It’s a story with covered wagons and one room schoolhouses, but showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine says the 鈥淟ittle House on the Prairie鈥� remake for Netflix still speaks to today’s American dream.
premiering Thursday and set in the late 1800s, follows the Ingalls family led by Charles and Caroline and their two daughters Mary and Laura 鈥� as they settle in the American frontier. It’s adapted from a series of semi-autobiographical books written by 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.
鈥淭his idea of rugged individualism is the cornerstone of American mythos,鈥� Sonnenshine says. 鈥淚t’s still manifesting in our lives constantly 鈥� We’re real go-getters.鈥�
In 鈥淟ittle House,鈥� 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.
鈥淭here was no CNN or up-to-date newspapers, telling you鈥� what was really happening, she says. 鈥淭hey did not understand the politics of land ownership or these treaties that have been made or these reservations,鈥� 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 鈥� and keeps some of that to himself. Sonnenshine says 鈥渋t’s not out of malice, exactly鈥� but because 鈥渒nowledge did not flow as freely as it does now.鈥�
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.
鈥淎 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鈥檚 where all the change happens,鈥� said Sonnenshine.
Mr. Edwards, a fan favorite from the books and series, helps Pa He’s a rugged Civil War veteran with a heart of gold 鈥� 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 鈥渋conic moments鈥� with a checklist to follow. 鈥淲e just crossed them off as we went along. 鈥極K, we鈥檝e found a way to incorporate this’ or 鈥楳a gets a chair,’ which is very important, or ‘great Pa builds a door.鈥欌�� Building a door, says Sonnenshine, is 鈥渁 whole chapter in a book.鈥�
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 鈥渧ery passionate about telling the story of the books.鈥�
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.
鈥淚 didn’t feel that burden,鈥� said Bracey. 鈥淭he intimidating factor has come after making it. When I鈥檝e told people what I鈥檝e done, and I鈥檝e been told how important it is to them. That鈥檚 where it鈥檚 got intimidating.鈥�
Bracey said it’s refreshing to play a genuinely good person, who makes mistakes, but is good.
鈥淭here鈥檚 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,鈥� he said.
Crosby Fitzgerald, who plays Ma, says that goodness is present off-screen too. 鈥淲orking 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.鈥�
Sonnenshine says Season 1 is also about Laura learning that neither of her parents are perfect, particularly Pa. She comes to understand that 鈥渉e does make mistakes and that鈥檚 OK.’ And even Charles talks about that. I think that鈥檚 a more honest portrayal of fatherhood.鈥�
Second season will add Laura’s rival
Sonnenshine most recently wrote the adaptation for the hit film 鈥淭he Housemaid鈥� starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried and is writing its sequel. She was also a writer on 鈥淭he Boys,鈥� which was known for its explicit language and sex and graphic violence. It’s not an exaggeration to say that writing for 鈥淟ittle House,鈥� even on a streaming platform, is different.
鈥淭his is the first time I鈥檝e ever written without using any curse words,鈥� said Sonnenshine.
鈥淚鈥檝e usually done, like much darker material. So I always say, well, I鈥檓 in my family era right now.鈥�
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.
鈥淪he鈥檚 here and she鈥檚 acting up a storm,鈥� said Sonnenshine. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really fun. People love that character. I think we鈥檙e 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 鈥� it brings a new dynamic to the Ingalls family.鈥�
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