I recently started watching Little House again, after not watching it since the original run.

I checked the ratings, and for some reason, it was not in the top 30 in year 2. (1975-1976).

In year 1, it was somehere in the teens (No.14) maybe, dropped out of the top 30 in year 2. The following year, it was back in the top 30, tied for 15 with the Waltons.

I think it was in the top 30 since then, except for year 2. I find this interesting.

Would anyone know what happened in year 2?

That is an excellent question. I wish I had the answer. Coincidently, just last week I was looking over the Nielsen ratings of the past several decades (this list only showed top 20) and I too wondered why LH didn't chart in season 2. It's definitely peculiar because it is surrounded by seasons before and after that all were in the top 20. Maybe I can see why season 7 was #9 and then it fell drastically the next season. But factors that accounted for the decline in season 8 certainly weren't there in season 2! 8 had some lame episodes, people thought it was just getting old/stale and its not like the next season it jumped back. (season 9--pfff, it was done) But season three did well like you said. This is a mystery.

Today, I decide to check my email messages in about a month, and learn somebody answered my question. I guess I ask questions nobody knows the answers to.

This is just totally a guess on my part.

The second half of season 1, I found some of the episodes boring. Those were episodes that came after the 2-part or 2-hour episode where the Ingalls baby brother dies. So, I am just guessing here, but maybe others found season 1 boring, and didn't tune into season 2.

Early in season 3, Nellie was really nasty to Laura. Maybe, that brought viewwers back.

Season 4 it was no. 7. Maybe the arrival of Merlin Olsen's character helped bring the ratings up even more. Also, the arrival of baby Grace and Mary going blind happened that year.

Anyway, just guessing.

What was the competition during season 2? Maybe there were some really high-quality shows during that time. Also, what was the LHOTP time slot? Maybe it was up against something really big?

I got some of the mystery figured out.

After year 2, the day it aired changed. It was on Wednesday night 8-9, then it changed to Monday night 8-9.

Still don't know what happened in year 2, though. The competition was not strong at all. LTOTP was up against on CBS Tony Orlando & Dawn, and on ABC When Things Were Rotten/That's My Mama.

IF LTOTP did not change days, I don't think it would have lasted as long as it did.

half way during the second season of little house in the prarie the bionic woman debuted(january 14, 1976) and got killer ratings(it was the 5th highest rated show 1975-76 season)
little house on the prarie was bumped to monday nights

Mystery solved.

I do remember how popular the Bionic Woman/Six Million Dollar Man were in the mid 70's.

During the late 70's and early 80's, "Little House" was one of the few NBC shows to make it into the top 10.