I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away (1)

Season 4, Episode 21, Aired
EDIT

Episode Summary

When a friendly young man named Seth arrives in Walnut Grove, the much younger Laura is smitten, but she is upset to find that he is interested in Mary. Charles faces some problems of his own over the mill's financial sufferings, but through all these trials, it will all become quite trivial when Mary's eye specialist delivers devastating news that will promise huge changes for the entire family.moreless
9.8
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Superb
215 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate It

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Fan Episode Reviews (9)

See All

  • Mary is having trouble with her eyes and obviously needs new glasses but a trip to the specialist brings horror to the Ingalls family as they are dealt a devastating blow.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Lady_Lancaster, Dec 12, 2011 Report Abuse
    There were several unnecessary sub-plots in this episode which I choose to ignore in this review because, in truth, only one mattered a jot.

    When Mary begins to have difficulty with her eyes, the family believe she needs new glasses so Charles takes her to see her specialist but instead of a new prescription, he tells Charles that Mary will soon be completely blind as a result of childhood Scarlet Fever.

    The Ingalls' devastation is felt by the whole Walnut Grove community as Melissa Sue Anderson gives one of her finest performances as a terrified young woman plunged into a world of sudden darkness. Kudos to all the cast here. A fine job indeed.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    22 0

  • Life is full of adversity sometimes. It's how we handle it that matters.

    9.7
    "Superb"
    By crittercove, Dec 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    When Charles Ingalls learns Mary will lose her eyesight, he is in denial, but in spite of that, she does go blind. At first, she is full of anger and self pity, as anyone would be in such a situation. She gives up doing anything and just sits in a chair, clad in her nightgown, not even brushing her hair. She believes her life is over. Her family waits on her hand and foot, but she is not grateful, she is simply angry and no one knows how to help her.

    Doc Baker recommends sending her to a school for the blind. Charles & Caroline don't want to, but they realize it is for the best. Mary only makes it harder by begging to stay. Even though it's temporary, it's a difficult decision for her parents to make, but parents often do things for their children that aren't easy, but are right.

    What I like about this episode is the way all the characters react the way we would in real life. How silly the episode would have been had everyone been accepting of the changes. That's just not how humans are. When faced with major life changes, we are sad, depressed, and afraid. It's an excellent episode.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    17 1

  • When Mary starts to have difficulty seeing well with her glasses, it's thought at first that she just needs a new prescription, but before long, she learns she's losing her sight due to her bout with scarlet fever.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By LIZARD110366, Dec 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    I love this episode! Yes, it's fictional, but it's so well-written and well-acted. Even after watching it hundreds (thousands?? :) ) of times, I still tear up at the scenes where she wakes up unable to see, discovers her new teacher (and future husband) is also blind, and tells her parents she wants to go to Winoka, Dakota, to help him start another school for the blind.

    The script, the acting, and the chemistry between MSA and LB is really good, and I really can't say anything bad about it except that, sadly, it's fictional. In reality, Mary lived a sad, isolated life after attending the college for the blind and died soon after her mother, having never learned to live functionally as a blind person and depended so much on her parents to see to her well-being. I wish her life had turned out this well.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    15 0

  • Rewriting history

    1.0
    "Abysmal"
    By ktfahel, Oct 02, 2011 Report Abuse
    I remember when this episode first aired. When Mary started screaming and whining I was SO angry. Laura (the real one) had stated - both in her books and in interviews and other writings - that the one thing that always stood out for her was how brave and patient Mary was through the whole time she was losing her eyesight, never once cried. She also worked to be self-suffient from the very beginning, learning to do minor chores around the house, like sewing. Making such a wonderful, brave character turn into a whiny chicken just for the sake of dramatic license infuriated me, even at the tender age of 13.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 1

  • Mary\'s eye sight continues to worsen, she is going blind.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By pisces_t, Apr 26, 2010 Report Abuse
    When Mary's eye start to worsen, Charles decides to takes her to a specialist. He is devastated when the specialist tells him that Mary will lose her sight. An emotional Charles tells Caroline about Mary's condition, but is unable to tell Mary for a while that she is going blind. When Mary's sight continues to worsen Charles must tell Mary the truth. During this time Charles becomes very emotional and Mary becomes very angry and withdrawn, pushing the family away.
    With Doc Baker's help and guidance the Ingals decide it would be in Mary's best interest to send her to a School for the Blind in Iowa.
    moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    9 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • In the scene where Mary, already blind, is sitting in a chair, Caroline sits down to talk to her. You can see that Caroline is wearing a bra. This episode is set in the late 1870's, and bras were not invented until 1912. Edit
    • When Mary realizes that her new glasses are not very effective, Charles says very calmly, "Even doctors can make mistakes. We'll get you in to Dr. Burke, and the sooner, the better." The thing is, Charles and Mary had just gotten back from Mankato, where Mary met with her specialist and got the new glasses. It's been said in previous episodes that this kind of trip takes about a week (three days both ways), and yet Charles didn't seem the least bit fazed that he would have to make that long trip again. Edit
    • Goof: In the scene where Charles goes to talk to Mr. Hanson and Jonathan about the problems facing the mill, Charles calls out, "Hey, Karl!" The real name of the actor who played Hanson is Karl Swenson. It's very odd that this mistake wasn't edited out. Reply: If you look really closely, Mr. Hanson hasn't even come out of his office when Charles says "Hi, Karl!" Charles is talking to a guy working at the mill when he says that, as you can see when the man stops and waves to Charles. It's obvious, then, that the other character on the screen is named Karl, and coincidentally, it just happens to also be the name of the actor playing Mr. Hanson. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES

    • In reality, Mary Ingalls' stay at the blind school was not recommended by the family doctor, but by a traveling missionary, who met the Ingalls family while passing through Dakota Territory. Mary had been blind and living at home for a while at that point. In order to pay for the trip and part of Mary's tuition, Laura took a job mending shirts and earning 25 cents for each 12-hour shift. Laura also went into teaching in the first place because it would help pay for Mary's school. Charles, Caroline and Mary were so strapped for cash on the long train ride to Iowa that they actually ate meals of fried blackbird along the way!

      Edit
    • This is the first appearance of Linwood Boomer as Adam Kendall, and he went on to have an impressive career in screenwriting and producing, with his first major hit coming from Malcolm in the Middle, the TV show he created himself. Boomer credits Michael Landon as the person who taught him how to work with children. Edit
    • The emotional scene where Charles tells his wife about Mary's prognosis is not included on the DVD's--neither the individual episode DVD, nor the complete fourth season set. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Laura: Seth, would you like to go fishing again tomorrow? Seth: Sorry, I can't. I have to start my job tomorrow. Mary: Where are you working? Seth: The livery. Laura: That's Mr. Dorfler's place! Seth: That's right. Mary, I get off early tomorrow. Would you like to go for a walk or something? Edit
    • Seth: Laura! I'm happy to see you. Laura: (excited) You are? Seth: Sure. Can you tell Mary I'll be a little late? Laura: That's it? Seth: Yeah. Laura: Okay. Seth: Thanks. You're a real good kid, Brown Eyes. Laura: (Walks away) "You're a real good kid, Brown Eyes." (Kicks fence) Edit
    • Dr. Burke: I didn't know your daughter had scarlet fever, Mr. Ingalls. Charles: Yeah, she had scarlet fever. Dr. Burke: How bad was it? Charles: (pause) It was bad, it was scarlet fever. What is it? Dr. Burke: The scarlet fever damaged the eye nerves. Weakened them. Charles: How long until she's better? Dr. Burke: I'm afraid she won't get better. The condition only worsens. Mr. Ingalls....Mary is going blind. Charles: (long silence) There must be some mistake. Dr. Burke: I'm afraid not. I wish there was some medicine or treatment that would help, but there just isn't. Charles: There....some.....something. There must be something. Dr. Burke: It would have to be in the nature of a miracle, beyond the skill or knowledge of a doctor. Edit

  • Allusions

Show Forums

See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch Little House on the Prairie Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 4 Episodes

See All
Ep 22
I'll Be Waving As You Driv...
Ep 21
I'll Be Waving As You Driv...
Ep 20
A Most Precious Gift
Ep 19
The Stranger
Ep 18
The Inheritance
Ep 17
Be My Friend
Ep 16
I Remember, I Remember
Ep 15
Whisper Country
Ep 14
The Rivals
Ep 13
Freedom Flight
Ep 12
Here Come The Brides
Ep 11
Meet Me At The Fair
Ep 10
The Fighter
Ep 9
The High Cost Of Being Right
Ep 8
The Aftermath
Ep 7
To Run And Hide
Ep 6
The Creeper of Walnut Grove
Ep 5
The Wolves
Ep 4
The Handyman
Ep 3
My Ellen
Ep 2
Times Of Change
Ep 1
Castoffs

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
BROWSE | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use