About 1.5 years ago, I was fortunate enough to watch ANNE+ before it premiered. I reviewed this new lesbian series from The Netherlands for you in a blog post and a video. I thought it was amazing to be able to talk about a project from my country for a change. Apparently, you thought so too. This video is my most popular video to this date! For a long time, the series wasn’t available to international viewers yet. As of January 17, the YouTube videos are open beyond the Dutch borders as well. In this review, I expect you to have watched the first season, but I won’t give away spoilers. I was so excited to watch ANNE+ season 2 and below, you can read why you want to watch the new season too.
ANNE+ season 2: new storyline
Where are the makers taking ANNE+ season 2? The plot of season 1 was clear in advance: Anne reflects on the relationships she had in her college days and on how they shaped her as a person. Hence the plus in the title: each episode focused on one of her relationships. Realistically, the same principle can´t be applied to a new season. As I said in my previous review, though, the creators did leave a big opening for a future storyline.
ANNE+ season 2
Where does the story start in the next season? In season 2, Anne is 24 and she seems to have it all figured out. She works at a creative agency. She has a girlfriend and a lot of friends. Anne also has her own place in Amsterdam.
Still, her life isn´t going the way she really wants it to go. Anne wants something different. But she doesn´t know where to start and she constantly gets distracted. Then an ex shows up on her doorstep unannounced. This happens at the same time she has trouble with another ex.
Normally, you can go to the people around you to talk, but her parents are having their own problems and sometimes, her friends have their own things to deal with. And she should also really take a look at all those bills that are coming in. Being an adult is different from what she expected. How do you do that: balancing friends, work and relationships?
ANNE+ season 2 brings diversity to the cast
One of the things that make me happy this season is the diversity of the cast. Anne’s (ex) relationships and friends are from mixed backgrounds. With the transgender character, there is a big focus on his transition. Still, you can say that this series handles it better than other productions. This character comes across as a very strong individual and draws strength from the transition. He also clearly sets his boundaries. Many times, productions often highlight the difficult and sad parts of their lives. I write this review as a white, cisgender woman, so you might experience this diversity differently.
What I also like is that in this series, you also see men as friends. In lesbian productions, you often see the storyline only revolve around women and there is much resentment against men. Here, you see Anne having male friends, without emphasizing the differences between men and women. They are just there and you can be friends with them as an LGBT+ woman. Refreshing! Or maybe not?
Laura Gómez plays a role
Nice addition to the cast: Laura Gómez. You know her as Blanca Flores from Orange is the New Black. She saw the first season of ANNE+ at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and wanted to participate in the second season. I have only been able to watch the first 4 episodes, but in the fourth episode, I saw her in the preview of episode 5, where she attends a wedding. So, I can’t tell you if she only guest-stars in episode 5 or in more episodes. Either way: that’s such a cool addition!
Humor
ANNE+ has a real sense of humor. The biggest way they add humor to the series is when you hear Anne’s thoughts out loud. They are a direct commentary on what Anne is experiencing in the scene. I often find it very relatable.
And yes, you often notice that Anne says the opposite of what she thinks in her head. There’s also a sense of humor in that: the difference between what society wants you to say and what you actually want. Fortunately, from time to time, they also show positive results when Anne does the opposite of what she actually wants. Because sometimes, it is also about stepping out of your comfort zone and learning things.
Edge
A strong point of this series is that they don’t let Anne be perfect. Yes, the series revolves around Anne but sometimes, you simply don’t like her. Sometimes you disagree with her. And sometimes, you understand why she has an angry outburst when she’s with her friends. It’s not nice to watch, but you know where it comes from. That edge makes her character very relatable. Because in reality, you also know that you’re not being reasonable from time to time and that your behavior isn’t very nice for others.
Where can you watch ANNE+ season 2?
The world premiere is on Monday, March 2 in Amsterdam. If you live in The Netherlands, you can watch the second season of ANNE+ from March 3: BNNVARA on NPO 3 at 10:25 pm. This season has more episodes and they will last longer. That means more ANNE+! You can also binge-watch the whole season on NPO Start Plus from March 3.
If you’re not in The Netherlands, you can’t watch it yet. They have just done the international release of the first season. All those episodes are available on YouTube. They have English, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.