Is "Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel" the same as "Anne of Avonlea?"

Author: Adriana Pacheco

In 1987, Anne of Avonlea was “poised to appear in every country that has TV sets,” (Playback, 1987). This production was the highly anticipated sequel to Anne of Green Gables (1985), from Sullivan Entertainment.

It reunited the original cast members. including Megan Follows (Anne Shirley), Colleen Dewhurst (Marilla Cuthbert), Jonathan Crombie (Gilbert Blythe) and Schuyler Grant (Diana Barry), and was presented through a joint venture with CBC and Disney. It was called Anne of Avonlea when it premiered in the USA on the Disney Channel.

Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel DVD (digitally restored)

It reunited the original cast members. including Megan Follows (Anne Shirley), Colleen Dewhurst (Marilla Cuthbert), Jonathan Crombie (Gilbert Blythe) and Schuyler Grant (Diana Barry), and was presented through a joint venture with CBC and Disney. It was called Anne of Avonlea when it premiered in the USA on the Disney Channel.

Kevin Sullivan based the miniseries off three of L.M. Montgomery’s novels: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of The Island and Anne of Windy Poplars and says he “strove to retain the humour, warmth and imagination of Anne as she moves into a new period in her life.”


Anne of Avonlea
Watch Anne of Avonlea on GazeboTV

Some characters and situations from the three books were slightly altered. For example, the character of Little Elizabeth from Anne of Windy Poplars became Emmeline Harris and her strict father became Morgan Harris, an older, staid love interest for Anne. This potential romance replaced the one fans of Montgomery’s books will remember Anne having with Roy Gardner in Anne of the Island.

Since its premier as Anne of Avonlea, the film has undergone two name changes: once to Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (the name that Sullivan Entertainment released it under on DVD) for CBC and other worldwide channels, and once back to Anne of Avonlea in 2017 for all subsequent releases on Blu-Ray and for online streaming. Since both titles have been used for the second movie in the Anne of Green Gables series, they are both widely accepted. However, Anne of Avonlea is the current release name.

Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel

The film was critically acclaimed, both by the media and by viewers. The San Francisco Chronicle proclaimed, “Anne Sequel a Winner” and said, “Ultimately, Anne of Avonlea uses the power of evocation to mesmerize, creating an idyllic world that’s timeless …the miniseries wants to comply with youth’s lyrical longing to freeze time and preserve happiness.”

You can watch Anne of Avonlea on Sullivan Entertainment’s streaming platform, called GazeboTV, or you can find it on DVD or as part of a limited edition Blu-Ray set on Shop At Sullivan.

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