The cancellation of Anne With an E came the day after its run on CBC; the show done after 3 seasons. No one cited poor quality or bad ratings or however Netflix figures this out.
What was left unsaid is that Anne With an E might have been the first casualty of the CBC announcement that the public broadcaster would no longer work with Netflix. "We’re not going to do deals that hurt the long-term viability of our domestic industry," CBC president and CEO Catherine Tait said in October.
Season 3 of Anne With an E debuts on January 3 on Netflix.
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Anne With an E had 7 nominations and 4 wins at the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards. The show won for Best Drama Series; Best Actress, Drama Series (Amybeth McNulty); Best Supporting Actress, Drama (Geraldine James); and Best Supporting Actor, Drama (R.H. Thompson). In the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards, Anne With an E had 7 nominations and 2 wins: Best Drama Series and Best Supporting Actor, Drama (R.H. Thompson).
These are the level of accolades that should be celebrated in Canadian television.
Beloved fans & friends of #AWAE, I’m sorry for the sad network news today 🧡 I wish it could be different but it cannot. We have reached the end of the red Green Gables road after 3 wonderful seasons. My heart is… https://t.co/IqODF0muzB
— Moira Walley-Beckett (@YoWalleyB) November 25, 2019
The timing of the cancellation was dreadful for the Canadian fans. They watched the finale not realising that was the last episode.
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Anne with an E greatly benefited from the CBC/Netflix arrangement. A Canadian story told by Canadians to an international audience that wanted to know more about this story.
Moira Walley-Beckett took the timeless classic and gave a strong, feminist 21st century update. She came back to Canada to give life to Anne and had great success. Amybeth McNulty brought the enthusiasm and vulnerability that makes up Anne. Walley-Beckett added an LGBTQ storyline and the show's first black character in Season 2. Season 3 added an Indigenous element.
CBC and Netflix thanked Walley-Beckett, co-executive producer Miranda de Pencier, and the cast and crew "for their incredible work in sharing Anne's story with a new generation." de Pencier also played Josie Pye in the 1985 Anne of Green Gables series and its sequels.
People outside of Canada got to appreciate The Tragically Hip and the show's theme song Ahead by a Century. They may have also seen Long Time Running, also on Netflix, but the reinforcement of the song in a well-loved drama adds significance.
Anne with an E makes Netflix debut
The Netflix influence didn't get off to a good start. The show started out as Anne in Season 1 on CBC. Netflix changed the name of the show from Anne to Anne with an E. Netflix also dramatically changed Anne's appearance in initial promotion of the show.
Despite the bizarre influence of Netflix, Anne with an E likely would have ended on its own terms, such as what Orphan Black did and Schitt's Creek will do this spring. The surprise is that the show apparently wasn't viable without the Netflix money, yet alternative sources of income weren't established to save the show.
There was the obvious benefit to Prince Edward Island in terms of promotion and tourism that disappears with the end of the show. There was criticism that the show shot mostly in Ontario as opposed to PEI but that wouldn't be as obvious to viewers.
let’s save the show that saved us. let’s save the show that showed us its okay to be different. let’s save the show that brought tears to our eyes and left us in awe. let’s save the show that means so much to us and the cast. we can do this. #SaveAnneWithAnnE #AnneWithAnE pic.twitter.com/1mjsvtUpRQ
— Sadie 🦒 #renewawae (@sadierosemx) November 26, 2019
There is a push online to save the show. There are split issues in trying to revive the show. The Americans are pushing on Netflix but Netflix's role is limited. CBC could have brought back the show on its own but Americans who don't get a CBC feed would struggle to be able to watch the show. Season 3 of Mary Kills People still doesn't have a home in the United States.
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CanadianCrossing.com Prince Edward Island coverage
CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage
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No one is saying the words "this show was cancelled because CBC doesn't want to work with Netflix because of a possible Netflix tax." If Netflix was the issue, we didn’t realize Netflix’s money was the difference between renewal and cancellation.
The separation by the CBC felt premature. If Netflix ran because of the Netflix tax, that would be sad but understandable. CBC ran away without a Netflix tax or any other kind of deal. Anne with an E is the first casualty but we fear not the last.
photo credit: Anne with an E/CBC
Twitter captures: @YoWalleyB; @sadierosemx
video credit: YouTube/Netflix
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