Three stars out of four
In a moment when Westerns are more popular than ever, it makes perfect sense that Netflix is launching a new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved, semi-autobiographical Little House on the Prairie series. (Season 1 premiered Thursday, July 9, and the show has already been renewed for season 2).
The books, of course, were originally adapted into an iconic 1970s TV show. This adaptation begins a bit earlier, prior to the Ingalls’ adventures in Walnut Creek, Minnesota. Instead, over eight heartfelt episodes, viewers follow 7-year-old Laura (newcomer Alice Halsey) and her family — Pa Charles (Luke Bracey), Ma Caroline (Crosby Fitzgerald) and sister Mary (Skywalker Hughes) — on their journey west to Independence, Kansas, and the trials and tribulations of building a new life from scratch.
The show succeeds in demonstrating just how dang near impossible pioneer days were and does a good job balancing the hardships of frontier life with the innocent perspective of an inquisitive, hopeful child. In a smart update, Netflix’s Little House wisely devotes significant time to the Native families — including Wren Zhawenim Gotts as Laura’s friend Good Eagle — who originally inhabited the land and are understandably unhappy as settlers arrive. The tension between these two groups is the show at its best.
A back-to-the-beginning reboot means viewers don’t need to be familiar with any of the previous work to enjoy this wholesome family program. This warm reimagining honors the spirit of the books — and sets the show up for many more years of wilderness adventures for a new generation.
Here’s what other critics had to say about Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie reboot:
Time: “[Showrunner Rebecca] Sonnenshine’s intentions are noble in transforming Little House into a vision of frontier multiculturalism battling entrenched white supremacy, even if the show suggests a dubious moral equivalence between the Ingallses and the Mitchells. Its painterly exterior shots, all sun-dappled meadows and nights lit by campfire, surpass aesthetic expectations for Netflix fare. Halsey and Fitzgerald give their characters real energy and depth.”
The Guardian: “It is exactly the revamp you would expect. The new LHOTP is a precision-tooled and well-oiled machine. All children’s and most adult problems are solvable within a one-to-three episode arc. Kansas may contain malaria, medicine-hoarders and mentions of how hard the war was but ultimately the vibe is the one we recognise: faith, hope and the American way will carry us cozily through. There are peppermint sticks in the general store, handmade quilts on the snug cabin’s beds and at least three songs and dances round the campfire per episode. You may take that as a promise or a warning as you wish.”
The Hollywood Reporter: “Over eight episodes, most running under 50 minutes but never dull even in the longer installments, Little House on the Prairie captures a tumultuous year in the life of the Ingalls family, a year with danger, romance, heroism and the learning of many important lessons. I don’t gravitate toward ‘wholesome’ or ‘earnest’ as attributes in most of my favorite shows, but I bought into Little House on the Prairie and I’m relieved that Netflix has already renewed it for a second season.”
