When the big woods of Wisconsin becomes a difficult spot for hunting, Charles Ingalls reluctantly decides to move his family, pioneering west. Their life on the farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s is full of adventure, tragedy, and triumph. Based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
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The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 7.78.
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Dean Butler
Almanzo James Wilder
Melissa Gilbert
Laura Ingalls
Katherine MacGregor
Harriet Oleson
Richard Bull
Nels Oleson
Jonathan Gilbert
Willie Oleson
Allison Balson
Nancy Oleson
Lindsay Kennedy
Jeb Carter
David Friedman
Jason Carter
Shannen Doherty
Jenny Wilder
Pamela Roylance
Sarah Reed Carter
All 145 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
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23 episodes • 1974Avg: 7.6Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Harvest of Friends | Sep 11, 1974 | 8.5 |
| 2 | Country Girls | Sep 18, 1974 | 8.5 |
| 3 | 100 Mile Walk | Sep 25, 1974 | 8.7 |
| 4 | Mr. Edwards' Homecoming | Oct 2, 1974 | 8.0 |
| 5 | The Love of Johnny Johnson | Oct 9, 1974 | 7.7 |
| 6 | If I Should Wake Before I Die | Oct 23, 1974 | 7.5 |
| 7 | Town Party, Country Party | Oct 30, 1974 | 8.0 |
| 8 | Ma's Holiday | Nov 6, 1974 | 7.0 |
| 9 | School Mom | Nov 13, 1974 | 7.0 |
| 10 | The Raccoon | Nov 20, 1974 | 8.0 |
| 11 | The Voice of Tinker Jones | Dec 4, 1974 | 7.0 |
| 12 | The Award | Dec 11, 1974 | 7.0 |
| 13 | The Lord is My Shepherd | Dec 18, 1974 | 7.0 |
| 14 | Christmas At Plum Creek | Dec 25, 1974 | 8.0 |
| 15 | Family Quarrel | Jan 15, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 16 | Doctor's Lady | Jan 22, 1975 | 7.0 |
| 17 | Plague | Jan 29, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 18 | Circus Man | Feb 5, 1975 | 7.0 |
| 19 | Child of Pain | Feb 12, 1975 | 7.0 |
| 20 | Money Crop | Feb 19, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 21 | Survival | Feb 26, 1975 | 9.0 |
| 22 | To See the World | Mar 5, 1975 | 7.0 |
| 23 | Founder's Day | May 7, 1975 | 7.0 |
22 episodes • 1975Avg: 7.9Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Richest Man in Walnut Grove | Sep 10, 1975 | 8.3 |
| 2 | Four Eyes | Sep 17, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 3 | Ebenezer Sprague | Sep 24, 1975 | 7.5 |
| 4 | In the Big Inning | Oct 1, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 5 | Haunted House | Oct 8, 1975 | 8.3 |
| 6 | The Spring Dance | Oct 29, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 7 | Remember Me (1) | Nov 5, 1975 | 10.0 |
| 8 | Remember Me (2) | Nov 12, 1975 | 10.0 |
| 9 | The Campout | Nov 19, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 10 | At the End of the Rainbow | Dec 10, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 11 | The Gift | Dec 17, 1975 | 8.0 |
| 12 | His Father's Son | Jan 7, 1976 | 9.0 |
| 13 | The Talking Machine | Jan 14, 1976 | 10.0 |
| 14 | The Pride of Walnut Grove | Jan 28, 1976 | 8.0 |
| 15 | A Matter of Faith | Feb 4, 1976 | 7.0 |
| 16 | The Runaway Caboose | Feb 11, 1976 | 7.0 |
| 17 | Troublemaker | Feb 25, 1976 | 6.0 |
| 18 | The Long Road Home | Mar 3, 1976 | 6.0 |
| 19 | For My Lady | Mar 10, 1976 | 7.0 |
| 20 | Centennial | Mar 17, 1976 | 6.0 |
| 21 | Soldier's Return | Mar 24, 1976 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Going Home | Mar 31, 1976 | 0.0 |
21 episodes • 1976Avg: 6.4Valley of Despair
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Collection | Sep 27, 1976 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Bunny | Oct 4, 1976 | 5.0 |
| 3 | The Race | Oct 11, 1976 | 6.0 |
| 4 | Little Girl Lost | Oct 18, 1976 | 0.0 |
| 5 | The Monster of Walnut Grove | Nov 1, 1976 | 6.0 |
| 6 | Journey in the Spring (1) | Nov 15, 1976 | 6.0 |
| 7 | Journey in the Spring (2) | Nov 22, 1976 | 6.0 |
| 8 | Fred | Nov 29, 1976 | 7.0 |
| 9 | The Bully Boys | Dec 6, 1976 | 3.8 |
| 10 | The Hunters | Dec 20, 1976 | 8.0 |
| 11 | Blizzard | Dec 27, 1976 | 5.0 |
| 12 | I'll Ride the Wind | Jan 10, 1977 | 6.0 |
| 13 | Quarantine | Jan 17, 1977 | 6.0 |
| 14 | Little Women | Jan 24, 1977 | 6.0 |
| 15 | Injun Kid | Jan 31, 1977 | 7.0 |
| 16 | To Live with Fear (1) | Feb 14, 1977 | 6.0 |
| 17 | To Live with Fear (2) | Feb 21, 1977 | 6.0 |
| 18 | The Wisdom of Solomon | Mar 7, 1977 | 8.0 |
| 19 | The Music Box | Mar 14, 1977 | 8.0 |
| 20 | The Election | Mar 21, 1977 | 9.0 |
| 21 | Gold Country | Apr 4, 1977 | 0.0 |
22 episodes • 1977Avg: 7.3
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Castoffs | Sep 12, 1977 | 7.0 |
| 2 | Times of Change | Sep 19, 1977 | 8.0 |
| 3 | My Ellen | Sep 26, 1977 | 8.0 |
| 4 | The Handyman | Oct 3, 1977 | 7.0 |
| 5 | The Wolves | Oct 17, 1977 | 6.0 |
| 6 | The Creeper of Walnut Grove | Oct 24, 1977 | 7.0 |
| 7 | To Run and Hide | Oct 31, 1977 | 6.0 |
| 8 | The Aftermath | Nov 7, 1977 | 8.0 |
| 9 | The High Cost of Being Right | Nov 14, 1977 | 7.0 |
| 10 | The Fighter | Nov 21, 1977 | 7.0 |
| 11 | Meet Me At the Fair | Nov 28, 1977 | 7.0 |
| 12 | Here Come the Brides | Dec 5, 1977 | 8.0 |
| 13 | Freedom Flight | Dec 12, 1977 | 9.0 |
| 14 | The Rivals | Jan 9, 1978 | 8.5 |
| 15 | Whisper Country | Jan 16, 1978 | 8.0 |
| 16 | I Remember, I Remember | Jan 23, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 17 | Be My Friend | Jan 30, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 18 | The Inheritance | Feb 6, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 19 | The Stranger | Feb 13, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 20 | A Most Precious Gift | Feb 27, 1978 | 0.0 |
| 21 | I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (1) | Mar 6, 1978 | 0.0 |
| 22 | I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (2) | Mar 13, 1978 | 0.0 |
24 episodes • 1978Avg: 7.3
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | As Long as We're Together (1) | Sep 10, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 2 | As Long as We're Together (2) | Sep 17, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 3 | The Winoka Warriors | Sep 24, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 4 | The Man Inside | Oct 1, 1978 | 8.0 |
| 5 | There's No Place Like Home (1) | Oct 8, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 6 | There's No Place Like Home (2) | Oct 15, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 7 | Fagin | Oct 22, 1978 | 8.0 |
| 8 | Harriet's Happenings | Oct 29, 1978 | 8.0 |
| 9 | The Wedding | Nov 5, 1978 | 6.0 |
| 10 | Men Will Be Boys | Nov 12, 1978 | 8.0 |
| 11 | The Cheaters | Nov 19, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 12 | Blind Journey (1) | Nov 26, 1978 | 7.0 |
| 13 | Blind Journey (2) | Dec 3, 1978 | 8.0 |
| 14 | The Godsister | Dec 17, 1978 | 6.0 |
| 15 | The Craftsman | Jan 7, 1979 | 8.0 |
| 16 | Blind Man's Bluff | Jan 14, 1979 | 6.0 |
| 17 | Dance with Me | Jan 21, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 18 | The Sound of Children | Feb 4, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 19 | The Lake Kezia Monster | Feb 11, 1979 | 9.0 |
| 20 | Barn Burner | Feb 18, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 21 | The Enchanted Cottage | Feb 25, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 22 | Someone Please Love Me | Mar 4, 1979 | 8.0 |
| 23 | Mortal Mission | Mar 11, 1979 | 8.0 |
| 24 | The Odyssey | Mar 18, 1979 | 8.0 |
23 episodes • 1979Avg: 7.1
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Back to School (1) | Sep 16, 1979 | 8.0 |
| 2 | Back to School (2) | Sep 23, 1979 | 8.0 |
| 3 | The Family Tree | Sep 30, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 4 | The Third Miracle | Oct 7, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 5 | Annabelle | Oct 14, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 6 | The Preacher Takes a Wife | Oct 21, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 7 | The Halloween Dream | Oct 28, 1979 | 6.0 |
| 8 | The Return of Mr. Edwards | Nov 4, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 9 | The King is Dead | Nov 11, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 10 | The Faith Healer | Nov 18, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 11 | Author! Author! | Nov 25, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 12 | Crossed Connections | Dec 9, 1979 | 7.0 |
| 13 | The Angry Heart | Dec 16, 1979 | 0.0 |
| 14 | The Werewolf of Walnut Grove | Jan 6, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 15 | Whatever Happened to the Class of '56? | Jan 13, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 16 | Darkness is My Friend | Jan 20, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 17 | Silent Promises | Jan 27, 1980 | 0.0 |
| 18 | May We Make Them Proud | Feb 3, 1980 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Wilder And Wilder | Feb 10, 1980 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Second Spring | Feb 17, 1980 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Sweet Sixteen | Feb 24, 1980 | 0.0 |
| 22 | He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (1) | May 4, 1980 | 0.0 |
| 23 | He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2) | May 11, 1980 | 0.0 |
22 episodes • 1980Avg: 7.1
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laura Ingalls Wilder (1) | Sep 22, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 2 | Laura Ingalls Wilder (2) | Sep 29, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 3 | A New Beginning | Oct 6, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 4 | Fight Team Fight! | Oct 13, 1980 | 8.0 |
| 5 | The Silent Cry | Oct 20, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 6 | Portrait of Love | Oct 27, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 7 | Divorce, Walnut Grove Style | Nov 10, 1980 | 7.0 |
| 8 | Dearest Albert, I'll Miss You | Nov 17, 1980 | 9.0 |
| 9 | The In-Laws | Nov 24, 1980 | 9.0 |
| 10 | To See the Light (1) | Dec 1, 1980 | 6.0 |
| 11 | To See the Light (2) | Dec 8, 1980 | 6.0 |
| 12 | Oleson Versus Oleson | Jan 5, 1981 | 6.0 |
| 13 | Come, Let Us Reason Together | Jan 12, 1981 | 7.0 |
| 14 | The Nephews | Jan 19, 1981 | 6.0 |
| 15 | Make a Joyful Noise | Jan 26, 1981 | 7.0 |
| 16 | Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder | Feb 2, 1981 | 7.0 |
| 17 | Sylvia (1) | Feb 9, 1981 | 8.0 |
| 18 | Sylvia (2) | Feb 16, 1981 | 8.0 |
| 19 | Blind Justice | Feb 23, 1981 | 7.0 |
| 20 | I Do, Again | Mar 2, 1981 | 6.0 |
| 21 | The Lost Ones (1) | May 4, 1981 | 0.0 |
| 22 | The Lost Ones (2) | May 11, 1981 | 0.0 |
22 episodes • 1981Avg: 7.2
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Reincarnation of Nellie (1) | Oct 5, 1981 | 7.0 |
| 2 | The Reincarnation of Nellie (2) | Oct 12, 1981 | 8.0 |
| 3 | Growin' Pains | Oct 19, 1981 | 6.0 |
| 4 | Dark Sage | Oct 26, 1981 | 8.0 |
| 5 | A Wiser Heart | Nov 2, 1981 | 7.0 |
| 6 | Gambini, the Great | Nov 9, 1981 | 0.0 |
| 7 | The Legend of Black Jake | Nov 16, 1981 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Chicago | Nov 23, 1981 | 0.0 |
| 9 | For the Love of Nancy | Nov 30, 1981 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Wave of the Future | Dec 7, 1981 | 0.0 |
| 11 | A Christmas They Never Forgot | Dec 21, 1981 | 0.0 |
| 12 | No Beast So Fierce | Jan 4, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Stone Soup | Jan 18, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 14 | The Legacy | Jan 24, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Uncle Jed | Jan 31, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Second Chance | Feb 7, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (1) | Feb 14, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 18 | Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (2) | Feb 21, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 19 | A Promise to Keep | Feb 28, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 20 | A Faraway Cry | Mar 7, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 21 | He Was Only Twelve (1) | May 2, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 22 | He Was Only Twelve (2) | May 9, 1982 | 0.0 |
21 episodes • 1982Avg: 8.0
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Times are Changing (1) | Sep 27, 1982 | 8.0 |
| 2 | Times are Changing (2) | Oct 4, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Welcome to Olesonville | Oct 11, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Rage | Oct 18, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Little Lou | Oct 25, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 6 | The Wild Boy (1) | Nov 1, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 7 | The Wild Boy (2) | Nov 8, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 8 | The Return of Nellie | Nov 15, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 9 | The Empire Builders | Nov 22, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Love | Nov 29, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Alden's Dilemma | Dec 6, 1982 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Marvin's Garden | Jan 3, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Sins of the Fathers | Jan 10, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 14 | The Older Brothers | Jan 17, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Once Upon a Time | Jan 24, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Home Again | Feb 7, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 17 | A Child with No Name | Feb 14, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 18 | The Last Summer | Feb 21, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 19 | For the Love of Blanche | Mar 7, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 20 | May I Have This Dance? | Mar 14, 1983 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Hello and Goodbye | Mar 21, 1983 | 0.0 |
