The Ingalls Should Have Left Albert in Winoka

[Sgt. Saunders]

It’s said the road to Hell is paved with the best of intentions. Well, I think the Ingalls’ decision to bring the precocious Albert back to Walnut Grove tragically came back to haunt them (if not bite them in the collective keester).

If Albert had remained in Winoka (where his ne’er-do-well father had presumably deserted him), then Mary’s infant child and
Mrs. Garvey would not have burned to death, an especially horrible way to die, in the fire, so carelessly started by Albert and that other brat after leaving a lit smoking pipe in the basement of that school/residence in Walnut Grove.

And, maybe I’m being too cynical, but I thought that Mr. Garvey was just TOO understanding and forgiving after Albert’s negligence ended up killing his beloved wife. You would think that Mr. Garvey would want to, literally, ring that little guttersnipe’s neck. And, could Mary, who already had experienced such great suffering and misery in her life after permanently losing her sight, and Mary’s husband, Adam, ever really forgive Albert for his unspeakable carelessness? I don’t think so.

Ultimately, the shaggy-haired Albert came to a bad end. So, all things being considered, Charles and Caroline Ingalls SHOULD have left the little street urchin to fend for himself in Winoka. That would have spared the Ingalls and Garvey families future overwhelming loss and grief.

[Tankeryanker]

LOL. I never thought about it before, but yes, he was not a true asset to the Ingalls.

[Wawwie]

I don't know why the writers felt it necessary to add all those fake Ingalls children, like Albert, James and Cassandra. They all stunk big time. Albert was definitely the worst. I hated his constant whining and battiness and how unrealistic was it for Andy to remain his best friend after Albert caused the death of his mother? Thank goodness Albert wasn't a real life person.

[BestTVever]

The Ingalls needed children to keep the show fresh. Mary went blind and moved away. Laura needed a sidekick and Albert fit nicely. He added to the show in many episodes giving the Ingalls some fresh material. The Werewolf episode, the episode of the Lake monster, Halloween episode, the adoption episode when Nellie humiliates him, etc. We also get lots of good drama like the episode when Albert's father comes back to claim him and he pretends to be blind. Dont fault Albert for the writers of the show. Landon wanted drama and the fire episode while tragic was what he wanted.
Having said all that, I have always felt when Mary went blind the show jumped the shark. It never had the magic when the kids grew up. I thought Albert did add to the show because we needed kids again who could get into trouble so we could all learn from their mistakes
I also liked one of the later episodes when Albert gets addicted to morphine.

[Sgt. Saunders]

Yes, Albert’s eventual death due to drug addiction was a “great tragedy.” I was as “broken up” after Albert’s demise as I was when Phil Leotardo and Tuco Salamanca, of “The Sopranos” and “ Breaking Bad,” respectively, departed this mortal coil.

[paul.austin]

Albert should have been an Adelaide if Laura "had" to have a "sidekick".

God i hate Landon!

Also, for how he ruined the Real Carrie Ingalls's reputation because of his show.

Landon's mother was right.

Hopefully he's spending eternity in a room full of soiled mattresses.

[Sgt. Saunders]

Originally Posted by paul.austin

Albert should have been an Adelaide if Laura "had" to have a "sidekick".

God i hate Landon!

Also, for how he ruined the Real Carrie Ingalls's reputation because of his show.

Landon's mother was right.

Hopefully he's spending eternity in a room full of soiled mattresses.

You should read actress Karen Grassle’s autobiography, “Bright Lights, Prairie Lights: Reflections on Life, Loss and Love by House’s Ma.” Ms. Grassle said Michael Landon was very tight with a buck when she asked “Pa Ingalls” for a raise. (She wasn’t getting paid any more than the child actors on the show.)

In addition, Karen Grassle greatly resented it when “Pa Ingalls” would tell especially vulgar sexual jokes in front of her and all of the male film crew members on the Little House set. (The Reverend Alden would be absolutely appalled by Charles Ingall’s filthy and vulgar mouth!)

Ms. Grassle also related that she thought that Mr. Landon and the show’s writers had “lost their way “ when “Pa Ingalls” and the writers decided to film those episodes featuring the young girl’s rape by a masked assailant and that other infamous LH episode, where Mrs. Garvey and Mary’s baby went up in flames after the irrepressible Albert left that lit pipe in the basement of that school/residence Mary and her husband lived in.

As you can read by many of the comments of the Little House’s fans here, they were greatly traumatized as young kids, when NBC first aired those episodes nearly forty years ago.

[paul.austin]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Saunders

You should read actress Karen Grassle’s autobiography, “Bright Lights, Prairie Lights: Reflections on Life, Loss and Love by House’s Ma.” Ms. Grassle said Michael Landon was very tight with a buck when she asked “Pa Ingalls” for a raise. (She wasn’t getting paid any more than the child actors on the show.)

In addition, Karen Grassle greatly resented it when “Pa Ingalls” would tell especially vulgar sexual jokes in front of her and all of the male film crew members on the Little House set. (The Reverend Alden would be absolutely appalled by Charles Ingall’s filthy and vulgar mouth!)

Ms. Grassle also related that she thought that Mr. Landon and the show’s writers had “lost their way “ when “Pa Ingalls” and the writers decided to film those episodes featuring the young girl’s rape by a masked assailant and that other infamous LH episode, where Mrs. Garvey and Mary’s baby went up in flames after the irrepressible Albert left that lit pipe in the basement of that school/residence Mary and her husband lived in.

As you can read by many of the comments of the Little House’s fans here, they were greatly traumatized as young kids, when NBC first aired those episodes nearly forty years ago.

The best ironic punishment for his sins that I'm sure Old Scratch has come up with for ML is that Landon is spending eternity in a room with no doors that is filled with soiled mattresses - and his clothes always smell of tobacco smoke, even the socks.

[Sampling The Recipe]

Michael Landon did love the flair for drama. It was seen in all the later shows he was involved in. As for Albert, he was not one of my favorite characters although the one episode where he faked being a werewolf to scare the school bully was pretty good. He also did try to stick up for himself in that episode, but Almanzo comes to his rescue and hits the bully boy instead. Albert however most of the time was quite whiny and in the end did cause a huge catastrophe. Did the show need other younger children when Mary grew up, I don't really think so. I think there could have been a lot of things done between Nellie and Laura and also throw in Willie as well. Now as they grew older this presented a huge problem in my opinion because the actresses who played Carrie Ingalls were just plain awful.

[Wawwie]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

I have always felt when Mary went blind the show jumped the shark.

Unlike Albert's fictitious stories, Mary's blindness was real. That really happened. The show "jumped the shark" when they started adding in all those fake Ingalls children.

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by Wawwie

Unlike Albert's fictitious stories, Mary's blindness was real. That really happened. The show "jumped the shark" when they started adding in all those fake Ingalls children.

True but they should have delayed it for a season or two. Mary leaving meant Albert moving in.

[paul.austin]

Oh, Cassie. I wonder what happened to your character and Carrie and Grace after you all leave the show - erm, Minnesota - never to return at the end of Season 8?

[DEH55]

I was not a big fan of Albert but you can tell Landon loved him. He showcased him a lot. I binge watched the show during the Holidays and was caught off guard by the unneeded tragedy on the show. Killing Mary's child and Mrs.Garvey and having Albert responsible, the Sylvia episode, killing off the Jason Bateman character, and then Albert dying. Too much sadness. Lol

Has anyone noticed that Mary and her husband just take off on their baby during the fire?? Wtf???

[paul.austin]

Landon brought in Albert cause he felt the show was too female.

[Jack1000]

I could not stand Albert! He made my skin crawl!

Andy Garvey was cool though! The writers could not keep Albert's life circumstances straight. One episode Laura's voice over says he becomes a doctor. Than another episode said he died. (Or was this in the TV movies? I forgot.

Jack