When the pilot for “Little House on the Prairie” debuted on NBC in April of 1974, John J. O’Connor of The New York Times admitted the show had “some promise” – but nevertheless likened it to a faux natural cereal that’s actually full of sugar.

“The script contained enough family warmth and struggle to make ‘The Waltons’ look like a pack of pampered snobs,” he wrote.

The Times seemed to state this somewhat derisively, but that “warmth” is why Americans eagerly and loyally watched the show for nine seasons and 210 episodes – and have been enjoying it in reruns ever since.

Based on the popular Laura Ingalls Wilder children’s book series about life in the Midwest following the Civil War, the series starred Michael Landon and Karen Grassle as Ma and Pa Ingalls, Melissa Gilbert as Laura and Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary. The series revolved around Walnut Grove, Minnesota, a rural town filled with lots of lovable as well as irritating characters.

On the lovable side, there was Mr. Edwards, Mr. Garvey, Dr. Baker, Nels Oleson, and Reverend Alden – to name only a few.

On the irritating front was Harriet Oleson, daughter Nellie, and the occasional grifter who showed up to prey upon the hardworking, faith filled settlers.

In addition to the family warmth that exuded in most episodes, many of us loved “Little House” because it regularly depicted good triumphing over the bad. It also featured plenty of challenges and even tragedy – but scenarios that usually found redemption and some explanation in the end. It modeled family unity and loyalty, hard work, the importance of telling the truth, stressed the biblical mandate to care for orphans, and also regularly highlighted the power of resilience, faith, and fairness.

Without being overly preachy, storylines showed viewers how to deal with bullies, overcome unrequited love interests, manage disappointment, respect our elders, honor the Lord in our worship – and how to have fun with few financial resources at hand.

One of my favorite episodes was the Christmas offering from 1974. Against a snowy and cold backdrop, the cash-strapped Ingalls family are all creatively trying to make gifts for each other.

Mr. Ingalls refurbishes old wagon wheels late into the night to earn enough money to buy his wife a stove. Mrs. Ingalls makes her husband a shirt. Daughter Mary does the same thing, but all under the guise of helping a seamstress named Mrs. Whipple. Laura is at a loss. She has no job, no prospects, and no money. Out of love for her mother, she decides to sell her horse to Mr. Oleson so that she can raise money to buy her mother the same stove Mr. Ingalls plans to purchase.

In the end, Laura receives a saddle for the horse she sold – and Mrs. Ingalls cries with guilt. She even hides the shirt she made for her husband, lest she upstage Mary’s similar gift for him.

It’s such a great depiction of family love, devotion, and shared sacrifice. The episode made a big impression on me, especially the importance of sacrificing and serving our families.

Another favorite episode is titled, “The Lord is My Shepherd,” and it features Ernest Borgnine. The popular actor plays Jonathan, a guardian angel who helps Laura process and overcome the guilt she feels regarding the death of her newborn brother.

Michael Landon, who played Mr. Ingalls, died in 1991 at just 54 years of age. Karen Grassle, a.k.a. Mrs. Ingalls, is now 82.

“I based the entire character on my mother,” she recently told Remind Magazine. “There was very little about the real Caroline Ingalls at that time. … I knew she had been a one-room schoolhouse teacher. I knew she was committed to giving her girls a good education. I knew she was tough, that she’d been poor, that she’d struggled, and my mother had done all of these things. I said, ‘I’ve got my research right there.’ My mother, I think, was an exceptional teacher and mother, and I’m happy to say that so many people feel that they learned all kinds of things from the character I played. That’s like an honor to my mother.”

The Hallmark Channel announced earlier this month that Melissa Gilbert, who starred as Laura Ingalls, will guest star in two episodes of “When Calls the Heart.” That show’s producer is Michael Landon Jr. – the son of Michael Landon.

Reflecting on her late television father, Gilbert said “[He believed] that anyone is redeemable, and that the only way to change things is to do it from a place of love and fairness and understanding.”

Little House on the Prairie lives on in reruns, serving as not just a history lesson – but plenty of faith-friendly storylines that moms and dads will find complement rather than compete with what they’re teaching their children at home.

Photo Credit: NBC Universal.