I love the original series with Meghan Followes in it and it's interesting to see a new adaptation of this scale. Really enjoyed it the true spirit of the story is still there and it has true potential to be amazing. Really liked the actor playing Matthew and Anne is a great young actress.
Review by nutmacBlockedParent2017-11-01T17:13:45Z— updated 2019-10-01T06:45:30Z
Anne (2017) is a modernized take on Lucy Maud Montgomery's 1908 novel, Anne of Green Gables. I read the book as a teenager and loved the first dozen or so chapters. But I found the rest to be trivial and I disliked how Anne quickly departed from her origin. But Anne Shirley is an amazing character and I watched several adaptations.
The Japanese animation series, Anne of Green Gables (1979), remains the most faithful adaptation of Montgomery's novel, and I strongly recommend everyone to seek it out.
Getting back to Anne (2017), the first season takes a considerable liberties from the origin. There are significant time shifts and back stories. Most of the changes are successful, adding greater complexity and dimensions to each character. For instance, both Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert gain more back stories as to why they are not married. And Diana and Gilbert are no longer caricatures, but teenagers faced with real challenges.
The series is shot in a documentary style, adding a great deal of realism and amazing look and feel. It carries cinematic look and feel superior to recent period drama benchmark, Downton Abbey.
Combined with a great cast consisting of unknowns (at least to those outside Canada), the series is simply a top notch production. I don't know where and how the casting directors found all these teenager actors, but they are all incredible. Lucas Jade Zumann (Gilbert) is particularly amazing, displaying charisma and emotional depth. Surrounded by incredible adult actors, the creators assembled an amazing cast.
Amybeth McNulty (Anne) is too pretty to play Anne, which is a bit of a cheat. We are supposed to fall in love with Anne for who she is, not her beauty. Her performance is a tad eager at first, but settles quickly and she's transforms fully into her character.
The only changes I didn't like are (1) train station scene in episode 2 where Matthew finds Anne and (2) season 1 cliffhanger. Both felt forced and overly dramatic.