Anne With An E Season 1 Review
First airing back in 2017, Moira Walley-Beckett’s Anne With an E — an adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novel Anne of Green Gables — explores Anne Shirley's coming of age. Taking place in Avonlea, Canada, season one of the show begins as Anne, a young orphan, is mistakenly adopted under the pretense of being a boy. She is adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who were disappointed to find Anne at their door instead of a boy who could help them at Green Gables. Nevertheless, Anne’s outgoing, dreamy personality is irresistible, and she soon becomes a Cuthbert. Anne then faces various challenges that life throws her way, and the audience is taken on a roller coaster ride as Anne makes mistakes, overcomes conflicts, and even saves the day a couple of times. All the while, she becomes a beloved member of her community thanks to her personality, which shines wherever she goes.
Most notably, the reason why Anne With an E is such a phenomenal show is because of its pure and holistic approach to the themes prevalent in life. Rather than overemphasizing sex or toxic relationships like most shows with a young adult target audience do, Anne With An E explores themes of family, friendship, healing, and perseverance without being cliche or childish. Also, Anne herself is a devout feminist, and her views lead Marilla to become more progressive, as well as both of the Cuthberts to appreciate having a daughter. After all, as Anne insists, “Girls can do anything a boy can do and more.” Consequently, season one gives little attention to any potential love interest for Anne; it is more so a story of Anne herself, who stays true to her age and lives in contentment experimenting with big words and the broad reaches of her imagination. Anne is able to bring the Cuthberts a fresh, enlightening perspective of life, and together, the family learns to rely on each other and appreciate living.
Something admirable about Anne With an E is its accurate depiction of childhood. Amybeth McNulty is wonderful in her role as Anne, who is unbothered by the stereotypical romance or drugs that other teenagers obsess over. In Avonlea, there are no cell phones, video games, or anything remotely digital; there is nothing except lakes and forests and farms. Although Anne's jarring experiences at her old orphanage and with her previous caretaker have forced her to mature, her history does not stop her from maintaining a playful, optimistic, and expressive demeanor. Most importantly, the audience is able to watch Anne’s personal journey as she enters womanhood – and it is difficult to dislike her even when she makes mistakes.
In fact, every character in the show is genuine, and the actors also portray them spot-on. Whether it is Diana immediately befriending Anne or the stereotypical “mean girls” of the show being more ethical than those of any other Netflix series, Anne With an E features a plethora of pleasing, uncorrupted interactions (something quite rare). The fact that McNulty can sound so excited when monologuing about the wonders of imagination only adds to the pureness of the show. In a similar way, R. H. Thomson, the actor for Matthew Cuthbert, portrays the highs and lows of Matthew’s life as he learns to admire his new daughter and deals with his own heavy burdens. When he struggles with self-image, Anne is always there to support him, and her own character arc depicts her increased selflessness and love for those close to her. All the Cuthberts are sweet and supportive, and the actors only reinforce the family’s overwhelming care for each other.
Yet another thing that Anne With an E does well is resolve conflicts in a wholesome way without taking away from the conflict’s intensity. The show is not meant for young children; among smaller cases of school bullying and exclusion lies ideas of abuse, abandonment, poverty, and self-loathing. Hence, the conflicts do create a tension that makes the show intriguing and serious – we as the audience are brought right along with Anne as she and her family face various struggles. Still, in the end, the characters of the show always manage to overcome their difficulties, and resolutions are satisfactory. Ultimately, the storyline is pure not because it lacks struggle, but because those struggles are faced head on with the determination and positivity necessary to succeed.
Lastly, a quick shoutout for the cinematography: the coloring and lighting are amazing, as is the music. Walley-Beckett does an amazing job heightening the emotion in the show, and I’m not kidding when I say watching the show will make you want to drop all your things and move to the countryside. The audience can almost feel wind blowing their own hair gently back when Anne closes her eyes and drinks in sunlight.
Nonetheless, this focus on the countryside could be the very reason why the show was canceled after three seasons. People nowadays want more action; they prefer horror, mystery, or perhaps some inaccurate depiction of high school drama. Anne With an E is none of that, though it is much more. The show may not be mainstream, but–in Anne’s exact words–I solemnly swear “for as long as the sun and moon shall endure” that it is worth a watch.
by VICTORIA WOO