Anne With an E

[Circumlocutor]

What the hell is this nonsense?

Edgy shots of pain etched faces, along with made up story lines about Anne being sent back to the asylum to be rescued by Matthew? And being given the name Shirley Cuthbert after one wet weekend having spent with Marilla and Matthew? Did.Not.Happen!!!!

This did not happen!

And bloody hell, this new Anne is so dull and charmless. Stop your bloody whimpering and blubbing!

They're all irritating me.

Does anyone else share my pain?

I read a review. That was enough. I haven't watched it.

The screenwriter's rationale was "interesting".

Here;

mobile.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/magazine/the-other-side-of-anne-of-green-gables.html

Too heavy a dose of realism perhaps? I didn't like it, give me the cosy, twee, more faithful to the book, version any day. But I found it interesting too, we were given more of an insight, I felt, into the after effects of Anne's chaotic, dubious upbringing, in the many homes and orphanages.

Looks like it's going a bit far fetched for me though, given the ending of the current series and the hint at what's to come in the next.

I love, love the opening credits though....I find it strangely affecting

Otherwise it seems too rushed and the acting less charming and natural

I had been prepared to hate it but loved it. Especially as the Megan Follows series had seemed perfect.
I loved Anne and Marilla acting in particular.

I remember feeling really annoyed when it departed so much from the book with Matthew tracking down Anne etc but I forgave it.

It's quite different though isn't it. A bit of a jolt with the darkness and trauma of Anne.

endehors I completely agree re the ending. Not sure if I'll watch the next series.

I didn't really like it. I like the books.

How did I not know about this? I'm not sure I want to watch, though. The original Anne and Gilbert Blythe are perfect.

I've only read reviews as well and not sure I could bring myself to watch it. But then I couldn't cope with the Megan Fellows version either. The moment Diana said to Anne, 'so as far as you're concerned Gilbert is fair game' it was all over for me. Never happened, never would have happened. Then the awful, made-up First World War follow-up. Anyway, I know the Megan Fellows version is beloved. Problem is I'm old enough to remember the original BBC Sunday teatime adaptation so for me Anne will always be Kim Braden. I'm sure that version would have seemed equally wrong to someone who had already read the books, which I hadn't at that point.

This thread has made me want to read Green GAbles and all the sequels again - perfect comfort reading!

I've read the first many times but I dropped out at some point when Anne was grown up. Didn't work for me. Might try them again.

Singing someone linked a clip from the first televised series on a thread a while back. Was very entertaining.

tossmeacigarette I don't love the later books as much, especially the ones that are really all about her children but still worth a read I think.

Yes, I'm sure that early BBC version probably wouldn't stand up to present day scrutiny but the memory is very dear to me!

Then the awful, made-up First World War follow-up. Anyway, I know the Megan Fellows version is beloved.
Agree with that. And yes, the Megan Follows version, to a point. They changed details Anne's time teaching in the school, Gilbert's proposal, etc etc but I thought they did a better job of some of it. The twins at Green Gables and other characters missing. I think they did the dreadful war story as otherwise it would have been Anne's House of Dreams, and so on. Perhaps they should have attempted it...

Sorry, typing on the hoof!

the memory is very dear to me!
Yes, sorry, I am sure it is.
Sunday TV used to be special.

I loved Anne with an E and binge watched it over a few days. It's brilliant and the actress who plays Anne is perfect

I loved Anne with an E, as did my daughter.

Loathed the naff twee previous adaptation (which I understand is tantamount to heresy!). This one is much better.

I could understand the bleakness up to a point, as Anne's life before Marilla and Matthew - and theirs before her - was bloody awful and bleak. She's so irrepressibly perky you don't realise it at the time.

However, by the end of the series it was getting ridiculous and so far from the books that I wondered why they'd bothered basing the series on them at all.

I've just bought Anne of Avonlea for £1.39 on Audible. Bargain! In bed with a cup of tea and my earphones in.

Oh I really like this new adaptation. I loved the books so much I'm happy with any of the interpretations. In some ways this new one is making me take something different from the books and see the story in a different light, perhaps with more an adult frame of reference. Glad they are doing something different and love the credits. I think the reviews have been way too harsh, we have the sweet Megan F version, this is another that can sit along side it. Perhaps I would be more annoyed if they stuck more to the original storyline?

I loved the books (although re-reading them as an adult, I realised that it is really only the first one - maybe the second - where Anne is a truly irrepressible spirit who leaps off the page) but also liked this adaptation - I kind of got over that it was a bit different from the actual books and I thought the actress who played Anne was pretty good - as were Marilla and Matthew.

We visited Prince Edward Island this summer and went to "Green Gables" - which is Montgomery's cousins' house. It was a really great trip and PEI is absolutely lovely.

I would also recommend The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery - read it because of a thread on MN.