Running out of TV shows and movies to stream? The Purbalite is here to help, with another installment of our What to Binge Watch feature.
The Netflix series Anne with an E is the best coming-of-age story for teenage girls everywhere.
The show, which is an updated take on Anne of Green Gables books, is about an orphan girl named Anne Shirley, played by Amybeth McNulty. Viewers watch the struggles and challenges she faces after being adopted by two siblings, Marilla Cuthbert, played by Geraldine James, and Matthew Cuthbert, played by R.H. Thomson.
The Cuthberts need more help on their farm, but mistakenly they are sent a girl when they asked for a boy to adopt. When Matthew brings her home, Marilla says Anne must be taken back. Anne promises she can help on the farm, so they decide to keep her.
Anne’s time in an orphanage shaped her because she was bullied and tortured repeatedly. Even after Anne left the orphanage, she still gets bullied by her classmates, her teacher, and members of her congregation. Because of this, she is emotional and is constantly using her imagination and her writing to escape reality.
This series shows the struggle of not only an orphan girl but also of Native Americans, gay people, Black people, the rich, the poor, the old, the young, and especially the struggles of womanhood. It touches on discrimination, sexism, freedom of the press, death, and love.
Anne can be frustrating sometimes, but it’s great that the writers don’t try to make her seem so perfect and sweet. She is often angry and stubborn. Throughout the story, viewers see how she grows as a young woman.
Overall, Anne with an E is an incredible watch and those who are into historical drama should give this a try.
