The first two episodes of the show were pretty good albeit corny. But if you ask me what was the first sign of the show's greatness, definitely this one. First off it has an interesting story. The thunder destroys all crops and everyone is in harsh economic trouble. The women stay in the village trying to grow some crops, hard as it may be. The men head off to find work, Charles and his new friends picking one at a rock quarry.
The women working together (with Caroline organizing the team) is pretty lightweight stuff, although it provides a little bit of humor with one of them being less enthusiastic than the rest. I think the reason I didn't care about it as much is because it wasn't focused on a lot. The plot with Charles & co. is pretty fun to watch, and Jack Peters, Jacob Jacobsen and Williams are all charming and well-written characters. I especially like Jack, who is a happy and crazy but lovable dynamite detonator. And the friendship the four of them have feels so natural, and makes for nice, compelling viewing.
But what makes this episode truly stick out is the dramatic weight. Little House On The Prairie wasn't all laughs and dances, tough s'hit happened and you had to deal with it one way or another. The families are heartbroken to separate from each other, but what choice do you have when you can die if you don't? There's a conversation where Charles and his comrades are talking with each other, speaking fondly of their wives and kids. The subtle, but sad look on Charles' face as he goes to bed afterwards is perfectly portrayed by Michael Landon, who will only become better and better as the series progresses.
And not to spoil, but the biggest reason why this high rating is justified is due to the ending. I was really not prepared to cry, but I did. You can fool yourself all you want, try to write this off as just a cheesy period drama. But goddamn. When Little House gets dramatic, it hits you in the gut real hard.
9.5/10.