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hopevalley · 4 years

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Season 8, Episode 5: What the Heart Wants

I was going to try to follow my scene-by-scene format for the entire season, but I’ve been getting a lot of migraines recently, presumably from staring at the computer too long, so I don’t want to spend all morning working on typing up the play-by-play for this episode.

Also, for what it’s worth I think this episode lends itself to plot discussion better than some of the previous episodes...at least in some sense.

And as another head’s up, it’s back to being critical for me. ;P

Storylines:

School Ends/Graduation/Parent-Teacher Conferences

The Dress Shop/Rachel

Postal Service, Ned

Bill’s Uniform, Nathan’s Vacation

Carson and Faith

Henry

Elizabeth and Lucas

Clara’s Dilemma

School Ends/Graduation/Parent-Teacher Conferences

This plot felt a little scattered, but for once it wasn’t the kind of storyline they foisted too much drama upon. After years of every single function possible being besieged by bullshittery, it’s a relief to see one go off without a real hitch.

The beginning scene with Robert hugging Elizabeth was sweet. I enjoyed the Canfields immensely and am intrigued by Angela’s role in the story long-term (PLEASE let her befriend Allie!). Nathan...eh, I have thoughts—but I’ll talk about that a bit soon. The actual ceremony was cute and kind of fun with the kids singing.

Neat Thing I Noticed:

Continuity? Cat Montgomery is still listed as Emily’s mother. ♥♥♥ I don’t know why but this made me really happy???

Complaint Corner:

Parent-teacher conferences should have been in this show from a much earlier point, and so should graduation have been. If there was a point to this celebration (the first year in a while anyone was old enough to graduate) that would have been a nice touch, too. It just managed to feel sliiiightly out of place.

I’ll forgive the “everyone in town goes to the graduation” thing because this is 1918...something like this would be a whole-town affair IMO. Invite everyone and have a nice get-together/party, probably on a Sunday afternoon after church but Hope Valley does whatever it wants, so...eh.

The threat of merging Hope Valley with other schools doesn’t fit in this scenario and it feels like they ripped it directly out of Tales from Avonlea which was almost rage-inducing to me.

Look, school mergers happened a lot in the early 1900s, especially around the WWI mark, but it wouldn’t be hitting a rural western town just yet. They don’t have any way of getting these kids to other towns for schooling. Where would the next closest school be? It would have to be pretty large and modern to merge multiple schools together.

*Adjusts nerd glasses* This felt forced and completely unnecessary. If anything this guy could be telling Elizabeth that they’re working on building a modern school somewhat close by, and could even have her involved in some decision-making regarding layout. Then they could bring in a “merger” storyline next season without it feeling out of place.

It mostly just felt dramatic for the hell of it, and it was boring, as was this man’s threat that Elizabeth had no right to teach a blind student. As if they’d accept Angela at a better school? As if her parents could afford top tier education for her? PLEASE.

Now it’s time for Nathan. The man chose to go fishing instead of to the parent-teacher conference? It makes him look like a tool. This isn’t about him or about Elizabeth; it’s about Allie. I understand why he didn’t want to go, but he should have done it anyway. It would have taken five minutes of his time.

His flippant attitude annoyed me because it went completely against his character as we know it, but Elizabeth’s lecturing was irritating, too. For a moment I thought we had Lorigail back on the show...

I think Elizabeth was well within her rights to warn Nathan about the effect his work has on his ward, but that inquiry took like a week AT MOST. Heck, let’s be generous and say TWO WEEKS. Allie’s concentration suffered for two weeks. There was no need to say more than, “Hey she worries about you and her work suffered for a bit during that time frame, just so you’re aware.”

I think what annoyed me about the math program thing is that...Elizabeth being a teacher would probably be VERY WELL AWARE that MOST of the parents to her students aren’t good enough at schooling to assist their kids with their homework. I dunno, it just feels out of place for her to tell Nathan that she wants to put Allie in an accelerated “program” and that Allie might need his help with her homework. It’s even more out of place when he admits he used to bribe his sister to do his work for him. Like. It’s very possible he’s not that good at math and isn’t capable of helping. (But maybe that will be a plot down the road...?)

“Or a tutor...” BITCH WHERE IS HE GONNA FIND A TUTOR IN THIS TOWN?! It’s super annoying to see dialogue like this that feels completely out of touch with the reality these people would be living in...lol. But also if she needs a tutor to stay caught up in an advanced program, she probably...shouldn’t be in the advanced program.

I don’t know how to feel about this whole thing here: “Nathan, you are Allie’s world. You’re the only father she’s ever known, and as she grows up you will always be the measure of the quality she’ll look for in a man as she chooses who to marry.”

On one hand, it does fit the situation (he seems to think everything is behind him but Elizabeth’s words are kind of a caution that 1) his actions still have an effect on Allie, and 2) every day he’s teaching her by example). On the other hand, it seems almost wildly inappropriate to bring up? At the same time, it’s probably not wrong that Allie will measure other men (friends, acquaintances, potential future romantic interests) against Nathan’s example.

I dunno. The conversation felt disjointed.

I think what they were going for was Nathan just feeling too awkward and weird about being with Elizabeth to want to be there for the conference, but...he interacted with her quite normally after the inquiry and stuff (even after she’d broken things off with him), so...it feels out of place. Like maybe this should have taken place right after the breakup and not weeks later?

Anyone else have thoughts on this and why it doesn’t feel quite right?

The Dress Shop/Rachel

This plot wasn’t what I would call a waste of time (rather, it’s worth having it mentioned now), but part of it was completely pointless and stupid. The whole Rachel getting lost thing was tacked into the promos to stir up drama, but nothing happened and there was nothing worrisome even going on. YAWN.

Rosemary’s desire to do something meaningful and different with her life is super interesting. I’m very curious to see what they decide to do with her if Dottie does sell the dress shop.

Also, Rosemary finding the book under Rachel’s bed was pretty funny.

But yeah, I didn’t really find much in this plotline to care deeply about. I guess I am pretty interested in knowing who might be purchasing the dress shop and/or if this decision is to bring someone else onto the show (a female love interest for the man who doesn’t win Elizabeth’s heart in the end, or even to bring back an old character*) or to take the dress shop out of the equation entirely... It’s also just as possible that Rosemary/Lee or Clara/Jesse end up buying it themselves down the line... Thoughts?

*I can’t begin to imagine who would be the best fit for this in this case, though. Who would have the money to buy her out?

Postal Service, Ned

Ned is just honestly so cute and fun. I love him. He’s really been doing well this season and seeing him wander around town delivering mail door to door was kind of nice.

Also, he’s one SMOOTH operator! Look at him, talking about putting a bell on the door so that he and Florence won’t be caught off-guard if they’re in the middle of...something.

Oh my, Ned. What might customers be...interrupting? :3

Continuity? Not only was the ulcer from last season brought up, but the horrid cabbage juice was, too. :’) It was a nice touch. And these two had just enough screentime to be kind of fun/interesting without also taking up too much time.

Bill’s Uniform, Nathan’s Vacation

Nathan got his vacation and Bill is in charge...again. This happens an awful lot. I wonder if it’ll actually impact the next few episodes or if it’s just here for the hell of it.

I love Bill a lot and I want to brag up his character in this episode a bit. I’ve complained many times in the past about him being written like a Grumpy Old Man Yelling at Clouds but this episode was super respectful. He got his scene with his uniform. Nobody interrupted it. There weren’t even any words. I quite liked it.

But it also felt kind of...pointless? I don’t want to judge it too harshly yet. Like the dress shop plotline, this could actually be going somewhere in the next couple of episodes.

Plus, unrelated to the uniform, it was nice to see Bill acting fatherly toward Clara. While it sort of came out of nowhere for the wedding, I appreciate the attempt at continuity there. Plus, so far this season, I’ve felt like Bill’s almost been a father-figure to Clara, Fiona, and even Nathan, so I’m enjoying that a lot.

Carson and Faith

CONTINUITY? The show finally remembered that not only is Carson actually a surgeon, but that was his original passion. It’s not that they completely forgot (S5 had him performing surgery on his sister-in-law, after all), but giving Carson a PASSION makes him a way more interesting character to me.

And also, finally, this feels like a REAL high-stakes plotline for him and for Faith.

I really liked Faith’s take on things. I know, I know, I’ve been rooting at them to break up, but the reason is mostly because they’re just so BORING together. I’d rather watch Henry twirl around in a chair for an hour than suffer through date scenes with these two.

It’s not that I’m against a doctor wife/husband team. I’m not. I just think Faith was a much more interesting and cool character on the show before Carson showed up and usurped her place (and completely overshadowed her for literal seasons). This plotline for Carson might actually be interesting. Like, a fellowship? For modern surgery? IN BALTIMORE?!

I hope this is Faith’s way of saying she wants a break and/or a break would be good for them. I can’t picture her leaving Hope Valley without any trained medical staff, let alone long enough for a fellowship...

But if this goes through, what will they do with it? Would they really write Carson off the show? To be perfectly honest with y’all, I’d be fine with that. At least it’s the type of write-off that makes a lot of good sense (unlike some of the other ones we got). I guess this is just another “wait and see” plotline which is uhh...the theme of this episode, huh? Anyone have thoughts on this?

Henry

Henry barely had any screentime, but I do want to say he is #relateable. The man is back at work for ten seconds and already exhausted. SAME.

Also, I appreciate that he’s ready to be back in the oil business. At what cost? I know people were worried they were gonna kill him off, and I really doubted it, but now I’m starting to wonder where they’re going with this exactly. Yet another wait and see moment LOL!

Elizabeth and Lucas

Some damn fine scenes for Lucas and Elizabeth in this episode. Mostly the scenic ones. :P

I enjoyed the agreement to a date. The horseback riding stuff was pretty cute.

Complaint corner? I don’t know. I have petty complaints. Even though the celebration for the kids was a town-wide event, and therefore Lucas was invited, it still felt out of place to see it brought up. Maybe it should have been mentioned as a town celebration from the start?

Then Lucas’s comment about not wanting to make things awkward for Nathan (who is actually a parent and there) makes a liiiittle more sense. I do think it was good of him to not go, even though he wanted to spend more time with Elizabeth, but it gave off a weird vibe, like, “Look at how good and wholesome Lucas is!” Is that intentional? I’m not...sure...?

For what it’s worth I already felt like Lucas was an honorable person in this regard. He loaned Nathan money, after all. Maybe he should have told Elizabeth he views Nathan as a friend and doesn’t want to hurt his feelings unnecessarily and/or if he was there he’d want to hog her all to himself or something cheesy. Hm.

My other complaints are:

Elizabeth running to the saloon would be WAY faster than all this getting set up at her house...?? Who thought this made sense?

Elizabeth’s dress looked like a nightie she bought at Kohls.

Too many damn candles.

Characters Do What Plot Dictates Even Though Plot Makes No Sense. More at 11:00!!

I have no further comments on the dress. It needed sleeves or something so it looked more like a dress and not like a nightgown/piece of lingerie.

I think the candles might have been on purpose to parallel Jack...but I hated it lol. Fire hazard? HAVEN’T ENOUGH THINGS IN TOWN BURNED DOWN/EXPLODED?!

I didn’t hate the date scene! But I never feel like Elizabeth has any meaningful conversations with Lucas and it’s starting to drive me batty.

Could we get uhhh something of substance please? It has to be surface-level nonsense on purpose. Right? RIGHT?

(And no, discussing a book for ten seconds on-screen is not “intelligent conversation” okay...?)

It’s really a shame because I’m starting to actually warm up to Lucas a little bit in this season but it feels like the conversations are just...kind of stilted and she’s not really into dating him—just agreeing to it because he’s the only option.

And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...he deserves better than that.

Don’t get me wrong, by the way. If it’s part of the story and it’s revealed as such down the road, I’ll be fine with it...but I always worry they’ll just skip important relationship milestones and/or important conversations and expect us all to just accept it.

Kiiiiiind of looking forward to the rainy date scene in the next episode, though. I’m Team Nathan mostly but I’m keeping an open mind and I think I might actually enjoy it. Hopefully they’ll get some good scenes together that don’t feel like this one did.

Clara's Dilemma

Clara’s fears about running the salon without Fiona...are legit. LOL.

Also, this little bit was funny (between Mike and Jesse and Bill):

Anyway, if Clara was that worried about it, she should have just...told Fiona no? I hope it comes up down the road. Poor Molly??

I genuinely don’t know how I feel about Clara and Jesse’s involvement in this episode. I guess it was okay. I liked Clara’s scenes with Bill. I thought the idea of Clara and Jesse buying into the cafe was a nice one. Jesse having “invested” their money and lost it all, though... They did a similar plot with other people in what...Season 5 was it? Or was that the start of S6? He didn’t even say what he invested it in? But he admits the money is all gone?

I think that’s what was missing from that scene. “I invested it in X, hoping to make us more money, but it didn’t work out and we lost everything.”

I’m not going to criticize Jesse’s characterization, only because sometimes character "growth” doesn’t happen for the better of anyone involved. My biggest worry here is that it’ll be solved by the end of next episode....but I hope that’s not it.

Like, I think they did better with Frank and Abigail if we’re going to talk about a man who didn’t know how to live like he was in a committed relationship. It made more sense with Frank, too, being older and single most of his life. His bouts of selfishness felt realistic.

Jesse feels like he’s somehow getting worse and worse as a person as the show goes on. I’m kind of at a point where I hope he and Clara divorce, because he’s so damn selfish it’s embarrassing. He’s off having a beer while his wife works multiple jobs? And then he has the audacity to act like they should save money when he just blew all their savings?

I’m sure it’ll work out fine but I hope Clara puts herself in charge of the finances at the very least.

As to investing failures, I liked how they did that with Henry and Abigail. That was the kind of tension and worry that felt natural to me—like she trusted him with her money after he’d proven himself untrustworthy ten million times throughout the years, and he failed and had to uhh admit that.

Jesse straight up betrayed Clara. Which, if it’s dealt with in a satisfying way...I think can be a good plotline. I just worry about it actually being dealt with properly. That’s a huge stumbling block in a relationship. And why is he continually getting worse as a person? There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.

Gasp... it’s almost like it’s just plot because they feel like they have to give someone something every damn episode.

Which brings me to THE FINAL

COMPLAINT CORNER (The Big Boy™ Complaints)

The show has really struggled with finding its footing. I wish they’d take notes from better shows with ensemble casts (cough cough Road to Avonlea cough) without also ripping off their storylines (cough school merges cough).

My #1 complaint at this point in Season 8 is the SHEER AMOUNT OF THINGS GOING ON EVERY EPISODE.

I want continuity, so I want to see things happen naturally over a season, but my God do we not need to have mindless pointless crap in the episode. Rachel getting “lost” for ten seconds wasted literal MINUTES of screen time that would have been MUCH better allocated to basically anyone else in this episode.

And I don’t think it would bother me so much if it wasn’t also shoved into the promo like it was supposed to matter. It didn’t matter. Nobody cares. Why was it allowed to stay in the episode alongside stuff like Clara and Bill’s conversation?

Or Lucas and Carson’s?

I think they want to appease all the fans in every episode by giving them scenes of their favorites, but what did Henry sitting in his chair accomplish in this episode? Rachel getting lost? Jack not sleeping well/missing his mom? The school superintendent?

Did Bill trying on his uniform have to be in this episode? Did Jesse and Clara’s problems have to come fully to light right now?

When every episode is formatted like this, with 10 plotlines all interconnected slightly and going on at the same time, I feel like...nobody gets the spotlight they deserve when they deserve it.

I cANNOT believe I’m saying this, but this plotline for Carson, especially if it will end with him leaving the show for a while or permanently should get the focus it deserves. But it won’t if we get tiny snips of it here and there and then BOOM decision made because Reasons.

And again, I know I’ve said before that I want more continuity throughout the season, but... the best way to do that is to tighten up the plots. Have fewer of them per season and give more screentime to the ones you choose to pursue.

Anyway, I’m still enjoying the season, but I hope they keep some of this kind of stuff in mind for next season. They don’t need plotlines for everyone in every episode. They need the plotlines they choose to write to be worth their screentime.

Sorry this was sloppily written and all that. Hopefully it makes sense. Very curious to see y’alls thoughts. Feel free to make your own posts and @ me, or reblog this or comment!

#when calls the heart #long post #season 8 spoilers #season 8 shenanigans #analysis and meta discussion #character studies and information

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pluviophile-bookworm · 4 years

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AWAE 2x1 rewatch: thoughts and reactions

At long last, it’s time to rewatch the first episode of season 2. With a suspenseful open ending, season 1 left us waiting for the continuation of Anne’s story, and here it is now. It’s been literal years since I first saw this episode, so of course I’m going in with very little memory of what happens in it. I can’t wait any more, so let’s dive in.

The episode, and with it the season, opens with a beautiful shot of Anne reaching of her window, and then there are more lovely shots of her in nature. i just love the visuals of this show so much. And Anne talking to trees is just on another level. I actually see things from her perspective for a moment and it’s like nature is talking back, and it’s all so magical. This is one of many reasons why I’m so in love with this show. This is one of those “gold opens”, as I call them. But why do I feel like it won’t be the same after the cold open?

Ok, thankfully it’s not as dark as I’d thought - at least for now. But I’m still on my toes. For the moment, however, Anne’s biggest concern is how little scope for the imagination needlepoint provides. Here’s to hoping it remains so for as long as possible.

A delinquent saying grace, how ironic. And he indulges Anne by saying “Gracious Heavenly Father” at her request. He’s playing his role well, that you’ve got to hand to him.

Ah, and here’s Bash’s first appearance. A tough and grim job, being addressed by his nationality, and just overall hardship is what he’s putting up with for the moment - probably has for most of his life. Thankfully, Gilbert stands for none of that stuff. #blacklivesmatter

Good as Nate may be at keeping up his facade, Anne’s curiosity is not making that any easier for him. I love her curiosity and her desire to learn as much as possible about everything (wait, isn’t that the same as curiosity?) and her fascination with science. This is a woman of the future, that’s for sure. She did nothing to deserve getting her story cut short without a warning. #renewannewithane

Poor Anne, still haunted by her trauma... I guess this kind of stuff never really goes away.

What is Nate trying to pull with Marilla? That guy creeps me out so much.

Of course, Anne is enchanted by Nate and his science and his books, but Jerry’s got him all figured out. It seems he doesn’t really remember how they first met, otherwise I’m certain he’d tell Anne if not anyone else, but even without the clear memory of what Nate and Dunlop are really like, he just knows it. Memory fails sometimes, but instinct almost never does. Poor Jerry has his own trauma now. My boy does not deserve this.

Ok, I love Anne so much, but she can be awfully insensitive sometimes. I mean, I understand that she’s very young, but still. She seems to often forget that not everyone has the same experience as her. Now she’s forgotten that Jerry can’t even read. Of course, she immediately offers to fix this. It’s heartwarming that she’s teaching him to read, but she managed to sound both too patronising and too complicated, all in one sentence. But hey, she’s not a certified teacher, she’s a kid. I’ll cut her some slack here because her intentions are nothing but good.

Oh there it is, Nate has released the gold bug, and now he’s getting Mr. Barry wrapped around his little finger. I just can’t watch this...

I love the Shirbert parallel of working to the same tune. Even miles away, they’re connected in a way.

I’m sensing another parallel here - Bash is to Gilbert what Jerry is to Anne: the poorer, less educated honorary brother who is also a member of a minority against which many are bigoted. And just like Jerry does to Anne, Bash reminds Gilbert in no uncertain terms of his white man’s privilege. And both Anne and Gilbert learn along the way to be less insensitive to those less privileged than them, and to fight for this privilege to be evened out. This is beautiful and important, and I love this show for presenting it so eloquently.

Another beautiful visual of Anne in nature, this is a very popular one - at least I’ve seen it going around quite a lot. It’s this one: [image credit: kissthemgoodbye.net]

I too, like Anne, love living in a world where there are Octobers - especially because that is the month I get to go back to uni, and I happen to love it there. What would the world be like without Octobers?

As someone whose hometown is extremely close to the beach, I sort of understand Matthew and Marilla’s lack of thrill at the thought of going there, but also Anne’s fascination and excitement as someone who hasn’t had the chance to go. A friend from the capital (which is almost as far from the sea as my country goes) once told me when she came to visit that she found it weird how people actually live in a city that she and her other friends view as just a holiday destination. I, on the other hand, hadn’t lived anywhere else at that point and was way beyond any fascination with the beach. It’s good to see a different point of view. Someone like Anne can make you rediscover the beauty of every little mundane thing.

Wait, this is Anne’s spot, isn’t it? The spot by the sea where she’d later go when she’s upset, and where Gilbert would pass by on his journey of Anne-memories in season 3? It is, I’m fairly certain of it.

And once again, as Anne looks out into the sea, so does Gilbert. Those two share a brain, don’t they?

I don’t really know what Nate’s deal is. Sure, I know he’s a scoundrel at best, but... can one fake this fascination with gold? Of course, this bit might just be true - he could really be fascinated with gold - with getting it for himself at other people’s expense. That would be in character for the person who gave poor Jerry one extra kick in the face after he was already on the ground. And when Anne asks about it, little detective that she is, his true self shows for an instant. And then the mask is back on and he’s all like “do the right thing” and “moral quandary”... as if he has any morals. This guy disgusts me.

Sweet summer child Ruby is so see-through... Albert, Herbert, Rupert - she reminds me of my younger self. I love her so much.

Oh, great. Just great. Nate’s got into Anne’s head. She has this unfortunate tendency to trust people whether they deserve it or not. And now she’s fallen into a trap.

Oh Jerry, trust me, you do need to know how to read. You do. Although I wonder if his desire to talk and to discuss books wasn’t at the core of his eventual falling out with Diana in season 3 - I mean, the incompatibility between that and her own wishes about their relationship. Either way, reading can’t be a bad thing, can it?

What does Dunlop mean by “She’s just a girl”. What? Does he see her as somehow inferior because she’s a girl? As if I needed more persuading that these two are, to put it very mildly, no good.

Anne is too good for this world, empathising with Dunlop’s sob story (how true is it? I might be falling too) and even offering to be his little sister in her own desperate longing to be someone’s sister. No, Anne, your only brother should be the one Nate is taunting in the barn at this very moment.

Oh gosh, Anne is there, and another memory of her traumatic past is triggered by Nate’s taunting. I can’t watch, I just can’t watch a book being torn up so devilishly, and it seems that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Does Jerry remember? I think he might be starting to remember. He’d better speak up soon if he does.

“I’d offer a penny for your thoughts but I haven’t any money.” Wait, does Eliza Barry not own any money at all? Is she that much of a submissive wife? I see now why she raises her daughters the way she does. I feel bad for her, truly. But I wonder what’s eating her husband. Is he thinking of what Nate told him?

Speaking of Nate - how vile of him to make fun of Jerry, calling him a little frog and all that, and taking advantage of the fact that he doesn’t remember who he and Dunlop are. You know, I’m thinking of a song - Little People from Les Mis, and specifically this line: So never kick a dog because it’s just a pup - you better run for cover when the pup grows up. In other words right now, Nate had better hope Jerry doesn’t remember, because I bet he’s not just going to sit around once he does. Nate’s got everyone fooled - everyone but him. And I don’t want to say Jerry was lucky, but in a way he was - to have met those two before everyone else.

That’s it - once Anne tells the town gossip, it’s all in the bag. She’ll tell everyone and get their attention for Nate. Sweet summer child Anne has done the con man’s job for him. Now he’s getting up everybody’s hopes just to get their money. I can’t even.

Sure, Anne, write to Gilbert, get him into this disaster waiting to happen, too. As if he hasn’t got enough on his plate right now. At least, being away, he might have missed out on that drama that will lead to no good, but nay, we just have to worry him, don’t we? And thus the bumpy road of Shirbert’s correspondence continues.

To sum up this episode: beautiful, magical scenery; Nate’s smooth acting has got everyone fooled - especially Anne; gold in Avonlea?; the similarities between Bash and Jerry; Shirbert share a brain; Anne teaches Jerry to read and write; Anne’s spot by the sea; Jerry doesn’t remember Nate and Dunlop - yet; the gold rush begins.

#awae #anne with an e #renew anne with an e #black lives matter #anne shirley cuthbert #gilbert blythe #diana barry #jerry baynard #ruby gillis #bash lacroix #rachel lynde #marilla cuthbert #matthew cuthbert

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lezziemanville · 5 years

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Anne with an E - Season 1 Watch Thoughts

(Rife with spoilers)

The cinematography for this show is gorgeous, as is the location itself and the color grading. I mean the browns and the reds are so rich and contrast the white of Green Gables and I’m just constantly in awe. Sometimes I forget to watch the actual show.

Anne, at first was annoying to me. And even though Anne of other series also never stopped talking in that precocious imaginative manner, this one made it somehow more obnoxious. However I stopped caring about that and I think she settled down a bit by the end of the first series. By episode 2 it was endearing again anyways.

Marilla was always a favorite character of mine and I couldn’t imagine her played by anyone else but Colleen Dewhurst but dear god Geraldine James has surpassed her in my mind as perfect for the role. She has this extra layer of vulnerability and I can’t really look away from her when it’s an emotional scene. She nails it really and makes me want to know much more about her backstory.

Matthew. Omg Matthew. First off it took me a few episodes in to realize it was the same actor who played Jasper Dale in Road to Avonlea. What a contrast here! But beyond that, he’s a fine actor and I love the way he plays Matthew. Gone is the stutter that Matthew kind of had, but in its stead is this larger presence that’s felt in Green Gables even when he’s working the fields. Also the romance with the buttons and that gorgeous dressmaker — fuck me I ship it.

Rachel Lynde — okay this actress, give her all of the awards. What a fabulous portrayal of Rachel! Immediately I had my dander up because she doesn’t look anything like Patricia Hamilton who in my mind has always been Rachel (and was in almost every iteration) but Jesus — Corrine Koslo is slaying. I instantly love her. I want more of her. Every time she’s on the screen I’m totally enthralled because something funny, or touching is going to happen.

The kids - I don’t care anything about as per usual. The Josie Pye isn’t as obnoxious as she has been in the past but I’m sure that will change. Gilbert’s a little too nice to Anne straight away, and that feels off to me but whatev. I don’t care about the kids beyond Anne so insert shrug emoji here.

Some of my favorite moments of the season that I can recall right now are:

The Cuthbert Family Bible with Anne rewriting her name and making them have a ceremony and all of that was so touching.

Gay Aunt! I love the addition of Aunt Josephine (I think her name was) and the subtle nod to the maiden aunt situation of gays on by.

Marilla’s backstory and choice to stay and help her family rather than to go off with the man she loved and for that man to have been Gilbert’s dad. Ugh my feels, especially when she was reading the letters. It’s all a testament to how great Geraldine is, IMO.

Matthew and the Dressmaker — wins my favorite moment of the whole season. My wife and I screamed aloud when he sent the button. Also her willingness to help Anne in their time of need. And when she went to Matthew and Omg I need more of this.

Rachel Lynde gossip extraordinare knowing everyone’s shit. Also I thought she was a widow in past versions of this but her little moment with her husband in the kitchen showing they’re still in love was just so fucking great.

The White Way of Delight is extra delightful this go around.

Anne’s trauma. This is so important to showcase and I think the flashbacks help to show why she does what she does. And on that note when Marilla goes to that woman’s house and flays her alive with class and grace for not having compassion for what Anne’s been through. We gave her a literal standing ovation in our house.

Anyways I’m obsessed with this show and I will write more thorough opinions for next season which we just began last night.

#anne with an e #anne shirley #marilla cuthbert #matthew cuthbert #rachel lynde #spoilers

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teamnick · 4 years

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TV shows + questions

Rules: Pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions. Don’t cheat. Tag 10 (or however many) people.

Thanks for the tag @nooraiskind 😊

Élite

The Handmaid’s Tale

OG Skam

Derry Girls

Road to Avonlea

Who is your favorite character in 2?

Nick Blaine ❤

Who is your least favorite character in 1?

Polo

What is your favorite episode of 4?

2x06 “The President”...those last moments still make me ugly cry.

What is your favorite season of 5?

Who is your favorite couple in 3?

Noora and William!

Who is your favorite couple in 2?

Nick and June

What is your favorite episode of 1?

ugh thats a difficult one...maybe 1x06 “Everything will be okay”. Nano and Marina had some nice moments there and I’ve always been their only shipper lmao

What is your favorite episode of 5?

4x07, “The Dinner”. Gus + Felicity’s 1st date. 💕

What is your favorite season of 2?

S1!!! It follows Atwood’s novel (more or less) and it shows.

How long have you watched 1?

I really cant remember...I watched S1 not long after it came out on Netflix (Oct. 2018), then I watched S2 and S3 on the day of the premiere.

How did you become interested in 3?

I was subscribed to a yt reactor back in 2017 and I was eagerly waiting for his reactions of a certain show (which I completely forgot about by now lol), but I kept receiving notifications of his SKAM reactions. It was annoying but I wanted to know what is this show...so I googled it...and since then I didnt climb out of the dumpster haha.

Who is your favorite actor in 4?

Siobhan McSweeney AKA Sister Michael. The MVP of the show.

Which do you prefer, 1, 2, or 5?

Road to Avonlea will be forever my comfort show. 🥰

Which show have you seen more episodes of, 1 or 3?

I mean OG Skam has more episodes than Élite, so...

If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

I’d like to be as cool and unbothered as Michelle. 😃

Would a crossover between 3 and 4 work?

OG Skam and Derry Girls?? OMG definitely. I mean Derry Girls almost feels like Skam Northern Ireland lmao

Pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple?

LOL I cant think of any couple that hasnt been explored already by the writers...maybe Rebeka and Valerio? They had a thing in S3 but I’d like to see more of them together!

Overall, which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5?

OG Skam, for sure!

Which has better theme music, 2 or 4?

Derry Girls!!!! They have nothing but ‘90s bops.

Tagging anyone who wants to do this, I think I tagged pretty much everyone the 1st time. 😄

#tag game

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raspberrycordialaddict · 6 years

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Reflections/commentary on S2 (Part 1)

I’m really glad I watched Anne with an E Season 2 by myself because I was free to laugh, cry, smile, scream, rewind over and over, etc. without getting on anyone’s nerves. What a beautiful, emotional ride the season is.

Like many of us, my compulsion to keep watching, binge-style, was driven by Shirbert -- and they didn’t disappoint in the least. But it’s a testament to how much I love this show that I enjoyed EVERYONE’s storylines, and I appreciated having the spotlight shone on all aspects of Avonlea, not just Anne. Fleshing characters out made them feel more real. In that sense, Anne with an E season 2 reminded me more of Road to Avonlea than either of the 1980s Anne series (Felicity and Gus, anyone?Jasper Dale? Such fond memories!) Some notes on main characters:

Matthew and Marilla

First, I just have to say: R.H. Thompson and Geraldine James are extraordinary in these roles. Season 2 gave them both great material to work with, separately and together.

The family dynamic at Green Gables, while firmly established last season, felt so REAL this time around. Watching M&M grapple with raising Anne is always a joy, and it led to some heartwarming and funny moments. One that comes to mind is when Marilla tells Anne that being plain is a gift that she’ll have plenty of time to discover. She looked so pleased telling Anne that, but was the exact opposite thing that Anne wanted to hear, haha. I also enjoyed seeing Matthew and Anne at odds for once over Jeannie’s letters. The way Matthew dealt with that conflict felt so in character, and the resolution only further solidified his special bond with Anne.

But the story that I found most interesting was their own personal dynamic. Getting glimpses of Michael and what he was like, especially for Matthew, and made me understand them better. As I get older, I find myself relating more and more to Marilla. When Anne asks what could be better than to spend your life with someone you love, and Marilla looks at Matthew -- I felt myself getting teary. I’d just never considered their relationship like that, how they are together by circumstance BUT also by choice. I also loved seeing Matthew confront his social anxiety a little (though I felt terrible about how he was forced into the panto!) .

I know some of us were scandalized (ha!) of Marilla’s reactions to Nate. But to me, her behavior made a level of sense.While the season seemed to really take off after the boarders were dealt with, what I liked about those first few episodes was the tension in the air, the unease and confusion that surrounded Green Gables for M&M, Anne and Jerry, in dfiferent ways. Nate was good looking and charming. And Marilla may be older, conservative and proper -- but she isn’t DEAD, you know?

I also loved the frank argument between Rachel and Marilla about Rachel’s opinions about Marilla’s spinsterhood. That scene, like the ones between Matthew and Marilla, really got to the heart of aspects of their relationship and how they perceive the other. I feel like you can only be THAT honest with friends you’ve known forever.

One last note: I remember Marilla saying that her eyesight was not what it was during the 1980s series, but I can’t remember the book (sorry!) So I felt that the trips to the oculist were a reference to that. Is that right?

#anne with an e season 2 spoilers #commentary #was going to write more but this is already too long #so sorry

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daibird16 · 5 years

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rules: pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions, don’t cheat. tag 10 (or however many) people.

1. Seinfeld

2. M*A*S*H*

3. Everybody Love Raymond

4. Bob’s Burgers

5. The Road to Avonlea

who is your favourite character in 2?

Radar

who is your least favourite character in 1?

The Bellman

what is your favourite episode of 4?

The episode about Linda’s birthday that goes horribly wrong (Plastic grocery bag shorts)

what is your favourite season of 5?

All

who is your favourite couple in 3?

Frank and Marie

who is your favourite couple in 2?

Hawkeye and B.J.

what is your favourite episode of 1?

The Strike/Festivus episode

what is your favourite episode of 5?

Not sure

what is your favourite season of 2?

Season 4

how long have you watched 1?

Since it was orginally on in the 90′s

how did you become interested in 3?

My dad watched it first

who is your favourite actor in 4?

The guy who does Linda’s voice

which do you prefer 1, 2 or 5?

i’m not choosing i love them all for different reasons

which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3?

i’ve watched both of them all the way through

if you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

Louise

would a crossover between 3 and 4 work?

Newp

pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely ok couple?

Jerry and Elaine

overall, which show has better the better storyline, 3 or 5?

which has better theme music 2 or 4?

0 notes

pixelmistart · 7 years

Photo

Inktober Day 2 - Road to Avonlea - Season 1 Episode 6 - "Proof of the Pudding" #Inktober #inktober2017 #handlettering #roadtoavonlea #anneofgreengables

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chaptersketches-blog · 7 years

Photo

Inktober Day 2 - Road to Avonlea - Season 1 Episode 6 - "Proof of the Pudding" #Inktober #inktober2017 #handlettering #roadtoavonlea #anneofgreengables

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hopevalley · 3 years

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Season End “Podcast” Episode

Hey guys. We (Sara/@trash-god and I/Manna) recorded the audio post last night. The very basic rundown is that we answered some questions and discussed some things. See the end of this post if you want an approximate list of topics. I don’t think we talked about anything too surprising (and frankly I feel like we didn’t even really dig into the meat of some topics at all, for whatever that’s worth).

I’ve uploaded the file to dropbox since it can handle a file this large without any real issue.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE FILE HERE.

You have to download the file or add it to your own Dropbox account to listen to the entire thing (it’s 5.75 hours long lol) so be sure to do that if you actually want to hear it all.

Unfortunately our connection was pretty poor so I (Manna) ended up doing most of the talking and there are some awkward silences when we couldn’t tell if one or the other was about to speak (haha) but I think overall it turned out okay. It should at least be listenable, but I do apologize for not taking the time to edit it. I just don’t have the energy.

You should see the button here on the top right, at least if you’re using Chrome:

If you have any problems downloading the file, let me know, but my only other option is to upload it to YouTube and I’d rather not do that since it’s unpolished and unedited. ;)

Topics discussed (under the ReadMore):

Allie’s Father (Dylan)

Allie’s Adoption

Nathan’s Inquiry

Helen Bouchard/The Manuscript

Barbershop + Fiona + Mike

Molly’s Pursuit of Bill

School Concerns

Dress Shop

Bill’s Uniform

The Triangle

Jesse and Clara

Faith and Carson

The Canfields

Henry’s Son + Christopher & Rachel

Lee and Rosemary

Ned and Florence