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By: Cleotis
Date: 10/30/01 5:35:31 PM
# Replies: 8
I stayed home from work yesterday because I twisted my ankle over the weekend while taking my son camping. While I was laid up on the sofa, too much of a gimp to hobble around the house, I found the remote control to be a comforting friend... That is, until I encoutered a very distrubing piece of television.
One of the "high channels" on our cable was running a rerun of Little House On The Prairie. When I was a kid I always thought Melissa Gilbert was a little hottie, and she got better looking with age, so I thought I'd watch it until "Pa" began crying.
It was part two of an episode where adopted son Albert came back home - kind of a prodigal son type thing I guess. Only thing was, Albert was ADDICTED TO MORPHINE!!!
What kind of sick writer came up with THAT? "Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't we make Albert a dopehead[tm] and have him come back into town breaking into doc Baker's office because he needs a fix?"
Who in their right mind would have green lighted a script like that? Let alone a TWO PARTER!
Granted, it was made in 1983 in Little House's denoument, but it's still just so ... wrong!
As one might expect, the show includes Albert puking his guts up in withdrawals, while Pa holds him tightly, crying and yelling "I love you, son! You're going to LIVE! You're going to LIVE!"
That's followed by Albert coming clean and eating some breakfast and telling Pa "if you weren't here and I had some morphine, I would still want to take it", followed by Pa's obligatory "I understand, son. You're not alone" spiel.
If I didn't know better, I'd think *I* was the one having hallucinations. This show was over the edge!!!
Response #1
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 10/30/01 8:21:24 PM
"Next week, on a very special 'Little House'..."
Response #2
By: WitchHazel
Date: 10/30/01 8:42:48 PM
Well, there WAS substance abuse back then. In the 1800s, our very own Wyatt Earp had a wife who was addicted to...(I forgot the name)...basically COUGH SYRUP (it used to have drugs and alcohol in it). I'm pretty sure this was not an isolated case, either.
So, would the show have had a different feel to it if he had been addicted to, say, whiskey? Is that a more "manly" thing to be addicted to in those times?
Personally, I don't find that at all strange. But hey, I live in a world that is strange, so nuthin' shocks me anymore.
Response #3
By: rorschach
Date: 10/31/01 6:32:53 AM
it was laudanum which was actually high quality heroin.....
Response #4
By: bob
Date: 10/31/01 9:57:49 AM
ok, has anyone heard the plug for the new (CBS, i think) drama. basically, two people are brought to a romatic meating after thier significant others perish in the world trade center.
from what i understand, a show was in the works before the planes. it was going to be the story of life around new york. two sets of couples had people working at WTC. when the planes hit, the writers said "it wouldn't take too much owrk to change the story to".
i just think it is a little sick
Response #5
By: sooz
Date: 10/31/01 12:54:05 PM
I thought it was opium.
Response #6
By: WitchHazel
Date: 10/31/01 1:44:25 PM
Sooz, you're right. It was indeed part-opium. Ror*, it was called Laudanum, but it wasn't heroin, rather an alcohol/refined-opium mix, which is highly addictive and was used extensively as a pain-killer in the Victorian ages.
I firmly believe the contractions to the reports of Mattie committing suicide at age 38, which indicate that there are several public records of a Mrs. Mattie Earp in Globe, Arizona who died of an overdose of laudanum, but at the ripe old age of 90! (So, obviously the lifelong use of drugs didn't shorten her lifespan.)
And Bob, I do know a couple that got together (well, I know the girl) over the loss of their respective fiancees in the WTC attacks. Wonder if they are one of the ones featured in the new show? I do admit that is very odd, but hey. Love, the world, and tragedy are all very odd things indeed.
Response #7
By: bob
Date: 11/1/01 12:37:24 PM
heroin is a type of opium, right.
Response #8
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/1/01 1:03:50 PM
Ahahahaha. It is, it is.