Anne with an E is the coming-of-age Netflix series that tells the story of the adolescent Anne Shirley, who finds herself adopted into a small family on Prince Edward Island on the Eastern Coast of Canada. Loosely based on the Anne of Green Gables books by Lisa Maud Montgomery, this Canadian series brings the classic tale to life with a modern twist to appeal to a newer generation of viewers.

The show’s fantastic plot combined with the cottagecore aesthetic made Anne with an E ideal for laid-back viewing. The series managed to maintain a light-hearted feel to it while tackling a number of issues, including gender inequality, racism, and child abandonment. Notably, Anne with an E took home the Canadian Screen Award (the Canadian Primetime Emmy equivalent) for Best Drama Series, living up to every expectation set by the books on which the show is based. In an unfortunate turn of events, however, Netflix canceled the series after three seasons, leaving many wondering why exactly that happened.

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Based on Anne of Green Gables

     CBC / Netflix

Anne with an E is based on the classic Anne of Green Gables children’s books set on the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The series follows the story of Anne (Amybeth McNulty), a 13-year-old orphan girl who just wishes to belong and finds herself mistakenly sent to Prince Edward Island to stay with siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. There, Anne discovers her identity and how she fits in the world. The series was praised for modernizing a Canadian classic and making it more accessible to a newer generation. Indeed, Anne with an E was very popular during its run, a certified Netflix original hit, so when the news got out that the third season would be the last, petitions were made to save the show. Even celebrities like Ryan Reynolds pleaded with Netflix to keep the show going. Despite the efforts of fans around the world, the show came to a close as planned and the series was effectively canceled.

Why Anne with an E Was Canceled

Despite the show’s positive reviews and the warm reception from audiences, Anne with an E was still subject to the ax, getting cut from the Netflix lineup. This decision shocked fans of the series everywhere, leaving everyone scratching their head and wondering why exactly the series was dropped. Some initially speculated that the reason for the show’s cancelation was that it didn’t meet ratings necessary to fund production of the show. However, the timing of Anne with an E’s cancelation lines up with the show’s Canadian network, CBC, cutting ties with Netflix altogether. This is another potential reason that the series was canceled as Netflix shows are contractually restricted from seeking a new network immediately after the streaming platform cancels them, as seen with Daredevil and the other Marvel TV shows on Netflix (formerly), which moved to Disney+ years after they were canceled. CEO of CBC Catherine Tait admitted that the network thought that producing content for Netflix was hurting the Canadian film industry, yet another potential reason that added to the show’s cancelation.

Future of Anne with an E

While the producers have made it clear that Anne with an E will not make a return to the screen, many fans are still hopeful. Despite the efforts of thousands to renew Anne with an E with petitions to the studios, since the show’s cancelation in 2019, there has been no sign that anymore will come out of the series. Also considering the fact that Amybeth McNulty has aged up, and no longer really fits the role of the adolescent Anne, we can safely say that the series has come to a close. Anne with an E will live on in our hearts. If you’d like to see more performances from Anne with an E title star Amybeth McNulty, you can see her in the film All My Puny Sorrows and as Vickie in the fourth season of Stranger Things.