Little House on the Prairie (2026) s01e02 Episode Script

[birds chirping]
[insects buzzing]
[distant whistling]
[whistling continues]
[poignant music playing]
[poignant music playing]
[Charles laughs]
[exclaims]
Oh, George, what are you doing here?
- How are you? How did you find us?
- You gave up on me, Charlie.
I didn't.
[Laura] Pa?
Pa.
Who were you talking to?
No one.
[Charles scoffs]
Come on. Let's go.
[music fades]
[birds chirping]
Your mother said
as soon as you could walk,
she'd find you half a mile
down the road in the middle of the night.
Restless legs, she said.
Well, hopefully, our son
will take after you and not after me.
I was thinking George for a name.
[tender music playing]
I like it.
[Jack barking]
[Mary and Laura laughing]
This won't keep.
It's good news.
What are we waiting for?
[Caroline laughs]
Ah! It's a girl! I know it's a girl.
It has to be a girl.
- You don't think we're overdue for a boy?
- No.
Can I name her?
Please. Do you think I could get
some muslin and make a bonnet for her?
- Let's not put the cart before the horse.
- Ma!
What do you think, Half Pint? Any bets?
No.
Either way,
it'll be lucky to have a sister like you.
- [Mary laughs excitedly]
- [Caroline chuckles]
[music fades]
["Weevily Wheat" playing on the harmonica]
- My uncle George used to sing that.
- I come bearing gifts.
Coffee, candy, and coneflowers.
Here you go.
[Laura] Peppermint sticks!
[Mr. Edwards] And these
are for your ma.
Thank you.
We did say first thing in the morning,
didn't we?
We did.
Yeah.
[Laura chuckles]
I'm saving mine.
Go ahead.
It'll just get all sticky in your pocket.
[sawing]
[Charles] You're a better carpenter
than I am.
Could have easily gotten
a house built by now.
Ah, like I said,
wasn't sure if I was stayin'. Ready?
[grunts]
- But I'll take the compliment.
- [Charles grunts]
[Mr. Edwards sniffs]
I can't help thinking about what you said.
This land isn't open for settlement.
Did I say that?
No, I didn't say that.
You said it belonged to the Osage.
You said they'd be back.
- Well, if it does, then they will.
- [Charles grunts]
Take a look around, Ingalls.
These settlers are like a prairie fire.
Prairie fire can't be stopped.
You got cowboys up from Mexico.
You got Indians and mixed bloods
and pretty rich boys from the East…
[grunts]
…murderers, and families,
men of God, yeah, and widows.
You got soldiers all ground up by the war.
[Mr. Edwards exhales]
There you go.
Maybe it doesn't need
to belong to any of us.
Maybe we just live our lives in peace.
- Where's the security in that?
- Hm. Who said there's such a thing?
Hm?
You fought?
In war?
[melancholy music playing]
My brothers did.
Youngest was 13. George.
Ran away to be a drummer boy.
Well, you were smart
to stay out of the whole mess.
Wish I'd done the same.
[Mary inhales excitedly] Or we can
name her Jane, after Jane Eyre.
Or what about Dolly, like Dolly Varden?
And if her eyes are blue,
you can give her your pink ribbons.
And if they're brown, I can give her mine.
I'm not giving my ribbons
to some baby we don't want.
I want her.
I want a real sister,
one who lets me teach her to read and sew
and one who lets me braid her hair
and cuddles, doesn't tease me
or get me into trouble
or hog up all
of Pa's attention all the time.
Pa doesn't want a girl.
He wants a boy.
I guess then
you wouldn't be the favorite anymore.
[emotional music playing]
[both grunting]
Thought your stomach might be rumblin'.
[music fades]
Your pa says you're to thank
for this tasty rabbit…
[grunts]
…'cause you're a world-class hunter.
He gave me a slingshot
for my birthday last year.
Maybe you can give me some tips,
help me save some bullets.
Pa really wants a boy, so…
if I have a brother,
I'll probably have to give it away to him.
[Mr. Edwards] Well, this is Kansas.
Time he's old enough,
have you ready for your own rifle,
maybe a bow and arrow.
Have you shot a bow and arrow?
Well, I've shot just about everything.
You seem like the adventurous type.
Found the secret road yet?
[heartwarming music playing]
Wow.
An Osage road.
Prairie swallows it up in the summer.
They use it to travel back home
after the hunt's done.
- Where does it go?
- I don't know.
Always wanted to follow it, though.
- Maybe it leads to another world.
- Hm.
I ever disappear, this is where I'll be.
Lookin' for the end of this road.
Lookin' for that other world.
[music fades]
[Mr. Edwards] Mm.
Thank you.
Hm.
I always thought my wife made
the world's best cornbread,
but I have to reconsider, Mary.
Thank you.
[tense music playing]
[Charles] To new friends.
Thank you.
[music fades]
Well, uh, someone told me
you play the fiddle.
["Weevily Wheat" playing]
[Laura laughs]
I don't want your weevily wheat
I don't want your barley ♪
I'll take some flour in half an hour
And bake a cake for Charlie ♪
Charlie, he's a nice young man
Charlie, he's a dandy ♪
Every time he goes to town
He brings the girls some candy ♪
I don't want your weevily wheat
I don't want your barley ♪
I'll take some flour in half an hour
And bake a cake for Charlie ♪
[Mary and Laura laughing]
- [Charles] Hey!
- [exclaiming]
[Mary and Laura laughing]
[girls] See you tomorrow.
[emotional music playing]
- [Laura] Mr. Edwards!
- Hey.
[Jack barks]
- [Laura] Hey!
- Hey. Hey. Hey. Hi. Hi.
Go on here.
Yeah! [laughs]
[jaunty music playing]
[Mr. Edwards grunts]
That's it. As tight as you can.
[Charles grunting]
[jaunty music continues]
- [Mary laughs]
- [Mr. Edwards] No?
- Mr. Edwards!
- [Mr. Edwards] Hey!
Nice work.
Thanks.
[exhales sharply]
[birds chirping]
[horse whinnies]
[music fades]
Whoa. Whoa.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Hey.
- Are you friends with them?
- I am.
[Laura] I know that girl.
I don't know her name,
but I found her doll.
Ma says I can't go meet her,
because she doesn't want any trouble.
Well, her name is Good Eagle.
And I think you'd like each other.
And I had a litter of kittens born.
Still too little to leave their ma yet,
but maybe you wanna come visit,
pick one out.
Good Eagle's gonna take one.
Maybe you could choose together.
I'll ask your pa, all right?
Just leave it with me.
[horse whinnies]
Caroline Ingalls. [sighs]
Jemma James.
A little bird told me
you've been having a rough time of it,
so I thought
I should introduce myself properly.
[sighs]
[exhales]
I come bearing gifts.
Well, thank you. That… that's so kind. Um…
- Would you like some coffee?
- Oh! Yes.
Of course, I hated to leave St. Louis,
but my husband's a railroad man.
- And where he goes, I follow.
- I know the feeling.
It can get so lonely out here.
No community, no simple comforts.
The men don't seem to mind, do they?
No.
Which is why it's up to
the women to make it happen.
Our Women's Society
has big plans for Independence.
A church, a school, a lending library,
and a temperance association.
We're even trying to get the vote.
You were a teacher,
weren't you, back in Wisconsin?
- Yeah. Before I had children, yes.
- Do you ever miss it?
I miss a lot of things.
My sisters, my mother, my house,
a place to belong, a working foot.
You're not alone.
We all miss our old lives.
But we can build new ones, can't we?
Better ones.
- I hope so.
- Hm.
Oh, don't you dare.
[sighs]
I see you have
John Edwards working for you.
Mm. Yes.
He and Charles are making a trade.
Once they finish with this house,
they're gonna start working on his.
He's been a godsend. My girls are smitten.
Hm. Yes.
I'd be careful if I were you.
I'm sure I don't wanna spread
any ugly ideas about people,
but he's not the kind of man
you want near your family.
He makes whiskey.
Nips quite a bit of it himself.
I can't tell you how many times
someone has found him
full as a tick on Main Street.
Just because we landed
in the middle of nowhere
doesn't mean we should give up
the ideals we value.
Wouldn't you agree? But maybe I'm wrong.
Maybe he's a changed man.
Who am I to tell tales?
Will you let me come again, Caroline?
- Of course, yes.
- [Jemma chuckles]
Oh.
And don't worry. I know a young man
from a very respectable family in Boston
who can help your husband with the house.
You just say the word.
Oh.
- Thank you.
- [Jemma] Yes, of course.
[Mr. Edwards and Charles grunting]
[grunting]
[Charles cries out]
[tense music playing]
- You all right?
- Sorry, sorry.
That was… That was careless.
- You need a break?
- No. No. Let's keep goin'.
Yeah.
[grunting]
[both grunting, panting]
[music fades]
[Mr. Edwards exhales deeply]
Mr. Edwards?
- Yeah?
- [Jack barking]
Do you happen to know anything
about the boy at the General Store?
Caleb?
Turned up all skinny and scabby
a few months ago, so Emily took him in.
Doesn't say much.
Plays a fierce game of chess.
I will admit to being a pretty poor chess
player though, so maybe he's only fair.
[Mary laughs]
Could you give this to him?
You leave this with me.
- [Charles] You had a visitor today.
- Mm-hm.
Jemma James.
She runs the Women's Society in town.
They're building a church,
a school, a lending library.
- She asked if I might like to join.
- They'd be lucky to have you.
And she has two girls at home.
She says she'll invite
Laura and Mary to visit.
Nice to have people around
that feel like family, isn't it?
[cheerful fiddle music playing]
[Mary and Laura laughing]
[melancholy music plays over fiddle music]
[fiddle music ends]
- [Caroline laughs]
- [everyone clapping]
Ooh! Think I need my coat.
Back in a flash.
[breathes deeply]
[footsteps approaching]
Hm.
Mm.
[clears throat, smacks lips]
I'd never take a drop during the day,
but in the evenings…
[sniffs]
…just need somethin'
to chase the shakes away.
[breathing heavily]
[melancholy music continues]
When I was a girl, my father sailed goods
for a living on Lake Michigan.
His captain always needed something
to chase the shakes away.
One night he set them off in a storm
any sober fool could've seen coming.
The boat broke up.
They all drowned.
I'm sorry.
You can't imagine the kind
of life we tumbled into.
Alone.
Starving. Cold to the bone.
Everyone was very sorry.
I swear on my life, I would never ever
do anything to put your family in danger.
That's what the captain told my mother.
[music fades]
[fiddle music playing]
Well, time to get goin' home.
- Stay for one more song?
- [Mr. Edwards grunts]
Oh, I gotta check on those kittens.
- Walk with me a ways.
- Sure.
See you tomorrow! Good night!
Good night!
Everything all right?
Am I working you too hard?
[Mr. Edwards] No, nothing like that.
You know, besides you and Mitchell,
I don't think anyone around here really
cares if I wake up in the mornin' or not.
I don't come by friends easily.
[emotional music playing]
I don't let myself come by friends easily.
[wolf howls]
[birds chirping]
Why didn't he come, Pa?
He probably just needed a day to himself.
[emotional music continues]
Maybe we should go see.
[music fades]
[horse neighing]
Thank you.
[kittens meowing]
They're so cute.
That one looks like a potato.
[both giggling]
- I'm Laura.
- Good Eagle.
I like your hat.
It was my cousin Jean's,
but his head got too big,
so he gave it to me last Christmas.
I miss him less when I wear it.
[Good Eagle] Are you gonna take a kitten
when they're old enough?
[Laura] Maybe.
- I don't know if my dog would like it.
- You're lucky. I wish we had a dog.
His name is Jack.
You could come visit him sometime.
Edwards hasn't shown for a few days.
He tends to go off
selling his whiskey once a month,
sometimes as far as Oswego.
Or he could be wolfing.
Nah, I wouldn't worry.
He tends to… turn up.
I would worry about the kittens.
[laughs]
[William] Mine hasn't stopped
talking about them for the past week.
I don't know what will happen
if I don't let her take at least two.
[both chuckle]
Back home, we wouldn't think twice
about someone shining off for a few days.
Edwards is just used to
being on his own schedule.
I'm sure he'll turn up soon.
He's not coming back.
What?
He was drinking, here at our home.
He said he didn't do it while you worked.
- But I… I didn't believe him, so--
- What'd you say?
[exhales shakily]
I told him not to come back
until he didn't need something
to chase the shakes away.
It doesn't work like that. You don't snap
your fingers and make it go away.
His wife is gone.
His girls are gone. He got chewed up
and spit out by the godforsaken war.
- You knew?
- And…
- You knew and you didn't say anything?
- Caroline, we are alone at sea.
We don't have room
for obsession with virtue.
It's not virtue!
- I don't wanna lose my family again.
- We can't finish this house without him.
You have to open your mind,
or we are all gonna drown here.
What you do is dangerous.
It's dangerous! Look what can happen
even when you're stone-cold sober!
I will not see you dead because you want
to save another broken person.
He isn't George.
You can't bring your brother back.
[melancholy music playing]
- Let me come with you.
- No.
Please.
Stay here and look after your ma.
[horse snorts]
Hello.
[music fades]
Charles Ingalls. Sorry to intrude.
I'm looking for your husband.
Is Laura with you?
- [in Osage] Don't talk to strangers.
- He's not a stranger.
He's Mr. Ingalls.
[in English] He's not here.
[pensive music playing]
I need your help.
I could help look.
I saved some of the cake
and jam Mrs. James brought.
You and Mary run down to the creek
for water. We'll have the rest of it.
All right?
Pa will find him.
Pa always knows where to look.
Remember Uncle George?
He was always running off,
and Pa always brought him home.
Mr. Edwards wouldn't just
disappear like that.
[inquisitive music playing]
What?
What is this?
A secret Osage road.
Mr. Edwards said if he ever disappeared,
this is where he'd be.
I don't know.
Okay. We should follow it, then.
Come on.
[music fades]
I didn't know who else to ask.
I know he considers you a friend.
I have an idea where he might be.
I don't think I made
a very good impression on your wife.
Don't take it personally.
She doesn't much like any of the outsiders
chewing up her land
like a swarm of locusts.
Her words.
You're Osage.
- [William] That's right.
- You don't feel the same way?
I don't see any sense in making enemies
of the people who are gonna take
what they want anyway.
I don't wanna be shuffled around
from one place to another.
I'd rather try and be a part
of the future of this country.
[Charles] Your house is the nicest
I've seen.
[William] My father helped me build it,
right after the war.
Put everything he had into it.
Couldn't bear to stay around
after my mother died.
My wife's not sold on it yet.
The future, not the house.
- I know the feeling.
- [chuckles]
Whoa.
[Charles] Is that where we're going?
His most reliable buyer,
among other things.
Mmm.
How far does it go?
I don't know.
Maybe we should go back?
["Weevily Wheat" playing on harmonica
in the distance]
- Mr. Edwards!
- [Mary laughs]
[hopeful music playing]
This way!
Hurry!
Come on.
[Mary] There's no one here.
We have to go back.
Laura, we have to go back.
[music fades]
- [piano playing]
- [door opens]
[indistinct chatter]
[door closes]
Ingalls, isn't it?
Never figured you'd last a week out here.
William.
[in French] Who's this?
[in English] Charles Ingalls,
this is Lacey Aubert.
She and Edwards know each other.
[in French] Something like that.
[in English] Come on back.
[William] Watch your head.
[Lacey] He's gone.
He pulled up stakes and headed north.
He wouldn't say where.
He sold me everything he had.
And he finally bought a horse.
The only thing
he left behind was a box of kittens.
[sighs]
I really thought he'd settled in
with you and your family.
He mentioned us?
[Lacey] He couldn't stop
talking about you and your girls.
You made him feel like he had
a future to look forward to,
like he mattered to someone.
He's a good man,
despite all appearances.
- Wouldn't you say, William?
- I would.
[in French] A good friend.
[in English] It's good to know
he's all right.
That's the thing out here, Mr. Ingalls.
People come and go.
And you have to make your peace with that.
[melancholy music playing]
Where's the trail?
This way.
We came from this way.
[Mary] Are you sure?
[Caroline] Mary!
Laura!
[breathing heavily]
Oh…
I thought I'd bring
the lending library to you.
Or a selection anyway.
We even have newspapers.
What is it? What's wrong?
The girls went to get water,
and they haven't come back.
[Caroline sobs]
I'll run down to the creek and fetch them.
Everything's going to be just fine.
- [cues horse]
- [horse neighs]
You have no idea where we are, do you?
Guess a real sister
wouldn't have gotten you lost and hungry.
Maybe that sister wouldn't have been
brave enough to look in the first place.
Just need to find a road
before it gets dark.
The last thing in the world I wanted to do
was send a troubled man into more trouble.
I made that mistake once.
Hey, he'd been running a long time
before he landed here.
I'm not sure he ever intended to stay.
[music fades]
[buggy approaching]
Charles Ingalls, your girls are missing.
They went for water and didn't come back.
I'm rounding up a search party.
Send them to the creek.
We'll spread from there.
[tense music playing]
[Caroline sobbing] I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
[Charles] We'll find them.
We'll find them.
[Caroline sobs]
- [man 1] Mary!
- [Charles] Laura!
The others have moved
all the way down the bend.
- Girls!
- Mary!
- [man 2] Laura!
- [Jemma] Mary!
- [man 3] Laura!
- [man 4] Laura!
- [woman] Mary!
- Down there, you see? They went that way.
Mary!
Laura!
- [man 1] Laura!
- [man 2] Laura!
[man 3] Mary!
Laura!
Mary?
Laura!
- Laura!
- Mary!
[people calling over each other]
Laura!
Mary!
[bird chirping]
[music fades]
[harmonica music playing]
[woman exclaims]
Now, who's that watching?
Come closer.
Come on.
Come on.
We're looking for Mr. Edwards.
[tense music playing]
Oh, sure! Edwards is with us.
- He is?
- Oh yeah.
He's gone off hunting,
but he'll be back soon
now that it's getting dark.
Why don't you come sit
by the fire and wait?
Are you hungry?
Eat up.
It's good.
[ominous music playing]
What's your name, sweetheart?
Mary.
Mary.
Well, come on, Mary. Come sit by me.
- We should get back to our pa.
- Your pa?
- No!
- [Mary gasps]
Not safe out there with the wolves!
[grunts, gasps]
- [Laura] Let go of me!
- [woman screams]
- Ungrateful little tick!
- [Mr. Edwards] Hey!
Back off!
No trouble.
No trouble here.
[melancholy music playing]
It's okay, Mary. Okay.
Go on.
[laughs]
[searchers calling in the distance]
[animals howling]
[footsteps approaching]
[Caroline] Mary! Laura!
Run on home.
[Caroline] Oh.
Go on. I'll watch.
Where were you?
Why did you leave?
Your ma was right.
I don't belong here.
You do belong.
I'm not your family.
I'm not anyone's family.
I thought we were friends.
You don't need a friend like me.
You're wrong.
I know you think your pa would love
a boy more than you, but he won't.
I wouldn't have traded my girls
for anything in the world.
[Caroline] Mr. Edwards!
Mr. Edwards!
Please… please wait!
Please.
[horse neighing]
I'm sorry.
[horse galloping away]
[Laura panting]
[Laura cries]
Are you all right? Are you all right?
- Oh!
- [all sobbing]
[tender music playing]
[horse nickers]
- I'll call off the search.
- Pa!
- Are you hurt?
- [sobbing] No.
Edwards said he didn't wanna be family.
It's all right.
Our family's perfect the way it is.
We'll be fine.
We'll all be fine.
[birds chirping]
You didn't sleep?
Too much thinking.
Did they find the girls?
Hey…
Good.
[upbeat music playing]
[horse whinnying]
[Jemma] Mr. Ingalls, I've got just the man
to help you build your house.
Meet Adam Scott. He was kind enough
to join the search party for your girls.
[Charles] Thank you.
I don't know much about much,
but I can learn.
I look forward to it.
Ugh.
[Charles] Thank you, Mrs. James.
- Would you like some coffee?
- [Adam] Yes, please.
[Jack barking]
I'll take some flour in half an hour ♪
And bake a cake for Charlie ♪
[upbeat music continues]
[chuckles softly]
[kittens meowing]
The house is more than half built.
We'll be safe.
We'll be happy.
[music ends]
[hooves clopping]
[unsettling music playing]
[horses neighing]
[dramatic swell]
[pensive music playing]
[stirring music playing]
[music builds]
[music fades]
[closing theme music playing]
[music ends]