Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie Review: A Beautiful and More Realistic Look at Frontier Life
Netflix has released its reboot of Little House on the Prairie, and our team had the opportunity to review it. With an entirely new cast and new plot lines, the classic book series has been turned into a thoughtful reimagining of what life was like on the prairie for Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family. Read on for a spoiler-free review of Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie.
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According to the press release, Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie is a mix of family drama and survival story, offering a broader look at the struggles and triumphs of the people who shaped the frontier. Just like Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, Laura is our window into this world as she experiences the challenges, relationships, and moments of hope around her. Per the press release, the series stars Luke Bracey as Charles Ingalls, Crosby Fitzgerald as Caroline Ingalls, Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls, and Skywalker Hughes as Mary Ingalls. Netflix has already renewed the series for Season 2, where audiences will meet the infamous Nellie Oleson and see her rivalry with Laura Ingalls begin.
Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie has beautiful cinematography. The wide-open views of the prairie, gorgeous sunsets, and open space are captured in a way that makes it obvious as to why people would flock to the area for “free” land. The show is filmed in a way that makes the Ingalls family (Pa, Ma, Mary and Laura) feel small against this massive backdrop, and I think that works because it does remind viewers just how difficult life on the frontier really was.
One major theme in Little House is that the prairie is beautiful, but at its core, it is also very unpredictable. Throughout the series, the Ingalls family learns that building a home and creating a life isn’t something one person can do alone. The town doctor (played by Jocko Sims) even points out that the idea of one person becoming successful completely on their own is more of a myth than reality. The challenges the family faces, from crossing rivers to moving massive logs to build a cabin, show just how much community, teamwork, and sacrifice were required to have a successful farm.
One thing this Netflix reboot of Little House on the Prairie does differently from the original television series is that it explores Pa Ingalls’ wanderlust. The original series didn’t spend as much time focusing on Charles Ingalls’ desire to keep moving, but Netflix’s version makes it a bigger part of the story. His inability to feel settled, along with not always being honest with Caroline, creates tension within their marriage and makes the series feel more realistic because not everything was always sunshine and roses for their marriage.
The series also doesn’t shy away from showing how much financial hardship the Ingalls family experienced. The books themselves touch on the fact that the family lived with very little, and Netflix’s adaptation makes a point of showing that they are in debt at the general store. Life wasn’t just about finding a beautiful piece of land and building a home. It was about trying to survive when every setback could have major consequences, both physically and financially.
I also appreciated that this Netflix version of Little House on the Prairie brings more diversity into the story. The series includes a Black doctor and Osage characters who are navigating a changing world while trying to hold onto their traditions. The show doesn’t avoid the complicated history of settlers taking Indigenous land and gives these characters the opportunity to share their experiences and viewpoints. While I am still learning more about Osage history, I appreciated that the series included these perspectives (and characters that actually speak the Osage language) instead of only focusing on the settlers’ experience.
Like any historical adaptation, the show does take some creative liberties. For example, some dates and details have been adjusted, and the public affection between Caroline and Charles feels more modern than what viewers might expect from the time period. Still, I think this updated approach that Netflix takes actually works for a new generation of viewers.
What I enjoyed most about this series is that it doesn’t pretend frontier life was easy. Working the land and building a home was no small feat. A broken foot, a lost horse, or an unexpected setback could mean losing weeks of work, losing income, and putting a family under incredible stress. At its core, Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie remains about family, resilience, and finding hope during difficult times. It respects the heart of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books while giving viewers a more complicated and realistic look at the people behind the story.
