A Review of Little
House on the Prairie by Nick Olszyk
Distribution Service: Netflix
FCC Rating, TV-PG
OSV Rating, Not rated at the time of this review
Reel Rating, Four Reels
I was
vaguely aware of Little House book series as a child, but it was for
girls and I was expected to read Hardy Boys or My Side of the
Mountain. My perception of the series was a boring recounting of making
straw dolls, braiding hair, and churning butter. I was wrong, pleasantly so.
Instead, this story, in an excellent Netflix adaptation, weaves a daring tale
of a family on the margins of existence, where life is a daily struggle and
truth impossible to ignore. It’s a blessed life, and one not too far removed
from us, but one few modern men would endure.
The first
episode begins in1868 shortly after the end of the civil war. Charles Ingalls
(Luke Brace), lured by free land and the chance to start over, moves his family
from rural Wisconsin to the frontier prairie of Kansas. Accompanying him is his
faithful wife Caroline (Crosby Fitzgerald), once a teacher and whose family is
not fond of Charles. They have two daughters: Mary (Skywalker Hughes), the
older, more sophisticated one and Laura (Alice Halsey), the younger, more
inquisitive child and our protagonist. They have only two horses, a dog, a wagon of
supplies, and a dream. Even before they arrive in the tiny town of Independence,
an accident ruins most of their food, and their dog is lost. Things don’t get
much better in the next few months. There’s sickness, betrayal, violence,
natural disasters, sibling angst, and, worst of all, the “free land” might not
be available.
When Laura,
the autobiographical author of these books, died, my father was already in
elementary school. Chronologically, it was not that long ago, but it was light
years in terms of day-to-day existence. The Ingalls had to make, grow, catch,
or discover everything they had. Charles builds their log cabin from scratch,
and the family sleeps in tents every night until it is built. Water must be
drawn and boiled from a stream every day. Although only nine, Laura provides
food for family by catching rabbits and picking berries. It is a life lived in
small moments where even basic necessities are never guaranteed. Paradoxically,
the Ingalls are pleasant, well adjusted, and mostly happy. They never believe
they are poor and frequently express gratitude. There is no governmental system
or social media to shield them from the truth or give unreasonable expectations.
It is a life that is truly “blessed” in the Biblical sense of the term, a life
that is still available to modern man but most fear.
Throughout
the series, many themes are explored but gradually the relationship between the
local Osage tribe and the settlers becomes the main focus. It would be easy to
paint these natives as violent and primitive as was common when the book was
published in the 1930s. More likely, there is a temptation today to portray
them as noble and the victims of cruel oppression. Instead, Little House
does an amazing job showing this relationship as nuanced and empathetic to both
sides, a history full of saints and sinners.
This plot line is primarily told
through Mitchell (Meegwun Fairbrother), the translator and liaison between the
Osage elders and the Mayor of Independence. They are facing an intense decision
between holding out on their reservation (which they were already forced to inhabit
decades earlier) or selling their land to the government. Mitchell believes
that as the settlers keep coming, they should profit from the inevitable.
Younger warriors are less certain. One brutally invades the Ingalls home while
Charles is away and takes much of their food and belongings, fortunately
leaving the women…unhurt. When Mitchell confronts the youth, he is indignant.
“They are on our land,” he hisses, “They hunt our game, eat our berries, I’m
only taking what is ours.” “Does this help us?” Mitchell responds, “Is this
right?” Part of the problem is that Mitchell and his family has embraced
Christianity and understands the value of “loving your enemy.” He is easily the
best character in the first season, whose genuine desire to honor the past of
his people but also their future makes for a thrilling story arc.
There are many fantastic twists and
turns throughout the series including Charles guilt over sitting out the Civil
War and the town doctor facing a new romance while still technically married,
and I don’t want to spoil much, except to say that for every great victory, a
terrible defeat is right around the corner. In the end, however, faith in God
and love of family will always triumph, a lesson that doesn’t come easy but
makes a small heaven on Earth. I wasn’t crazy to review this series, but now I
can’t wait to watch the 2nd season with my whole family.
This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on July 12th, 2026.
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