Little House on the Prairie is beloved for its wholesome tales that pull at the heartstrings. However, sometimes the show went off the rails. Created by Michael Landon, who starred as Charles Ingalls, Little House is adored by TV fans of all ages. Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved book series, the show gained fame for its emotional episodes. Still, at times, it was delightfully bonkers.

Here are some of the wildest moments on the prairie.

A Hot Air Ballon Whisks Carrie Away

Season four’s “Meet Me at the Fair” kicks off our grouping of crazy moments on the prairie. At the fair, Mary plans to flirt with Patrick. But fate has a twist! She’s charmed by Cass, a balloonist who happens to be Patrick’s boss. Meanwhile, Carrie, her mischievous sister, unknowingly boards the hot-air balloon, dozes off, and takes an unexpected flight. Thankfully, Mary’s crush, Patrick, swoops in to save the day. As for Carrie’s parents, they’re too caught up in the fair’s donkey-riding contest to notice the airborne adventure.

Ma Chops Off Her Own Leg

In Season two’s “A Matter of Faith” Caroline Ingall (AKA Ma) has to perform a major surgery… on herself. Pa and the girls go on a camping trip, with Caroline planning to join them later. Caroline had scratched her leg on a baling wire, which became infected. With no help available, she mustered the courage to perform self-surgery after finding inspiration in her Bible. Using a heated knife, she operates on herself before losing consciousness.

In one harrowing scene, Ma attempts to call for help out the window but is simply too weak to succeed. Fortunately, Pa arrives, and they can contact a doctor.

‘Little House on the Prairie’ Characters Mix It Up with The Circus

The season six episode of Little House on the Prairie titled “Annabelle” finds our characters getting mixed up with the circus. Nels discovers his sister’s surprising secret: she is the “fat lady” in the circus. Determined to keep this hidden from the townspeople, he goes to great lengths to conceal her sister’s identity.

Meanwhile, Laura confides in a sympathetic stranger about her romantic troubles, unaware that he is the circus manager. Taking pity on her, he allows Laura to transform into an unrecognizable clown. In a whimsical twist, Laura playfully douses her romantic rival with water and steals a kiss from Almanzo, all while wearing full clown makeup.

As the story unfolds, Nels takes on the role of ringmaster and proudly reveals that Annabelle is his sister. Despite Nels embracing his circus-performing sister, she is never mentioned again.

Mr. Edwards Adopts an Ape… On “Little House on the Prairie’

“For the Love of Blanche” is a season nine episode that goes full-tilt crazy. Mr. Edwards makes a promise to care for a dying traveler’s “baby,” only to discover that it is an orangutan named Blanche. While most locals develop a fondness for the ape, Mrs. Oleson insists on having Blanche killed. To safeguard Blanche, Mr. Edwards concocts a plan to deceive them into believing that the orangutan has died.

Later on, Blanche becomes a hero by rescuing Rose from a potentially fatal house fire, which Jenny extinguishes. When Jenny recounts the incident at school, Nancy and Mrs. Oleson demand that the sheriff verify Blanche’s demise. However, the clever ape hides in a tree until the zookeeper arrives, ultimately persuading both the sheriff and Mrs. Oleson to grant Blanche a new life in the zoo.