New Land, The

1 9 7 4 (USA)
6 x 60 minute episodes

This short-lived warm family drama from ABC – telling the story of a family of immigrant settlers enduring hardships in their struggle to realise the American dream – was inevitably described as “a Swedish Waltons“.

It told the story of the Larsens, who settled in Minnesota in 1858.

The family comprised Christian (Scott Thomas), his wife, Anna (Bonnie Bedelia), their two children Tuliff (Todd Lookinland) and Anneliese (Debbie Lytton), and Christian’s younger brother, Bo (Kurt Russell).

Life in their newly adopted land was not easy:

Anna: “Does everything in this country have to be hard?”

Christian: “I do not know, Anna. Maybe it does. Or maybe we have to be stronger than the things against us”.

One of the things against them was their time slot – they were up against All In The Family. 

The series debuted on 14 September 1974 but lasted only six episodes.

Christian Larsen
Scott Thomas
Anna Larsen
Bonnie Bedelia
Bo Larsen
Kurt Russell
Annaliese Larsen
Debbie Lytton
Tuliff Larsen
Todd Lookinland

Episodes

The Word Is: Persistence | The Word Is: Growth | The Word Is: Acceptance | The Word Is: Mortal | The Word Is: Alternative | The Word Is: Celebration