User Reviews

A person should be measured, not by the size of their person, but rather the size of their heart. Besides that, size doesn't matter at all. As we open, a monotonous card game between John Carter and Doc Baker is abruptly halted when in rushes Lou Bates, a small man from the circus who is seeking a doctor. His wife was going into labor. They hurry to the scene, after many tense minutes, Lou's wife successfully delivers a healthy baby girl. Sadly, it took every ounce of strength she had and she died soon after. He had made her a promise on her deathbed that he would give up the circus life, as it wouldn't be right for their daughter, so now Lou's got to find a regular job. He ventures into Walnut Grove and goes to Oleson's Mercantile to inquire about a job, but is met with nothing but patronizing and belittling comments from Mrs. Oleson, who claims she's never seen a midget before (I guess she forgot the Annabelle episode from three seasons ago, also featuring Billy Barty). Harriet's far better half, Nels, on the other hand, was willing to give Lou the benefit of the doubt, but his wife's constant laughing and her insulting attitude forced an unamused Lou to seek employment elsewhere. Later that day, John Carter came riding up to Lou's wagon with good news: he managed to get him a job interview with Bill Anderson at the bank. He's looking for a prospective teller. Being good with mathematical figures, it was the ideal job for Lou. So the next morning, he went back to Walnut Grove to see Mr. Anderson, who was impressed with Lou's numerical skills. The job was as good as his... when who should come walking in the door but Harriet Oleson, who overheard and pulled Anderson aside to deliver the following ultimatum: if he hires Lou, she will take her account out of his bank. The Oleson account being basically the Clampett account of Walnut Grove. Even if it meant she and Nels would have to travel hundreds of miles out of the way to make a withdrawal. She may have been bluffing, but being the spineless coward that he was, Anderson sadly had turn Lou away. Well, sir, when John heard about this, he went right over to Nellie's restaurant where Harriet was bumbling around in the kitchen and chastised her, but the Oleson matriarch seemed to have no regret about her treatment of Lou. As a result, Oleson's Mercantile and the restaurant lost the Carter account.

Now when you're a desperate man, you're more than likely to do things you wouldn't ordinarily do, such as commit robbery, but left with no other alternative to feed his family, Lou went out and burglarized the Olsen's store under the cover of darkness. Harriet was quick to point the finger at Lou, who later confessed and was jailed in the Oleson's ice house, as Walnut Grove had no jail or any police. Now while this was going on, Willie and Nancy were playing too close to an open mine shaft and the little brat fell in, pigtails and all. When wondering how to get her out...why not just leave her there? One less pain in the butt for this town...John suggests Lou. Only he could fit down that shaft to get Nancy out. But would he do it? Sure, it's the least he could do after being criticized, abased and ostracized by a town he thought he knew. So, securing Lou in a harness, and with John and Almanzo working the rope, he was slowly lowered down into the deep, dark mine shaft. A mile or so down, he found a muddy, teary-eyed Nancy. Grabbing a tight hold on her hands, Lou was hoisted from the mine and reunited Nancy with her father and hysterical mother. Lou Bates was deemed a hero by the township, and Harriet finally came to her senses (after nine seasons) and apologized to Lou for the way she treated him, admitted she was wrong, and even talked Mr. Anderson into reconsidering him for the teller position... how's that humble pie taste, Mrs. Oleson? And so, our story of Little Lou has a happy ending. He stayed on in Walnut Grove, working as Anderson's bank teller and he was greatly accepted into the community, and he lived happily ever after... or so we can assume, since after this episode we never see Lou again.

Little Lou, BIG heart. Although this episode features comedian Billy Barty, it is NOT a funny episode. It's actually one of the sadder ones, not as sad as the death of Mary's baby or the one about Sylvia, but it's up there. The performances in this episode are fantastic. Billy Barty is terrific, as always, and by that I mean he's good in everything he does. Like if he was ever in a show or a movie that sucked, he never did; Katherine MacGregor really shines as bigoted Mrs. Oleson, who gets a real serving of humble pie at the show's end, and hopefully it left a bitter taste; terrific direction from Victor French (Mr. Edwards) and writing by Michael Landon. Too bad one of their other collaborations, "The Older Brothers", wasn't quite up to par. In fact, it downright sucked, but that's another story. So, a fantastic job from everybody and this episode is definitely worth checking out!

This episode works mainly due to John Carver and his new friend Lou Bates ( Billy Barty).

Harriet once again jumps in and makes something minor a big problem or something that isn't a problem another moment her prejudices show. I could really like Harriet at times other times I couldn't stand her. Her prejudice here is all due to Lou Bates dwarfism. And a circus performer. Yep that's it ! She prevents him from getting a job he basically already had at the bank. John Carver had encouraged him to stay in town to make a home for his newborn daughter as his wife died in childbirth. Lou is a good man and father. He never blames his daughter ( an unfortunate plot device at times ) . Lou ends up desperate and stealing from the mercantile to have food and a doll for his baby girl. Harriet demands he be held or basically imprisoned to wait for the circuit court judge. No one else feels this way but somehow they are all cowed by Harriet.

Then the moment comes and Harriet needs Lou! After falling down a shaft or hole no one else can reach Nancy to rescue her. When told what happened Lou doesn't hesitate for a second and rescues her . After that Harriet sees things in a different light and cables the judge telling him it's a mistake. She also tells Lou he can start right away at the bank and apologized to Lou. Lou Bates is a better person and forgives Harriet.

I would have preferred Harriet not bully everyone but I guess they had to make the turnaround dramatic.

I was always a major fan of Little House On The Prairie. It was indeed a staple of my childhood where it got me crying a lot due to the heavy handed drama that it took no mercy in showing. There was no other show quite like this one. Every conceivable tragedy seemed to happen, from an Anthrax epidemic hitting Walnut Grove to the blind school burning down. There was also Doc Baker's sad diagnosis for almost everyone who went to see him. Charles did tend to get his ribs broken too many times whenever he had some sort of accident.

This show had it all where the waterworks were concerned, but time wasn't too kind in the later seasons. The cast was perfect during the first few years of the show, but later, as the kids grew up, new kids were added which were copycat versions of the originals. Jenny Wilder ( another Laura) and Nancy Oleson (another Nellie) were perfect examples.

Things definitely wore down when Season 9 was reached and the show got rebooted into "Little House - A New Beginning". The powerhouses to the cast like Michael Landon and Karen Grassle, were replaced by a younger copycat couple in the shape of John Carter and his wife, Sarah. They moved into the little house after the Ingalls clan pulled up stakes and headed to the city for a better life.

John Carter proved to be a Charles Ingalls imitation and even dressed like him with the same floppy hat, white shirt and suspenders. There also seemed to be a shortage of ideas as the show started to age. In the episode of "Welcome to Olesonville", Harriet finds Walnut Grove bonds while fixing up Mr. Hanson's old house. Hanson sure must've had a lot of old houses he left behind after he died. Just a few years before, an old house of his had been fixed up to hold the blind school.

Anyway, out of all the season 9 episodes, this one is my particular favorite right next to the ones where Albert battled a morphine addiction and Mrs. Oleson interferes in Willie's marriage plans. Billy Barty is touching as Little Lou, a kind hearted dwarf sized man who wanted to escape the circus after his wife died in childbirth. He didn't want his daughter growing up to see him as a sideshow spectacle and he sets out to get a job in Walnut Grove with the help of his new friend, John Carter.

Mrs. Oleson, of course, gets in the way of things with her discriminatory nature and she got downright annoying at times. She openly ridicules Little Lou when he tries to get a job at the Mercantile and also blocks him from getting employed at the bank due to his short stature.

Little Lou eventually proves her wrong in the end with a heroic action and Mrs. Oleson, like she's done in episodes past, realizes she made a grave error in judgement. She never seems to learn.

What I liked best about this episode though is the friendship that was forged between Lou and John. John knew Lou's situation and tried everything he could to help him, even sticking up for him when Mrs. Oleson tried to stop Lou from getting work in town. That was the pleasing part about it all was that friendship they had going. There was good chemistry between those two as friends which is why I consider this episode a notch better than all that was offered in Season 9. My definite favorite.

Reality is shown as it is. Harriet has some valid reasons for not wanting Lou as an employee at her store (despite Nels' permanent disapproval, who does nothing more than slam the door) but none for not wanting him to work as Anderson's banker. Of course, the forgiveness is not sincere, but in gratitude for saving his daughter from a complicated situation. However, nothing justifies the theft of merchandise that Lou had committed against her.

This chapter is a copy of the one we already saw when an old enemy of Lars Hanson rescued Carrie from a similar well. In Little House they continue to believe that their audience forgets the previous chapters.

Of course, like the new Sheriff chosen in the previous chapter, we will never hear from little Lu again.

What harm could it cause Harriet to lose John Carter as a client? The threat is very lukewarm.