This is probably one of the most controversial and most famous two-part episodes ever. I know I never saw this episode until I was an adult. When it originally aired, my Mom wouldn't let us watch it. It never came on with reruns - that's how controversial this episode was. The two-part episode is okay, though tear-jerking if you are a Mary or Albert fan. This episode as a horrible scene in it that is just very, very difficult to watch...
Reviewing these episode, I started with the first and dreaded the day I would make it to this episode. I finally realized...I just cannot do it! I've watched this one several times and every time it leaves me emotionally unsettled. Last night, when I realized it was time for this episode, I decided something: I just cannot do it - not even to find some quotes to put in IMDb! So I'm writing this review based on memory.
Really, there are several things disturbing in this episode. It starts out okay. They are having some sort of picnic at the blind school. A pipe is found and some boy joins Albert to smoke it in the basement. Why they do so is beyond me - Albert had the whole pipe-smoking experience in a previous episode. Anyways, when somebody opens the door to the basement, the boys jerk up and throw the lit pipe onto the cushion. As they are leaving, the fire starts.
It's later that night - why it took so long for the fire to consume the basement is unclear - when Caroline (I think), Mary, Adam, and Alice are sitting at the table. Jonathan and Andy had already gone home. Hester Sue (or is it Alice?) gets up to get something and smells smoke. She opens the door to the basement, sees the fire and runs to warn everyone. Things are going smoothly until the baby is remembered. I never understood why Mary, the mother of the baby still in the burning building, went out and left his safety to Alice without even a thought. A mother would NOT do that! She would insist her baby's being rescued before she was taken from the house! Anyhow, Alice SITS DOWN on the bed and takes the baby up in her arms. She takes a lot of time getting this baby - so much time that...her way out is blocked.
The scene is horrific. What is shown will leave a person with nightmares. My heart races as I'm just thinking of the scene. I'm not going to describe it - I'm sure it's on You Tube like most of the other episodes for you to watch - but Alice and the baby do NOT survive! In fact, the wrapped bodies are seen outside later. Mary is given her baby's burned corps to hold - another part that is a bit unbelievable. A burned corps - I've heard - would have a bad stench, right? And a mother who is having such a hard time...this would make things even worse, I would think.
Anyway, Dr. Baker and Charles work at figuring out what happened. They discover a pipe.
I'm not sure where this part ends and the other begins - so sorry if I get into the next part here, but Albert learns of the cause and is shaken. It's his fault! He can't stand this and is suddenly withdrawn and very quiet. The family knows something bothering him, but he won't talk about it. Then when Charles takes him to Sleepy Eye (or Mankato) with him, Albert sees a music box that plays the same tune as the one Mary would play for her baby and buys it instead of the rifle. Charles is a bit puzzled, but goes along with it. When Mary hears it, she screams.
That's the episode in a nutshell. It's well worth watching, but I'm just warning it's very graphic. Being made in the 1970's I'm really surprised it made it on network without editing some of the graphic scenes. But we must say goodbye to a beloved character - Alice Garvey.
Reviewing these episode, I started with the first and dreaded the day I would make it to this episode. I finally realized...I just cannot do it! I've watched this one several times and every time it leaves me emotionally unsettled. Last night, when I realized it was time for this episode, I decided something: I just cannot do it - not even to find some quotes to put in IMDb! So I'm writing this review based on memory.
Really, there are several things disturbing in this episode. It starts out okay. They are having some sort of picnic at the blind school. A pipe is found and some boy joins Albert to smoke it in the basement. Why they do so is beyond me - Albert had the whole pipe-smoking experience in a previous episode. Anyways, when somebody opens the door to the basement, the boys jerk up and throw the lit pipe onto the cushion. As they are leaving, the fire starts.
It's later that night - why it took so long for the fire to consume the basement is unclear - when Caroline (I think), Mary, Adam, and Alice are sitting at the table. Jonathan and Andy had already gone home. Hester Sue (or is it Alice?) gets up to get something and smells smoke. She opens the door to the basement, sees the fire and runs to warn everyone. Things are going smoothly until the baby is remembered. I never understood why Mary, the mother of the baby still in the burning building, went out and left his safety to Alice without even a thought. A mother would NOT do that! She would insist her baby's being rescued before she was taken from the house! Anyhow, Alice SITS DOWN on the bed and takes the baby up in her arms. She takes a lot of time getting this baby - so much time that...her way out is blocked.
The scene is horrific. What is shown will leave a person with nightmares. My heart races as I'm just thinking of the scene. I'm not going to describe it - I'm sure it's on You Tube like most of the other episodes for you to watch - but Alice and the baby do NOT survive! In fact, the wrapped bodies are seen outside later. Mary is given her baby's burned corps to hold - another part that is a bit unbelievable. A burned corps - I've heard - would have a bad stench, right? And a mother who is having such a hard time...this would make things even worse, I would think.
Anyway, Dr. Baker and Charles work at figuring out what happened. They discover a pipe.
I'm not sure where this part ends and the other begins - so sorry if I get into the next part here, but Albert learns of the cause and is shaken. It's his fault! He can't stand this and is suddenly withdrawn and very quiet. The family knows something bothering him, but he won't talk about it. Then when Charles takes him to Sleepy Eye (or Mankato) with him, Albert sees a music box that plays the same tune as the one Mary would play for her baby and buys it instead of the rifle. Charles is a bit puzzled, but goes along with it. When Mary hears it, she screams.
That's the episode in a nutshell. It's well worth watching, but I'm just warning it's very graphic. Being made in the 1970's I'm really surprised it made it on network without editing some of the graphic scenes. But we must say goodbye to a beloved character - Alice Garvey.