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I never grow tired of it. I’ve watched it with all of my children and will gladly share my copy with any of my friends.
    Technically, everything about it is spot-on. The costumes, props, set design, hair, and makeup all come together and transport the audience to Kansas in the 1870s. The chemistry among all of the actors is palpable. I guess the best word to describe it is
real
. It’s all very real. I defy anyone to watch the pilot movie and not cry at some point.
    2. “Country Girls” (season one, episode two)
    Whoa, Nellie, and I mean whoa! This episode was a blast. For one thing, there were so many kids around to play with. For another thing, this episode marked the beginning of the epic rivalry between Laura and Nellie. She pushed me. I pushed her. “You wanna fight? I’ll fight! You wanna play? We’re playing Uncle John!” My youngest son, Michael, watched this episode with me recently. During one of Alison Arngrim’s first close-ups in the schoolroom, he said, “Whoa! She looks like she wants to kill you! Slowly!” In real life, this episode marked the beginning of one of the most significant and longest lasting friendships of my life—with Alison Arngrim, my sister from another mother. We are still close to this very day. Also, when you view this episode, watch closely the scene where Ma shows us the fabric for her blue dress. I reached out to touch it, and Melissa Sue Anderson slapped my hand so hard that it made me laugh and then cry. Rewind and watch it again. It’s pretty funny.
    3. “The Raccoon” (season one, episode ten)
    This episode kills me. I cry every time I watch it. I start when Mary confesses to Pa, and I don’t stop until after the credits roll. The coolest part, though, is that I got to work with several real live raccoons—babies and adults. I spent crazy amounts of time with the raccoons so we would feel comfortable together. It worked. The scene where Jasper licks my face was pure bliss. That’s not acting. That is unadulterated joy on my face! And I got to eat a gumdrop.
    4. “The Lord Is My Shepherd” (season one, episodes thirteen and fourteen)
    This is one of the stronger, if not the strongest, episodes we ever did. Michael Landon’s writing was perfect. Although it’s full of important themes about faith and forgiveness, the show is written from a child’sperspective. The fact that Laura literally takes Reverend Alden’s advice—“The closer you are to God, the more likely he is to listen”—shows how forceful a simple message can be.
    For me personally, this episode was an absolute joy. Working with Ernest Borgnine, Mike, and Victor on location in Sonora, California, was like a dream come true.
    The climactic scene where Pa and Laura are reunited on Jonathan’s mountain is the quintessential example of my relationship with Mike. The tears were mutual and real. The love between us is clear and obvious. This is the one I just can’t bring myself to watch.
    5. “At the End of the Rainbow” (season two, episode thirty-four)
    All good adventures start with fishing! And what an adventure shooting this episode was. I just adored the dream sequences and dressing up like a prairie princess! Even better were the fun scenes with my costar Shane Sinutko—what a terrific actor. Then there is the scene at the end with Pa and Laura. That scene was one of our best father-daughter moments. Here’s a great quote: “Half-Pint, you give us everything we want every single day of our lives. You give us love, respect, and joy; there isn’t enough gold in the whole world to buy those things.”
    Here’s a fun little bit of trivia courtesy of our composer, David Rose: When you watch this episode, listen for a bit of a tribute to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” in the music near the end.
    6. “Bunny” (season three, episode forty-eight)
    Well, if you