| "Going Home" | |
| Season , Episode # overall in Series | |
| Original air date | March 31, 1976 |
| Episode Guide | |
 IMDb
| Going Home |
| Written by | Michael Landon |
| Directed by | Michael Landon |
| Episode Chronology | |
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His crops and farm lie in ruin, thanks to a devastating tornado that sweeps through Hero Township. A despondent Charles sees no opportunity ahead, so he decides to move his family back home to their old house in the woods in Wisconsin and sells his farm.
Meanwhile, Mary and John worry about their blossoming relationship which ends up in Mary's first kiss and talking about marriage. A crushed Laura prays for Charles to have strength, a prayer that is answered in the form of the previous owners of the farm who want to buy back their old farm.
Cast
- Michael Landon: Charles Ingalls
- Karen Grassle: Caroline Ingalls
- Melissa Sue Anderson: Mary Ingalls
- Melissa Gilbert: Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush: Carrie Ingalls
- Barney: Jack
Trivia
- A tornado impacted the Ingalls family in this episode. Laura would come close to being killed by a tornado a second time in Season 8's Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow, Part 2.?
- Mary and John Jr express their romantic feelings in this episode, when the character of Mary is only 13 years old. In a 2006 interview, Melissa Sue Anderson stated that she "couldn't really get into the idea of being in love at such a young age," and that actor Ramades Pera (John, Jr.) was "more interested in making our scenes work than I was."?
- In this episode, Laura turns to the devout Reverend Alden for support with her family's troubles. In Season 1's The Lord is My Shepherd, Part 1 Laura had a similar heart-to-heart with the Reverend after her baby brother died--although in that episode, she didn't tell the Reverend exactly what she was upset about.?
- Charles Ingalls displays a rare, defeated attitude in this episode, in which he's ready to just "chuck it all" and leave Walnut Grove. It seems uncharacteristic of him, until you realize that in very recent episodes his crop had failed to sell (The Long Road Home), and his property taxes were doubled (Centennial). The tornado in this episode, and the damage it causes, seems to understandably push him over the edge.?
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