have you chuckling out loud as Harriet is aghast at Nellie's romance with a pig farmer. You'll be smilin and sighin as Caroline recalls memories of her first date with a young Charles in "I Remember, I Remember". "A Most Precious Gift" has an expecting Caroline obsessed with wanting a boy, and just try and keep a dry eye in the very emotional rollercoaster Mary takes us one as she loses her sight, is devastated, and then finds her calling after Pa sends her to a school for the blind in the very touching 2 parter "I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away".

Those are just a few of the highlights. There are 21 of these wonderful stories, that may be enjoyed by the entire family. A total of 18 hours of viewing pleasure(6 discs). This is vintage TV, that hasn't lost a bit of it's appeal and will surely be viewed repeatedly, and by each new generation.

Okay the DVDs....For the most part the picture was clear with good color. This varied though from disc to disc and sometimes even episode to episode. There were a couple that were full of dirt and scratches. The bigger problem would be in the editing. The transition from scenes to scene where the commercials used to be is awful. Sometimes they even cut someone off in mid-sentence. It's almost like going in to your favorite resaurtant, ordering your favorite dish, only to find that it was prepared by a different Chef.

There is a phamphlet in the case(same fold out type as the first three seasons), that lists all the episodes with a brief summary, which is very nice, especially if you are looking for a particular story. The special features indicated on the pamphlet and box, and also on the buying info here are not exaclty what they say. First of all, there is closed-captioning listed. I could not find this anywhere on any menu of any disc. The Special Feature.."Looking Back at Season 4"(found on disc 3) are moments and memories from the show recalled by some of the stars, and it's real intersting stuff, but...these are not live interviews, they are in the form of notes. I was a bit disappointed with that. There is scene selection for each episode, with about 5 stops, that's pretty good for a 45 minute view.

The stories are wonderful. The little town of Walnut Grove and it's occupants feel like home and family, and are exceptionally inspiring. David Rose's music as always sets the perfect tone for each character and event. 5 stars for the season. I will continue to purchase and view each and every season. The way they leave you feeling outweighs the few problems I mentioned. However, there really needs to be some subtitles for those who need them, and the transfers need a little work.

Enjoy Season 4......Laurie

"Little House on the Prairie" needs no defense or praise: it was a fabulous show, it easily could have lasted longer on television, and it remains eminently watchable and rewatchable today. Unfortunately, the show has suffered in DVD treatment. Many episodes are inexplicably cut, as if they were taken from a TBS rerun feed instead of the original film. The picture quality could also be much better. It is unfortunate that such a fabulous show has suffered so on DVD. LHOTP deserves better. I wish I could recommend these DVDs, but perhaps with enough fan complaint better editions (maybe also with some extras!) will one day become available.

Season 4 of Little House probably has the most turmoil and changes for little Walnut Grove and its townspeople as of yet.
In this season, Laura's beloved dog Jack dies (of old age) and she is so distraught that she cannot accept the family's new pet, Bandit; Charles and Mary travel to Chicago, where Charles calls himself a dumb farmer and Mary finds out that her fiance John is no longer in love with her; Charles goes away for business and handyman Chris is hired to finish the kitchen for Caroline, in the process falling in love with her; Doc Baker loses a patient in a fall and decides that he is no longer a good doctor and decides to become a farmer instead; Alice and Jonathan Garvey nearly divorce over Alice working; Jesse and Frank James hide out from the law in Walnut Grove; Miss Beadle falls in love with farmer Adam Simms, Nellie falls in love with Adam's son Luke, and both run off to get married (only the elder Simms' marriage is a keeper); Mary gets her first teaching job, in a backwoods country; the Ingalls family learns of a big inheritance, causing their old friends to think they will be putting on airs and Mrs. Oleson to want to rub shoulders with them; the Ingalls family welcomes Baby Grace; Mary begins to lose her eyesight and after becoming blind, goes to a special school in Iowa; with the town's resources and economy faltering due to the railroad, the Ingalls family decides to follow Mary to Winoka, Dakota, where she has a teaching job with her instructor, Adam.
The last two episodes of this season are two of the very finest that Little House would ever produce. The emotions are raw and very much on the surface. The acting is stellar - - in fact, Melissa Sue Anderson was nominated for an Emmy for her work as Mary in the two part episode.
Additionally, characters such as Bandit the dog, Kezia, Joe Kagan and Adam Kendall would make their first appearances during this season. And established characters such as Jack the dog, Miss Beadle (Mrs. Simms)and John Sanderson mark their final appearances during this season.
All in all, a turning point for Little House and Walnut Grove and the end of the "early" episodes. But nonetheless, a stellar season and chock full of classic episodes. A must have and a must see for these beloved characters!

Little House is one of the best family shows ever made and deserves far better treatment than what is given here. DVD seasons 1-3 suffer from the same problems, but season 4 seems to be the runt of the litter. There are a number of problems from poor audio (there are times when someone is speaking and no sound at all is heard), lack of picture clearness, horrible editing, deleted scenes and an overall feeling of inbalance. The people responsible for this abonimation should be ashamed of themselves.
Stick with the VHS.

First of all, I love Little House and will without a doubt purchase the entire collection of dvds for this series. It is wonderful to watch the shows in order and to see how the series evolved through the seasons. I have to say though that there are errors and those errors have been noticed. Episodes are flipped around (season 3), segways to "commercials" are chopped, the box art and dvd art seem to be one season ahead, and there are many edited scenes - something I really didn't expect with dvds. For example, I have an old vhs version of "I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away" and there are scenes on that tape that are NOT included in the season 4 boxed-set version of that episode! I really hope season 5 fares better in this respect as every scene is important and should, if at all possible, be included! Regardless of these criticisms I'm very glad this series is available in season sets. Little House has lots of class which is something sorely missing on television today.

While the sets aren't perfect, THERE ARE MANY CRISP, CLEAR, SHARP, COLORFUL EPISODES IN SETS 1 TO 3. They looked SO good in fact, that it's as if they were filmed yesterday, and look far better than when they were originally broadcast. I'm in awe at just how great many of them look! That said... Whoever is responsible for encoding several of the episodes in this 4TH set, and whoever is responsible for releasing them in this manner ought to be ashamed. I've never seen a worse job of encoding for a DVD. We have VERY poor video and audio quality in several of the episodes, plus severely hacked and missing scenes where the commercial breaks are. Many of these episodes appear to be DVD's made from video tape copies of broadcast episodes.

Remember watching the show on TBS? For several episodes, you would be better off watching a tape of those rather than watching some of these on DVD. Again, who would possibly release a set with so many flaws??? Several of the episodes in the earlier sets looked so good (with certain exceptions), but as the sets progress, it seems like the quality just continues to get worse and worse. That being said, there are still certain episodes in the set which DO look very good, and have been VERY WELL restored, but on a whole, most are not up to par AT ALL!!

I'm VERY dissapointed in the hack job they did on these. You will simply have to try to ignore all of this in order to enjoy the top quality stories for one of the best television shows in history, which deserve a much better presentation than this!! Sometimes you can ignore it. Sometimes you can't, but you get used to it. Despite this, I still strongly recommend buying the complete series, as I have a great respect for everyone involved in the production, including the actors, not to mention the much-needed values the show teaches. 5 stars, no, make that 100 stars for the production, and 1 star for the effort Goldhill made in restoring (restoring? what a joke!) this 4th DVD set.

I am in accord with most of the reviews here. This series is an "Evergreen"...something precious that will never die...

However, the company that is releasing these DVDs have got to get on the ball and start releasing a quality product. These episodes are badly edited and a lot of scenes are deleted.....true "Little House" fans know this!!!!

Apparently the company is not listening to the complaints because each season gets worse!

Give us the quality DVD that we deserve with full restoration like "The Waltons". That is a quality product at almost half the price that "Little House" is charging for their set...cuts and all.

The video plays fine on my DVD....the audio could be improved.

The episodes are fine...some a little better than others. Melissa Gilbert as Laura can be irritating at times and the payoff in a lot of these episodes could be better as well. But for the most part "Little House" is numero uno compared to the garbage of today's television.

Get the rest of the seasons out there but get them fully uncut and restored!!

By the way, Season five is coming out on June 29th!!

Time to hitch those horses and saddle up for another session of edited, and very washed out looking episodes of 'Little House on the Prairie', and by this I mean you are in for a very rocky ride through season IV!

Before you buy, please consider the following:-

Most of the episodes in this DVD set have cuts in with some extremely jarring moments when the picture goes hard to black. The general picture quality is poor, being either cast towards one color, or looking very bleached.

I must have been very lucky in the UK, because episodes broadcast in the 1970's were without cuts and played directly from 35mm film prints that looked fantastic! I therefore find it very difficult, almost impossible, to understand why in the 21st century, and with all the technology now available, that what I am seeing today seems to have become an acceptable norm.

So what are you watching on these DVD's? Well, since digital restoration from film prints or film negatives never looks this terrible, there is only one answer: they must be recordings from old analogue video tapes. This theory is supported by the fact that some episodes display tape dropout and tape creases. It would also explain the cuts had the tapes been previously used by US broadcasters.

Those with a keen eye will spot that in the small print on the later sets of LHOTP there is a disclaimer which states something along the lines of "...have been taken from the best masters available".

Note the weasel word 'available'. Of course the best masters are the original film negatives. It would cost more effort, time and money to go that extra mile as do the less lazy DVD studios.