‘Little House on the Prairie’ Review
The new generation may not have the template of the original show in their consciousness, so this serves as a worthy introduction into the Ingalls world.
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie autobiographical book series has been popular since its inception in the 1930s, having sold over 73 million copies worldwide. The 1974 show based on the books series lasted nine seasons and took home four Emmys. The show’s depiction of a bygone era of homespun Americana is being introduced to a new generation with Netflix’s upcoming series which starts streaming on July 9. Though a bit of a retread, the new production by showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine (Archive 81, The Boys, Vampire Diaries) presents the Ingalls family adventures on the frontier in a fresh light and the cast holds their own, for the most part, against the original.
Ingalls Wilder’s eight books have been widely criticized for their racist and degrading depictions of Native and Black Americans. For example, at one point Ingalls Wilder writes, “There were no people; only Indians lived there.” The original series managed to be progressive and the upcoming one is as well. Some will want to say it’s “woke,” but it’s a candid portrayal of what really happened on the frontier, sans Ingalls Wilder’s biased lens.
The first season of Little House on the Prairie had 24 episodes and a feature-length pilot episode versus the eight that will be streamed on Netflix. While the eight do a thorough job of letting us get to know the Ingalls, 24 episodes allows for characters and situations to be fully fleshed out.
The episode titles are "Independence," The House on the Prairie," "News of the World," "Life Let Us Cherish," "A Circle of Blue Sky," "Peace on Earth," A Softer Note in the Sound of the Wind," and "This is Now". Each episode has the Ingalls get more deeply entrenched in their Independence, Kansas environment and develop more of an understanding of their Native American neighbors.
The first episode incorporates some elements for the original’s pilot episode but also introduces CGI wolves, which take us out of the spirit of the downhome setting. Danger could have been exhibited in a different or more realistic way. Even the use of real wolves would have been better. After this rocky start, the story and visuals find their groove by episode two.
Luke Bracey (The Artful Dodger, The Travellers) as Charles Ingalls is earnest and manly. He doesn’t have Michael Landon’s pretty face, but he makes up for that with some decent acting.
Crosby Fitzgerald (Crime 101, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox) is Caroline Ingalls, the matriarch of the family, and she brings a real toughness and vulnerability to the character. She looks a bit like Sarah Snook, with her fiery red coloring enhancing her character’s persona.
Youngest daughter Laura is Alice Halsey (Lessons in Chemistry, Days of Our Lives) whose face is almost too perfect. She looks like she could start modeling in a couple of years. Melissa Gilbert, the original Laura, had the sweet-faced innocence of an everyday child. By episode two, Alice's chemistry with her sister Mary, Skywalker Hughes (Joe Pickett, Ordinary Angels), is a keystone in the progression of the narrative. Melissa Sue Anderson played the original Mary and was nominated for her role. Laura and Mary’s concern for and search for surrogate uncle and troubled drunkard John Edwards, Warren Christie (Holiday Road, A Royal Montana Christmas), is when the series ramps up the suspense and emotional stakes.
Dr. George Tann, a Black doctor, is played by Jocko Sims (Gross Pointe Garden Society, New Amsterdam). In real life, Dr. Tann saved Laura and her family from malaria. In the original series he was played by Don Pedro Colley and only appeared in one episode, season 3, episode 18. His character really gets a chance to breathe in this version and has his own storyline, which involves love interest shop owner Emily, Barrett Doss (Station 19, Grey’s Anatomy).
The question is, is a remake of the series necessary? The pilot movie aired in 1974, a year that America started to lose more of its innocence. Richard Nixon resigned because of Watergate and Patty Hearst was kidnapped. The nostalgia of the old west that Little House on the Prairie was a welcome distraction and comfort. The world is even more chaotic now than it was then. Perhaps reintroducing this story about the pioneering days of America when things were simpler yet tough is as relevant now as it was then and will provide a welcome distraction from the ailments of the world. The warmth of nostalgia never grows old.
One of the best aspects of the series is Dan Romer’s beautiful soundtrack. Like David Rose’s music from the original, it hits the emotional beats of the story and really captures the ambiance of a new frontier.
Besides Rebecca Sonnenshine, other writers include Eleanor Burgess, Adam Starks, Francesca Butler, Tom Hanada, and P. Carter Kristensen. The writing stays true to the books and the original series. The Native Americans are developed beyond stereotypes and are fully developed characters. Wren Zhawenim Gotts is a standout as Good Eagle.
The original Little House on the Prairie book series came out during the Great Depression. The original series came out during less cynical, more optimistic times. These characters and storyline have proven their staying power. In 2024, the series had 13.3 billion minutes of viewing. The upcoming series provides a well-rounded view of the story and reintroduces beloved characters with new actors. The new generation may not have the template of the original show in their consciousness, so this serves as a worthy introduction into the Ingalls world.
Little House on the Prairie premieres on Netflix, July 9, 2026.
Sonya Alexander started off her career training to be a talent agent. She eventually realized she was meant to be on the creative end and has been writing ever since. As a freelance writer she’s written screenplays, covered film, television, music and video games and done academic writing. She’s also been a script reader for over twenty years. She's a member of the African American Film Critics Association and currently resides in Los Angeles.
