MovieChat Forums > Little House on the Prairie (1974) Discussion > Charles talking crap about MRS. olsen go...

Charles talking crap about MRS. olsen got old fast

posted 8 years ago by jason88cubs (2487)
22 replies | jump to latest

Maybe Charles should have looked in the mirror (did he even have one) and thought about the shit he did.

Falling out of a tree like a goofball

Making a deal about fixing the roof on a shed and stacking bags of grain and not being able to cuz of his ribs so the whole town did it for him

how he spent tons of money when he didnt have any and his uncle gave him confederate money, so charles begged and cried and still wanted to charge on his account at olseons an when mrs olseon called him out on it he threw a hissy fit

took in a bunch of orphans though he always said he was broke

always involving himself in others peoples business when it had NOTHING to do with him

critcized the preacher about the bully boys then went and got hsi ass beat, but he loved it cuz he got to walk around with his shirt off

was a pipe smoker which made albert wanna do it which burnt down the school

took in that little bastard albert (HEY WHAT KIND OF WORD IS THAT!) who burnt the school down

sent his blind daughter away and never worried about her but that was ok, he took in a bunch of orphans to make up for it

tried to butter up to the banker, said the banker was a lonely old man and money cant buy happiness just so he could get his loan (surprised a tornado didnt ruin that)

didnt build the bank on time and sai dthe banker was a jerk like it was the bankers fault

was gonna go back home to kansas, or nebraska or whoever the hell knows cuz of a little twister

openly flirted and teased with the ranchers wife and made her lust for him just to feed his ego

was in open contact with typhus and got a erection off of it

didnt have money for sugar or stencil for his daughters but eh sure had enough for his tobacco

needed money so bad he would cry about being broke while his expensive violin sat there only getting played 1 every 2 months

charles cant afford the trip to take mary to her math test thing while buying his tobacco

[–] wanton87 (934) 8 years ago

Ha ha! Worst part about it is that it's all true!

[–] Ditto-head (50) 8 years ago

He actually had a chance to make good, steady money (freighting company with Garvey) but quit.

He was perfectly willing to let Mary hook up with Adam and get married at a young age, since she was just a drain on the family, but when Laura, a potential wage earner, wanted to get with Almanzo, he pitched a fit.

He could fix brats like Todd and Peter, but raised a drug using gang member thug.

He bullied his way and the kids' way into getting a free train ride to California, accepted charity from W.R. Hearst to get home, yet refused to accept Mrs. Oleson's offer of free shoes for Mary and Laura.

When Albert had a legitimate gripe about too many kids being jammed into the loft, Charles reminded him that he was adopted and remarked it was a "good thing Laura and Carrie didn't feel that way" about him. (Apparently forgetting that Laura absolutely did feel that way.)

He endangered the lives of Chinese mine workers for his own interests.

[–] jason88cubs (2487) 8 years ago

I always thought Charles treated Laura "special"

[–] Reverand Alden (60) 8 years ago

Oh yeah, Charles always looked down upon wealthy people. It was as if someone getting an education and reaping the rewards of a professional was something to look down upon. Meanwhile, he and Garvey go to the most expensive restaurant in town, order the most expensive wine and entrees, oh also the escar-GOTS for an appetizer, and then think they are so much better being so uncultured and uncouth, and THEN skip out on the bill while taking the expensive bottle of wine with them!! Thou shalt not steal is only for wealthy people I suppose, because he was a moral black hole. So was Laura, who was always lying or stealing something, she was her father's daughter! And when Laura steals Nellie's beautiful and expensive music box and then breaks it, somehow NELLIE gets in trouble for it!!!

And can you blame Harriet Oleson for being reluctant in giving this shady creepy newcomer credit in their store? She was just using her brain, something Charles didn't have nor respect. He showed in the very FIRST episode that he can't fulfill his obligations and has the entire town do his grunt work so he doesn't lose his oxen. He even made Mary and Laura try to lift those heavy sacks of corn!!! I'm surprised he didn't force Caroline to do it, he was always putting her to work when his crops failed (like, EVERY season!). Someone had to pay for his tobacco and that $500 Beverly Hills perm and cut!!!!!

[–] jason88cubs (2487) 8 years ago

The restaurant part ticked me off.

Charles was a complete ass to the waiter

like who are you to talk down to people charles? look at your life

the whole town of walnut grove secretly hates you, your wife is fucking teh handy man and you have no idea cuz you are more worried about other peoples problems

"oh how about that! the bank is being robbed! here let me handle it!"

[–] wanton87 (934) 8 years ago

I always hoped that Mrs Oleson would finally get her fill of ole Chuck, and start hurling large, blunt objects from the mercantile shelves at his ribs, while simultaneously berating him for his “short cummings” while he flees the store. As he’s frantically crossing the street, he’s run over by handyman Chris on his way back from “working” at the Ingall’s homestead. Caroline has a glow about her face.

You can add that to your fan fiction if you like 😀

[–] jason88cubs (2487) 8 years ago

Handyman Chris was just enjoying some of Carolne's Apple Fritters ;)

[–] Reverand Alden (60) 8 years ago

It wasn't Chris the handy guy who ran over poor old Charles. Caroline was innocently sitting on the buck board outside the mercantile and when Charles came running out the horses took off and ran him over. Of course Shady C was whipping them into hysteria but she got away with it, like she did with all of her illegitimate children! It's true, I read it in Harriet's Happenings!

[–] Shounenbat (27) 3 years ago

Charles just goes through life like a video game. All those people with problems are potential side quests, and completing them can get you stuff.

[–] BiffGG (662) 8 years ago

It's all about view point and the view of the show is from the Ingall's perspective. If the show had been Little Mercantile on the Prairie then everything would have been presented from the Oleson's point of view.

[–] sjbradford (48) 8 years ago

A retelling of the show from the Oleson's point of view would be worth watching - kind of like how Wicked tells the Wizard of Oz story from the witch's point of view.

[–] Strannger (2007) 8 years ago

That would be neat. I think the family would have a bad rep. Not paying bills and always getting into fights.

[–] Reverand Alden (60) 8 years ago

PERFECT!!! I love Wicked. The show would have been much better if it revolved around the Olesons. The Ingalls family would have been portrayed as the morally bereft and wicked family that they were!

The Olesons would have jacked up all their prices and if the townsfolk complained they'd just say "Fine. The closest store is an 8 hour ride on your buck board to Sleepy Eye. Happy trails!!!"

[–] BiffGG (662) 8 years ago

I have lived the small town thing and don't think that people would not bypass the Oleson's if they got too greedy. All that the people of Walnut Grove would lose is convenience and now have to coordinate with the neighbor to get supplies. One wagon to Sleepy Eye per week for a few months would be enough to bring Harriet Oleson to her knees. Also, I am sure Caroline knows where most of her eggs go so she could bypass the Oleson's and sell direct to the end users.

[–] BiffGG (662) 8 years ago

Harriet never held her tongue but I am sure Reverend Alden would have plenty to say in private.

[–] Strannger (2007) 8 years ago

This must be a joke. Because that never happens.

[–] Ditto-head (50) 8 years ago

I forgot to list one of the worst things Charles ever did:

-He went to the depot to pick up his visiting in-laws, only to find out Caroline's mother had died on the trip. Then he drove the wagon with his mother in law's carcass in back straight up to the front door of the house. Caroline, in delightful anticipation of seeing her mother, ran around to the back of the wagon to greet her, only to be confronted with her coffin. And she ends up shrieking in shocked horror at a sight that will probably haunt her for the rest of her life, all because Charles couldn't stop the wagon on the other side of the hill and walk to the house to gently break the news that her mother had died on the trip.

[–] BiffGG (662) 8 years ago

The long and the short of it is NBC was dying to give Michael Landon a show based on his star power from Bonanza. While Bonanza was in steep decline by the time it ended there were many years that it was a top ten show for NBC and the network has similar hopes for Little House. Letting Landon have the power he did behind the camera and off camera only hurt the quality of the show. Having watched a bunch of LH episodes recently it is obvious that the ideas were not all that plentiful. I guess that the real LIW and the fact that rural/Western shows were culled down to bare bones quantity-wise during the 1970's left a sizable audience hankering for horses, women in cinched dresses, and semi-literate men folk which LH delivered well enough to make money for NBC over several seasons.

[–] BiffGG (662) 8 years ago

I am trying to think of somebody who should have worked in production to counter-weight Landon but I guess I don't know the industry of that time well enough to come up with a name. No doubt Landon fell into some bad habits working with David Dotort as Dotort's quality was ll over the place. Maybe lay down the gauntlet in front of Pernell Roberts as he thought he could do better while on Bonanza and was maybe itching to show what he could do in a producer's role.

[–] [email protected] (6248) 8 years ago

Ditto-head--I saw that episode not too long ago and I was shocked all over again at the heartlessness of Charles behavior and the sheer stupidity!

What a cruel way to find out that your mother had passed away. I never could understand why Charles didn't find a better way to break the news to her. I actually thought that he should have left the coffin in town so they could have a funeral at the church in Walnut Grove. He could have broken the news without having Caroline see her mother's coffin right away.

[–] jason88cubs (2487) 8 years ago

what episode was this?

Did Charles break his ribs from the coffin?
Did Charles play his Violin?

[–] [email protected] (6248) 8 years ago

It was a season six episode, 'Author,Author'. Barry Sullivan played Caroline's father. He was grief stricken over his wife's death. Charles thought a great "cure" would be to write hs autobiography.

Mary's baby is born in this episode too.