The miniseries “Little House on the Prairie” had a lot to live up to. Not only was it a retelling of the classic children’s books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, but it was also living under the shadow of the classic television series.

This four-hour miniseries tells the story of the Ingalls, a family that heads west to live off the land in the American prairie. After a harrowing journey, they settle in Kansas and build their home with dreams of a working farm. However, many things threaten their survival – from the elements to the army of Indians readying for battle over the hills.

So how does “Little House on the Prairie” stack up? Well, I can’t speak for the books because I never read them. However, I did watch the television show quite a bit in the 1970s and 1980s. I came in after the scripts deviated from the book series and took on a life of its own, but that was still one of the most wholesome and warm television shows ever made.

In this new film, Cameron Bancroft plays Charles Ingalls. He’s a decent actor, but doesn’t have the presence to carry the role as the pioneer dad. That taken with his inability to make us stop yearning for Michael Landon was a strike against the show.

The girls in the film did a fine job, although their acting had that made-for-TV feel to it. Again, it is hard to beat the memory of Melissa Gilbert as the young Laura Ingalls. Erin Cottrell works as the mother, although there wasn’t as strong of a memory for me to overcome.

Actually, the best character comes from Gregory Sporleder as Mr. Edwards, who brings some spunk to the prairie as the Ingalls lonesome neighbor. Additional nods go to James Cosmo and Gina Stockdale as the obnoxious neighbors the Scotts.

Another problem that befalls “Little House on the Prairie” is the issue of political correctness. On one hand, the Indians are a threat. Several tribes are banding together in the woods, planning to strike out against the white settlers. On the other hand, they are presented as the peace-loving families that we see so often in films today. Again, I’m not sure how this was addressed in Ingalls Wilder’s original books, but it seems like this film is trying to straddle a fence on the issue.

The hardest part by far of this miniseries is that it is hard to believe there is anything threatening the Ingalls. We all know that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote many books in the series. And we also know that the original television show lasted nine seasons, so is there any real doubt that the family will survive?

Still, “Little House on the Prairie” is a wholesome little film with a friendly feel. It’s not as good as the original series, and I doubt it will be cherished like the books, but who didn’t see that one coming?



Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Widescreen (1.78:1), enhanced for 16x9 televisions. English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.