Melissa Gilbert, the former star of the beloved series "Little House on the Prairie," has responded to Megyn Kelly's comments regarding a planned reboot of the show on Netflix. Kelly expressed concerns about the reboot being overly influenced by contemporary cultural themes. The reboot will revisit the Ingalls family saga, which captivated audiences through the original portrayal of characters like Laura, played by Gilbert, Charles or "Pa" by Michael Landon, Caroline or "Ma" by Karen Grassle, and Laura's sister Mary.
The original series, based on the autobiographical books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, was known for addressing challenging social issues such as racism, addiction, and misogyny. The upcoming Netflix reboot, executive produced by Trip Friendly—son of the original producer Ed Friendly—aims to explore these themes further. It will draw inspiration from Wilder's third Little House autobiographical book.
"Ummm…watch the original again. TV doesn't get too much more 'woke' than we did. We tackled: racism, addiction, nativism, antisemitism, misogyny, rape, spousal abuse and every other 'woke' topic you can think of," – Melissa Gilbert
The original "Little House on the Prairie" series was renowned for its "very special episodes" that explored previously taboo topics such as body shaming and the struggles faced by individuals with disabilities. It was steered by executive producer and star Michael Landon and originally aired on NBC. Despite its historical setting, the series continues to attract fans to reunion events and remains a staple on streaming platforms worldwide.
Rebecca Sonnenshine, known for her work on "The Boys" and "The Vampire Diaries," is involved in crafting the new rendition for Netflix. However, specifics about the project remain under wraps. The reboot is expected to diverge from the original's portrayal as a heartwarming family story set in late-1800s America, offering a fresh perspective on Wilder's narrative.
"if you wokeify Little House on the Prairie I will make it my singular mission to absolutely ruin your project." – Megyn Kelly
Gilbert's response to Kelly highlights the progressive nature of the original series, encouraging audiences to revisit it with a contemporary lens.
"Watch any episode on any streaming platform anywhere in the world" – Melissa Gilbert
"Apparently Megyn tweeted (I'm not on that platform) asking that Netflix not 'woke-ify' their Little House remake" – Melissa Gilbert
