Twin sisters Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush, best known for their roles as Carrie Ingalls on the beloved series *Little House on the Prairie*, recently revisited one of the show’s most contentious episodes, titled “The Godsister”. This episode, which aired during the show’s fifth season in 1978, features both sisters in the dual role of Carrie and a new character known as Alyssa.
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On the *Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Podcast*, which aired on 15 October, the Greenbush twins shared their insights with former co-stars Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler. The episode has garnered a reputation among fans as one of the show’s most polarising, often labelled as one of its weakest entries. Arngrim, who portrayed the memorable character Nellie Oleson, described the experience of seeing both twins on screen simultaneously as “freaky”, noting that such occurrences were rare in television at the time.
The plot of “The Godsister” revolves around Carrie, who finds herself without any friends to play with while her family is preoccupied. Wandering to the local strawberry patch, she encounters Alyssa, a character whose origins remain ambiguous—suggested to be either a mystical figure or merely a product of Carrie’s imagination. This introduction of fantasy elements strays significantly from the series’ usual realism, which has left many fans dissatisfied.
Reflecting on the episode’s divisive reception, Lindsay, who also goes by the name Robyn, commented on how dramatically it departed from the source material—the book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. “It goes really far away from the books and it enters this fantasy realm,” she explained. The twin pointed out that the show’s storytelling generally adhered closely to real-life scenarios faced by families in small-town America, making the whimsical tone of “The Godsister” particularly jarring.
Sidney, who is known as Rachel off-screen, revealed that the pressure of carrying an episode as the leads was significant, especially as they navigated their personal lives during filming. Their father, actor Billy Green Bush, accompanied them on set while their mother was away, adding an extra layer of complexity to the experience. “My dad being an actor, he always thinks the rules don’t apply to him, and that’s a whole backstory. So there was just a lot going on,” she shared.
On the technical side of the episode’s production, the sisters took turns portraying Alyssa, as both were eager to explore the new character. Despite the uneven distribution of scenes, Robyn ultimately had more opportunities to shine as Alyssa. Reflecting on the dual roles, Rachel noted the fluidity they were accustomed to as child actors. “As an actor, you do different roles all the time. It felt like we were stepping in and out of worlds,” she explained. “We’re going to regular school as Rachel and Robyn and then stepping into the *Little House* world as Lindsay and Sidney.”
Arngrim acknowledged that stepping into a new character could have been a refreshing change for the twins, especially since Carrie is often depicted as the awkward, overlooked youngest sibling. Sidney confirmed this sentiment, stating, “It was a nice change. I think that’s why we both wanted to play Alyssa.” Their eagerness was further supported by their mother’s decision to allow both to participate rather than limiting one of them to the role.
*Little House on the Prairie*, which aired from 1974 to 1983, featured a cast that included iconic actors such as Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Melissa Sue Anderson, and Victor French. The series has since remained a fixture of American television history, continuously attracting new audiences.
In a modern twist, Netflix has recently released the first season of a new adaptation that seeks to align more closely with the original narratives penned by Ingalls Wilder, while incorporating contemporary historical context. Filming for the second season, based on *On the Banks of Plum Creek*, has just concluded and promises to provide both nostalgia and fresh insight into the beloved stories.
As fans of the original series reflect on its impact, the Greenbush twins’ discussions provide a fascinating look into the complexities of childhood acting, as well as the challenges of adapting literary works for television. Despite the controversies surrounding “The Godsister,” the legacy of *Little House on the Prairie* continues to endure as a significant part of American pop culture.