Mary-Ellen is so annoying!

My sister and I call her 'Murry-Ullun' because that's how she says her name, heh. She improved a lot by the later seasons. The angry tomboy schtick worked in season 1 but it soon got tiresome.

Erin IS much nicer but then she's supposed to be, she was always the most feminine and easygoing of the three girls. Mary-Ellen's toughness made her a good big sister and she stood up for Erin a lot until Erin finally grew a backbone of her own. Erin wised up eventually, but for a long time she was immature and sheltered and could have ended up in trouble on multiple occasions if Mary-Ellen hadn't been her shield. She was always 'the pretty one' and the buck stopped there as far as everyone around her was concerned. There's a reason that she was one of the last to leave home.

Conversely, despite being the third born (or second, depending on which source you read), Mary-Ellen didn't really have the luxury of being a middle child, because she was the eldest girl and was always expected to set a good example for the other two, plus the younger boys. She was ribbed mercilessly by her brothers for being big-boned, awkward and not traditionally feminine, and even adult townsfolk made similar comments within her earshot.
Erin never experienced that. She was smack in the middle of her family and was never really called upon to be the first one to do anything or guide any of the others. She was rarely teased by her siblings. She had a big sister and three (or two, again depending upon source) big brothers to protect her, but Mary-Ellen had nobody except John Boy, and he was usually too busy up in his study writing to pay much attention to her. She had to raise her baby alone after her husband faked his own death, and I don't believe Erin could have coped with that situation like Mary-Ellen did.



The mirror... it's broken.
Yes, I know. I like it that way. Makes me look the way I feel.

The funny thing is, as much as Mary Ellen ragged on Grandma for being a pill, Mary Ellen was just like her. I don't think it ever occurred to her that she was a younger version of Grandma.

Yeah, but the early - say the first 1-3 years of the series - Mary Ellen had some real potential and could easily project anger, quick humor, and vulnerability. Also she was actually "teenage pretty" and had a lovely figure and way of carrying herself (even though she was kind of a Tomboy)... which, I think, forgives the character somewhat. "She wasn't really bratty - she was just written that way!"

I have to laugh and cringe at the same time every time she runs. That girl cannot run with any kind of grace.

Erin was okay, but a bit of a goody-goody. Mary ellen was more interesting really.

I agree! I do think she is my least favorite.

I think Mary Ellen tried hard to keep up with John Boy & Jason but she was treated differently because she was a girl. I grew up with 4 brothers, 3 older and one younger. My only sister moved out when I was just 8. Because I was the only girl in the family at home, I was expected to do all the house work. Boys were to do outside work. I hated that but you didn't argue with my parents who often used their hands or anything within reach to remind us to do as you are told. A lot of Mary Ellen's whining was complaining about her life. I think she was trying to find her identity. She was a tomboy but treated more female as you were back in those days. That's how I see it.

~ Whoever said diamonds were a girls best friend never owned a dog ~

I agree. She was so harsh and unforgiving. In the episode where Elizabeth got hurt on the log pile, she talked to Jim-Bob and Ben like they were dirt. They were already shattered, believing the accident to be their fault. Instead of offering them comfort, she hurt them worse.