Doc Baker and Mr. Hanson were enjoying a game of cards when suddenly there was a commotion outside. It seems the afternoon stage was behind schedule and to make matters worse, its passenger, Kate Thorvald, fell out and injured her ankle. This was Harriet's niece, so naturally she went all to pieces. Kate's tour of Walnut Grove began with Doc Baker's office, where he was able to cure what ailed her. This fascinated Kate, who then decided to stalk the stalwart doctor at the Ingalls' farm, having removed a foxtail from Jack's ear, and was invited to dinner as compensation. Oh, but Doc Baker didn't mind, performing duties to folks in need came with the territory and he was only happy to do it. Yessir, they don't make'em like him anymore. Determined to have the doctor look at her again, Kate dirtied herself up and went to the door, claiming to be thrown off her horse. Kinda creepy, wouldn't you say? Regardless, they had a nice meal and the doc drove her home. It seemed he had taken a liking to Kate also. Mary noticed, and decided to wake up Laura just to tell her. The next day, Doc and Kate went on a picnic. Yes, it seems they were both in love, and leave it to Harriet to find something wrong with this. Yes, apparently she didn't like Doc Baker putting the moves on her niece because he wasn't part of "that" class. Or maybe she's just jealous.
Even Mr. Hanson seemed a tad unnerved of Doc Baker's new love affair. In fact, he bluntly told him, as a friend, that he was too old for her. Doc Baker told him, as a friend, to mind his own business. Kate made him feel alive, dammit. Why should age make a lick of difference? So after only having known one another a week, Kate was dropping hints about wanting Hiram Baker to pop the question. He did almost immediately. After that, he went home and made a ring out of a small chain. You see, he was too sheepish to buy an actual ring on account of how nosy the town was, and so he decided on the next best thing. Probably saved him a bundle too. They announced their engagement at Harriet's party that night and the next day, they were already planning on a house of their own, and it seems Hanson has finally warmed up to their relationship. Yeah, everything was going great. However, when coming back from fishing with Charles one afternoon, Doc Baker caught a glimpse of Kate playing ball with the girls and it actually made him stop and think about their vast age difference. He tried to break it to his fiancée' but was interrupted by the call of duty. Helga Olafsen had gone into labor. Kate went along, acting as his nurse. One agonizing birth later, Ole and Helga were the proud parents of a baby girl. Seeing this reminded the doc of when he delivered Helga herself. Despite being completely exhausted by the delivery, the doc was still hung up on the age thing and he just had to bluntly tell Kate that it wouldn't work out because "I'm old enough to be your father" and all that crap, so he broke her heart, but allowed her to keep the chain ring as a painful reminder. Soon after, Kate left Walnut Grove, headed home to Chicago. Doc Baker sadly watched her go, wondering if he did the right thing, but he knows in his heart that he didn't, and so do we. Nice one, Doc Bonehead, your only love interest in the series and you let her get away.
Age is a feeling, not a number. If only folks wouldn't get so hung up on the number of digits in their age and just think of it as experience, as in how much they've seen and done and how much they can teach those around them. You're only as old as you feel. I just wish more people would realize that. Anyway, Doctor's Lady was a fine episode, even though we all had a feeling that it wasn't going to work out. They repeated this premise in Season 9's Love where Mr. Edwards falls for a young woman, and like Doc Baker, he gets hung up about their age difference, add to that a nosy, judgmental town, which leads him to break it off. Kevin Hagen was magnificent as Doc Baker, the greatest small-town doctor of all time. Hagen was a very underrated actor in his day, but when he was given center stage, he was brilliant. Ann Archer was adorable as Kate, a character whom I'm sure we all would have liked to see more often, but...! Finally, Karl Swenson was a joy to watch as Mr. Hanson. He really wasn't given enough to do on the show, and I really enjoy watching every scene that he's in, because Lars Hanson was such a great character and Swenson a great actor. In closing, this episode will most likely disappoint viewers, but I recommend it anyway just to see how spectacularly it all played out.
Even Mr. Hanson seemed a tad unnerved of Doc Baker's new love affair. In fact, he bluntly told him, as a friend, that he was too old for her. Doc Baker told him, as a friend, to mind his own business. Kate made him feel alive, dammit. Why should age make a lick of difference? So after only having known one another a week, Kate was dropping hints about wanting Hiram Baker to pop the question. He did almost immediately. After that, he went home and made a ring out of a small chain. You see, he was too sheepish to buy an actual ring on account of how nosy the town was, and so he decided on the next best thing. Probably saved him a bundle too. They announced their engagement at Harriet's party that night and the next day, they were already planning on a house of their own, and it seems Hanson has finally warmed up to their relationship. Yeah, everything was going great. However, when coming back from fishing with Charles one afternoon, Doc Baker caught a glimpse of Kate playing ball with the girls and it actually made him stop and think about their vast age difference. He tried to break it to his fiancée' but was interrupted by the call of duty. Helga Olafsen had gone into labor. Kate went along, acting as his nurse. One agonizing birth later, Ole and Helga were the proud parents of a baby girl. Seeing this reminded the doc of when he delivered Helga herself. Despite being completely exhausted by the delivery, the doc was still hung up on the age thing and he just had to bluntly tell Kate that it wouldn't work out because "I'm old enough to be your father" and all that crap, so he broke her heart, but allowed her to keep the chain ring as a painful reminder. Soon after, Kate left Walnut Grove, headed home to Chicago. Doc Baker sadly watched her go, wondering if he did the right thing, but he knows in his heart that he didn't, and so do we. Nice one, Doc Bonehead, your only love interest in the series and you let her get away.
Age is a feeling, not a number. If only folks wouldn't get so hung up on the number of digits in their age and just think of it as experience, as in how much they've seen and done and how much they can teach those around them. You're only as old as you feel. I just wish more people would realize that. Anyway, Doctor's Lady was a fine episode, even though we all had a feeling that it wasn't going to work out. They repeated this premise in Season 9's Love where Mr. Edwards falls for a young woman, and like Doc Baker, he gets hung up about their age difference, add to that a nosy, judgmental town, which leads him to break it off. Kevin Hagen was magnificent as Doc Baker, the greatest small-town doctor of all time. Hagen was a very underrated actor in his day, but when he was given center stage, he was brilliant. Ann Archer was adorable as Kate, a character whom I'm sure we all would have liked to see more often, but...! Finally, Karl Swenson was a joy to watch as Mr. Hanson. He really wasn't given enough to do on the show, and I really enjoy watching every scene that he's in, because Lars Hanson was such a great character and Swenson a great actor. In closing, this episode will most likely disappoint viewers, but I recommend it anyway just to see how spectacularly it all played out.