NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty TheLittle House on the Prairiecast says the show's lasting legacy is due in large part to its authenticity and lack of polish In a new episode of theLittle House 50rewatch podcast, cast members Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler — along with co-host Pamela Bob — noted the show was about family values, but never veered too "saccharine" Butler chalked up the show's lasting impact to actor, producer and director Michael Landon TheLittle House on the Prairiecast is reflecting on the success of the show, saying its longevity is due to the fact that it wasn't "saccharine" and was, instead, "very authentic." In the May 22, 2025, episode of theLittle House 50podcast, co-hosts Pamela Bob, Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler spoke about the show's legacy. "I think the difference betweenLittle Houseand other shows that I've seen that are family friendly, like, family value shows is that the other shows seem to have a sort of syrupy, saccharine, overproduced [feeling]," Bob said. "I think ofTouched by an Angel— absolutely could not watch it," Butler, who portrayed Almanzo Wilder on the final four seasons of the show, interjected. "7th Heavenwas supposed to be that, too. It was just like, ugh. There was something that just ... did not ring true. It didn't feel real, right?" Bob added. "And inLittle House, you have these very simple [storylines] but there's an authenticity to it. There's such heart to it and they're not sugarcoating the family values." Bob continued: "It's that core thing that we all strive to either have or wish we had or hope to have with our own families that rings very, very, very true. Very authentic. It's not slick, and it's not polished." Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson on the NBC television series from 1974 to 1982, said it was the "writing and acting" that made the show work. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "And I will tell you my father [who was] as cynical as they come, used to say, 'I hate sentimentality [but] the way they're doing it on the show, because of the acting and the writing, it's real. You buy it,' " Arngrim said. Butler added that actorMichael Landon— who played patriarch Charles Ingalls on the show, and acted as the show's producer, even directing many of the episodes — was the one responsible for the show's authenticity. NBCU Photo Bank/Getty "Michael also has a way — he can turn that on a dime and find the humor in a moment, which immediately can yank you back away from the sentimentality into a good-natured laugh. And I think that that the balance that he was able to strike allowed the audience to be surprised by where the emotions turn," Butler said. He continued: "His dialogue is so simple. I mean, Michael doesn't write big long speeches ... But he made everything so clearly understood." "I think people respected Michael, but I don't think that he had that industry respect that he deserved. He captured audiences in this profound way and continues to capture audiences," Butler continued. "In a changing world, he still is able to capture people because there's truth in what he's writing about." Landon died on July 1, 1991, three months after publicly announcing his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. Read the original article onPeople
