Little House on the Prairie: Season Five

This deluxe remastered edition includes all 24 episodes from the 1978-79 fifth season of the popular Michael Landon series loosely based on the frontier-life books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Season five marks the arrival of Matthew Laborteaux as orphan Albert, whom the Ingalls meet during a short narrative arc that situates the family in the bustling, crude town of Winoka in Dakota Territory. Here, Charles and Caroline (Landon and Karen Grassle) work themselves ragged managing a hotel, while newly sightless daughter Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) teaches at a school for blind children with handsome peer Adam (Linwood Boomer), and the entire town trembles under the thumb of a wealthy businessman (Leon Charles). Returning to Walnut Grove, the Ingalls clan embarks on a new set of adventures featuring Albert, an age-mate for Laura (star Melissa Gilbert) who takes center stage in episodes including “Fagin,” in which Laura becomes jealous over Albert's role in the family, and the Jewish prejudice drama “The Craftsman” (which won Emmy Awards for cinematography and music composition). A standout story this season is the two-parter “Blind Journey,” which follows Charles and black resident Joe Kagan (Moses Gunn) as they help the newly married Mary and Adam transplant the blind school to Walnut Grove during an arduous journey that features a surprise from the meddlesome Mrs. Oleson (Katherine MacGregor), who has less than altruistic reasons for tagging along. Also of note here is “The Godsister,” which features a starring role for twins Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush as little sister Carrie and her imaginary friend in a questionable episode with grating child acting and awful special effects (but one that could very well be honed into a fine drinking game). Also featuring guest appearances by Ray Bolger, John Hillerman, and Hermione Baddeley, this high-def-buffed collection includes the bonus featurette “Stories to Remember.” A strong optional purchase. (J. Williams-Wood)