For decades Laura Ingalls Wilder has brought the frontier alive for little girls who longed for wide open spaces. Little House on the Prairie is a delightful series, but one that also helps youngsters learn the hardships of being hungry or trudging forth in deep snow. Her prairie tales are vivid and visceral and were already made into a successful TV series in the 1970s. That was more than 50 years ago, though, and now we’re living in a time ripe with revivals, remakes and reboots. Netflix is giving the upcoming Little House On The Prairie series a go. Interestingly enough, it’s been at the center of a woke debate for quite some time now.
Megyn Kelly Worried Netflix Would ‘Wokeify’ Little House On The Prairie
Netflix announced Little House on the Prairie months ago. Back in January of this year, the frequently outspoken Megyn Kelly was very clear about her expectations surrounding the project. She was concerned Netflix would ‘wokeify’ Laura Ingalls Wilder’s works, and spoke out on social media with a warning:
If you wokeify Little House on the Prairie I will make it my singular mission to absolutely ruin your project.
This kicked off a bit of an online brouhaha, and even led former Little House actress Melissa Gilbert to comment on her feelings related to Kelly’s own concerns. I’m not sure anyone was even thinking about whether or not the series would take a more modern tact prior to this exchange, but it has been a major topic of conversation in the time since. Now, we’re seeing critics complain about the opposite in reviews ahead of the drama hitting the 2026 Netflix schedule.
Reviews For The Revival Have The Opposite Complaint
Most reviews are painting a reasonably “cozy” picture of Little House on the Prairie as a series. Yet, reviews also spell out how sanitized the TV drama is compared to what they would hope for. Little House, for example, doesn’t shy away from the fact that settlers are coming into Osage territory, but it doesn’t get completely deep about it, either, with the AV Club noting that compared to projects like Killers of the Flower Moon, it doesn't stack up.
This series feels like it’s sanding down the more sinister truths of its subject. It doesn’t need to be as heavy as a three-hour historical epic directed by Martin Scorsese, but it should at least be honest.
The Wrap points out that the show takes creative liberties with acceptance, when in reality Caroline “Ma” Ingalls allegedly held racist beliefs she passed on to her daughters.
This adaptation takes its own liberties too, sanitizing certain characteristics and storylines. Although Caroline is initially distrustful of the Osage, for example, she eventually finds common ground with White Sun as the mothers bond over protecting their families. In reality, Caroline held racist views that she passed onto her children, including Laura.
THR actually addresses the “woke” debate head-on, writing that plotlines about the Osage and a Black doctor in town don't really give us enough diversity in terms of plot. That outlet feels the show doesn’t take enough of a “woke” approach.
Really, though, I know that Little House on the Prairie isn’t woke, because if the series were being made specifically for me, it would spend even more time with the Osage and more time on the realities of being a Black doctor and a Black store owner in the post-Civil-War frontier. But this is not that series.
Overall reviews aren't as blistering as they have been for some Netflix shows. Most do say the show is a relatively fun and heartwarming take on a beloved TV series, so your mileage may vary depending on what you are looking for.
The Little House Showrunner Commented On The Woke Debate
The creator of the new Little House on the Prairie series has said the book-to-screen adaptation remains true to the source material. She’s mostly been focused in on that as a key talking point. The audience who loved the books should get what they need out of the show, as she previously said in an interview (via the LA Times):
Whatever anyone’s definition of ‘woke’ is, and I think it has lost all definition, when she watches it, she will understand that it is very much in keeping with the spirit of the books.
The new series drops on the 2026 TV schedule today, so if you’ve been wanting to form your own opinion, there’s not time like the present to check it out. The new season stars Luke Bracey, Alice Halsey, Crosby Fitzgerald and Skywalker Hughes, and I'll be interested to see if the audience cares one wit about any of this, or just wants a pleasant way to kill eight hours or so.
Is this a Top 10 easy renewal for Netflix? Stay tuned.
