Back in 1977, Little House on the Prairie aired an episode called “Here Come the Brides.” At the time, no one thought much of it. It was a story about a teenage girl who falls in love, sneaks off to get married, and learns a life lesson. But nearly 50 years later, the cast is looking back and saying, “That wouldn’t fly today.”
In a recent episode of the Little House 50 podcast, Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson, revealed that she was just 15 when the episode was filmed, and her character was supposed to be even younger. Meanwhile, the actor who played her love interest, Bob Marsic, was 22 years old. That pairing, they admit, would cause serious concerns in today’s industry standards.
Alison Arngrim and Bob Marsic kissed on the first day while shooting the controversial ‘Little House on the Prairie’ episode
Alison described filming the episode as both awkward and surreal. “I think we were kissing on the first or second day,” she recalled. “Hi, introduce yourself — now you’re in love.” She also shared that Marsic’s girlfriend showed up on set during filming, which added another layer of discomfort for her teenage self.
Pamela Bob, one of the podcast co-hosts, added some humor but also made a clear point: “There is no swag on the prairie.” Still, the idea of young girls showing affection toward a much older man didn’t sit right, even in hindsight. “That would not happen today, right?” Bob then asked. “That casting a full grown adult to play or even kiss and it was an innocent kiss, but it’s a kiss to a minor.”
The episode is now considered outdated and tone-deaf
Today, such a scene would require intimacy coordinators and age-appropriate casting to avoid controversy or harm. However, Alison made it clear that it wasn’t just about the kiss; it was about how common it used to be to blur the lines between adult and teen roles. “It was young girls accosting a grown man they hadn’t even been introduced to,” she said.
In today’s world of stricter on-set guidelines and increased awareness around consent and representation, the episode feels outdated and tone-deaf.