One of the great things about Anne with an E that I haven’t seen anyone talking about–although granted, I only got into the show a few weeks ago–is how almost the entire story is driven by the relationships either directly between women and girls, or otherwise serves their stories. And how often is it in media that you see male character arcs serving a female character’s narrative and not the other way around?
Matthew and William Barry meet at the fence line? It’s because Eliza wants to meet Anne.
Gilbert and Billy interact? It’s because of/about Anne–either in the woods, at the Gillis house, or after Gilbert’s father dies.
Anne is an element of most of Nate & Dunlop’s conversations.
William and Harmon Andrews talk to Thomas Lynde? That’s fine, but Thomas needs to talk to Rachel before he decides anything.
Of course, there are some exceptions: Cole’s whole arc, in which both Billy and Mr. Phillips (ugh) play a significant role; Matthew and Jerry’s paternal/master-apprentice story line; and the found-family relationship between Gilbert and Bash.
But even there, while they all get their own story arcs, it’s not to the detriment of any of the female characters’ arcs–and is even largely driven by the women and girls on the show. Matthew wouldn’t have given Jerry the broken slate if Anne hadn’t started teaching Jerry to read; Bash constantly rags on Gilbert about his feelings for Anne; Anne dragging Cole along to Josephine’s party helps give him the courage to accept who he is and stand up to Billy & Mr. Phillips.
Forget about passing any of the sexist-quotient media tests–this show blows them out of the water, taking the status quo and inverting it.
i'll apple your turnover 