Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie has built a real following in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock Premium among viewers who do not usually seek out animation. 9 seasons in, and the quality has not slipped. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Dean Butler's voice work is a big part of what makes it distinctive. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

Little House on the Prairie is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Little House on the Prairie has the visual identity that makes it immediately recognisable, and the writing to back it up. When the big woods of Wisconsin becomes a difficult spot for hunting, Charles Ingalls reluctantly decides to move his family, pioneering west. Their life on the farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s is full of adventure, tragedy, and triumph. Based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Every line from Dean Butler and Melissa Gilbert lands with more craft than you'd expect. Across 9 seasons (1974–1983), it never lost the thread that made it worth starting. The animation style is distinctive enough to be immediately recognisable, but it is the writing underneath that keeps viewers coming back for more. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

If you have been sleeping on Little House on the Prairie because of the format, the format is not the issue here. Fans of The Big Valley will recognise the sensibility here immediately. 9 seasons in, there is no shortage of material once you get started. The writing operates at a level the format's reputation does not fully prepare you for. Adult animation that actually works for adults.

Little House on the Prairie wrapped up in 1983, created by Ed Friendly and Laura Ingalls Wilder — and 9 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.