Karen Grassle

Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, this epic version of the legendary western sheriff-gunslinger's life story stars Kevin Costner as Earp, who lived from 1848 to 1929. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Earp tries to run away to join the Union Army in the Civil War, but he is turned away because of his youth. Instead, he studies law and marries Urilla Sutherland (Annabeth Gish). But Urilla dies of typhoid fever before they can have children. Earp grows despondent and descends into drinking and petty thievery, but his father Nicholas (Gene Hackman) finds him, sobers him up, and sets him straight. Earp becomes a buffalo hunter and a close companion of Bat Masterson (Tom Sizemore) and his brother Ed (Bill Pullman). With his brothers, Virgil (Michael Madsen) and Morgan (Linden Ashby), Earp sets out to clean up the violence-plagued towns of the old West -- by using his own guns to settle scores. Earp takes up with Mattie Blaylock (Mare Winningham), a drug addict and prostitute, then discards her for actress Josie Marcus (Joanna Going). In Tombstone, Arizona, the Earp brothers and their comrade Doc Holliday (Dennis Quaid), who is plagued by tuberculosis and a compulsion for gambling, meet their match in a ruthless gang led by Ike Clanton (Jeff Fahey). ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

In the first of the series' "novel" episodes, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) invites the viewers to listen in as she narrates her latest mystery story, involving a group of very intelligent graduate students. One of the protagonists is aspiring composer Michael Prentiss (Paul Clemens), who is outraged when his new composition is plagiarized by his unscrupulous professor. When the prof is murdered, Michael is accused of the crime, and it is up to his best buddy, law student Chad Singer (Paul Clemens), to prove Michael's innocence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Elizabeth Montgomery plays a woman who awakens from a 20-year coma. Her adjustment to the new world around her is made doubly difficult by the knowledge that her long-ago sweetheart has married her sister (Karen Grassle). Worse still, Montgomery learns that her reawakening may be temporary, and that she could lapse back into a coma at any time. Matching Elizabeth Montgomery in the noble-suffering sweepstakes is Dorothy McGuire, cast as Montgomery's mother. Lori Birdsong plays the younger version of Montgomery in the flashback sequences. The made-for-TV Between the Darkness and the Dawn was first networkcast December 23, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV message drama presents the dangers of cocaine addiction as it follows one man's descent from successful real estate salesman and father, to red-eyed, runny nosed, coke head. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

With Dr. Baker (Kevin Hagen) in tow, Caroline (Karen Grassle) responds to a call for help from a prospector's camp. Here she finds her old friend Louisa (Ruth Silveira) now pregnant and suffering from the influenza that has spread throughout the camp. Though Louisa dies, her baby survives -- whereupon Caroline makes a fateful decision concerning the infant's future happiness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, James (Jason Bateman) heads to the Sleepy Eye bank to make a deposit. The bank is robbed and James is shot, leaving him comatose. Seething with grief and rage, James' adoptive father, Charles (Michael Landon), persuades his friend Mr. Edwards (Victor French) to help him track down the outlaws. As they set out on their mission, Charles and Edwards order Albert ( Matthew Laborteaux) to stay behind -- an order he disobeys. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Still grieving over the death of his son John, Mr. Edwards (Victor French) has begun drinking again. Ordered out of his own home by his long-suffering wife, Grace (played by Corinne Camacho, replacing former series regular Bonnie Bartlett), Edwards returns to Walnut Grove and his friends the Ingalls, hoping to start life anew. Alas, he is unable to give up the bottle, and while drunkenly making a delivery to Sleepy Eye, he causes an accident that seriously injures Albert Ingalls (Matthew Laborteaux). His best friends having all but given up on him, Edwards must regain his inner strength on his own -- though he still has some "special help" from a higher source. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

James (Jason Bateman) befriends Gideon (played by Peter Billingsley of A Christmas Story fame), the new kid in school. Alas, when the other students make fun of Gideon's stammer, James bows to peer pressure and joins in on the ridicule. Heartbroken, Gideon runs away, and it is up to James' adoptive mother, Caroline (Karen Grassle), to set things right. Also figuring prominently in the outcome of this story is a wild dog whom James met while on a visit to Minneapolis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, James (Jason Bateman) remains in a coma after being shot in a bank robbery. Everyone has given up hope for the boy's recovery except his adoptive father, Charles (Michael Landon), whose obsessive belief that a "miracle" will occur alienates him from his family and all but drives him insane. Ultimately, Charles builds an altar and places James upon it, hoping against hope that God will save the boy. An astonishing climax caps this, the final episode of Little House on the Prairie (though the series would be revamped in the fall of 1982 under the title Little House: A New Beginning). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Snowed in by a Christmas blizzard, the Ingalls family, including married daughters Laura (Melissa Gilbert) and Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and their respective husbands, Almanzo (Dean Butler) and Adam (Linwood Boomer), pass the time by telling stories about their lives. Also on hand is family friend Hester-Sue (Ketty Lester), who imparts a fascinating yarn of her own. This episode features excerpts from the 1974 Little House on the Prairie TV-movie pilot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A clash between Mr. and Mrs. Oleson (Richard Bull, Katherine MacGregor) leads to a town referendum to decide if the women of Walnut Grove should have property rights equal to the men. Not surprisingly, the referendum splits the town right down the middle, male vs. female. Ultimately, a Lysistrata situation develops, with the ladies all leaving their husbands until they get what they want. Even the Ingalls' baby daughter Grace has something to say during the fracas -- her first words, in fact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jack Kruschen guest stars as Gambini, an aging circus artist in whose footsteps his sons are reluctant to follow. When Gambini's show comes to town, Albert (Matthew Laborteaux) is fascinated with the old man's "escape" act -- so much so that he tries to be Gambini's protégé. This proves to be a near-fatal mistake, not only for Albert, but for many of the other kids in Walnut Grove. On a less dangerous note, Albert develops a crush on another circus performer, a girl named Anna Rosa (Gloria Manos). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

J. Brennan Smith is cast as Elmer, a chubby new student at the Walnut Grove school. Mercilessly ridiculed because of his weight, Elmer gravitates to the only person willing to be nice to him -- bratty Nancy Oleson (Allison Balson). In truth, however, Nancy doesn't care a fig about Elmer; she just hopes to use him to her advantage, and to that end she persuades the boy to "get even" with the other kids by becoming the class bully. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide