As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the debut of Little House on the Prairie, the pioneer series is more popular than ever as it continues to be a go-to show for generations of audiences. The NBC drama, based on the popular books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, debuted with a pilot in March 1974 that was spun into a series just six months later. Although the successful show ended with a two-hour TV movie in December 1984, Little House has remained a hit with “Bonnetheads” around the world in the decades since its finale aired. The series experienced a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic as people turned to the comforting and familiar, but the show’s star Melissa Gilbert was not surprised that it “started to blow up,” noting that it served as a “reminder of where we used to be” as a society. In this special issue, we look back at the stars of the show and delve into the best episodes and behind-the-scenes secrets. We also have photos and info from the cast reunion and 50th anniversary celebration that took place in California earlier this year as well as exclusive interviews with Alison Arngrim, who played bad girl Nellie, and Dean Butler, who portrayed Laura’s husband, Almanzo.
