Anne with an “E” Previewing Thoughts
Recently Netflix released it’s very own adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, called Anne with an “E”. As a huge Anne fan I, naturally, have many mixed feelings about this. While Netflix has a pretty good track record with its original series thus far, Anne is sacred and demands nothing less than absolute perfection. I haven’t started the series yet, but I thought I would record my thoughts and feelings about the new series before I get into it to look back on once I’ve finished.
Like a lot of girls, I grew up with the Megan Follows version of Anne of Green Gables. PBS would play it at least once a year and I would watch it nearly every time it was on, at least in part. Mostly we came in half way through, or just after the beginning, or towards the end, but I always seemed to catch some of it. Years later I would learn that my dad actually bought the first three books in a box set from PBS and had read them all, surprisingly enough. To me, and many others, Megan Follows is Anne and will always be the true Anne. She is who I picture in my head as I read the books. The classic Anne of Green Gables was so well done and captured the book so perfectly, how could it possibly be topped?
As a child, Megan Follows was all I knew. Now, having read the books, I can see the changes in the book and pick at things that I like about the adaptation and don’t like. Over all, they did a marvelous job and I wouldn’t change a thing… about Anne of Green Gables. The sequels, however, are a very different story. It’s been a very long time since I watched any of them, but I don’t remember particularly enjoying them. Not to say I didn’t like them, but they didn’t have the same feel as the first one and now, having read the books, I know why. They go completely off script, or nearly completely off script. My Twirly kept asking while reading the second and third books when things from the movie would happen and most if it just didn’t.
So here’s my thoughts on Netflix redoing Anne. It’s a risky move since the original is so beloved and so well done. I’m going in with an open mind, but not too high of hopes. After all, it’s just not the Anne of my childhood. However, if they were to continue the series with more seasons following the rest of the books and did them well, that would be most acceptable. I’m nervous about how they did the first book, but if it does well, I would love to see the rest of the series done right too. Nothing would make my heart happier than a proper adaptation of Anne of the Island, which is my favorite. I read it my senior year of college and it was just so perfect for my time of life.
So we’ll start with this one and then I’ll keep my ears open for more to come. I don’t know what they have planned, if they have any plans to continue the series or not, but I really hope they consider it, should Anne with an “E” be acceptable. I plan on watching the first episode today and maybe binging a little bit tomorrow. I mean, I also have to vacuum and switch my clothes out so I can put the bins away again, but Anne is very important. Wish me luck, and have a lovely day, my friends!
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