Why Anne With An E’s Season 4 Cancellation Left Fans Heartbroken

In a surprising turn of events, the fourth season of the beloved Canadian series “Anne with an E” was unexpectedly axed by Netflix. Despite numerous adaptations of “Anne of Green Gables” throughout the years, this novel penned by Lucy Maud Montgomery in 1908 predates the concept of cottagecore. The timeless story, a staple of children’s literature, chronicles Anne, and while the 2017 TV show alters its title, Anne’s persistent use of “e” when spelling her name offers a profound understanding of her character.

Initially sent to the wrong home by mistake, Anne swiftly demonstrates her spirited, determined, and ultimately caring nature as a young girl. The television adaptation, co-produced by Canada, debuted on both CBC and Netflix simultaneously, featuring Amybeth McNulty in the lead role under the title “Anne.” On Rotten Tomatoes, the series boasts a 63% rating, earning praise for its daring and fashionable departures from the original story without sacrificing essential elements of “Anne of Green Gables.” Given its dedicated audience and positive reception, it remains perplexing as to why it was unexpectedly canceled.

CBC Gave Several Reasons For Anne With An E’s Cancelation

Ratings For The Show Were Not As High As Executives Wanted

The series “Anne with an E” was terminated in November 2019, following the airing of its third season finale in Canada. Although a definitive reason for the cancellation hasn’t been disclosed, some suggestions have emerged. For instance, it’s speculated that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) aimed to sever ties with Netflix due to concerns that the streaming service might ultimately harm Canadian productions in the future. As stated by Catherine Tait, then-president of CBC, this was her viewpoint, as reported by the Financial Post.

We won’t enter into agreements that compromise the lasting strength of our home-grown industry in the long run. Many countries have made similar deals with streaming services like Netflix… and eventually, these partnerships seem to benefit Netflix or Amazon more than they do our local businesses and industries.

The point made by Tait isn’t entirely convincing because he didn’t clarify why Anne with an E was not renewed for a fourth season, given that it wasn’t Netflix who was responsible. Perhaps the show’s viewership numbers didn’t match its production costs. According to Sally Catto, GM of programming for CBC English Television (as reported by CBC), the series failed to meet certain demographic targets in the 25-54 age range.

“They unfortunately didn’t lift enough. They just weren’t reaching our specific target.”

As a movie critic, I can’t help but feel exasperated by the fact that Anne with an E isn’t an exception to Netflix’s seemingly hasty cancellation of shows. It’s no secret that Netflix is one of the few profitable streaming services, yet the rapid succession of TV show cancellations doesn’t exactly scream ‘success’. Instead, it suggests a company dabbling in every possible move, grasping for that elusive jackpot. I can’t help but wonder if there are underlying issues with their financial health when we look beyond the Netflix hood.

Moria Walley-Beckett’s Comments On The Cancelation

Walley-Beckett Tried To Shop The Series To Other Networks

Moria Walley-Beckett, the mastermind behind “Anne with an E,” shared on Instagram that the series has been terminated. In her message, she aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the reasons behind this decision. In her post, she stated,

Just so you know, we also struggled, but we made every effort to persuade them, seek out new possibilities, and even attempt to create a final film. As Anne of Green Gables once said, ‘Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing.’ We did our utmost. Art and commerce are often challenging and incomprehensible, and this situation is no exception. However, it’s difficult to contest arguments based on factors like economics, algorithms, demographics, etc., etc. These words and others like them are the reason why networks aren’t interested in continuing, and we couldn’t find anyone else willing to take over.

It appears that the announcement took Walley-Beckett by surprise and left her feeling quite disappointed about the cancellation. The inability to find it a new home on other networks certainly suggests that the ratings were not strong enough, though ratings can be challenging to gauge on streaming platforms. Remarkably, the public reaction to the cancelation mirrors past instances when beloved shows were unexpectedly axed, only for their fanbases to rally and demonstrate a significant number of viewers who wanted the show to continue.

Fan Reactions To The Cancelation Of Anne With An E

A Petition For The Show Broke Change.org Records

Supporters of the show “Anne with an E” promptly flooded the internet with their opinions when it was canceled. Reddit threads were filled with individuals voicing their reasons for wanting the series to carry on, including actor interest in returning, Canadian representation, potential character development, and the show’s lasting appeal. Fans even resorted to inundating unrelated CBC and Netflix posts with the hashtag #renewannewithane, leading to a response from the CBC account stating (via NationalPost)…

Hey! Thanks for your valuable input. If you’d like to see our statement about Anne with an E, you can find it at this link: https://cbchelp.cbc.ca/hc/en-ca/articles/360047026773-CBC-Statement-on-Anne-with-an-E. To maintain focus on the main topics in our comment sections, we’ll be hiding any future comments about Anne that are posted on irrelevant threads.

Beyond just showing their support, the enthusiastic followers took action. They started a petition to revive the series, which garnered an astounding one million signatures back in 2020, making it the largest entertainment petition ever directed at Netflix on Change.org (as reported by SaltWire). As I write this, the petition counts over 1.78 million verified signatures (according to Change). But their efforts didn’t stop there. Fans even funded billboards in Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square and New York’s Times Square, urging people to “Save Anne With An E” (as reported by IrishIndependent)).

Stars also joined the excitement wave. Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds expressed his wish for Netflix to continue the series by tweeting through X.

It’s possible that you all may wish to continue watching Anne with an E, as ‘final season’ might not necessarily mean ‘the end’, but rather it could be a midpoint in the series.

English singer Sam Smith joined the fray as well. In January 2020, he tweeted (via X),

“Just started watching Anne with an E on Netflix. I am obsessed”

Despite strong resistance to the cancellation of the series, it seems surprising that neither Netflix nor CBC, should they have played a part in the show’s termination, didn’t take over its production instead.

Will There Ever Be Anne With An E Season 4?

Season 4 Is Unlikely At This Point

Regrettably, despite numerous pleas, public displays, and high-profile support, there’s been no progress on renewing Anne with an E for its fourth season. CBC and Netflix have remained silent about the series, and given that it’s been more than five years since it was canceled, the chances of seeing it return seem slim. It might be more productive for fans to anticipate a new interpretation replacing the original. There are many TV movies, full-length films, and shows based on the book series available. Maybe another showrunner or filmmaker will attempt to bring it back to life soon.

Where The Anne With An E Cast Is Now

The Cast Has Probably Aged Out Of Their Roles

Another point to consider when discussing the potential renewal of “Anne with an E” is that some members of the cast have outgrown their original roles due to aging. For instance, Amybeth McNulty, our beloved Anne, has moved on to play Vickie in “Stranger Things”. Similarly, Geraldine James, who portrayed Marilla Cuthbert, can be seen as Mayor Ruth Jahns in “Silo” and Marie in “This Town”. Lastly, R.H. Thomson, our Matthew Cuthbert, has been featured in the 2022 film “Stellar”.

Joanna Douglas, the actress who portrays Miss Muriel Stacy, features in the suspenseful drama titled “Cascade” under the character Amber. On the other hand, Corrine Koslo, known for her role as Rachel Lynde, is currently seen in “Moonshine” playing Bea Finley-Cullen. Regrettably, it seems likely that the cancellation of 2019 marked the end for season 4 of “Anne with an E“.

2025-04-19 02:19