S01.E05: Tightly Knotted to a Similar String

[OtterMommy]

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Anne must deal with the inevitability of womanhood when she gets her first period. At the same time, Marilla and Matthew acclimatize to parenthood and revisit moments of their youth through Anne.

[Pepper the Cat]

Holy crap!! They really are introducing stories that are not from the books!!

Are you there God? It's me Anne.

[SeanC]

I thought this was a great case of taking one of the more well-known incidents from the book and adding some new material/layers to the significance of it.

In the first episode or two I wasn't entirely sold on Dalila Bela's Diana, but she's been given more to do since, and this was probably her best material to date.  The drunk scenes are fun, of course (actors always enjoy those), but her and Anne's striving-to-be-melodramatic farewell was very well-done as well.

I'm not entirely sure what the status of book spoilers in these threads is, but to be safe:

Spoiler

Alas, Matthew.  I was wondering if, given the shorter timeframe this series seems set to cover, if he'd get a stay of the axe, but that brief shot of him clutching his chest would indicate otherwise.

 The understated look into the Cuthberts' backstory was nice.

Also, quite enjoying the friendship between Marilla and Rachel Lynde in this.

[Pepper the Cat]

Loved it.

like the addition of Anne also getting drunk., not just Diana.

That is one beautiful dress that Mathew had made. 

The addition of a possible lost romance for Mathew plus the mysterious 3rd sibling is interesting. As is Gilbert and is dying (I assume of TB) father. All a huge diversion from the book.

Looking forward to next week where Anne saves the day!

[Keener]

The only fault I had with this episode was the missed opportunity of the dress shopping. Matthew buying up the store and all its sugar is far more entertaining than him walking into a boot store, the scene cutting and then him returning to the dress store. But I did love the button scene though. Very sweet. 

Anne's melodrama about her period was hilariously on point. As was all the girls' reasons for keeping it a secret but then revelling in how womanly they felt. 

Gilbert is perfection. I love the heart eyes he keeps giving Anne. It's adorable. And I love the added storyline with his father. I'd always thought that Gilbert was more well-off (more along the lines of Diana, I suppose), but really he couldn't afford to send himself to school in the books, so him taking care of his sickly father feels more in line with what we do know of Gilbert. 

40 minutes ago, SeanC said:

I'm not entirely sure what the status of book spoilers in these threads is, but to be safe:

  Hide contents

Alas, Matthew.  I was wondering if, given the shorter timeframe this series seems set to cover, if he'd get a stay of the axe, but that brief shot of him clutching his chest would indicate otherwise.

 

I snuck a peak at the summaries for the next 2 episodes and it seems that...

Spoiler

they're likely going to kill him off (early) at the end of this season as the summary addresses that the Cuthberts receive distressing news-- which would likely be the investments failure. I suspect that Anne will win some competition through school and help Marilla out enough to get us to the second season, where the Elaine boat sinking scene and Redmond college stuff will happen. 

I can't believe there's only 2 more episodes left of this!  Every episode never feels long enough. I almost envy those who'll get to binge watch it on Netflix. I count the days to Sunday just to be able to watch it. 

[greekmom]

I never understood why in the book, the 80's version and again in this version why no one labels the darn bottles!!!  Mistake wouldn't have happened if Marilla either labelled the Raspberry cordial bottle or the current wine bottle. 

I loved the backstory on the Cuthberts and the Blythes.  

I can't wait till Mr. Phillips gets what's coming to him when the council finds out about Prissy Andrews.

[SeanC]

1 hour ago, greekmom said:

I never understood why in the book, the 80's version and again in this version why no one labels the darn bottles!!!  Mistake wouldn't have happened if Marilla either labelled the Raspberry cordial bottle or the current wine bottle. 

The Cuthbert household isn't child-proofed, to use the modern parlance.  Marilla would never have organized her kitchen around anybody other than her having to use it.

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I can't wait till Mr. Phillips gets what's coming to him when the council finds out about Prissy Andrews.

I've been wondering about where that's going.

I can't remember how old Prissy is supposed to be.

[Bec]

I've been looking forward to seeing what they do with The Dress in this version. Those puffed sleeves are still ridiculously big, and make the wearer look like she has a really small head, but I like this dress better than the one from the Sullivan Entertainment series, that one was almost "Pretty in Pink" levels of hideous 80s chic with its unfortunate Peter Pan collar combined with see-through lace collar, and the giant butt-bow. The one on this show at least looks like it's actually from olden times.

LOL at "womanly flowering time". And then Marilla shooing Matthew out of the house because men weren't supposed to hear about these things with their delicate man ears. Hee! I wonder how much he knows about these womanly things. Probably at least a little or he would have freaked out more at the bloody laundry in the sink. Interesting that they used to pin cotton cloths to undergarments. I wonder if they had safety pins. And they wouldn't have had fitted panties back then, so what were they pinning the cloths to? Those loose fitting drawers? No wonder that girl leaked through her dress.

[Keener]

2 hours ago, Bec said:

LOL at "womanly flowering time". And then Marilla shooing Matthew out of the house because men weren't supposed to hear about these things with their delicate man ears. Hee! I wonder how much he knows about these womanly things. Probably at least a little or he would have freaked out more at the bloody laundry in the sink. Interesting that they used to pin cotton cloths to undergarments. I wonder if they had safety pins. And they wouldn't have had fitted panties back then, so what were they pinning the cloths to? Those loose fitting drawers? No wonder that girl leaked through her dress.

They pinned them to their bloomers if late enough. But if not, then to their dresses. They'd have been wearing petticoats and such so it'd be pinned to a layer rather than the dress itself. Presumably the tight corsets kept them in place. Corsets disappeared around the same time that pads and santitary belts showed up.  Wealthy women apparently burned the cotton, poorer women washed them and reused them. What I want to know is what you do when you're out and about at school? No wonder Anne's friends just stayed home!  I can't believe that the modern pad is literally an invention of the 1970s. But I guess if no one is talking about it, then no one is really coming up with easier solutions. 

Edited April 17, 2017 by Keener

[greekmom]

8 hours ago, SeanC said:

The Cuthbert household isn't child-proofed, to use the modern parlance.  Marilla would never have organized her kitchen around anybody other than her having to use it.

I've been wondering about where that's going.

I can't remember how old Prissy is supposed to be.

I wasn't talking childproof but more for self home organization. When you have many bottles and similar colours, you would want to label them: red vinegar, cordial, current wine, etc.  Good housekeeping tips for the 1800's.

BTW, I also forgot to mention, after Anne saw the state of Gilbert's father that she would have at least let up on him a little bit.

[Miss Dee]

Of course Matthew would know what's going on; being a fairly intelligent man and a good farmer with livestock, he'd recognize what was happening. It's just that this wasn't talked about. The closest LMM comes in the book is when Anne speaks of a lot of changes occurring when you turn thirteen.

I'm really glad they went there...I'd like to bring this up to anyone who gets wistful about the good ol' days....

[PRgal]

15 hours ago, greekmom said:

I never understood why in the book, the 80's version and again in this version why no one labels the darn bottles!!!  Mistake wouldn't have happened if Marilla either labelled the Raspberry cordial bottle or the current wine bottle. 

I loved the backstory on the Cuthberts and the Blythes.  

I can't wait till Mr. Phillips gets what's coming to him when the council finds out about Prissy Andrews.

Maybe Marilla knows what everything is, based on where she puts bottles (or she opens them to smell them).

 

ETA: Regarding having periods back then - the clothes must have been BULKY!  YUCK (and no wonder it was called "the curse")! :(

Edited April 17, 2017 by PRgal

[Camera One]

I wasn't talking childproof but more for self home organization. When you have many bottles and similar colours, you would want to label them: red vinegar, cordial, current wine, etc.  Good housekeeping tips for the 1800's.

Marilla was the only woman in the house for decades, and only she would touch the bottles if Matthew, or visitors, wanted anything.  She knew where everything was.  I can definitely see why she would not feel the need to label.

I was wondering if Marilla and Rachel would have felt free enough to discuss menstruation openly like that, during the time period.  

Anne talking back to Marilla when she got home from that bad day at school felt very modern.

I'm glad they did show more of the Puffed Sleeves purchase than the Martin Sheen adaptation, though we only saw him buying boots instead of sugar, etc.  

Overall, the Diana invited to tea incident was done well, though I'm not sure it was necessary to have Anne drunk as well.  I don't buy that Diana's mother wouldn't have cut off their friendship in the third episode when Anne was telling everyone about Mr. Phillip's mouse.  

I liked how they are showing Gilbert's father and how he is taking care of him.   It was a nice way of rounding out the episode to end on a more positive note for Anne, along with receiving the dress.

I don't mind that they are exploring Marilla and Matthew's untold story.  I liked the actress who played the dressmaker.  I was expecting in this modern retelling, they would reveal Matthew was gay or something, so this was a surprise.

[PRgal]

51 minutes ago, Camera One said:

 

Marilla was the only woman in the house for decades, and only she would touch the bottles if Matthew, or visitors, wanted anything.  She knew where everything was.  I can definitely see why she would not feel the need to label.

I was wondering if Marilla and Rachel would have felt free enough to discuss menstruation openly like that, during the time period.  

Anne talking back to Marilla when she got home from that bad day at school felt very modern.

I'm glad they did show more of the Puffed Sleeves purchase than the Martin Sheen adaptation, though we only saw him buying boots instead of sugar, etc.  

Overall, the Diana invited to tea incident was done well, though I'm not sure it was necessary to have Anne drunk as well.  I don't buy that Diana's mother wouldn't have cut off their friendship in the third episode when Anne was telling everyone about Mr. Phillip's mouse.  

I liked how they are showing Gilbert's father and how he is taking care of him.   It was a nice way of rounding out the episode to end on a more positive note for Anne, along with receiving the dress.

I don't mind that they are exploring Marilla and Matthew's untold story.  I liked the actress who played the dressmaker.  I was expecting in this modern retelling, they would reveal Matthew was gay or something, so this was a surprise.

I was surprised myself about Marilla and Rachel's discussion about periods.  More than 100 years later, many of us STILL aren't talking about it like that!  I mean, other than "OMG, I'm SOOOOOOO PMS-ing right now!!!"

[SeanC]

2 hours ago, Camera One said:

Overall, the Diana invited to tea incident was done well, though I'm not sure it was necessary to have Anne drunk as well.

I'm not sure what necessary means in this context.  It was funny to have her get drunk too, and doesn't change the story in any notable way.

[Camera One]

24 minutes ago, SeanC said:

I'm not sure what necessary means in this context.  It was funny to have her get drunk too, and doesn't change the story in any notable way.

I personally didn't think it was needed to make the scene any more funny than it already was in the book.  In fact, I thought it detracted from the humor because part of Anne's uniqueness is how she could be so completely oblivious to something like someone else getting drunk, solely because she was so caught up in the romance of being a hostess.  But if you thought it was funny, clearly the addition did its intended job.  

I suppose I could have used the word "enjoyable" instead of necessary, but I didn't find the scene unenjoyable either.  There's probably a more precise word out there.

[Keener]

2 hours ago, PRgal said:

I was surprised myself about Marilla and Rachel's discussion about periods.  More than 100 years later, many of us STILL aren't talking about it like that!  I mean, other than "OMG, I'm SOOOOOOO PMS-ing right now!!!"

I think it's within the realm of possibility that Marilla would seek out Rachel's opinion on the issue. Anne was moody and intolerable and Rachel might have some insight to offer having (presumably?) raised at least 1 daughter among those 10 kids.  Also, I feel like Marilla and Rachel have a special kinship. Do I think Marilla would go to Diana's mother and have the same conversation? Unlikely. But Rachel is similarly aged, she's her closest friend and someone she has a good laugh with from time to time. I could see the conversation happening especially if it'd begun with Marilla recounting Anne's outbursts. Rachel, I feel, would have little qualms about offering her opinions on the situation if prompted.

[PRgal]

11 hours ago, Keener said:

I think it's within the realm of possibility that Marilla would seek out Rachel's opinion on the issue. Anne was moody and intolerable and Rachel might have some insight to offer having (presumably?) raised at least 1 daughter among those 10 kids.  Also, I feel like Marilla and Rachel have a special kinship. Do I think Marilla would go to Diana's mother and have the same conversation? Unlikely. But Rachel is similarly aged, she's her closest friend and someone she has a good laugh with from time to time. I could see the conversation happening especially if it'd begun with Marilla recounting Anne's outbursts. Rachel, I feel, would have little qualms about offering her opinions on the situation if prompted.

Rachel would definitely be open about these issues, but Marilla?  I'm not so sure - she likes to keep things to herself and is uncomfortable in any situation that is out of her "realm."  Think the moms' book club/sewing circle...

[insubordination]

I'm starting to like this show finally. It took me a while to forgive it after that terrible, overwrought episode 2.  I think Anne and her adolescent rantings are a little too modern in this ep, and I don't think Marilla would have put up with that kind of insolence.  However, I remember being suitably horrified when I got my first period and probably bad-tempered too. I also think it was a little too modern that they would all celebrate it the way they did, but it is made for a modern audience.   The stuff Rachel said about "managing expectations" was forthright (so in character), but seemed like a modern kind of thinking. Next she'll talk about being pro-active when making preserves.

Mr Phillips sexually harassing Prissie at school was quite cleverly done. He is a suitably horrible Mr. Phillips. 

I thought the dress was fug, and too reminiscent of the Sullivan one.  I guess we are never to see the brown gloria then.  However, I did like how happy Anne was with it. That's the main thing.

My favourite moments are when Marilla dares to comfort Anne or the look on Anne and Matthew's face when she receives what is probably her first real present. I was touched at their acting.

I am starting to accept this show as a kind of fan fiction.  You see I need to manage my expectations.  I did like the material based on the book best (and the way Anne decorated the table), but the added moments were nice too (character development for Gilbert and Matthew).  I thought the 'button' scenes were sweet -a life he could have had if he wasn't so timid and forced into a corner. Although I didn't particularly appreciate another abuse flashback, it does make sense seeing how emotionally crippled he and Marilla are.  I liked Matthew being shy in public because I don't think has seemed enough that way until now.

The actor who plays Matthew is very endearing (I never watched Road to Avonlea). I hope they keep him a while yet because the show would be worse without him in it.  I'm still not sold on Diana, but Gilbert is "awfully" cute and looks and acts like I imagine when I read the books.   Ruby seems in character too (hysterical), but I've completely forgotten which one is supposed to be Jane.

It is a shame that we missed a younger Anne (and her geranium Bonny),  but Gil/Anne rivalry/hinted romance is what many viewers might be tuning in for.  I bet there are already 'shippers somewhere Jerry v. Gilbert.

I still can't see this show gaining a huge audience, but I hope I'm wrong. I would love to see the later books (OK, the third) finally make it to the screen.

Even though I was touched at the end, this show is more akin to Dr Quinn Medicine Woman than a grand Netflix drama.  At least I felt all happy inside watching this ep. I haven't felt that way much since the pilot.  I still think they need to build the Avonlea community more.

Anyway, at least I am looking forward to next week this time.

[Keener]

10 hours ago, insubordination said:

The actor who plays Matthew is very endearing (I never watched Road to Avonlea). I hope they keep him a while yet because the show would be worse without him in it.  I'm still not sold on Diana, but Gilbert is "awfully" cute and looks and acts like I imagine when I read the books.   Ruby seems in character too (hysterical), but I've completely forgotten which one is supposed to be Jane.

RH Thompson (the actor who plays Matthew) is one of the most acclaimed Canadian actors.  Road to Avonlea is probably his most commercial success, but he's really a darling of the theatre scene. A colleague mentioned she'd seen a play where he'd been called in to be the stand-in for the lead and they made an announcement that he'd be using a script because he'd only been assigned the role that same day. She said that it was almost as though the script didn't exist. He was exceptional. 

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I still can't see this show gaining a huge audience, but I hope I'm wrong. I would love to see the later books (OK, the third) finally make it to the screen.

I think it going to Netflix is going to be a huge game changer for the series. CBC's market is relatively small in the grand scheme of things. Outside of the news, it's not exactly a ratings giant. I think when Netflix gives it its world wide distribution, more will tune in and binge watch it-- it's very bingeable-- and it will easily land a second season. It's already a modest hit on CBC. They'll be wringing their hands hoping for the Netflix funding, I'm sure. CBC is probably already signing the cheques for the second and third (and fourth) seasons. 

I too am just desperate for a faithful retelling of the Gil and Anne relationship. I want to go right on through the series. I'm enjoying Anne and Gilbert enough to keep watching. 

Edited April 18, 2017 by Keener

[marina to]

7 hours ago, Keener said:

RH Thompson (the actor who plays Matthew) is one of the most acclaimed Canadian actors.  Road to Avonlea is probably his most commercial success, but he's really a darling of the theatre scene. A colleague mentioned she'd seen a play where he'd been called in to be the stand-in for the lead and they made an announcement that he'd be using a script because he'd only been assigned the role that same day. She said that it was almost as though the script didn't exist. He was exceptional. 

I live in Toronto so I've seen a lot of his stagework. He's brilliant.

I'd also like to point out that the Sullivan adaptation was first aired on CBC but was eventually sold to 160 countries. At the very least, Japan and China will be markets it will be sold to, as Anne is very popular there.

Edited April 19, 2017 by marina to

[Birnam Wood]

Just dropped in to note that I would watch the HELL out of a spin-off featuring Marilla, Rachel, gossip, and (presumably) wacky hijinks.

[Check Sanity]

I binge watched up to this episode over the Easter weekend and I think the show will do better as a bingeable format a la Netflix. Reading back all the comments in each episode forum so far, there were a lot of complaints about the "essence of the character" and parts missing, which just ended up showing up in later episodes. I really think this series, especially because it is an adaption of a book series, is formatted like many "prestige" shows these days (Game of Thrones, Westworld, etc..) where each episode or even a whole season is a chapter and one can't really form a complete opinion without seeing all the pieces as a whole. 

I remember more of the Sullivan adaptation than the actual books, but even then it's been over 15 years since I watched or read either. I think that helps me look at this series with somewhat fresh eyes. I watched the PBS adaptation and found myself audibly reacting in annoyance, much to my roommates' displeasure. I managed to convince him to watch this series after pointing out that Moira Walley-Beckett was also the writer of his favourite Breaking Bad episodes, which I think is also a big draw for a wider audience than what would normally be expected. It was actually my roommate that wanted to watch all the released episodes so far on the CBC website. I wanted to break on episode 4 and wait and watch 5 and 6 together due to what the episode summaries suggested for plot. I didn't want to feel like I was left hanging in regards to Anne and Diana's separation. 

Speaking of Diana... she was the only part of this series for me that I was feeling iffy on, until this episode. I wasn't really feeling or seeing her side of being swept up by Anne and their bosom friendship. However, that seems to be just another example of this show's pacing, and how the binge format will be to its benefit. 

[tennisgurl]

I know its the time period, but Mr. Philips and his stupid mustache looks like the most punchable hipster dickhead in all of Brooklyn. And he has the attitude to match.

Oh my God, Anne is lucky she found a friend who can almost match her when it comes to drama. I get why she and Diana were heartbroken to be torn apart, but holy crap, you'd think one of them had terminal cancer! I did think their tea ceremony was super cute, up until they accidently got wasted. Even that was kind of cute, or at least as cute as two young girls getting accidently trashed on cheap booze can be.

Matthew once had a tragic young love, and they both still seem to be missing each other! I hope Anne finds out, she will lose her mind with excitement at all the romance. Matthew and Anne are super cute, you can tell he was made to be a father. Marilla struggles to be a parent, but Matthew took to it pretty much instantly.

Maybe finding out about his dad will lead to Anne and Gilbert getting closer, or at least her warming to him a bit. No wonder Gilbert is the resident heartthrob of the one room school house, he's a dream boat to little girls surrounded by these other jackass boys.

Edited May 17, 2017 by tennisgurl

[Primetimer]

Stephanie Cangro has more questions about 'Tightly Knotted To A Similar String,' some of which aren't even shameful at all!

View the full article

[EAG46]

If this was the All-Of-A-Kind Family series of books by Sydney Taylor, there wouldn't have been this bullshit. Mama and any available Tante would have shown the girls how to wash their clothes, that it was all part of the cycle of life and it wasn't anything horrible. Also, if any Rebbe, let alone any schoolteacher, was stupid enough to suggest no girl should go to school, Papa would have let him have it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Taylor http://jewishlibraries.org/images/downloads/Sydney_Taylor_Book_Award/companion.pdf

[Jeffurry]

Raspberry cordial and currant wine both sound amazing.

I knew this show would be a period piece but...

[pagooey]

Quote

I know its the time period, but Mr. Philips and his stupid mustache looks like the punchable hipster dickhead in all of Brooklyn. 

Had to quote this because it made me guffaw out loud at work. Mr. Philips has undergone a little modern-grittiness application himself! 

It's probably been more than 30 years since I read the books--I am An Old. I scoff a bit at some of the updates, like Anne running into a damn burning building...but overall I can't help but love this adaptation. When Anne got her precious puffed sleeves I cried like a ninny. I also laughed out loud at (paraphrasing):

Marilla: "I'm sure it's a very dignified affair."

SMASH CUT TO: Snake Juice chaos at the Cuthberts'. 

I also have to shout out to EAG46: I loved the All-Of-A-Kind Family books as a little girl, although I was a tiny bit confused and thought that the Lower East Side was perhaps still overrun with tinkers' carts and horse-drawn carriages. In the 1970s. It took me a while to figure out Historical Fiction. 

[iMonrey]

I'll not debate the merits of the changes from the book here, as I've done elsewhere. But I did think Anne and Diana sobered up a little too quickly once they were confronted by Diana's mother and Marilla. They both should have either been puking their guts out or passed out. Instead they looked as if they'd fully recovered.

[theatremouse]

I don't think they were drunk enough to puke or pass out. Just drunk enough for it to be conspicuous.

[Roseanna]

On ‎17‎.‎4‎.‎2017 at 4:35 AM, Keener said:

Gilbert is perfection. I love the heart eyes he keeps giving Anne. 

I find the spelling competion very funny as Anne is already 13 and can read fluently.

Here children stop spelling once they learn to read. Luckily one writes our language just in the same way as it's written. Great thanks for the bishop who first used it after the Reformation!

[theatremouse]

Literacy 125 years ago was very different than now. Plus most kids I'm aware of learn to read in 1st/2nd grade, but most spelling bee kids are 5-7th grade. Although in the US, the cutoff for the national spelling bee is 8th grade, which potentially includes some 14 year olds. So even though my understanding is the show aged up the characters a couple of years, they're still within the age range of current day spelling be standards. The words seemed a bit easy, but still the concept of in-school spell-offs did not strike me as age inappropriate.

[Roseanna]

10 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

Literacy 125 years ago was very different than now. Plus most kids I'm aware of learn to read in 1st/2nd grade, but most spelling bee kids are 5-7th grade. Although in the US, the cutoff for the national spelling bee is 8th grade, which potentially includes some 14 year olds. So even though my understanding is the show aged up the characters a couple of years, they're still within the age range of current day spelling be standards. The words seemed a bit easy, but still the concept of in-school spell-offs did not strike me as age inappropriate.

I know it's possible, having read Peanuts as a child. But I still find it funny. And I pity kids who have such unnecessary difficulties only because the English language isn't written in the same way it's talked.

[Keener]

On 6/3/2017 at 4:30 AM, Roseanna said:

I find the spelling competion very funny as Anne is already 13 and can read fluently.

Here children stop spelling once they learn to read. Luckily one writes our language just in the same way as it's written. Great thanks for the bishop who first used it after the Reformation!

Today (in my province anyway) kids will definitely have spelling tests and "word walls". I personally recall doing spelling tests in grade 7 and that would've been in the 80s. So I'm sure it was common place across Canada in Anne's era. Additionally, she was being schooled in a one-room school house. Teachers who teach split grades can attest to this, there's no way to always do different lessons for the different grades. You do what is common for all and find differences in little ways.  The one-room school teacher would've likely had spelling that went from the basic "cat", "dog" for the younger kids to the complex for the older kids.  I got the impression that that was the premise behind the competition-- going more and more difficult until only the strongest and in some cases, oldest, remained. 

[MrHammondsGhost]

On 5/17/2017 at 4:13 PM, pagooey said:

 When Anne got her precious puffed sleeves I cried like a ninny.

I was waiting for anyone to say = "Puffiest in the world."

---------------------------------------------------

Another point was that Anne could have had her "period" while standing for the spelling bee, and so she could have had the dreaded "accident" in front of the class.

Also it recalled (by implication to episode 3) the name of the mothers' group as the "PMS Circle" (Progressive Mothers Sewing Circle), and only a female script writer could have gotten away with using that acronym for that group.

[SomeTameGazelle]

On 4/17/2017 at 4:23 PM, Camera One said:

Anne talking back to Marilla when she got home from that bad day at school felt very modern.

I'm glad they did show more of the Puffed Sleeves purchase than the Martin Sheen adaptation, though we only saw him buying boots instead of sugar, etc.  

Overall, the Diana invited to tea incident was done well, though I'm not sure it was necessary to have Anne drunk as well.  I don't buy that Diana's mother wouldn't have cut off their friendship in the third episode when Anne was telling everyone about Mr. Phillip's mouse.  

 

Modern bratty Anne requires a level of tolerance in Marilla that I find difficult to believe. I need Marilla to be outwardly more stern. And of course Mr Phillips is terrible and I hate him (Miss Stacey can't come soon enough) but I felt more sympathy for him than for Anne when she gave him attitude about taking books to Gilbert.

Having a dress shop with the latest fashions from Paris in Carmody seemed implausible. One of the things I love about this episode in the books (over and above his buying a bunch of bizarre things he doesn't need or want) is that Matthew gets Mrs Lynde to help by sewing the dress once he has purchased the material.

 

On 4/17/2017 at 7:08 PM, SeanC said:

I'm not sure what necessary means in this context.  It was funny to have her get drunk too, and doesn't change the story in any notable way.

It does change it because in the version when Anne doesn't drink any that explains why she didn't realize it was alcoholic and stop Diana from drinking it before she is actually drunk.

Marilla jumped to "it was my fault" very quickly without apparently looking into what actually happened. And it looked like Anne found two bottles on the shelf and picked the one that looked redder because she liked the look of it better (did she say grape cordial instead of raspberry?). In the book Marilla told Anne the raspberry cordial would be in the pantry so Anne takes the bottle she finds there. It isn't until after Diana goes home drunk and a couple of days later Anne finds out from Mrs Lynde that Mrs Barry blames Anne that Marilla looks in the pantry and realizes that she put the cordial in the cellar so of course Anne assumed that the currant wine was the raspberry cordial. (Also it should be noted that book Marilla did not throw out all the currant wine after the minister disapproved; she just stopped making any more.)

On 4/18/2017 at 7:54 AM, insubordination said:

 Ruby seems in character too (hysterical), but I've completely forgotten which one is supposed to be Jane.

I don't remember Jane ever saying anything, but I found this photo of (L-R) Ruby, Jane, and Josie Pye and I also have no recollection of ever having seen Jane before. I would love to be getting to know each of the girls at this stage rather than just the mean clique version we have had, to say nothing of building up Gilbert and even giving Billy Andrews an unpleasant character.

https://twitter.com/ami_agency/status/829383997272838148/

 

On 5/14/2017 at 9:31 PM, tennisgurl said:

Oh my God, Anne is lucky she found a friend who can almost match her when it comes to drama. I get why she and Diana were heartbroken to be torn apart, but holy crap, you'd think one of them had terminal cancer! I did think their tea ceremony was super cute, up until they accidently got wasted. Even that was kind of cute, or at least as cute as two young girls getting accidently trashed on cheap booze can be.

Matthew once had a tragic young love, and they both still seem to be missing each other! I hope Anne finds out, she will lose her mind with excitement at all the romance. Matthew and Anne are super cute, you can tell he was made to be a father. Marilla struggles to be a parent, but Matthew took to it pretty much instantly.

I wish that the trajectory of Anne and Diana's friendship had not been sidetracked by Anne not fitting in at school. Diana telling Anne she loved her after not really siding with Anne against the other girls lacked something for me. The tea party was fine although I was a bit taken aback that when they were drunkenly imagining themselves as grand ladies they were ordering "Jerry" to serve them.

Since in this adaptation hardly anyone in Avonlea seems to know the Cuthberts I suppose that explains why Jeannie was never able to see Matthew again after he left school even though she was supposedly concerned about him and has been thinking about him for about 50 years. But really it seemed a bit ridiculous to imagine that she is supposed to have been pining for him without any context other than a flashback to childhood.

[Camera One]

32 minutes ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

I wish that the trajectory of Anne and Diana's friendship had not been sidetracked by Anne not fitting in at school. Diana telling Anne she loved her after not really siding with Anne against the other girls lacked something for me.

For a series that's supposedly about developing the characters and rounding them out, they didn't seem to develop the important relationships in a gradual and meaningful way.  The Marilla-Anne relationship felt a little like an insta-bond after their initial over-the-top row over the missing broach.  

[SomeTameGazelle]

16 hours ago, Camera One said:

For a series that's supposedly about developing the characters and rounding them out, they didn't seem to develop the important relationships in a gradual and meaningful way.  The Marilla-Anne relationship felt a little like an insta-bond after their initial over-the-top row over the missing broach.  

I'm not sure that relationships are a priority at all. I think they are sacrificing relationships and storytelling to what they think is character, and failing at character because they are relying on soap opera techniques to showcase emotions at the expense of fundamental narrative. So instead of drawing out Matthew's character through his interactions with Anne, he gets a tragic past unrelated to Anne, which compromises Anne's development in the story as well. 

[satrunrose]

Yeah, the idea that no one knows each other is really confusing to me. That is so completely a-typical of small town life in general and small town Atlantic Canadian life in particular, that it makes me feel like the creators really don't know a lot about the world they're trying to show us. It's too bad because given the questions about privacy that social media has raised, showing a community where everyone feels like they know everything about each other (but really don't) could be really interesting.

[MrHammondsGhost]

On 1/1/2018 at 10:12 PM, SomeTameGazelle said:

1) I found this photo of (L-R) Ruby, Jane, and Josie Pye ...  https://twitter.com/ami_agency/status/829383997272838148/

2) Diana telling Anne she loved her after not really siding with Anne against the other girls lacked something for me.

3) Jeannie ... But really it seemed a bit ridiculous to imagine that she is supposed to have been pining for him without any context other than a flashback to childhood.

4) Having a dress shop with the latest fashions from Paris in Carmody seemed implausible.

1) Loving that picture of those three.

2) The series shows how Diana was first put into the middle of Anne and the school, then Anne and the teacher, then Diana put between Anne and the other school girls then between Anne and Gilbert and between Anne and Diana's mother with the wine, and it all started with Diana making the solemn promise (she swore) to be Anne's friend forever. In E7 it shows that Diana was no longer trying to just defend Anne or smooth things over because at the beginning of E7 when Anne ran out of the room then Diana went with her by her side, so the show is showing the growth of Diana too.

3) In the scene of Matthew having tea with Jeanie (E5) then it shows on her desk a wedding picture of Jeanie and her husband as they were married, so Jeanie was probably a widow which has not been told yet, and so she was not waiting (nor pining) 50 years for Matthew to come around. *

4) The woman greeting Mathew tells him that they make all their dresses there at the shop = just as if they come from Paris. *

*) When we binge the series a few times then we start seeing the little details.

[Miss Dee]

Honestly, as someone from a tiny town of 400 people in Atlantic Canada: it really is possible not to know every single person that lives there. You may have heard of them, but you haven't necessarily met them or even seen them. They might be hermits, or near to it. Your habits might be so different that you never frequent the same places at the same time. It happens.

[Camera One]

That would definitely be the case today.  But from the book at least, it was clear the community was not a big one and everyone knew everyone else's business.  Back then, people would go to Church on the same day every week, though one may not know people who belonged to other denominations as well.  One would also need to be more connected to others to get seeds, farm equipment/supplies, to hire farmhands, to sell livestock or produce.  Society was very different in that sense, which makes what they're showing a lot less believable.

Edited January 28, 2018 by Camera One

[SomeTameGazelle]

20 hours ago, Miss Dee said:

Honestly, as someone from a tiny town of 400 people in Atlantic Canada: it really is possible not to know every single person that lives there. You may have heard of them, but you haven't necessarily met them or even seen them. They might be hermits, or near to it. Your habits might be so different that you never frequent the same places at the same time. It happens.

It's not that it is so unlikely that there could be someone in town who doesn't know the Cuthberts well, but that the adaptation is so determined that no one knows the Cuthberts at all with the exception of Rachel Lynde and therefore life is 1000x harder for Anne than it would otherwise be. It's both extreme and counter to the world defined in the books.

I don't know whether anyone has ever estimated the population of Avonlea; I haven't been able to find any statistics for the population of Cavendish in the 19th century, but 400 sounds high. There are about 12 - 15 local families that get mentioned (not including people from Carmody, White Sands, "the Creek", or transients like the teacher or minister):

• Andrews
• Barry
• Bell
• Blythe
• Boulter
• Cuthbert
• Gillis
• Lynde
• McPherson
• Pye
• Sloane
• White
• Wilson
• Wright

It's not clear how many of these families are extended, although there are lots of references like Mr Robert Bell and Mr Harmon Andrews, presumably to distinguish them from e.g. Mr William Bell and Mr Other First Name Andrews, but even if every family on that list had an average of 20 members in Avonlea that would only be 280 people. To get even to 400 we need more families and/or larger families.

19 hours ago, Camera One said:

That would definitely be the case today.  But from the book at least, it was clear the community was not a big one and everyone knew everyone else's business.  Back then, people would go to Church on the same day every week, though one may not know people who belonged to other denominations as well.  One would also need to be more connected to others to get seeds, farm equipment/supplies, to hire farmhands, to sell livestock or produce.  Society was very different in that sense, which makes what they're showing a lot less believable.

According to the books the Cuthberts attend the Presbyterian church, but I don't think there's any mention of any other church in Avonlea. Marilla is regularly shown to attend meetings of the Ladies' Aid (at least once in Carmody, which seems to suggest that the society includes ladies from outside Avonlea, because Avonlea is small -- which we know because they go to Carmody for shopping.) 

[MrHammondsGhost]

13 hours ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

According to the books the Cuthberts attend the Presbyterian church, but I don't think there's any mention of any other church in Avonlea. Marilla is regularly shown to attend meetings of the Ladies' Aid (at least once in Carmody, which seems to suggest that the society includes ladies from outside Avonlea, because Avonlea is small -- which we know because they go to Carmody for shopping.) 

We could consider that both Matthew and Marilla were not talkative, and so they saw other people but did not speak.

When the Ladies of the "Progressive Women's Circle" came to visit then they said that they saw each other in Church but were never introduced.

And the fact that Matthew and Marilla were single without children then they did not have the connection of other families, and after Anne arrived then Anne brought the connection between the local children to the Cuthberts.

I do not know about Marilla attending any "Lady's Aid" but she would still be likely to sit alone and quiet at every meeting just like she would in Church.

As to shopping then Marilla made their clothes, and their food came directly from their farm, so they might have gone shopping just twice (2 times) per year in the Spring and in the Fall.

It is totally possible to be isolated in any small town, because the Cuthbert's wanted to be left alone.

[SomeTameGazelle]

10 hours ago, MrHammondsGhost said:

We could consider that both Matthew and Marilla were not talkative, and so they saw other people but did not speak.

When the Ladies of the "Progressive Women's Circle" came to visit then they said that they saw each other in Church but were never introduced.

And the fact that Matthew and Marilla were single without children then they did not have the connection of other families, and after Anne arrived then Anne brought the connection between the local children to the Cuthberts.

I do not know about Marilla attending any "Lady's Aid" but she would still be likely to sit alone and quiet at every meeting just like she would in Church.

As to shopping then Marilla made their clothes, and their food came directly from their farm, so they might have gone shopping just twice (2 times) per year in the Spring and in the Fall.

It is totally possible to be isolated in any small town, because the Cuthbert's wanted to be left alone.

I think we're arguing from two different perspectives. My question is why does this adaptation go to such extremes to make the Cuthberts remote outcasts in Avonlea when that is not how they are portrayed in the book. Matthew is certainly shy around women and Mrs Lynde thinks that Green Gables is set unsociably far back from the road, but Marilla clearly knows and interacts with people in Avonlea and environs (the whole idea of adopting an orphan came up because Mrs Alexander Spencer was either at Green Gables or in Avonlea and mentioned she was going to adopt an orphan herself; and Matthew and Marilla sent word through the Spencers in Carmody that they wanted a boy, so clearly they were on some kind of terms with that family to send the message). But even in the show that is bending over backwards to exclude the Cuthberts from Avonlea society, they all took part in fighting the fire at the Gillis house -- while on the flip side that woman Rachel Lynde was talking to thought that it was reasonable for her to shrug and say that she didn't know them as an excuse for why she wasn't going to do anything to help them out when they lost all their money. What the book has that the show is missing is the idea that there is a duty to work with your neighbours even if you aren't intimate friends with them.

My point regarding the stores being in Carmody was not that it was a place where Matthew and Marilla must meet people regularly (although again, in the book it sounds like they do regularly go over to Carmody for various reasons) -- just that Avonlea is not a large place, it doesn't have a town centre. It seems to have farms, a school, and a church.

Regarding the Ladies' Aid, "When Marilla was not at Aid meeting people knew there was something wrong at Green Gables." That and the fact that she tells Anne that everyone calls her Marilla rather than Miss Cuthbert shows that she is at least acquainted with people in the area. It's an aspect of the book that Moira Walley-Beckett has chosen to reject and the extent to which she has done so strikes me as ridiculously over-the-top.

[Cherry Cola]

Oh man...this show made me cry again! This Anne is so fun. Her being moody after she got her period was funny. I loved the drunken giggly tea party.  

Just a random thought. There is a singer from a Christian music group called Jesus Culture, named Chris Quilala.  That to me is who this Gilbert looks like...but Chris is older.   I kept wondering why he seemed so familiar looking! 

Anyway, I am sad there are only 2 episodes left!!

[satrunrose]

On 1/29/2018 at 11:53 PM, SomeTameGazelle said:

I think we're arguing from two different perspectives. My question is why does this adaptation go to such extremes to make the Cuthberts remote outcasts in Avonlea when that is not how they are portrayed in the book. Matthew is certainly shy around women and Mrs Lynde thinks that Green Gables is set unsociably far back from the road, but Marilla clearly knows and interacts with people in Avonlea and environs (the whole idea of adopting an orphan came up because Mrs Alexander Spencer was either at Green Gables or in Avonlea and mentioned she was going to adopt an orphan herself; and Matthew and Marilla sent word through the Spencers in Carmody that they wanted a boy, so clearly they were on some kind of terms with that family to send the message). But even in the show that is bending over backwards to exclude the Cuthberts from Avonlea society, they all took part in fighting the fire at the Gillis house -- while on the flip side that woman Rachel Lynde was talking to thought that it was reasonable for her to shrug and say that she didn't know them as an excuse for why she wasn't going to do anything to help them out when they lost all their money. What the book has that the show is missing is the idea that there is a duty to work with your neighbours even if you aren't intimate friends with them.

My point regarding the stores being in Carmody was not that it was a place where Matthew and Marilla must meet people regularly (although again, in the book it sounds like they do regularly go over to Carmody for various reasons) -- just that Avonlea is not a large place, it doesn't have a town centre. It seems to have farms, a school, and a church.

Regarding the Ladies' Aid, "When Marilla was not at Aid meeting people knew there was something wrong at Green Gables." That and the fact that she tells Anne that everyone calls her Marilla rather than Miss Cuthbert shows that she is at least acquainted with people in the area. It's an aspect of the book that Moira Walley-Beckett has chosen to reject and the extent to which she has done so strikes me as ridiculously over-the-top.

I agree, my issue isn't the it's impossible for the Cuthberts to be isolated , it's that by making them isolated, they loose a big thing in all of Montgomery's writing. Pretty much all of her books revolve around how important it is to have a close knit community around you, but also how stifling that is for people like Anne (and Emily and L.M. herself) who aren't following the path of school from 7 to 15, marry the first pleasant farmer who happens by, have kids, lather, rinse, repeat. I  guess it would have been fine if they replaced it with something interesting, but it didn't seem worth it to build a bit of dramatic tension about the family finances. 

[Celena]

Anne must deal with the inevitability of womanhood when she gets her first period. At the same time, Marilla and Matthew acclimatize to parenthood and revisit moments of their youth through Anne.