Little House on the Prairie Climbs to Number One on Netflix

Little House on the Prairie has become Netflix’s most-watched English-language television series, topping the streamer’s weekly chart for the period of July 13 through July 19. The new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book series drew 9.8 million views in its second week on the platform, a jump of more than 50 percent from the 6.4 million views it earned in its debut week. The series had entered the chart at number three the week prior, trailing behind Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You and the docuseries Worst Neighbor Ever. The climb builds on the strong Top 10 debut this site tracked in the days right after the show’s July 9 launch, when it first cracked Netflix’s daily rankings.

This week’s numbers moved Little House on the Prairie past I Will Find You, which had held the top spot for weeks since its June 18 premiere and fell to number two with 8.8 million views. The Sam Worthington and Britt Lower led thriller is now closing in on 100 million total views across its run, but its hold on the chart has ended for now. Rounding out the rest of the top five were Avatar: The Last Airbender season two with 3.4 million views, Worst Neighbor Ever season one with 3.3 million views, and WWE’s Monday Night Raw with 2.4 million views.

Little House on the Prairie premiered on Netflix on July 9 with all eight episodes, following the Ingalls family as they build a life on the frontier near Independence, Kansas in the 1800s. The cast is led by Luke Bracey as Pa, Crosby Fitzgerald as Ma, Alice Halsey as Laura, and Skywalker Hughes as Mary. The show has already been renewed for a second season, a decision Netflix made back in March, months ahead of the global premiere. Critically, the new adaptation holds a Certified Fresh 79 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.3 out of 10 on IMDb, with reviews continuing to single out Alice Halsey and Skywalker Hughes for their performances as Laura and Mary, the same performances this site highlighted in its critical reception coverage during the show’s premiere week. The audience surge lines up with that warm reception.

For a series based on a book so many grew up with, the number one ranking marks a genuine culture moment, proof that a wholesome frontier story can still pull in a mass streaming audience even against splashy competition like Will Ferrell’s golf comedy The Hawk, which debuted this same week under expectations with 4.8 million views.