After three seasons, the Canadian series Anne With An E was unfortunately canceled, and the abrupt end to the show left some big questions unanswered. The CBC-Netflix adaptation of the classic book Anne of Green Gables started airing in 2017 and offered a new take on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved characters. When compared to the 1985’s TV adaptation, the latest version was sometimes a little too dark for fans, but it did make a considerable push to be more diverse and inclusive. Sadly, the show didn’t get to finish Anne’s story, and plot points set up by season 3 will remain without a conclusion.
Starring the lovely Amybeth McNulty, the show told the journey of the curious and upbeat Anne Shirley after she’s adopted by Marilla (Geraldine James) and Matthew Cuthbert (R.H. Thomson). Always wanting an adventure and creating stories, Anne is a unique girl who tries her best to stay positive but doesn’t always fit in with others. Nevertheless, she captured the heart of the little town of Avonlea and the hearts of fans worldwide. When news of the show's cancellation was made official, fans quickly organized a petition asking for it to be un-canceled. The petition is still going strong even after more than six months since it started, gathering over 650,000 signatures as of June 2020.
While popular among young viewers and winning two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Drama Series, Anne With An E was caught between its Canadian production company CBC and the streaming juggernaut Netflix. Between low viewership among adults and CBC President Catherine Tait’s displeasure at giving content to Netflix, the partnership between the two companies dissolved, and the show lost its financial backing. Whatever the reasons why season 4 was canceled, it doesn’t change the fact that there were some big questions left unanswered by the show.
Diana and Jerry’s Relationship
Season 3 had Diana, Anne’s best friend, date Jerry, the Cuthberth’s farmhand. While the two were adorable together at first, tensions eventually appeared between them. During the season, Diana is shown to be under constant pressure from her parents to be the perfect lady, and this pressure is partly why she seeks Jerry, as she deep down wishes to have fun and experience a different lifestyle. Unfortunately, the same pressure drives her to fight with him in later episodes.
In fact, when Jerry questions why she wants to stop seeing him, the usually calm and gentle Diana throws the gifts they shared at his feet and storms off. While Diana later finds the courage to defy her parents’ expectations, she and Jerry didn’t have the chance to patch things up, and the poor boy is left thinking that Diana dislikes him. Even if they were too different and she wasn’t in love with Jerry, as she said to Anne, the two have still needed to talk things through. Who knows what could’ve happened between them in the following season.
Bash and Miss Stacey’s Relationship
Gilbert’s best friend, Sebastian LaCroix, or Bash, was a character created for the show. Played by Dalmar Abuzeid, Bash and his family were a much-welcomed addition to the cast and provided a lot of the emotional core of season 3. After his wife Mary died, Bash passes the rest of the season mourning her and coming to terms with his mother’s return. But he also spends an awful lot of time with Miss Stacey, Anne’s teacher. They hit off right away and, since they both lost their spouses, the ever gossip Mrs. Rachel suggests they might develop into something more.
While there was certainly chemistry between Bash and Miss Stacy, nothing came from it. This was another plot the show was probably going to explore in the next season, but with Anne With An E's cancellation, fans are left wondering if their friendship could potentially turn romantic, or if they would remain kindred spirits.
Cole’s Future
Cole and Anne became fast friends in the series’ second season. Played by Cory Gruter-Andrew, he was another new addition made for the adaptation and added much needed queer representation. His self-discovery journey played out in season 2, culminating with Aunt Jo inviting him to live with her in Charlottetown. In another change from the book, Aunt Jo reveals she’s gay. When Cole comes out to Anne and Aunt Jo, the older woman immediately sees a kindred spirit and decides to help him find his place in the world. In season 3, viewers don’t see much of Cole, but since he played a significant role in the previous season, it would make sense to address his future, particularly if he was going to find someone to love. With Anne also living in Charlottetown, there seemed to be plenty of opportunities to continue exploring his story.
Ka’Kwet’s Future
Ka’Kwet’s storyline was one of the most emotionally painful and dark moments of the show. Depicting a real chapter in Canadian history, Ka’Kwet is shown being taken to a residential school to be “re-educated” like many other First Nations children at that time period. Treated with cruelty and held prisoner by this “school,” Ka’Kwet manages to escape and, after a harrowing journey, finds her parents again. But her relief is temporary, as goons track her down and threaten her parents with violence if they don’t give her up. Anne, who met Ka’Kwet before, is appalled by the entire situation, and the Cuthberts try their best to help Ka’Kwet’s parents. Unfortunately, there is little Anne can do when the government stays firmly on the side of the school. Heart-broken, Ka’Kwet’s parents can only watch from afar as she remains imprisoned there. Anne leaves defeated, and the characters never show up again in the remaining episodes.
Historically speaking, it would be unlikely for this storyline to have a happy ending. But Anne With An E often found light in the dark, so it feels like a major oversight not to conclude the story with some sort of hopeful note. Viewers are left wondering if Ka’Kwet’s fate is sealed or if the show was going to address this plotline in a future season.
Anne’s Future and Career
A trailblazer for her time, Anne wants more from life than marriage. As the show went on, audiences saw her talents as a writer, as an activist, and a journalist. Of course, she stumbles and makes mistakes, but Anne's personality shows that she’s clearly talented and willing to commit fully to her tasks. By the end of season 3, Anne is heading to college and ready to face a new phase in her life. Unfortunately, fans won’t be joining her on that journey. Was she going to become a best-selling novelist like her 1985 counterpart, or a teacher like she did at the end of the first book? It’s a pity viewers won’t see this character flourish into an accomplished young woman.
Anne and Gilbert’s Relationship
Of course the biggest question left unanswered has to be the future of Anne and Gilbert’s relationship. After three seasons of build-up, the two finally realized their feelings for each other and kissed. But while that was a much-awaited moment and they make for the show's best couple, it was also just the beginning of their story together. Fans of the 1985 version and the original books know very well that both go on to have many more adventures, eventually marrying and having children together. Would Gilbert propose but be rejected as it happens in the books? There was so much more to explore between them, but with the show not returning, fans will never know if Anne and Gilbert were destined to stay together or if they would eventually grow apart.