This is the most exciting scene in Little House on the Prairie! 40 years ago, it attracted millions of fans around the world

Spoilers – Warning, the article below contains potential spoilers. If you do not wish to know its contents, please do not read the following…

During its 10 unforgettable seasons, Little House on the Prairie has touched many emotions in its viewers. Bringing hope and joy to entire generations, the series created by Michael Landon 50 years ago still made us laugh many times (especially thanks to the Olesons), but also made us cry a lot.

Laura’s heartbreaking farewell to the horse bunny, the episode when Mary lost her sight, or even the one that marks the last appearance of Albert, will bring many tears. But true Little House on the Prairie fans know that the saddest episode is undoubtedly the series finale.

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A final farewell

It first aired in February 1984 and was titled Sober A final farewellThis hour-long epilogue is truly emotional. It tells the story of how all of the show’s characters, who learn that their land actually belongs to a greedy railroad owner, are forced to leave their beloved small town of Walnut Grove.

Watching the protagonists of Little House on the Prairie would be a thrilling enough experience for any viewer who has fallen in love with every building in Little Town for more than a decade. But it was an even more exciting and even more impressive conclusion that we were treated to A final farewellFor a very specific reason.

“The ground was to be emptied of all decoration.”

“When the decision was made to end the series, the contract with Big Sky Ranch stated that the land was to remain free of any scenery”This is how journalist and critic Benoit Lagan recalls Little House Still on the PrairieDocumentary broadcast on 6ter last week and available to replay on M6+.

To fulfill this painful contract in a way that would best do justice to the series and its characters, the producer decided to… blow up every building in Walnut Grove and integrate the operation into their storyline.

In the episode, under the leadership of Laura, in order to prevent the owner of the place from getting rich by exploiting their houses, the residents of the small town agree to blow them up with dynamite. A final act of freedom and rebellion that gives rise to a moving sequence in which the tears rolling down the actors’ cheeks are not contrived, as they truly say goodbye as the scene is shot.

“This is definitely the end.”

“I remember not wanting to go.”says Melissa Gilbert, Laura’s translator, in a documentary on 6ter.

“I stayed as long as I could. I kept putting off going. I remember walking off the set and turning around and everyone was gone except Michael. . He stood there with his hands in his pockets, with all the rubble around him. I thought, “Wow, this is really the end.” I turned around and left to let him have this moment.”

How could you not feel anxious when you watched the series from the beginning? How can we remain steadfast and see all these houses we know by heart fall to pieces? How could we not let all our memories of Walnut Grove slip away from a performance like this?

What do you think is the most exciting scene in Little House on the Prairie?

(Re)discover our interview with Alison Arngrim, Nellie Oleson’s translator…