Little House on the Prairie, the iconic television show of the 1970s and ’80s is about to get a reboot.

Loosely based on the historical novel of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the original TV adaption was a family-friendly show that ran from 1974 to 1983.

The new series, which was given the go ahead by streaming company Netflix this week, is shaping up as a very different interpretation.

Firstly, Rebecca Sonnenshine – best known for the violent and expletive laden anti-superhero series, The Boys, as well as supernatural and horror productions Vampire Diaries and Archive 81 – will serve as showrunner.

Then there’s the rather dramatic description of the the series from the production team – “part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West”.

Ingalls Wilder published eight Little House books in the 1930s and ’40s, based on her childhood in the American midwest during the late 1800s. 

The books were adapted into the popular Little House on the Prairie NBC series, starring and produced by Michael Landon of Bonanza fame.

Nielsen recently reported that the original series was one of the most-streamed library titles of 2024, attracting some 13.25 billion viewing minutes on the NBC platform, Peacock, during that  year.

The original TV series was only loosely based on the books. Photo: Wikimedia

Jinny Howe, vice president of drama series for Netflix, said the new series would “thread the needle with an emotional depth that will delight both new and existing fans of this beloved classic”.

“Little House on the Prairie has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many fans around the world, and we’re excited to share its enduring themes of hope and optimism with a fresh take on this iconic story,” Howe said.

Ed Friendly, the original show’s executive producer, decided to launch the NBC series after noticing his daughter’s love of the stories.

Friendly’s son, Trip Friendly, will be an executive producer on the Netflix series.

“It has been a long-held dream of mine to carry on my father’s legacy and adapt Wilder’s classic American stories for a 21st-century audience in a way that brings together fans of both the books and the original television series,” Friendly said.