The new Netflix series Little House on the Prairie is a far cry from the classic Michael Landon original. The show's attempt to reimagine the beloved characters and setting has resulted in a strangely unreal and sanitised version of the classic tale.
The show's deviations from the original story begin in episode one, where the Ingalls family departs Wisconsin not in search of wide-open spaces, but to escape an extended-family quarrel. This is a neat bit of revisionism, substituting a therapeutic narrative for Charles Ingalls's right-coded pioneer spirit.
The show's leads are also poorly handled, with the words coming out of their mouths often being a deconstructionist's egalitarian fantasy. Charles Ingalls, played by Luke Bracey, is portrayed as a gentle and understanding father, but his words often feel forced and unnatural. Caroline Ingalls, played by Crosby Fitzgerald, is even more greatly altered, transformed from a traditional homemaker to a headstrong antiracist and proto-feminist.
The pair's marriage is naturally the site of many of these changes. Caroline lets slip that she is considering taking the children and going home to Mother, and Charles stays out all night without warning, making it clear that their relationship is under strain. However, it is unlikely that the real-life Ingalls couple behaved in this way, and the show's portrayal feels like a contrived attempt to make them more relatable.
The show's treatment of the Osage Indians on whose land the family has settled is also noteworthy. In the show, the Osages are portrayed as being similar to the white pioneers, with little attention paid to the cultural differences between the two groups. This is a stark contrast to the original books, where the Osages are portrayed as being distinctly "other."
The show's creators have stated that they aimed to make the characters more relatable and modern, but the result feels like a watered-down and sanitized version of the original story. The show's attempt to tackle complex issues like racism and inequality feels forced and unnatural, and the characters are poorly developed as a result.
The show's failure to grasp the underlying danger, tension, and wonder of the original story is also noticeable. The show hits the chapter-name highlights, but it fails to convey the sense of wonder and awe that the original story evokes. The show's use of bland postmodern ingredients, such as a PTSD subplot, only adds to the sense of disconnection from the original material.
The new Little House series is not as bad as Netflix's Anne with an E, but it is still a disappointing and unengaging take on a beloved classic. Fans of the original series may find themselves disappointed by the show's lack of authenticity and its failure to capture the spirit of the original story.
The show's creators may have aimed to make the characters more relatable and modern, but the result feels like a hollow and sanitized version of the original story. The show's attempt to tackle complex issues like racism and inequality feels forced and unnatural, and the characters are poorly developed as a result.
Ultimately, the new Little House series is a missed opportunity to bring the classic characters and setting to life in a new and exciting way. Instead, it feels like a watered-down and sanitized version of the original story, with little attention paid to the underlying danger, tension, and wonder that made the original series so beloved.
