Thoughts on Anne With An E

So, Anne With An E...where do I begin?

I don't hate the show, but I do understand why audiences have problems with it. The actual Anne of Green Gables storyline was basically a platform for liberal woke politics. And that alone turned a lot of people off. Classic literature that already has established characters and stories should not be used for political propaganda. And yet, that's exactly what Anne With An E was. It had nothing to do with the beloved story of a little girl who wanted a home. It was merely politicized fanfiction.

That being said, I actually loved a great deal of what the show brought about. The music, the locations, the costumes. Aesthetically, the show is stunning! 

What I Hated

Modern Day Politics

A great deal of this show was nothing but modern day political drivel. I was kind of put off by the whole modern day mothers group where the young mothers of Avonlea gathered together to discuss politics and advocated for their daughters to go to school That just seemed way too 20th/21st Century and out of place for old-fashioned Avonlea. Girls went to college for one thing and that was teaching. Maybe nursing or a secretarial degree, but that cost money and no one in Avonlea is going to spend money on their girl to attend school. Then, of course, there was the whole gay storyline that obviously has to be addressed in every single television program now. What was the point? It was just there to claim woke cred. 

Cole Mackenzie

This little prick is the primary reason I stopped watching Anne With an E. Everything about Cole was just full on cringe. I had read that there was gay/lesbian storyline in the show and there actually ended up being a few. And Cole was one of them. The sad, misunderstood boy who loves art instead of baseball. So, that means that any guy who prefers art and reading to sports must be gay? That trope drives me crazy. Just because a guy doesn't engage in typical guy activities doesn't mean he's gay. It's boring writing. 

Yes, he was bullied by Billy Andrews (whom I also loathe), however, the fact that he abandoned his mother and sisters to live a comfortable life in the city was the ultimate act of selfishness. So, after season 2, I called it quits...for a while at least. Now, no one should be bullied for their sexual orientation or for anything for that matter. Yet, they just wrote Cole to be the token gay character. There was no development at all. Having this kid ditch his family so that he can be happy is not character development either.

Anne Shirley

Amybeth McNulty, God love her, she tried, but she completely overshot the performance. Yes, Anne was lively and outgoing, but Amybeth's portrayal was so modern and 21st century. And she was loud. All. The Time. She always sounded like she was yelling. Not to mention, in season 1, there was one episode where Anne was completely rude to Marilla. Anne was a lot of things, but she was never intentionally rude to Marilla. A great deal of the problem with Anne was her terrible dialogue. If I had to hear Anne say "That's so romantical!" one more time I was going to scream.

That was another problem too. Everything to Anne was romantic. When Ms. Stacey mentions that she's a widow, the first thing Anne says is, "That's so romantic!" I mean really?? Anne was written to be really brainless and stupid at times. I know that the show deals with her early life in the orphanage and the abuse that she faced and that was interesting to see. However, they completely butchered Anne's development when she was in Avonlea. Instead of making her endearing, that just made her downright aggravating.

What I Loved

Ruby Gillis

I love this little dork! She's a drama queen and is silly and romantic and her crush on Gilbert is just too sweet. I love how she really came into her own early on the show. She couldn't stand Anne, because Anne wasn't popular, but overtime she becomes Anne's closest friend after Diana. Ruby is most definitely the comic relief of the story and she keeps things from getting too dark. In the book and the mini-series, Ruby was shallow, stupid and clueless. However, in Anne With An E, Ruby can be an airhead, but she has a good heart and a simple desire to marry the boy she loves. There's nothing wrong there.

Diana Barry

The pretty, popular, rich girl who would had all the potential to be the mean girl was anything but. Upon first meeting Anne, Diana immediately befriends and stands by her side. Diana is also used to run interference between Anne and the rest of the school who are too weirded out by her. Every inch a lady and every moment a loyal friend. Diana was beautiful inside and out and the show did her a great deal of justice. A+ casting for this one!

Gilbert Blythe

He's not the Gilbert I grew up with, but he did a good job. He is adorable and it's easy pretty easy to fall in love with him. Gilbert's story is very different from the traditional Gilbert Blythe, but the character himself was the same. He's incredibly kind, generous, has a strong sense of justice and a great deal of warmth and charm that immediately endears you to him. 

The Avonlea Schoolroom

Much of the story revolves around the Avonlea school. It's the primary gathering place for the children and there's drama a plenty that goes on in the one room schoolhouse. Most of the BTS photos that I saw of the show were of the kids on the school set and they looked like they were always having a good time! Plus, I love the girls in their 'Easter egg' dresses! You can definitely tell this cast loved working together.

Like I said, I don't hate the show, but as a longtime fan of Anne of Green Gables, I don't appreciate the infiltration of liberal ideologies in a story that has nothing to do with politics. Plus, the writing for Anne completely ruined her character. I'll probably get around to watching season 3 soon, but I really blasted my way through the first 2 seasons, so I needed a break. What I really want to see more of is Anne and Gilbert too. They have potential, but there's hardly any interaction between the two of them.

We shall see with the finale season...