THE LOVE CHILD
The Love Child - first shown
'Etta has been diagnosed with terminal leukaemia. She brings
her young son, Scott, to his grandparents. Etta's mother is thrilled, but her
father refuses to have them in the house. Scott was conceived when Etta had an
affair with a married man, and she ran away to
Written and Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Stars: Will Geer as Zach Randolph, Josephine
Hutchinson as Martha Randolph, Carol Lawson as Etta, Michael-James Wixted as
Scott, David Bond as the doctor.
*****
This tragic, yet ultimately hopeful, episode is beautifully
written and directed by Michael. The story is of Etta, a woman who was very much
in love with a married man, and who wanted his child if she could not have him.
Her son Scott was therefore not an accident but a love child.
Although the story is so sad, there are some funny moments such as Hop Sing
having a huff over rain on his floor and banter between Hoss, Jamie and Joe
over the lack of breakfast eggs.
Diagnosed with terminal leukaemia, Etta returns to her parents' home and is
warmly welcomed by her mother Martha but cruelly rejected by her father Zack.
Despite Ben's best efforts, Zack remains totally hostile to Etta so she goes to
stay on the Ponderosa, making the most of her final days with Scott.
Etta had managed to extract a promise from her father that he and her mother
will take Scott in – they did not know she was dying – if she promises never to
see them again. Tragically this will be literally true but not before Zack is
reunited with his daughter at the very last.
Michael uses rain to signify Etta's coming death as he does in Little House in
the classic "Remember Me" episode. The "Love Child" story
is beautifully supported by David Rose's musical score for which he won an
Emmy.
In the last scene Scott is seen living happily with his grandparents and I
think that was a fitting ending.
That's a simple story outline but there are some marvellous moments in this
episode. There are stellar performances from Will Geer as Zack whose
expressions and body language are brilliant and from Mitch Vogel who really
shines under Michael's sympathetic direction.
One of the most moving scenes is where Scott is asking Jamie what heaven is
like and Jamie gives a beautiful and thoughtful explanation and is full of
compassion for Scott.
Comment: I actually found this episode very hard to watch at times. The story
of a parent dying too soon and having so little time left with a young child
whom they will not see grow up brought thoughts of Michael and Jennifer and
Sean.
Also the rain scenes are so like the Little House episode "Remember Me"
– the one with the "smiles and laughter" words which we associate so
much with Michael. I felt as I do when I watch "Forever" and think of
Dan.