New 'Little House' series explores complicated history but keeps heart,
community at the center
[July 10, 2026]
By ALICIA RANCILIO
It's a story with covered wagons and one room schoolhouses, but
showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine says the “Little House on the Prairie”
remake for Netflix still speaks to today's American dream.
The show, premiering Thursday and set in the late 1800s, follows the
Ingalls family led by Charles and Caroline and their two daughters Mary
and Laura — as they settle in the American frontier. It's adapted from a
series of semi-autobiographical books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder
about her own family's pioneer life. In 1974, Michael Landon co-created
the TV series based on the books where he played Pa alongside Melissa
Gilbert as Laura. It aired for nine seasons. In the new version, Luke
Bracey plays Pa and Alice Halsey is Laura.
Sonnenshine says the same frontier spirit from back then is baked into
how Americans see themselves, even today.
“This idea of rugged individualism is the cornerstone of American
mythos,” Sonnenshine says. “It's still manifesting in our lives
constantly … We're real go-getters.”
In “Little House,” we see the Ingalls family seeking land and
opportunity as they move west. In real life, Sonnenshine says, those
settlers often didn't understand what they were part of.
“There was no CNN or up-to-date newspapers, telling you” what was really
happening, she says. “They did not understand the politics of land
ownership or these treaties that have been made or these reservations,”
she said. In the show, we see Charles begin to grasp the politics at
play as the family encounters the Osage Nation and their new neighbors —
and keeps some of that to himself. Sonnenshine says “it's not out of
malice, exactly” but because “knowledge did not flow as freely as it
does now.”
Writers made keeping key events from originals a priority
As the Ingalls family builds their new life, we're introduced to various
neighbors who help them do it. That includes an Osage family adjusting
to their own new way of life as settlers claim parts of their land.
Laura strikes up a friendship with an Osage girl, and there's a mutual
respect among Charles and the Osage family patriarch.
“A lot of what this show is about is getting to know people that are not
like you, all kinds of different people, because once you get to know
people, that’s where all the change happens,” said Sonnenshine.
Mr. Edwards, a fan favorite from the books and series, helps Pa build
the family's cabin. He's a rugged Civil War veteran with a heart of gold
— grieving the loss of his own family, finding a new one in the Ingalls.
Staying true to characters like Edwards and including key events from
the source material was a priority for Sonnenshine. She and her writers
made a list of “iconic moments” with a checklist to follow. “We just
crossed them off as we went along. ‘OK, we’ve found a way to incorporate
this' or ‘Ma gets a chair,' which is very important, or 'great Pa builds
a door.’” Building a door, says Sonnenshine, is “a whole chapter in a
book.”
Trip Friendly, whose father Ed co-created the series with Landon and was
an executive producer, controls the overall rights to the Laura Ingalls
Wilder stories. He's an executive producer on the remake, and
Sonnenshine says Trip is “very passionate about telling the story of the
books.”
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This image released by Netflix shows, from left, Luke Bracey as
Charles Ingalls, Skywalker Hughes as Mary Ingalls, Crosby Fitzgerald
as Caroline Ingalls, and Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls, in a scene
from "Little House on the Prairie." (Eric Zachanowich/Netflix via
AP)
 Pa is good but not perfect
Landon's portrayal of Pa made him arguably one of the most popular
TV dads in the history of the medium. He was a devoted family man
with strong morals and compassion for others.
Bracey had never watched the original which he says was beneficial
to creating his own interpretation of the character.
“I didn't feel that burden,” said Bracey. “The intimidating factor
has come after making it. When I’ve told people what I’ve done, and
I’ve been told how important it is to them. That’s where it’s got
intimidating.”
Bracey said it's refreshing to play a genuinely good person, who
makes mistakes, but is good.
“There’s very few really good people in television and movies. I
feel lots of times they have to have a dark secret or a checkered
past or whatever,” he said.
Crosby Fitzgerald, who plays Ma, says that goodness is present
off-screen too. “Working with Luke is incredible. He actually is
like Pa in person. Just really lifted me up all the time. It's
impossible to work on a set like this, especially with this legacy,
and not be uplifted by the vibe.”
Sonnenshine says Season 1 is also about Laura learning that neither
of her parents are perfect, particularly Pa. She comes to understand
that “he does make mistakes and that’s OK.' And even Charles talks
about that. I think that’s a more honest portrayal of fatherhood.”
Second season will add Laura's rival
Sonnenshine most recently wrote the adaptation for the hit film “The
Housemaid” starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried and is
writing its sequel. She was also a writer on “The Boys,” which was
known for its explicit language and sex and graphic violence. It's
not an exaggeration to say that writing for “Little House,” even on
a streaming platform, is different.
“This is the first time I’ve ever written without using any curse
words,” said Sonnenshine.
“I’ve usually done, like much darker material. So I always say,
well, I’m in my family era right now.”
Filming on the show's second season is underway. Netflix recently
confirmed the addition of another popular character from the
originals. Willa Dunn has been cast as Laura's rival Nellie Oleson,
whose father owns the general store.
“She’s here and she’s acting up a storm,” said Sonnenshine. “It’s
really fun. People love that character. I think we’re doing a
slightly different take on the character, which is also really fun.
The book is our sort of touchstone and then building upon that for
her and her family has been — it brings a new dynamic to the Ingalls
family.”
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