"DOCTOR'S LADY"

“Doctor’s Lady”


Dr. Baker falls in love with Harriet's niece, Kate. Dr. Baker realizes that she is too young for him when he sees Kate running around with Mary and Laura.















Okay, so … like at the beginning of this episode, the Doc is playing some boring card came w/ the dude who owns the Mill. Little do they know that a babe is about to rock their prairie world… especially Doc’s.

Well, I like this episode but I feel so bad for Doc Baker. I would have loved to see Doc Baker w/ someone but in the end I thought Kate was too young for him. After that woman has a baby and hears them talk about how Doc Baker was the one who delivered both the man and woman… Kate realizes that the age will effect their marriage and she feels so sad, I don’t think she would have had the heart to tell Doc Baker. I think, she was glad that Hiram was the one who brought it up… I don’t think she would have. A very sad ending…

I love this episode

This episode was on Hallmark this AM, and for some reason, it made me cry like a baby...not sure why.

Doc is one of my absolute favorite LH characters, but this one wasn't one of my favorite Doc eppies...I just didn't like Kate that much for some reason, and I would have loved Doc to find someone more suited to him....anyway...

Maybe I got so emotional because of lots of stress in my life right now, but when he had to let Kate go at the end, it just broke me up. He looked so sad.

This wasn't my fav. I like Doc. Baker alot, but I didn't really like Kate, either. I only watched it once, but I think I'll probably only watch it again when theirs not much else to watch.

I think that Dr. Baker and Kate would have lived well together. I don't think the age should have been a problem, though apparently it was.

This is an ok episode ....the shyness of the older country doctor was sweet ...Kate seem far to bold for such a gentleman......I enjoyed Laura's blunt questions watching him sqirm lol

I think it would have been nice to see Doctor Baker with a wife! does anyone else think it's partly Harriet's fault that they didn't get married?

ingallsfan2008 wrote:

I think it would have been nice to see Doctor Baker with a wife! does anyone else think it's partly Harriet's fault that they didn't get married?

It is her fault a little bit..She alway's butts into people's lifes....

I think it been nice for him to be married.

I have been watching my DVD's that my youngest son bought me for Christmas, and watched this episode........Does anyone else feel that Kate was a little too bold as far as pursuing Doc Baker??? Did I say a little.......I meant a LOT!!! Back in those days, it was the man that did the pursuing and she just seemed to be playing a lot of games to make sure she caught his eye and interest.....I hadn't realized just how BOLD she was......

Rhonda wrote:

I have been watching my DVD's that my youngest son bought me for Christmas, and watched this episode........Does anyone else feel that Kate was a little too bold as far as pursuing Doc Baker??? Did I say a little.......I meant a LOT!!! Back in those days, it was the man that did the pursuing and she just seemed to be playing a lot of games to make sure she caught his eye and interest.....I hadn't realized just how BOLD she was......

Yes! She is! I've noticed Kate was VERY bold and was somewhat shocked by the fact. Not that ANY woman was bold back then (as an historian I know a lot of stories about women pursuing men ), but I can't imagine a young lady acting this way in a little pioneer town like Walnut Grove!

Vanesa.

Rhonda wrote:

I have been watching my DVD's that my youngest son bought me for Christmas, and watched this episode........Does anyone else feel that Kate was a little too bold as far as pursuing Doc Baker??? Did I say a little.......I meant a LOT!!! Back in those days, it was the man that did the pursuing and she just seemed to be playing a lot of games to make sure she caught his eye and interest.....I hadn't realized just how BOLD she was......

She just wanted a doctor and made sure that she got him! And what is wrong with that?


I find this to be a very frustrating episode, though. I understand what they are trying to say about the age difference, but I think they could've thought a little more about it before actually getting engaged. In a way, I think it is kind of silly that they didn't end up together. They were in love, so what else matters? And besides, so she can run and chase with the kids, wouldn't that be better that she is a healthy, younger woman when it comes to any kids that they might have of their own? Doesn't she need some energy when it comes to the kids, housework, and maybe helping the doctor out whenever he needs her to do so? I get myself too involved with this episode (it is crazy - after all, it IS just a TV show!). But I get really mad at it! So I think the next time it is on, I am going to avoid it.

Yes. I think that even if age difference could bring some problems, persons who loves each other must not part for this reason. One of my great Uncles , who is now 80, is married to a woman (my dear auntie, who is 67 - my mother's age - and they are the best couple I've ever seen. Their two children - the younger of them, Ricardo is only a year older than me - lived a great childhood and teenyears, and now they are both married, with children of their own. So, my uncle knew his grandchildren perfectly.

I think that the end of "Dctor's Lady" is not fair, same for "Love", the epie in which Mr. Edwards falls in love with the young blind girl. I dn't see nothing wrong if they could marry.

Vanesa.

MissOleson wrote:

I find this to be a very frustrating episode, though. I understand what they are trying to say about the age difference, but I think they could've thought a little more about it before actually getting engaged. In a way, I think it is kind of silly that they didn't end up together. They were in love, so what else matters? And besides, so she can run and chase with the kids, wouldn't that be better that she is a healthy, younger woman when it comes to any kids that they might have of their own? Doesn't she need some energy when it comes to the kids, housework, and maybe helping the doctor out whenever he needs her to do so? I get myself too involved with this episode (it is crazy - after all, it IS just a TV show!). But I get really mad at it! So I think the next time it is on, I am going to avoid it.

I'm not the only one! This one really upset me because I thought it was just plain silly to let an age difference tear them apart. I also found it ironic that the show made such a big deal about the age difference (which in real life was 19 years between Anne Archer and Kevin Hagen) and then just a few years later Michael Landon married a young woman who was 21 years younger than he was. Anyway.....I actually wrote Kevin Hagen about how much I disliked the end of the episode. He was such a nice man...Any time a fan wrote him, he always tried to take the time to reply. So, he wrote back and told me not to take it too much to heart...Because, as he put it, ""Doc Baker" may not have gotten his lady, but I found mine."

Vanesa wrote:

Yes. I think that even if age difference could bring some problems, persons who loves each other must not part for this reason. One of my great Uncles , who is now 80, is married to a woman (my dear auntie, who is 67 - my mother's age - and they are the best couple I've ever seen. Their two children - the younger of them, Ricardo is only a year older than me - lived a great childhood and teenyears, and now they are both married, with children of their own. So, my uncle knew his grandchildren perfectly.

I think that the end of "Dctor's Lady" is not fair, same for "Love", the epie in which Mr. Edwards falls in love with the young blind girl. I dn't see nothing wrong if they could marry.

Vanesa.

I agree, Vanesa. One of the happiest couples I know have an age gap of fifteen years between the two of them.

Savannah wrote:

I'm not the only one! This one really upset me because I thought it was just plain silly to let an age difference tear them apart. I also found it ironic that the show made such a big deal about the age difference (which in real life was 19 years between Anne Archer and Kevin Hagen) and then just a few years later Michael Landon married a young woman who was 21 years younger than he was. Anyway.....I actually wrote Kevin Hagen about how much I disliked the end of the episode. He was such a nice man...Any time a fan wrote him, he always tried to take the time to reply. So, he wrote back and told me not to take it too much to heart...Because, as he put it, ""Doc Baker" may not have gotten his lady, but I found mine."

I am so happy to know that I am not the ONLY one who feels strongly about this episode! So now I know there is someone out there that won't think I am crazy for getting that upset over it! But isn't it silly??? There are many people (and it seemed to be common in the 19th century) that have a big age gap and can make a marriage last. Especially if they really love each other! That is so nice that Kevin Hagen wrote back to you. And yes, it is really nice to know that he found his lady. Happy endings are better in real life.

Still, though......Doc Baker didn't. And that will always bother me.

MissOleson wrote:

Still, though......Doc Baker didn't. And that will always bother me.

Oh, I have a solution for that. I mentally rewrite the end of the episode. (Just like I pretend that certain episodes never existed.) I can also come up with an unaired episode that resolves the situation. But either way, I can find ways to get the two of them together.

Savannah wrote:

Oh, I have a solution for that. I mentally rewrite the end of the episode. (Just like I pretend that certain episodes never existed.) I can also come up with an unaired episode that resolves the situation. But either way, I can find ways to get the two of them together.

Actually, that is a really good way to do it. For years, when something like that has bothered me (mainly because I just don't see the point to why something had to end the way that it did), my mother always said to me - and still does when I go on a rant about an ending - "Just tell yourself that isn't how it happened. Tell yourself that it ended the way that you wanted it to". It does seem to help, too! I have re-written a lot of endings that way.

I would like this episode more if Kate weren't so forward.

I always love it when Doc Baker is in an episode. In appearance he reminds me of my father which really helps play in to how much I enjoy Doc.

I honestly can see both sides to the age difference. I think that both Kate and Hiram were correct. If both of them would have been okay, then it would have been fine. Since Hiram felt that he was too old had he married Kate he would have had to resolve that feeling for him to be truly happily married.

I don't know why the LHOTP writers had to write so many broken relationships into LHOTP. eg Doc/Kate, Mary/John Jnr, etc

alexczarn wrote:

I don't know why the LHOTP writers had to write so many broken relationships into LHOTP. eg Doc/Kate, Mary/John Jnr, etc

I was just thinking the same...Why so many broken lovbe stories? People loves love stories...but wouldn't like broken ones!

Vanesa.

They loved eacher...They should of gotten married.......

I just watched this episode.

To me it seemed weird that Doc Baker was supposed to be old enough to have delivered that couple that was having the baby back when they were born....and that he already lived in Walnut Grove back then? He did not seem that much older than them to me. He did not even seem that much older than Kate to me. I think they should have had a much younger actress play her and have her be only 18-20 years old.

However, for some reason I'm glad that he did not end up with Kate. I guess I feel like by him being single he can devote more attention to everyone else in town. But I wish it had been more that Kate wanted to change him....like that she wanted him to move back with her to the city or something rather than the age difference. I guess that is what makes the episode harder, i.e. that it seems like the only thing that kept them apart was the age factor.

I do love seeing Doc and Mr. Hanson hanging out together. I love their friendship.

I don't really think that Harriet was to blame for anything in this episode. She was probably responsible for her niece, and I don't think she really interfered in the relationship.

I really liked this one.....she truly was in love with Doc and he loved her....sad ending

amyk wrote:

I just watched this episode.

To me it seemed weird that Doc Baker was supposed to be old enough to have delivered that couple that was having the baby back when they were born....and that he already lived in Walnut Grove back then? He did not seem that much older than them to me. He did not even seem that much older than Kate to me. I think they should have had a much younger actress play her and have her be only 18-20 years old.

However, for some reason I'm glad that he did not end up with Kate. I guess I feel like by him being single he can devote more attention to everyone else in town. But I wish it had been more that Kate wanted to change him....like that she wanted him to move back with her to the city or something rather than the age difference. I guess that is what makes the episode harder, i.e. that it seems like the only thing that kept them apart was the age factor.

I do love seeing Doc and Mr. Hanson hanging out together. I love their friendship.

I don't really think that Harriet was to blame for anything in this episode. She was probably responsible for her niece, and I don't think she really interfered in the relationship.

I Think agre matters more today in relationships. I kind of think the Doc caried too much about what other people thought about them being together.Tho maybe it been nice if he married someone his age?

I loved Anne Archer in this show...it's funny how Mr. Landon had these May/December relationships that didn't work out but he had one himself! : )

I liked this one the best, later when they repeated it with Mr. Edwards and Jane, it was tired and not as believable. Whenever they centered on some of the underused characters like Doc Baker it was nice.

Just watched this one tonight. What's funny is that from years and years ago, for some reason one thing that really stood out to me (and I was kind of waiting for it) is how Doc Baker looks at his face in the mirror. I have mixed feelings about this episode. I myself am in an age gap marriage, so I may have a bit of a unique perspective on this episode. I'm not clear how much of an age gap there was actually supposed to be between Dr. Baker and Kate. Was she maybe supposed to be only 25 and he about 50?? I also feel like they could have made the marriage work. But the thing that I find strange is that it seemed like they met, fell in love, and got engaged all within about a one-week period. Was she supposed to have been there in Walnut Grove for quite a while before they actually got engaged?

With Doc Baker's doubts, and with Kate so easily agreeing with his doubts, I do think the marriage could have had some significant troubles. I think it actually may have been harder on him than on her. He would always have the concern, perhaps, about leaving her a young widow or perhaps he would have always felt like he had to try to seem younger than he was in order to keep up with Kate.

Well, although it was a sad ending for Dr. Baker, he seems to have gotten over it. There seem to be a lot of single men in Walnut Grove, many more than single women - Doc Baker, Lars Hanson, Revd. Alden, Mr. Edwards (in early times), Tinker Jones, etc. The only single women seem to be Miss Beadle and Grace whose maiden name I don't remember.