"THE RACCOON"

“The Raccoon”


Charles allows Laura to adopt a baby raccoon, Jasper. After being caged, the raccoon bites Laura and Jack and runs away. The family fears that Laura and Jack might have rabies until a healthy Jasper returns.







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This episode is a little scary. Melissa Gilbert got to handle a raccoon and I think she did a good job! There is a scene where Laura & Mary are taking Jasper to school and Jack starts going after Jasper. Those animals look like they are about to fight! Jasper looked really scared afterwards, he was dragging himself, poor thing! Hahaha… I hope that was stunt done by the animals… I would have been scared if that raccoon would have started jumping all over me and scratching me in the process, :unsure: lol.

I think Laura cried about 4 times in this episode… it was a very emotionally packed episode. I loved seeing the sister relationship between Laura & Mary. The ending was great! Jack was so excited when Laura came to the barn to untie him! Thumbs up!!!

This is an Ok Episode

This is a great episode! I also like the sister relationship between Mary and Laura and the wonderful things they said to each other. It was a very emotional episode, but that's one of the things that makes LHotP such a great show. As I've said before, any time Laura cries, it's a great episode.

I don't know much about raccoons, but I was a bit uncomfortable to see Laura handling Jasper like he was a puppy. I don't think it would be a good idea to handle any wild animal, no matter how small, unless you really know what you're doing.

One thing that bugs me about this episode is that Pa throws down the shotgun (after he had cocked it) and leaves it on the floor of the barn when he finds Jasper. It's still there when Laura runs out to untie Jack. It's a wonder one of them didn't set off the gun.

One final comment -- did you notice that the word "raccoon" is misspelled in the opening credits? The episode title is displayed as "The Racoon".

I liked this episode, but like John said, I didn't like seeing Pa thow is gun down! (NOT a good idea!)
I hadn't noticed that about Racoon being misspelled! How funny!

I basically like this episode, but it does bother me that Charles and Caroline would allow Laura to keep, and play with, a wild animal. Back then, there was no cure for rabies...if you got it, you died. Period. Perhaps it was common back then for children to play with baby wild animals, but if I had been a parent then, I would have been wary. Raccoons are also one of the biggest carriers of rabies...maybe they didn't know that at that time.

I liked the sisterly relationship between Laura and Mary too; this was the best part of the episode. I felt bad for Laura when her doll got broken, but it was sweet of Mary to give Laura a present to make up for it...

Docfan wrote:

I basically like this episode, but it does bother me that Charles and Caroline would allow Laura to keep, and play with, a wild animal. Back then, there was no cure for rabies...if you got it, you died. Period. Perhaps it was common back then for children to play with baby wild animals, but if I had been a parent then, I would have been wary. Raccoons are also one of the biggest carriers of rabies...maybe they didn't know that at that time.

I liked the sisterly relationship between Laura and Mary too; this was the best part of the episode. I felt bad for Laura when her doll got broken, but it was sweet of Mary to give Laura a present to make up for it...

I agree about the wild animal being a pet.

With all the hardship that family has faced; worrying about and avoiding many of the diseases of that time, fighting harsh winters and barely getting by with decent meals at times, it would seem more likely that they'd avoid the dangers that come with having that animal as a pet. They already knew it could pass along rabies, destroy the chickens and eggs, and attack the family, including Jack. It just didn't seem very much in character of Charles allowing such a "pet".

I did like how the girls bonded, but then again, I wish Mary had spoken up sooner.

Yeah, it did seem pretty out of character for Pa to let them have a wild animal as a "pet". Even if there wasn't a chance of Rabies.

And even today, once the rabies virus progresses to the nervous system, there's no cure.

This episode, by the way, used to confuse me when I was a little girl. LOL!

Yes. But people back then wouldn't know about what rabies des to nervous system and all. My great-grandpa was a counrry doctor (pretty much like Doctor Baker was), and he tried to have some "wild animals" as pets. He tried to get them "peaceful"...without not a lot of succes, tough. He was very "in love" with a "lovely" red fox. He wanted his children (my grandpa and his brother) to play with the fox...Until the sweet "lovely" beats bited him and go away. Happily, the foxy didn't have rabies. :faint2:

Vanesa.

This episode is okay. I don't mind watching it, but it's not one I'd randomly choose when I felt like watching an episode.

Melissa G. does an excellent job in this episode. I really like the part when Laura is sitting in the kitchen holding Jasper, and Pa comes in, glances around and instantly knows that something is up. That's so typical! I love the expression on Charles's face!

I also like the part when Mary and Laura are in bed and Mary is upset because she thinks that she's a bad sister.

lol I never noticed that they misspelled Raccoon!

Savannah wrote:

Yeah, it did seem pretty out of character for Pa to let them have a wild animal as a "pet". Even if there wasn't a chance of Rabies.

I agree. I don't think Charles would have really let Laura keep a raccoon for a pet, but it was an okay episode. The important thing is that it had a happy ending.

A great episode. MG did some of her best acting in my opinion in this episode.

Poor mary, she was under enormous guilt and emotional pressure

alexczarn wrote:

Poor Mary, she was under enormous guilt and emotional pressure

But it did have great acting, especially from the two Melissas
I love the Laura/Mary relationship, especially the part with Mary in bed.

"How could I hate you? You're the best sister. I love you, Mary." Sweet.

Yes. I've always liked the emotional parts between the two sisters.

Vanesa.

They were close sisters........This was a bitter-sweet esp.

I think this is my favorite episode. The ending is amazing.

poor mary.she felt so bad for the doll.

Saw this second time. I do say, like this episode. Mary & Laura sister relationship was superb.

It makes me wish i had a sister.

I liked this episode

I like this episode. I think Jasper was cute. Goes to show how dangerous having a wild animal for a pet can be. Laura and Jack were lucky that Jasper didn't have rabies.

I agree with the consensus. This was kind of unrealistic. Charles was a pioneer, he would have said, "That racoon is a wild animals and wild animals belong in the wild."

Ok, I have even more to say on these episodes.

When Charles thinks that Jack contracted rabies, he got the gun loaded because he had to shoot him. In the house, he tamped down the powder, in the barn, he put in a cap, and cocked the hammer. He was raising the musket to fire when he saw Jasper do that trick with his hands over his eyes. Then, CHARLES DROPS THE GUN!!!!! He dropped a LOADED GUN on the the ground! He could have killed Jack anyway and it would have been NEGLIGENCE!

Wow, what a detail to overlook.