Is Netflix’s new Little House on the Prairie “woke”? The designer responds
Poorly received by a whole part of America, the new version of the cult series assumes its points of view and the creator, Rebecca Sonnenshine, responds to its detractors.
It has not yet met with great success with the public. But Little House on the Prairie, the Netflix version, has no shortage of assets to stand out from its glorious ancestor.
The new series assumes its desire to recontextualize the Ingalls’ story, by also telling the history of the Native American peoples, whose lands were gradually occupied by settlers at the end of the 19th century. A choice which led some Internet users to describe the series as “woke”, an accusation to which its creator Rebecca Sonnenshine responds bluntly in Variety today:
“Honestly, I’m not even sure what the word ‘woke’ means to people anymore. To me, it means being aware of social injustices and discrimination, especially racism. So when someone says, ‘I hope it’s not woke!’ I say to myself: Really? It’s not very smart…”
She goes on to argue that the term “woke” has become “a catch-all label for things they don’t really understand.”
For Rebecca Sonnenshine, the criticism is mainly based on the fear of seeing a childhood classic profoundly transformed:
“If I had to sum it up, I would say that people are afraid that a work from their childhood will be presented in a way that disturbs them.”
Passionate about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s novels since the age of 10, the creator claims to have carried out significant historical research to construct this new version, in particular with the help of Robert Warrior, specialist in Native American history and culture:
“I’ve said it all along: people are worried about nothing: I don’t think there’s anything they won’t like. We’re covering interesting topics, but I think they’ll be interested too. Honestly, I think even conservative audiences are curious about more stories about Native Americans. When people see the show, they want to learn more about the Mitchells. I honestly think they’ll enjoy it.”
The designer thus believes that this new Little House on the Prairie does not seek to erase the past, but to offer a broader reading of this historical period:
“People are afraid of what worries them, and that’s normal. But I really think there’s nothing to fear. It’s a story that will speak to everyone.”
Season 2 of Little House on the Prairie has already been ordered by Netflix.
