Christmas Comes to Walnut Grove One Last Time
Whilst Christmas in Walnut Grove is usually very cold, this Christmas it is unusually warm. That doesn't stop Laura (Melissa Gilbert), Almanzo (Dean Butler), Isaiah (Victor French) and little Rose Wilder heading in to town to do some Christmas shopping. But whilst there Rose goes missing as she is taken by Elsa Norris (Patricia Pearcy) who having lost her child during child birth is suffering and takes her off on a train. As Laura and everyone search around they head to the orphanage where unknowingly pick up Sam (Joel Graves) who sneaks away with them. With Sam staying with them Laura and Almanzo they get a lead from a hobo in a wheelchair who saw their child with a woman getting on to a train.
So "Little House: Bless All the Dear Children" was the 2nd of the "Little House" TV movies but when these TV movies first aired it was the third one to be shown which of course makes it wrong because in "Little House: The Last Farewell" they famously blew up Walnut Grove. But in truth that is not the only thing which is wrong about "Little House: Bless All the Dear Children" as it is a seriously flawed episode from being much darker to the whole explanation as to why there is no snow despite it being Christmas.
Now for me my biggest issue is a serious lack of realism as when Rose goes missing their is no panic at all from anyone and no hysterics from Laura who seems almost matter of fact when they say they may never find her. Now technically I should say spoiler alert but of course you don't expect anything but happy ever after so when I say they find Rose it won't be a surprise although when you think about it the fact they find her when there were so many places she could have ended up adds to the lack of realism.
There is a knock on effect to this and whilst the story connects back to Walnut Grove and the children's Christmas threatened by these sad events it is hardly there and for me it doesn't feel right.
What this all boils down to is that "Little House: Bless All the Dear Children" is the weakest of the three TV movie specials and just lacks so much of the charm and character which was part of what made up the series
