The time had come to move on. Walnut Grove had hit the skids and was declared a dead town. Charles and Caroline drop by to say goodbye to Nels and Harriett, who'd cleared out all they could of the mercantile. The official end of an era. After bidding their sad goodbyes, the Ingalls family prepared to leave too. But not before Charles and Jonathan share an emotional goodbye. He and his family were pulling out as well in a few days. So by morning, the Ingallses had packed up their covered wagon with all their belongings, Laura, Mary, Carrie and baby Grace included, and took one more sentimental look at their home. Their little house on the prairie. They've spent five wonderful seasons in that house. Well, time to get this show on the road. A few days later they arrived in Winoka, the polar opposite of Walnut Grove: it was a crowded city full of wagon traffic, drunken cowboys, gunfire, and endless noise. Welcome home, Ingalls'. So, after dropping off Mary at the new blind school with Adam, the rest of the family heads to the Dakota Hotel, where Charles and Caroline would begin their new jobs. Charles would manage and maintain the hotel and Caroline became the new cook, after outdoing the old one who really left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. Meanwhile out front, while negligent sister Laura refuses to take Carrie to pee, she happens upon a "new friend" of sorts: a lowly, orphaned street boy named Albert. She helps him retrieve a lost nickel, for which he's anything but grateful, thinking Laura was going to steal it. While this was going on, Carrie wet the sidewalk.
Barely moved in and already, Charles and Caroline had to start their new jobs, having to leave Carrie and Grace in Laura's care. So while she was stuck changing diapers, Caroline was already being harassed by her first troublesome patron: man by the name of Harlan. Well as if the days in Winoka weren't noisy enough, nights were even worse. Charles and Caroline quickly developed insomnia from the noisy saloon across the street. The Ingalls patriarch finally marched over and asked them to be quiet, but he had to take it up with the owner. Owner of not only this saloon, but the Dakota Hotel as well: Mr. Standish, the meanest man in town, who also happened to own half the town. Standish was none too sympathetic of his employee's plight, so Charles had little choice but to leave. The following day brought a big ray of sunshine into their hearts as the Garveys arrived. Friends happily reunited. Not long after, the Olesons turned up as well via stagecoach. So after Harriett gets what she deserves (a bag in the face), they reunite with the Ingalls, but find their hotel is booked so they seek lodgings elsewhere. In the process, Nels finds a job in the saloon, and they're just in time to witness the Winoka school burn to the ground. Now where would the children learn? Well we're out of time so we'll have to find out in Part 2.
This is one good episode. Seeing it for the first time, I could feel the emotions everyone felt of having to leave Walnut Grove, after having spent so much time there. The Ingallses, Garveys and Olesons' would stay in Winoka for 4 more episodes and it really is a duck out of water scenario. We also get to meet Albert for the first time, and unfortunately not the last time. This kid annoys me, as he does others, but as time goes on, he just gets worse; One of the funniest moments has to be when Carrie learns a colorful new word: damn. Probably the only instance of swearing on this show. It's a funny moment, and this is probably the only episode where the Greenbush twins show any signs of acting. Why did they have to lose it in "The Godsister"? It was also hilarious to see Harriett get what she had coming. Little House fans, this is one you shouldn't miss.
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