Summary
- Little House on the Prairie delved into dark and sad themes, including murders, addiction, and children's deaths.
- Each episode featured moments of darkness, such as Mary going blind or a tragic mining camp trip, pushing the show's boundaries.
- The show's ability to tackle tough subjects like rape, violence, and death made Little House on the Prairie a gripping, albeit somber, watch.
This article contains mentions of sexual assault, violence, and death.
Little House on the Prairie had a lot of dark and sad episodes that sometimes seemed out of place in a show that was normally as wholesome as the tales of the Ingalls family. Little House on the Prairie premiered in 1974, an American historical drama series based on the children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The books were based on her childhood in the American Midwest in the late 1800s. However, for a TV show based on children's novels, Little House never feared going dark.
The main story was about a good, pure family led by Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon), someone who raised his family to be God-fearing and well-meaning. However, through the nine seasons, the show veered into the realm of darkness more than once. There were murderers, rapists, children's deaths, and addiction issues all on display, and no one was safe from these dark themes. Looking back on these sad episodes and the kind of subject matter that was featured is a shocking reminder of how grim Little House on the Prairie could be.
The Best TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked
The best TV shows of all time will be debated forever, but there are clear contenders. These are the very best TV shows of all time, ranked.
15 The Monster Of Walnut Grove
Season 3, Episode 5
It is true that "The Monster of Walnut Grove" is a sillier Little House on the Prairie episode than many of the other truly darker ones. However, it is still one that deals with darker ideas and could be particularly frightening to younger audiences of the usually mild show. It is also a special episode as Little House on the Prairie might not seem like the kind of series to do a Halloween-themed episode.
The episode embraces the vibes of the season as Laura seems to witness a neighbor decapitating his own wife. While the whole thing proves to be a funny misunderstanding, that isn't revealed until the end of the episode, and the idea of Laura thinking she's witnessed a horrible crime is a pretty dark idea. This also leads to a memorable final moment when some of the frightened children imagine seeing the Headless Horseman righting to get them.
14 Raccoon
Season 1, Episode 10
Even the first season of Little House on the Prairie dealt with some heavy topics. "Raccoon" was one early episode that ended that also served as an example of how the show sometimes led the story down a dark path only to resolve things in a peaceful way before the end. The episode deals with Laura getting a pet raccoon which ends up scratching both her and the family dog, Jack.
Things get much more serious when the raccoon returns and attacks, forcing Charles to kill it only to discover that it is rabid. Not only does the episode look to be mimicking the classic heartbreaking dog movie Old Yeller with Jack looking as though he'll have to be put down, but Laura's life is in danger as well. Thankfully, it is revealed that the rabid raccoon was not the same one who scratched Laura and Jack.
13 I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away
Season 4, Episode 21
The wholesome Ingalls family witnessed a lot of the darkest moments in the series, but they were often spared the most brutal moments for the sake of the audience who loved these characters. However, that does not mean everything was fine for them as this episode proved. It deals with the heartbreaking realization that Mary is going blind. Mary was an ambitious and determined young woman with her life ahead of her, but this news struck a devastating blow to her.
The darkest moment in the episode comes when Mary wakes up in bed to find that she is completely blind and screams in anguish for her father to help her.
While the diagnosis is scary enough, the darkest moment in the episode comes when Mary wakes up in bed to find that she is completely blind and screams in anguish for her father to help her. While the storyline would prove to be a powerful one for her character, finding new strength and resolve while starting a new life for herself, this episode dealt with the fear she faced with the unknown life ahead of her.