What to Expect From the Netflix Adaptation of ‘Little House on the Prairie’: A Nostalgic Guide for Viewers
Find out what you can expect when you sit down to enjoy Netflix's adaptation of 'Little House on the Prairie’
Key Takeaways
- Netflix's 'Little House on the Prairie' adaptation premiered July 9.
- Changes were made in the series: new characters, plot lines and historical accuracy updates.
- Meet the new characters of 'Little House on the Prairie' and learn their stories.
Little House on the Prairie warmed hearts when it first premiered as a TV series in 1974, offering comfort and inspiring viewers with themes of resilience and community. The retelling of the classic novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder hit home for fans and has continued to draw them in over the years. Now, 52 years later, the nostalgic prairie tale has been re-adapted by Netflix to garner a new generation of fans.
Netflix’s Little House follows the same story of the original series, featuring a new cast portraying the Ingalls and their neighbors. The show stars Luke Bracey as Charles Ingalls, Crosby Fitzgerald as Caroline, Skywalker Hughes as Mary and Alice Halsey as Laura, among others.
With the new series having just premiered on the streaming platform, fans of the NBC version have been hesitant to accept this retelling when there is an already beloved series to tune into. However, even with a few changes made for historical accuracy, new faces you might not recognize and a different cast bringing the Ingalls family to life, this Little House on the Prairie is every bit as touching and compelling as the original.
Explore this nostalgic guide of what you can expect from the new Little House on the Prairie so that you can be better prepared for what’s to come.
The journey begins earlier
For those who adored the books by Ingalls Wilder, you’ll recall that the Ingalls family had a very extensive journey when looking for their forever home. Although they made an attempt to settle in more than one region, the 1974 series largely took place in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. The nine seasons of the series focused on the family’s life in the new town where they made friends, foes and a comfortable life for themselves.
However, prior to the episodic series, there was a pilot movie that explored the family’s venture to Kansas, where they first settled down. While the 1970s version only dedicated the two-hour movie to this leg of the journey, the Netflix series tells the story a bit differently.
The entire first season of the new series explores the Ingalls’ life journeying to and settling down in Independence, Kansas, offering viewers a detailed look into their world at that time.
Mr. Edwards is a bit different
For fans of the original series, the rugged yet warm-hearted Mr. Isaiah Edwards was a beloved addition to the story and remained a fan-favorite for his duration on the series. He had a rough exterior but a sincere loyalty to the Ingalls. Portrayed by Victor French, the character was often used as comedic relief, with the series later delving into his troubled backstory.
Netflix went about creating the character of Mr. Edwards a bit differently. Portrayed by Warren Christie, the character is now named Mr. John Edwards, due to his lack of a first name in the novels. He is less of a comedic addition to the cast, with the series diving right into his difficult past, exploring his struggle with PTSD from the Civil War.
Another change made to the character is his status as an attractive bachelor in town, with the ladies of Walnut Grove fawning over him throughout the season. While that wasn’t exactly what he was known for in the 1970s series, it adds another layer to the character that wasn’t previously there.
Don’t expect to see Carrie Ingalls
This may come as a surprise to some loyal viewers, but baby Carrie Ingalls is not in the first few episodes of Netflix’s Little House. While the younger sister of Laura and Mary was present from the beginning of the original series, in real life, Carrie hasn’t yet been born. Netflix was intent on keeping the timeline accurate, so it won’t be until midseason that Carrie is born.
There will be some new faces
As previously mentioned, Netflix is diving deeper into the part of this story that the original series didn’t, so you can certainly expect to see a few new faces that you don’t recognize. This deep dive allowed fans a chance to meet the folks the Ingalls’ settled down with as opposed to glossing over their presence. Some of these new faces include the historically accurate Dr. George Tann (Jocko Sims) as well as Mitchell (Meegwun Fairbrother), White Sun (Alyssa Wapanatâhk) and Lacey Aubert (Rebecca Amzallag).
Although a few of these characters didn’t exist in the books, their presence is necessary to shine a light on the other folks the Ingalls encounter on their journey.
With these new additions, minor plot changes and historical accuracies noted, you can tune into the Netflix adaptation of Little House on the Prairie fully open-minded and ready to enjoy a retelling of this classic story.
Tune into Little House on the Prairie on Netflix now!
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