Ma's Holiday

Season 1, Episode 8, Aired
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Episode Summary

Charles is preparing for a business trip to Mankato, and he wants to turn it into a romantic getaway for him and Caroline. They leave the girls in Mr. Edwards' care, but things don't go quite as planned for anyone involved.
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Fan Episode Reviews (3)

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  • Just a fun episode, without anything serious going on.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By loverslost, May 07, 2011 Report Abuse
    Charles decides to take Caroline to Manketo, just so that she can take a break from the housework, and it would be like a second honeymoon to them. He arranges Grace Snider to look after the children while they are gone, but Grace falls sick the day they are about to leave. So Mr. Edwards decides to fill her spot and look after the children. Little does he know that looking after the 3 girls was more work than what he bargained for.

    Carrie keeps playing hide and seek with Mr. Edwards without him knowing it. Mary and Laura create a fiasco at night that makes Mr. Edwards think they are intruders and nearly shoots the roof down. It's no fun for the children either. They have to eat Mr. Edwards cooking (where he uses ingredients that include snakes), and read to Carrie because they find out that he cannot read! Caroline seems to be concerned about the children and doesn't enjoy her trip at all. Whatever she does and wherever she goes reminds her of them.

    This was a funny episode that didn't contain any serious morals or character developments. It was just a silly fun filled episode about the problems that Mr. Edwards faced when he has to take care of Mary, Laura, and especially Carrie while their parents went on their second honeymoon to Manketo. Some of the scenes like Caroline watching a play about lonely children, or the way Carrie kept hiding from Mr. Edwards were amusing to watch.

    I would rate this episode 8/10.moreless

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    3 0

  • I felt bad for Ma.

    5.8
    "Mediocre"
    By apsara40, May 07, 2011 Report Abuse
    As a mom, I felt really badly for Ma.

    Charles was absolutely trying to make her feel badly for worrying about the children - and yet, as a mother, she\'s almost biologically hard-wired to do so.

    She\'s never left them alone before. Mr. Edwards is a rather odd and unpredictable character, and quite frankly, she\'s leaving her girls home with a man that she knows - but really - how well does she know him?

    Gavin DeBeck teaches us to honor our fear and trepidation - that these feelings are gifts that enable us to survive. If a situation feels wrong, then don\'t feel badly about it - or fight that feeling - don\'t enable the situation to happen.

    In the end, Edwards turns out to be a fine babysitter, and all is well, but Ma ends up castigating herself for normal maternal behavior: Worrying about leaving her 3 young girls alone with a bachelor that she\'s not sure knows how to care for children.

    Worse, Pa sulks on part of the way home, grumpy because of the disappointing nature of their second honeymoon.



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  • I was a bit bored by this one because even though it was supposedly about Ma's Holiday, almost all the interesting things happened back at the house.

    5.5
    "Mediocre"
    By Lady_Lancaster, May 03, 2011 Report Abuse
    When Charles has to take a business trip to Mankato, he decides to take Caroline with him as a kind of second honeymoon. Unfortunately, Grace Snider is unwell and can't stay to take care of the children as planned so Mr. Edwards is roped in for the job when he turns up unexpectedly.

    The girls are delighted but Mr. Edwards finds "playing parent" a little difficult, particularly as Carrie keeps giving him the slip while he is trying to do the everyday chores! Meanwhile, Caroline isn't enjoying herself as much in Mankato as she had hoped. She finds the price of everything appalling and is constantly worried about the girls so both she and Charles are relieved to be able to head back to Walnut Grove earlier than planned.

    Pretty dull when all is said and done and certainly not as good as most of the show's episodes.moreless

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    3 1
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • In a few scenes--such as when Carrie is crying in the middle of the night and when Mr. Edwards is reading her a story--you will notice that she is wearing her nightgown completely backwards. The string part that gets tied is in the front instead of the back, and there is a rather large opening that shows a very close-up shot of Carrie's lower chest in the scene where she is crying. It's very noticeable and inappropriate. Edit
    • This is the episode where Mr. Edwards infamously nails Carrie to the roof. Lindsay Greenbush played Carrie in that scene, and she says it's one of her earliest memories on the show. Edit
    • Those watching this episode should be advised that the close-up shots of little Carrie happily eating the rattlesnake (with her mouth completely open) are really disgusting and, quite frankly, pretty unnecessary. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Filming Locations: Filmed at Big Sky Ranch, Simi Valley and Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California. Edit
    • Featured characters: The Ingalls family and Mr. Edwards. Edit
    • Historical Goof! In this first season episode, Mr. Edwards tells the Ingalls girls that he was given the nickname "Sitting Bull" by a Sioux Indian and fought Custer at Little Big Horn. The real Battle of Little Big Horn took place in July 1876. In season 2, however, the town celebrates the nation's 100th birthday in episode #44, "Centennial", which would had to have taken place in July 1876. Therefore, tale Mr. Edwards tells was regarding an event which could not possibly have happened yet. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Laura: (to Mr. Edwards as he is telling a story about himself) But you didn't die, did you? Mary: Of course he didn't die! Laura: Well, he might have and then come back to life again. They do that a lot in the Bible! Edit
    • Laura: (when Mr. Edwards is working on the roof) Mr. Edwards, Carrie shouldn't be up there! Mary: She's too little! She'll fall off! Mr. Edwards: Oh, there's no chance of that. You see, I've got her dress nailed to the roof! Edit
    • Mr. Edwards: Now, you see, if asked outright, I wouldn't lie. If your Ma and Pa asked me, "Edwards, did you shoot a hole in the roof while we was away?" I'd own right up to it. I just don't see any need to open the topic if they don't. Edit

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