Road to Avonlea season one

This is a great series. I have watched and enjoyed Anne of Green Gables before and was prepared for the world I was walking into, but I enjoyed it anew, as if walking into it for the first time. It's a story about a girl who gets sent off to live with her deceased mother's family for some time because her father is in some legal trouble, and how she slowly becomes a part of this small town. It's a fantastic period piece. To my knowledge, the setting and costumes are spot on and the sentiments of the time are also present, which is really refreshing. I mean I respect the fact that the present day takes pride in political correctness, but back in the day women couldn't vote, and a lot was placed on religion... and it's nice to see that history wasn't changed for the sake of present ideals.

At times the acting was somewhat contrived, but overall I'd say the actors did a great job. Even where the actors didn't quite do it for me, the characterization and plot stepped in and changed my mind. The characters are really compelling and they all have a story to tell. They have fire and spunk, even the quiet ones or the ones who barely make their presence known. The main characters had very strong personalities. Sarah is very proud and stubborn and little to nothing will get in her way enough to stop the course of action she's chosen... but at the same time she's reserved and thoughtful. Aunt Hetty is also very stubborn and strong (.. pretty much all of the women in this series have a strong voice, the plot is moved by them collectively). She doesn't like showing emotion and is at odds with several people because of the wrongs she perceives they have committed against her. She's very set in her ways. Olivia is very whimsical and counteracts Hetty's tough exterior. I won't go into all of the characters because there are a lot, but the two who aren't in the immediate family I'd like to mention would be Felicity and Peg Bowen. Felicity is Sarah's cousin and is very spiteful and petty, but at the same time, when she's nice you can feel the force of her character utilized in a positive way and are grateful for it. She's an interesting character because you sometimes can't decide whether you should like her or hate her. Peg Bowen is the town 'witch'. I really enjoyed this character because she's outside the norm and can be the voice of reason, I thought she was well done.

The episodes are basically events that open up the community a bit in some way or another, and Sarah's always the cause. it's kind of like that movie Pollyanna in that respect, but much more multifaceted.

This series isn't half as well known as it should be, but I find that those who know about it tend to really love it. And just a note. Make sure that if you watch this series, you watch the version produced by Sullivan Entertainment and not Disney. Disney chopped out pieces of the story and changed the music, their version is called Tales from Avonlea. Stay away.