Although well done, this story is unnecessarily bleak and somber. Albert is diagnosed with an incurable blood disorder, and has only a short time left to live. If this situation had come up earlier in the series, it would have been a way of writing Albert out of the show. At this point, the series was ending, anyway. There was no need to "write off" any character. In any case, note that Albert's disease is never identified. I guess one life-threatening illness is as good as another. Albert's reaction is to do "as much as he can" before his time ends. A commendable outlook, but not entirely believable. Charles is initially devastated, but later pulls it together. Laura's reaction is another matter. She takes it bad. Really bad. Charles tells her that she has to be strong, and she tries to be. However, Laura has limited control of her emotions. What's inside her will eventually come to the surface. Watching Laura and Albert together here, something occurred to me. Laura's feelings for Albert seemed to go beyond a brother-sister relationship. Remember, Albert was adopted. He and Laura weren't related biologically. Who knows what Laura was really feeling? Overall, this is a pretty downbeat story, but it's made watchable by good performances. Melissa Gilbert was particularly effective.

Though it's sort of a "revisit" to an earlier episode, it's still really good. If I remember correctly, Charles Ingalls Jr. basically died from the same thing. I believe they both died from leukemia. It's interesting that Charles didn't mention this when the doctor told me. I half-expected him to say "Not again" or something like that - but he didn't.

So, Albert is just about to start medical school. Charles has gotten a new job and is being sent back to Minnesota for a month. After visiting the University, Albert and Charles head to Walnut Grove to relive old memories.

Walnut Grove is having some sort of baseball tournament. We see all the old cast there - except Harriet Oleson, whom we will not be seeing again because the actress had moved on. Things haven't really changed that much since the ending of Season Nine, but I guess they wouldn't have since (I understand) these three movies were done very soon after the closing of the season. I'm assuming they sort of had to do them since they didn't finish season nine and probably had contract obligations to finish...The baseball game is a side-story. Other side stories: Jason wanting to kiss a girl (the one he tried to impress with the glasses in Season Nine),and trouble with the farmers selling their crops to the grange.

The story is a sad one. I've only seen it a few times because it's just too awful to watch. I'm thankful they ended the movie before "the event."

If my son was dying, I know I would moved Heaven and Earth to be there. I think Caroline would have found somebody to watch the children so she could come be with her dying son. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't buy that. But since Karen Graslie didn't have a contract, she probably wasn't able to play in this episode. I'll be happy to see her return for the final movie.

Our story begins in Burr Oak, Iowa, where Charles has been promoted to purchasing agent for J.R. Bennett & Company, and the best part is, he was being sent to Minnesota on a month-long business trip, and Albert will come along! You know what this means: a stopover in Walnut Grove, where at this moment, the town is engaged in a baseball game, with Reverend Alden is still a flimsy umpire. Afterwards, they sit down to a lovely picnic in the Wilders' yard and discuss how bad crops are driving some farmers away, so really not much has changed; Charles and Albert stopped by the university where Albert hoped to enroll and begin his studies to be a doctor, so he can force Doc Baker out...nah, only kidding, he's more than happy to retire, he's earned it. During the meeting with the dean, the boy began experiencing nose bleeds, which apparently he's been getting quite often. Albert may qualify for a scholarship so Charles wouldn't be stuck with a huge tuition. Things were looking up, which can only mean that they will soon come crashing down. Meanwhile, Jason has taken up a new hobby: voyeurism, watching Miss Plum and her sweetheart swapping saliva, and instantly started obsessing over kissing. While he goes around bugging everybody about what to do with his lips, Charles and Albert arrive and reunite with the old gang. Edwards brings him up to speed on failing crops, while Laura takes Albert on a picnic. He gets another nose bleed, but it's probably nothing serious. After that, he stopped by the school and met an old sweetheart whom we've never heard about until now, Michele Pierson. They have an awkward conversation. She wants him, but I wonder if the feeling is mutual. In Redwood Falls, Charles has a meeting with their supplier, Otis Wagner, who tells him that they mainly look to big farms for goods because they deliver more than little farms. Charles proposes a co-op among the smaller farmers, after all, he's done it before. Otis remained skeptical, but Charles guaranteed they'd deliver the goods. They had nothing to lose. Hope Charles can bring the community farmers together again, because this time it's for all the marbles. But enough about that, let's play ball! Edwards' team versus Carters, and so far the former was in the lead 8-5. Next at bat: Albert Ingalls. He hit it out of the park, rounded third, headed home. Slide, Albert, slide! And he's... out, or so the unholy umpire ruled. But what's this? Albert's passed out and his nose was bleeding something awful. He's still out, though. Doc Baker examined him and recommended Albert be taken to the hospital in Mankato. Dr. Houser diagnosed him with a severe blood disorder for which there was no treatment, and no hope.

Charles wanted to take him back to Burr Oak to be with the family, but Albert decided he'd rather stay in Walnut Grove until the time came. It was his life and he was going to do whatever he darn well pleased. When they got back, Albert wanted to act as if nothing happened, he even wanted a rematch with John Carter's team. He's got spirit, I'll give him that. So Charles held a town meeting about his co-op plan, and made a new "friend", Zack Taylor, who was sure Charles had something up his sleeve. Albert shamed Zack, who belittled him and Edwards informed him that the boy was dying. Zack humbled himself by agreeing to Charles' plan, and the other farmers followed suit. We got us a town again. Yes it seems the farmers of Walnut Grove became at odds with each other since Charles left. And so they all took to planting, plowing and tilling, with Albert helping everywhere he could. He seemed to be taking this dying thing really well. He also got that scholarship to the university, and he and Michele share a romantic moment together on her porch...lucky bastard. Meanwhile, Laura assumed the role of Albert's overbearing mother by trying to forbid him from playing ball and joining the class field trip by climbing up Harper's Bluff to the "keepsake tree." Albert shouldn't be allowed to have fun, a dying boy like him needs to stay in bed and suffer, I guess. But seriously, she was beside herself over the situation and couldn't even admit that Albert was going to die. She was going to pieces. Soon came the field trip, with Albert leading the way and a cautious Laura behind him. Will he make it? Five'll get ya ten. Despite his strength giving out on him, Albert made it to the top! Eventually Miss Plum and the others caught up and they proceeded to put their crap in the tree. Despite his condition, Albert never felt more alive. Oh, and I guess we can assume the co-op failed since no mention of it was ever made again.

Albert's fate is left ambiguous, but we assume that he passed away after this episode, since he isn't seen or mentioned in the other two finale movies. During the end credits, I think there should have been a montage of Albert's first appearance up until the last scene of this episode. Would've been nice. This is Albert Ingalls' final appearance, and Matthew Laborteaux was outstanding. Several scenes, particularly the nose bleeds, are difficult to watch, and he pulls them off nicely. Michael Landon was fantastic as well, so were Melissa Gilbert, Victor French, Melora Hardin, David Friedman, Charles Cyphers, Shannen Doherty and Leslie Landon. I enjoyed the baseball games, hearkening back to"In the Big Inning." The tone was similar to "Home Again", except this time Albert's disorder was not self-inflicted. This movie shows that Little House was still fresh and intriguing this late in the game and should have continued its run. I recommend Look Back to Yesterday that closes out Albert's story, and we find out that we hardly knew him.