Summary
Little House on the Prairiestars Karen Grassle and Melissa Sue Anderson explain why the series couldn’t be rebooted today. First airing in 1974,Little House of the Prairiechroniclesthe daily life of the Ingalls family in the American Midwest during the nineteenth century. The show, which was co-created by Michael Landon, is based on the novels by writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, and ultimately came to an end in 1983. Reports surfaced in 2020 that a reboot was in development, but there’s seemingly been little movement on the project.
In a recent interview withPeople, Grassle and Anderson touch on why aLittle House on the Prairiereboot would struggle today. The two actors touch on just how special the original show was, and explain how integral the late Landon was to its presentation, storytelling, and tone. Check out their comments below:
Karen Grassle: “There have been lots of attempts to do aLittle House on the Prairieagain. There have been shows, there has been a musical, and I think we had a unique experience and it can’t be repeated.
“Michael [Landon] was a genius at casting and writing. He understood things about how to translate that material into television for the public that was beyond what most writers understand. And he had his thumb on the pulse of the public and understood what people were longing for, and you don’t find that every day.”
“And then the fact that we were all so perfectly cast was a kind of genius. They were getting ready to shoot and Michael was sitting on the floor in the office reading with me very close. And we finished reading and he jumped off the floor and said, ‘Send her to wardrobe!’ It was a stunning moment.
“I don’t think you get to repeat this. This is it. And fortunately, it was television so they can just keep running it.”
Melissa Sue Anderson: “Little Houseworks on television because of him."
In addition to serving as an executive producer and writer, Landon also led theLittle House on the Prairiecastas Charles Ingalls.
Would A Little House On The Prairie Reboot Work Today?
What Approach A Reboot Could Take
WhenLittle House on the Prairiewas coming out, Westerns were already declining in popularity, and the genre remains a questionable proposition today. There’s also a question of whether the show’s storytelling and tone would appeal to a modern audience. While it’s certainly possible that those who liked the original would tune in for a reboot,it would probably be a challenge getting younger audiences on board.
That being said, there has been a rise in Western storytelling on TV. Taylor Sheridan’sYellowstoneis arguably the modern-day equivalent ofLittle House on the Prairie, and this series has been a major success.Yellowstone’s first spinoff,1883,even takes the action back to the old West to around the time thatLittle House on the Prairietook place. Sheridan’s shows, however, are violent and gritty and are generally not intended for younger audiences.
15 Little House On The Prairie Episodes That Will Make You Cry
Created by TV legend Michael Landon, who also starred as Charles Ingalls, Little House on the Prairie is one of the most beloved family shows.
IfLittle House on the Prairiewere to come back, it might be more at home adopting a tone similar to those of Hallmark or Lifetime shows, as it could appeal to that same audience. It could occupy a space similar to shows likeHeartlandorWhen Calls the Heart, for example. For now, it seems like work on aLittle House on the Prairiereboot has stalled, and at least two stars of the original show evidently think it’s best to leave the original alone.
Little House on the Prairie
Cast
Little House on the Prairie, a Western drama, debuted in 1974 and stars Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, and Karen Grassle. The series chronicles the daily experiences of a family residing on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, during the late 19th century, exploring themes of community and frontier life.
