Episode 244

We are taking a heartwarming ride back to Walnut Grove with three beloved Little House On The Prairie cast members: Alison Arngrim, Dean Butler, and Karen Grassle, as they reunite to celebrate the show’s enduring magic and to preview a new documentary and a Simi Valley cast reunion event in December, 2025.  

We explore why Little House continues to resonate across generations, drawing parallels to Star Trek and its devoted fan culture. Audiences still crave the sense of simplicity, community, and frontier resilience the series embodies.  Karen Grassle shares the story of landing her very first series regular role as Caroline Ingalls after eight lean years as a struggling New York actor. The cast reflects on the unexpected typecasting that followed their time on the prairie, and Alison recalls the heady moment when, at age 12, she recognized the deliciously devious nature of her role, Prairie Bitch, Nellie Oleson.  

We delve into the legacy of Michael Landon, his uncanny eye for casting, his individualized directing style, and why guest stars adored working with him, while Karen offers a candid look at her complicated relationship with Michael  and the challenges she faced as a women on that set.  

Alison and Dean walk us through the phenomenon of the Little House passport book, that allows Laura fans to mark every museum that celebrates the Ingalls family’s history in their town. 

And the cast previews what will make the Simi Valley reunion truly special for enthusiasts, including meet-and-greets, photo-ops, breakfast with the cast, a screening of the 'Little House Homecoming' documentary and a tote bag!  We also discuss the real, sometimes harsh conditions the actors faced on set, including rain, snow, fire and Victor French leaping into a freezing creek. And we get into the new Netflix limited series currently in production (though the original cast isn’t officially involved, they share their openness to making appearances).   

And of course we make time for game time. How well does the cast know what takes place in the Books vs. the Series? And we play the IMDB Roulette Sub-Genre,  Were You In it? This is a conversation that celebrates the past, embraces the future and shares the community of Little House.