The menopause episode...


Guess they ran out of storylines at somepoint.

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Did no one else catch this ep? Caroline was thinking she was preggo and had another shot at giving Chaz the son he always wanted, then old Doc had to break the news to her.

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The (son) thing was a constant during the show's entire run.

Bringing Albert into the fold was not the cure all whatsoever. He never settles, ever. It was herky jerky with him. Rejected by his father, living on the streets he's "captured" by Charles during the commission of crimes.

Charles accepts him, but, the mother? No, it's never sealed that way. Even terminally ill she will not return to Walnut Grove in Albert's finals days.

When you have time and you look back one wonders if Albert's travails are planned by Landon/production. The rape and murder of Albert's fiancee. The final rejection by Albert's father when he believes the boy is blind and won't be his slave. The fire that Albert causes results in the death of Mary's baby & Mrs. Garvey. Albert's drug addiction. Landon never preached outwardly on (Albert)---he just strung the episodes and let it lay there for (us).

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Yeah, putting it all together like that makes the Albert storyline seem really sinister. I hated the episode with death of Albert’s fiancee. She was a little girl, but didn’t Albert promise to marry her when they grew up? That was dark, especially for tv in those days.

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It's a fine episode/"Sylvia." Royal Dano as the conflicted father who lost Sylvia's mother to a visiting drummer.

Richard Jackal as the blacksmith/rapist. It was nice of him to do that role, put his heart into it.

Albert was doomed. Was not born under a lucky star. He was cursed.

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I think they were both in their early teens. I guess Albert meant they would marry after high school. Even if they changed their minds about marriage, I wonder if the Ingalls would have adopted the baby, or Doctor Baker might have found a home if Sylvia had lived and placed the kid up for adoption. It is too bad they killed her off. I would have preferred if she had stuck around for awhile, and later left town. Maybe make peace with her dad. I do not recall her mom leaving with a drummer. Perhaps I missed that part.





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It’s on right now. How ridiculous is this episode? Caroline is about to be a grandma but she feels worthless because she can’t have kid of her own anymore.

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Caroline was the original Mechelle Duggar wannabe!!! Gotta keep pushing out the babies. Even the very tactful Harriett once had to say something at baby #4's christening and called Caroline a 'broodmare' to her face!!! And that was even with the baby before her last one, Grace, who was born nine months after Uncle Chris, nicknamed by Caro herself as "The Handyman" stayed with the family on Plum Creek while Charles was away for months. Charles was never very good at math... lol

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I don’t find it crazy. When I was a young mom I actually knew a few women in their 40s hoping for a son to carry on their husbands name. One friend had 5 daughters and even said enough was enough. Lol Some families put a lot of importance in having a son especially in cultures outside of America.

You also have to look at the time period. A son would inherit the family farm and home. He would continue to make grow and produce a good harvest. If you look at the Amish culture it’s the youngest son who gets the family home and the parents move into a side home like a small apartment. Many Amish homes are over 100yrs old and been passed down over those years. I would assume the same thing is true for this time period

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I know right? Charles and Caroline had more than enough children. They were dirt poor and didn't need anymore kids

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What's the problem? How many children shows do you know that dealt with "the Change"? It's a natural part of life women experience. I'm glad the show felt its viewers mature enough to handle the subject matter but presented in such a way that any eight year old might understand it. When I saw the episode as a boy, I might not have understood the concept of menopause but was able to figure out Caroline was upset because she couldn't have children anymore.

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Exactly the show covered many topics that were more controversial or not discussed in the 70s such as rape, addiction and death of a baby.

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True

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