I think Michael Landon was trying to recreate the original dynamic the show had at the beginning and it simply didn't work.

Maybe. The worse case ( if you count the sort of sequel show) was Jenny Wilder. Would have been better if her dad, Total, had left her with Laura and Almonzo because he had gone off to Europe to do business and he would be back. Jenny seemed too contrived being merely another semi-grown instant your kid for your life example. And the real Royal Wilder lived to the 20th century and he had no daughter by the name of Jenny. Besides, the character had been seen recently before in the show, and he had no daughter Jenny, was played by a different actor, and he had a wife alive and he had very young male offspring!

(Jenny was related by blood to Almonzo but still.)

I could not correct Total to Royal.