Why did Michael Landon have the family leave in the second to last season. I don't think it was fair for the rest of the cast to be suddenly written off the show. And what happened to Mary? Also, why didn't he have everyone back for the last episode? That seems a bit odd and unfair. If I remember correctly Carrie, Cassandra, and James are shown for about two seconds. And oh yeah, why did he have the "Last Farwell" in a season all to itself? Like you see "Hello and Goodbye" and then the next season has "Bless all the Dear Children" and the "Last Farwell". So why did he do that seperate?

Micheal Landing didn't want to keep staring in the show, he had other interest so when he decided to have the family move away to the big city, the rest had to follow. He kept directing the show when it became Little House a New Beginning, but he had other things in the works too, like Highway to Heaven. He felt that the younger people of Walnut Grove should have more of the spot light. There was never really any story line for the little kids in the family. It was a good move, I liked seeing more of Laura anyway.

I went to the Little House Reunion in Tombstone, AZ in 2005, and the question was asked at one of the Q & A panels. Melissa Gilbert said it was because Karen Grassle wanted to leave. They obviously couldn't kill off Caroline, and that late in the game, no one would accept a recast. Melissa Sue Anderson had left at the beginning of Season 8. Things were starting to get long in the tooth, and the ratings were on the downslide. Melissa Gilbert and Dean Butler were ready to carry the show by themselves (as seen in the powerful two parter Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow), and it was hoped a revamped show would bring the ratings back up. It didn't, and the show wrapped up production as a regular series in 1983. Three more episodes in the form of made for TV movies would conclude the show for good.

Micheal Landing didn't want to keep staring in the show, he had other interest so when he decided to have the family move away to the big city, the rest had to follow. He kept directing the show when it became Little House a New Beginning, but he had other things in the works too, like Highway to Heaven. He felt that the younger people of Walnut Grove should have more of the spot light. There was never really any story line for the little kids in the family. It was a good move, I liked seeing more of Laura anyway.


Sorry, I have to disagree 1000% about it being a good move when Pa moved
the family away. Talk about "jumping the shark!"

Not only was this a "jumping the shark" move, it flew past the moon and kept on going. On clear nights, you can find me look up to the stars, wondering where, just where, my "Little House on the Prairie" has gone.