THE HANDYMAN

When the cats away the mice do play!!!

I am probably gonna get hell for saying this.


But i think its pretty obvious that Caroline did cheat on Charles with the handyman.

Well said, Savannah.

I agree with Teresa. Well said, Savannah.

I always give my honest opinion.


That was my honest opinion. And not an attempt to bait.

I don't even really know if I ever saw this episode all the way through before, and by watching it on COZI-TV I do believe that some things were cut out that I wish I could have seen. But I can comment on what I saw and felt as I watched this one.....it is definitely not one of my favorites.

I do kind of feel that it was inappropriate for Caroline to hire Chris herself when Charles was gone. Had Charles met him and hired him I think it would have been more appropriate. And while I don't believe Caroline was really doing anything to purposefully lead Chris on, I do think she felt a bit flattered by his comments about her, especially her beautiful hair. I think she even knew that Chris had fallen for her. It isn't her fault, but I once she knew that, it would have been appropriate for her to ask him to leave, rather than Mary feeling that she had to do that.

And that brings us to Mary - it is true that she misinterpreted her mother's feelings and the situation when she thought that Caroline and Chris were embracing. However, she correctly interpreted Chris' feelings for her mother. He was definitely jealous of Charles when Charles came back for that short visit - if he didn't have those kind of feelings for Caroline, why wouldn't he have just stayed and met the man of the family? Still, I think it would have been best if Mary had talked things over with Caroline. This may have helped Caroline to see that she (rather than Mary) should ask Chris to leave.

While I don't think Caroline was going to start some physical affair with Chris during the short time that Charles was gone, I do think that she could have started having a bit of an emotional affair with him had Charles for some reason had to stay away longer.

So why didn't Chris return after Mary's apology? Was it because it was too painful for him at that point to be around Caroline and the family, knowing that Caroline would not reciprocate any romantic feelings for him? Or did he actually demonstrate a love for Caroline, protecting her from the possibility of developing any romantic feelings for him? Maybe both are reasons?

Joe wrote:

Miss Krissy, Mary is what I liked about this episode.  She had her moms back.  She stood up for the union her mother and father entered into.  She wasn't about to stand back and watch the one that gave birth to her submit to her baser desires.  
But you are right, Mary should have known her mother is a rock, not easily tempted by the fruit of another tree.
(what in the heck am I talking about?  I'm giving myself a headache.  Lol)

I also did like Mary in this episode. I thought it was great that she cared so much about her parents' marriage. I also agree that she should have talked to Caroline instead of Chris, but what Mary did was done out of love for her Ma and Pa. And while I know that Ma and Pa are almost always presented as "perfect," even those who people least suspect of ever giving in to temptation do sometimes give into it.

bethandmanly wrote:

I think it would be hard to talk to Caroline about. I remember one day when I saw something I felt was inappropriate going on between my uncle and my mom. I came right out later that day and asked if my parents were getting divorced, but it was the most uncomfortable moment of my young life. I don't think I was more than 10.

The funny thing is how naive Caroline was that Chris was even interested in her. Mary picked up on it, but Caroline didn't see it?

I don't completely believe that Caroline didn't know Chris was interested in her. I don't think men back then would be so overtly complimenting another man's wife on their looks, and wouldn't it have been even a bit scandalous for a man other than one's husband to see your hair undone like that (except probably a doctor if he was there when she was giving birth or sick)? Anyway, I'm not so convinced that Caroline was naive, and I kind of think that Caroline may have even enjoyed the attention and compliments. I think we see that in the ending, when she has her hair down for Charles and when she is so thrilled when he does notice that. I think she felt flattered that Chris noticed her lovely hair and complimented her, and then when Charles notices, she was so thrilled. If he had not noticed, I think she would have been a bit down-hearted.

littlehouselover wrote:

I do too...she was beyond rude (and MSA mentioned that I think) to him and her mother. She let Nellie Oleson get her goat and the kitchen could have been done already. : )
On the other hand, she didn't really trust Charles either with the Widow Snyder, following him and basting a dress on her all that. When you think they were the epitme of good character and integrity, it was a stretch. I think if she spoke to Charles that way, he might have punished her.

Wasn't that the Widow Thurman?

amyk wrote:

littlehouselover wrote:

I do too...she was beyond rude (and MSA mentioned that I think) to him and her mother. She let Nellie Oleson get her goat and the kitchen could have been done already. : )
On the other hand, she didn't really trust Charles either with the Widow Snyder, following him and basting a dress on her all that. When you think they were the epitme of good character and integrity, it was a stretch. I think if she spoke to Charles that way, he might have punished her.

Wasn't that the Widow Thurman?

Yes, Charles got to flirt all the time. Widow Thurmon they made dumb references to sewing when they knew better and acting silly but if they ever dared talk to HER that way, I think Charles would have hit them or threatened too.
Charles also flirted (you have such nice hands) with the lady and her distant husband at the horse ranch. Please, he knew she liked him and wanted to be with him but told her she was lonely etc. He went on picnic etc. There is a double standard I never liked here.

I agree with Karen, she loved the show because she is human, she is feminine and not a wooden person. She could like attention but would never cheat on Charles. She had a good man to do a good job and he loved her family and Carrie got attention she never got before. I think it was the most attention and lines she got in a long time. Did Charles ever make her a toy?

I didn't even know about the toy! COZI-TV must have cut that part out. I don't think Charles and Carrie ever had any good father-daughter episodes like he had with both Laura and Mary. I wish the show had done more with the Carrie character than they did, i.e. not just using her to be in trouble in most episodes that feature her (having her fall into a well, having her fall asleep in the balloon thing, etc.).

It is kind of interesting to think what would have happened if Mary had talked to the Widow Thurman the way she talked to Chris.

Also, do you think though that Charles really was flattered by the Widow Thurman or that the Widow Thurman did have any romantic feelings for Charles? I didn't take it like that, but maybe I missed something. Mary flat out asked Chris about his feelings for her ma, and by his silence she knew the answer. What would have happened if she asked Widow Thurman whether she had feelings for Pa? I think Widow Thurman would have denied that. Had Widow Thurman moved into the soddy while Caroline was gone and been hanging around the house all the time, though, I think Mary may have confronted her in much the same way.

amyk wrote:

I didn't even know about the toy! COZI-TV must have cut that part out. I don't think Charles and Carrie ever had any good father-daughter episodes like he had with both Laura and Mary. I wish the show had done more with the Carrie character than they did, i.e. not just using her to be in trouble in most episodes that feature her (having her fall into a well, having her fall asleep in the balloon thing, etc.).

It is kind of interesting to think what would have happened if Mary had talked to the Widow Thurman the way she talked to Chris.

Also, do you think though that Charles really was flattered by the Widow Thurman or that the Widow Thurman did have any romantic feelings for Charles? I didn't take it like that, but maybe I missed something. Mary flat out asked Chris about his feelings for her ma, and by his silence she knew the answer. What would have happened if she asked Widow Thurman whether she had feelings for Pa? I think Widow Thurman would have denied that. Had Widow Thurman moved into the soddy while Caroline was gone and been hanging around the house all the time, though, I think Mary may have confronted her in much the same way.

No I don't think the Widow Thurmon did at all but other women did. She was just using him as a friendly carpenter. The girls thought (and listened to gossip again) that she did though. Same with Chris. He admired Caroline, thought she was pretty but didn't want to marry her. He wanted someone like her. The feeling he got there, he wanted. He said she had a good husband and he could tell by his work.

I wish Mary did because it would have been quite a talking too for sure! She was well respected besides being innocent and rich.
Carrie LOVED Chris and I wish she also had more scenes with her own family as she did with him.

I thought that Chris DID have romantic feelings for Caroline.....not that he necessarily wanted to marry her, but I had the feeling that if she reciprocated his feelings, there could have been more happening physically between the two of them. I just think the temptation was very present there and that there was a real possibility of them both giving in to it, had it not been for Caroline's deep commitment and devotion to Charles and her marriage.