From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv
Netflix's 'Little House on the Prairie' Is a Charming Reimagining
of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Beloved Adventure
-----------------------------------------------------------------
More than four decades after the initial series ended its nine-season
run on NBC, Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved semi-autobiographical
novels have been adapted to television once again. Created by Rebecca
Sonnenshine and executive produced by Trip Friendly, son of original
series producer Ed Friendly, Netflix's "Little House on the Prairie"
is part family drama, part adventure tale. The story follows the
Ingalls family in the shadow of the American Civil War, determined to
make a new life and place for themselves in a country still figuring
out what it wants to be. Though the show is slightly slow at the
start, the childlike whimsy and robust themes are as resounding today
as they were 150 years ago.
The series begins with 8-year-old Laura (a wonderfully cast Alice
Halsey) as she reflects on her family's massive quest to the West. Her
family consists of her mother, Caroline (Crosby Fitzgerald), her
father, Charles (Luke Bracey), and her older sister, Mary (Skywalker
Hughes). Having left their farm and loved ones behind, Laura describes
the Ingalls' near 800-mile journey West as one rife with excitement
and new delights. However, as the foursome nears their stopping point
in Independence, Kansas, things take a dangerous turn. A chaotic,
life-threatening river crossing immediately showcases how physically
dangerous treks like these could be.
While "Little House" boasts a simpler narrative than 21st-century
audiences are used to, the show's tranquil tone allows the pragmatic
plot points to flourish. Two of the most significant themes in the
series are patriarchy and its effects on community, and the power of
sisterhood. Charles' dreams and desires directly affect the well-being
of Caroline and his daughters. Leaving everything they knew and loved
behind in Big Woods, Wisconsin, the Ingalls embark westward full of
hope and very few resources, and along the way, the family encounters
some helping hands. Yet, money problems, sinister people and
devastating setbacks also mar their experience. Charles is a modern
man for the times, one who dotes on his wife and children. Yet,
Caroline, Mary and Laura have no real input into the direction of
their lives. Scenes depicting Charles building the family's new home,
a robbery and even an expected pregnancy illustrate all of this.
Still, one of the most textured and significant components of the show
is the sisterhood between Laura and Mary. From the outset, it's clear
Laura and Mary are very different. Strong-willed and fearless, Laura
has no qualms about asking questions and walking to the beat of her own
drum. She finds school lessons horribly boring and would much rather be
outside than doing housework with Mary and her mother. Like her Pa, she
is bold and unafraid, often waving to strangers, including Indigenous
people, despite Caroline's fears. Mary, in contrast, is no fan of the
wilderness. Quiet and thoughtful, she would rather spend time sewing
and helping her mother than sauntering through the tall prairie grasses
with her sister. Labeled the responsible one, she feels the weight of
her parents' worries and her sister's terrifying fearlessness.
In Episode 6, "Peace on Earth," the Ingalls spend their first Christmas
snowed in alone in Independence. With Caroline resting in the final
days of her pregnancy, and still reeling from a fight she and Laura
had, it's up to Mary to make sure her little sister has a Christmas to
remember. The episode beautifully addresses the burdens that typically
come with being the eldest daughter.
"Little House on the Prairie" opens just after the violence and terror
of the Civil War. It depicts a country still in its infancy and folks
trying to figure out who they are in the world. Racism, prejudices and
distrust between the settlers and the Osage tribe, as well as the white
settlers and Black people in the town, are prominent in the series,
though perhaps a much more sanitized depiction than in reality.
Dr. Tann (Jocko Sims) - based on a real-life Black doctor who saves the
Ingalls' lives, is the only physician for miles - was born free in
Philadelphia, and showcases a rarely seen aspect of the Black American
experience at the time.
Moreover, the series addresses the predatory nature of the government
against the Indigenous and how it permanently devastated generations of
people who once lived and thrived on the land. The show also depicts
how the railroad set a precedent for other big businesses to lure in
naive citizens seeking their own slice of the American dream.
Overall, for those who loved the original show and books, and for
viewers being introduced to the Ingalls for the first time, "Little
House" illustrates the beauty of community, the horrors of encroachment
and displacement, and the cost of being an American. For those who know
Wilder's books, you know that Independence, Kansas is just the beginning
of a massive adventure. The Ingalls are already set to return for
Season 2 on Netflix.
<
https://variety.com/2026/tv/reviews/little-house-on-the-prairie-review-netflix-1236798666/>
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2