Additional Coverage:
- Beloved ‘Little House on the Prairie’ faces wagonload of ‘woke’ allegations over Netflix reboot (foxnews.com)
Netflix’s new reboot of “Little House on the Prairie” has sparked debate over claims that the classic series has been overhauled to fit a politically correct narrative. The show’s creator, Rebecca Sonnenshine, addressed these “woke” criticisms, suggesting that concerns are largely misplaced.
The eight-episode season debuted on Thursday, earning generally favorable reviews with a 75% critic rating, though the audience score sits at a more mixed 58% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even before the premiere, some accused the reboot of being “woke,” a label Sonnenshine finds confusing and often misunderstood.
“I’m not even sure what ‘woke’ means to people anymore,” Sonnenshine told Variety. “To me, it means being aware and alert to social injustice and prejudice, especially racial prejudice.
So when people say, ‘I hope it’s not woke,’ I think, ‘Really? That’s interesting.’
But I don’t think people use it in that way anymore.”
Sonnenshine described “woke” as a catch-all term people use when they feel uneasy about changes to familiar stories from their childhood. The reboot follows the Ingalls family as they leave Wisconsin to settle near Independence, Kansas, during the 1800s frontier era, drawing inspiration from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved “Little House” books and the original TV series that aired throughout the 1970s.
Critics have noted the reboot offers a less rugged and more sanitized view of the period. A Slate reviewer pointed out that Netflix’s version introduces diverse characters, including an Osage couple, a Black doctor and storekeeper, and a French Canadian woman who challenges traditional norms.
Sonnenshine defended these choices, emphasizing the show’s intent to explore meaningful issues. “I think conservative viewers are really interested in Native American stories,” she said. “When people watch, they want to learn more about the Mitchells, the mixed-race Osage family, and that interest crosses political lines.”
She added, “I honestly think there’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s a story that will resonate with everybody.”
Melissa Gilbert, who portrayed Laura Ingalls in the original series for nine seasons, weighed in on the discussion, noting that the original “Little House on the Prairie” tackled many serious social issues often labeled as “woke” today. “Watch the original again,” Gilbert wrote on social media.
“TV doesn’t get much more ‘woke’ than we did. We addressed racism, addiction, nativism, antisemitism, misogyny, rape, spousal abuse-every ‘woke’ topic you can think of.”
Netflix has not issued a public response to the recent controversy. Meanwhile, the reboot continues to spark conversation as viewers revisit a cherished story through a contemporary lens.