Why you should watch “Anne with an e” right now.
A beautiful and thoughtful coming of age series that sadly does not receive much attention.
When Netflix first recommend to me a show about an orphaned girl named Anne who gets adopted by two elderly siblings, my mind immediately rejected it. Since I had just finished watching Breaking Bad, I was looking for a show akin to it’s intricate plot and fast paced structure.
So you can imagine my surprise when I found out that Moira Walley-Beckett, one of the co-producers and writers of Breaking Bad, happens to be the creator of Anne with an e.
Everyone I know who has watched Anne has only good things to say about it: it has heartwarming, real characters, and that it does not shy away from discussing difficult topics.
But I had my own qualms about watching a show about a 13 year old — an age that feels so long ago that I don’t even remember it entirely. And so the show sat in my “List” section of Netflix, waiting to be clicked on.
“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy something if you make up your mind firmly that you will. ”— Anne Shirley-Cuthbert
Why you should watch Anne…
I remember the distinct feeling I had once I had gotten to know Anne — absolute love at first sight. There was so much in me that I could see in Anne— her wild imagination, her connection with nature, her feeling of longing for true friends because no one likes her eccentricities that made her unique.
So I watched further. I watched Anne attempting to fit into her new found community at Green Gables — the farm that belong to Mathew and Marilla Cuthbert, the siblings who adopt her. I watched her mingle with the members of her community in Avonlea — at times unsuccessfully — and find her place in her new found land.
This might seem like an exaggeration but only a person with a stone cold heart would find Anne to be an annoying or intolerable character. Amybeth McNulty plays Anne with such fervency that it is impossible to not feel impassioned by her performance.
“The best part of knowing the rules is finding acceptable ways of breaking them.” — Winifred Rose
Every character is a Kindred Spirit…
Though the show is primarily about Anne’s tale, there are other characters who are equally interesting as her. For instance, we have Mathew and Marilla, siblings in their fifties who have had a tragic past. We have Anne’s best friend Diana Barry whose wisdom and maturity make her the best friend we all hope we have.
The show does not shy away from depicting the experiences of Black people, Indian communities in Canada, and women and suppression of their rights.
One of my favorite characters, Diana’s aunt, Josephine Barry, is a socialite in a nearby town called Charlottetown. Her mentorship, advice, and timely help to the young characters of the show make her the perfect Dumbledore of the series. Her character is also of the LGBTQ community who are more often than not glossed over during shows set in the past.
“Grief is the price you pay for love, you see. So, it’s alright.” — Josephine Barry
“I’m loved now, but when I wasn’t, it didn’t mean I wasn’t worthy of it.” — Anne Shirley-Cuthbert
The magical cinematography…
If the heartwarming characters and plots that do justice to the characters are convincing enough, then you must watch it for the *chef’s kiss* cinematography in Anne with an e. The show’s portrayal of the Prince Edward Island’s gorgeous beaches and cliffs are a sight for sore eyes. A coming of age story coupled with vast grasslands and forests is the perfect mix for a lasting story.
“Why must people kneel down to pray? If I really wanted to pray, I’ll tell you what I’d do. I’d go into a great big field, all alone, or into the deep, deep woods, and I’d look up into the sky, up-up-up, into that lovely blue sky without end, and I would just feel a prayer.” — Anne Shirley-Cuthbert
Cancellation of the series…
The series was cancelled after the third season because according to CBC Network, Anne with an e failed to gain viewership in the 25–54 age group. In fact, the renewal petition for Anne has gained over 1.5 million signatures with the hashtag #renewannewithane trending on Twitter. The show itself has a robust fandom and dedicated fans. Currently, fans are hoping that Netflix will pick up the series for season 4 but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
