Introducing: The "Anne with an E" Critical Companion Series

Unpacking the beloved Netflix coming-of-age series with episode-by-episode insights for even the most "romantical" of fans

Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables was the first novel that transformed reading for me from a passive experience (and even a painful one) into a deeply personal journey of literary enchantment. Before that, reading was an academic chore; after that, it was revelatory. Anne's character opened my mind to wonder and creativity, sparking joy through her mishaps, of which she had numerous, as well as her ability to ruffle feathers by telling it like it is, in her loquacious way. Her story, though distant in time, having been written and taken place a century ago, somehow always felt near, perhaps made timeless by the emotional proximity to all of Montgomery’s lovable characters.

A lasting artifact from Anne of Green Gables is the term “kindred spirits,” meaning people who get you; it came to shape my worldview, teaching me the difference between belonging vs. fitting in. Though I daresay, I was well into my 20s before I grasped the belonging part.

Anne of Green Gables 1985 (L) / Anne With An E 2017 (R)

“I like imagining better than remembering.” - the titular Anne in Anne With An E

As background, there have been a few televised adaptations of the series. The 1980s Canadian TV adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, starring Megan Follows as Anne and Richard Farnsworth and Colleen Dewhurst as her adopted parents, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, was an easy binge and a repeated watch as a child. The story was recently given a cinematic refresh through the 2017 Netflix series Anne With An E [Trailer], created by Breaking Bad writer Moira Walley-Beckett.

For those unfamiliar with the premise, the coming-of-age story follows Anne Shirley, a precocious orphan with a wild imagination and a knack for storytelling. Her temper and passion are personified by her freckled face and fiery red hair, which earns her the dubiously affectionate nickname “Carrots.”

Themes Explored in Anne With An E: Friendship, acceptance, Canadian cultural diversity (Acadian, Indigenous, Black, Euro: Brit/Scot), family, trauma, abuse, romance, LGBTQ+, mentorship, body image

It's good for all people. It’s life-affirming and conveys difficult emotions. It’s frankly a masterclass on how to work through communication in complex and sometimes fraught times and, conversely, how to treasure and value our loved ones at all times. As a parent, I connected with the material and appreciated that it facilitated discussing important topics with my child, engendering both serious and humorous conversations. 

What to Expect From This Series

• Episode Summary

  • Context setting

  • Highlights

• Behind-the-scenes tidbits and cultural analysis

  • Cocktail party trivia

• Cross-Generational POV (12-year-old vs 47-year-old)

• Discussion! (fan ❤️)

Sometimes, The Universe is Telling You Something

Everything I’ve said about Anne With An E or Anne of Green Gables in the past few weeks:

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Dis Moi: What would you like to see discussed in this series?