We have a soft spot for Little House. Grew up watching the shows and read the books to my kids (the books and TV show share only the name, let's face it, save a few isolated stories).
Having said that, even though the movie is touching, it was a completely unnecessary storyline. For starters, they had previously said that Albert went on to become Dr. Albert Ingalls. And it wasn't as if that statement about Albert was a one-off from the earliest appearance of the character and so forgotten in the timeline. That statement had been made after the addiction episode. What was the point? Why make a statement about Albert becoming a doctor after beating his addiction, and then using that goal of becoming a doctor to start a story that ends with him dying?
Michael Landon seemed to have a strange need to write and produce the most heart rending stories even if it meant doing violence to an established plot. I've read others apologize for this plot hole by using the "different era of episodic writing" defense, but I say "baloney." There were plenty of shows that didn't do it do the degree that Landon did throughout Little House. But, hey, lets go on to blow up the down where Albert wanted his last resting place to be as one more last punch.
In and of itself was it a decent story? Yes. But set against the backdrop of the Little House universe, completely unnecessary. It's worth watching for those that enjoy the series, but I always thought it was pointless.
Having said that, even though the movie is touching, it was a completely unnecessary storyline. For starters, they had previously said that Albert went on to become Dr. Albert Ingalls. And it wasn't as if that statement about Albert was a one-off from the earliest appearance of the character and so forgotten in the timeline. That statement had been made after the addiction episode. What was the point? Why make a statement about Albert becoming a doctor after beating his addiction, and then using that goal of becoming a doctor to start a story that ends with him dying?
Michael Landon seemed to have a strange need to write and produce the most heart rending stories even if it meant doing violence to an established plot. I've read others apologize for this plot hole by using the "different era of episodic writing" defense, but I say "baloney." There were plenty of shows that didn't do it do the degree that Landon did throughout Little House. But, hey, lets go on to blow up the down where Albert wanted his last resting place to be as one more last punch.
In and of itself was it a decent story? Yes. But set against the backdrop of the Little House universe, completely unnecessary. It's worth watching for those that enjoy the series, but I always thought it was pointless.