In these 13 unforgettable episodes, families can enjoy the love of family that is destined to win out against the trials of frontier life.
At the opening of Season 2, our favorite characters--Murphy, Mae, and their friend Moses Gage (Moses Gunn)--find life changing. Gage experiences a bout of jealousy when the children want to make special presents for Murphy on Father's Day. Gold Hill opens its doors and hearts to an angry young boy who has gotten expelled from school. Will runs away after the birth of Murphy and Mae's baby girl. Eli, David and Ephram (Scott Mellini) send away for a mail-order bride for Moses, hoping he'll be happy like the Murphys.
Despite winning awards and receiving multiple nominations during its two season run, Father Murphy was cancelled. Having watched both seasons after more than 20 years of the show being off the air, and considering Little House on the Prairie (LHOP) was still on the air at that time--even if it was at the tail end of its run--I can see why Father Murphy didn't make it. While the acting was superb, how much frontier family drama did viewers in the early 80's want? It didn't have a TV sweetheart like Melissa Gilbert to be the focus of the series. While Will Adams (Timothy Gibbs) definitely had talent and has successfully transitioned into an acting adult, he didn't grow on viewers the way Gilbert did. I think part of that is because the relationship between Murphy and Will is very different from the one between Charles Ingalls and his daughter, Laura. There wasn't as much crying in Father Murphy. I only mention that because so many LHOP fans talk about the tear-jerking episodes of this classic family television show. The characters in Father Murphy also weren't seen in church all the time.
As I said in my review of Season 1, Father Murphy was an edgier version of Little House on the Prairie. Murphy was a very different father figure than Charles Ingalls, even though they had some of the same traits. If the show had aired after LHOP was cancelled, I wonder if it would have been more successful. The Young Pioneers Christmas, which is based upon a book written by Rose Wilder Lane, spurred a short-lived series in 1978 titled, The Young Pioneers. Maybe the family western drama was dying out in the late 70's and early 80's, but LHOP being on the air may have impacted those shows. Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman starring Jane Seymour and Joe Lando ran for six seasons and two movies, starting in 1993. I believe it was the only frontier family series on during that time.
For whatever reason, Father Murphy didn't catch on. It's definitely better TV than what is on today, but at the time, it didn't make the cut. Merlin Olsen and Moses Gunn are both gone now. Katherine Cannon has retired from acting, as have many of the child stars from the series. James Cromwell, who guest starred on Little House on the Prairie and Father Murphy, is perhaps one of the biggest names connected with show. Other notable guests include: Shannen Doherty, Christina Applegate, Tina Yothers, Eddie Quinlan, and Kellie Martin.
I purchased Season 2 of this series through an Amazon seller last year. I received no monetary compensation for this review.
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