Charlotte’s Web is one of those classic must-reads for middle schoolers. It’s a touching tale that has fantastic elements of talking animals and a very human element of a girl growing up on a farm. It doesn’t shy away from some heavy themes like growing up, loneliness, and mortality. Charlotte’s Web was written in 1952 by E.B. White, and there have been two adaptations prior to the most recent one. An animated one came out in 1973, and then there was a live action version in 2006. HBOMax’s latest version is animated, but unlike the others, it’s actually a three part mini-series with each episode being about 45 minutes. To distinguish it from previous versions, they also call it E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web.

When 8 year old Fern Arable stops her father from slaughtering a runt pig, she gets to keep it as a pet. She names him Wilbur, teaches him how to talk (and thus gains the ability to understand animals herself), and an epic friendship is born. Wilbur gets too big to remain on her farm, so he goes to the Zuckerman farm run by Fern’s aunt and uncle. Wilbur befriends the animals there and forms a close bond with a barn spider named Charlotte. She spins words into her webs to show off Wilbur to the people of the town. The Zuckerman farm made the poor financial decision of growing plums, and its Wilbur as the attraction that can bring in enough money to keep them afloat.

The original animated version of this story is 50 years old at this point, and the book was in need for a modern update. One of the biggest differences is that the original film was a musical. The new series doesn’t have any songs, but it has a subtle soundtrack that creates a slower pace if heavier mood. The live action movie can be seen as a bit jarring because having humans interact with digitally created animals kind of puts them on a separate plane of existence. Charlotte’s Web works better animated simply because this is very much a world of animals and the humans are secondary. Sesame Workshop produces this version, and its character designs respect the original book illustrations of Garth Williams. Wilbur, who grows in the film, goes through a couple different character models. The series also takes care to properly use size and perspective when focusing on the tiny Charlotte. Scene transitions are imaginative, and the lighting is used effectively, particularly when showing the farm at sunrise and sunset. About a year goes by, so they get to show what the farm looks like in every season.

Fern and Wilbur are instantly likeable main characters. They both have a child-like naivete to them, and there is a socially awkward struggle they have to go through. Fern relates more to animals than other kids, and Wilbur just doesn’t understand animals. Fern and Wilbur have to become more acclimated to their respective worlds, but even that becomes a little sad when it means they spend less time with each other. Like all good coming of age stories, there is a bittersweet tone to it.

It’s debatable whether Wilbur’s relationship to Fern is the most important or if it’s Charlotte, but each friendship carries its own purpose. While Fern opens up Wilbur’s heart, it’s Charlotte who unlocks his potential. Charlotte is small and unassuming, but she’s the wisest character. She’s also got some great lines, both profound and funny. The rest of the farm animals and Fern’s human friends and family are there to round out the world, but they don’t get a ton of focus. This version of Charlotte’s Web has a whole subplot about Fern’s mother and her aunt. While her mother is more responsible, the aunt is seen as the fun one, and the two of them have to reconcile their relationship while also keeping their Puerto Rican heritage alive through a family quilt. My favorite side character is Templeton the rat. He’s greedy, self serving, and the one who acts most like an animal. He does care about the other animals, to an extent, but his willingness to help is often overridden by his instincts. A lot of the humor comes from the situations he’s put in, and thankfully, there’s plenty of them or else this series would be way too depressing.

E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web boasts an impressive cast. Natalie Chan is Fern, and Griffin Robert Faulkner plays Wilbur. Both child actors, they provide the right amount of innocence to the roles. Once Wilbur becomes an adult (the last half of the final episode or so), he’s played by Elijah Wood. It’s a logical choice and a smooth transition. Amy Adams’ Charlotte is calm, patient, and articulate. Fern’s parents are Ana Ortiz and Tom Everett Scott while her aunt and uncle are played by Rosario Dawson and Chris Diamantopoulos. The animals are played by Keith David (sheep), Cynthia Erivo (Goose), and Danny Trejo (Gander). Randall Park had some big shoes to fill considering Steve Buscemi was Templeton in the 2006 film, but he ended up being a great choice.

I’m not going to speculate as to why this version is a mini-series rather than a movie. It could be because combined it would be over 2 hours and that might be too much for a younger audience to sit through. I do, however, appreciate the unique format. Essentially, each episode covers a season. The first one is the spring and Wilbur’s birth and education while the second one is the summer where things on the farm get complicated. The final episode is the harvest season and its aftermath in a fall/winter finale (and then an epilogue in the following spring). Jean Smart narrates the story, and it’s never over-explanatory. Things move along steadily enough.

Modern animated movies tend to have to outdo each other for an audience’s attention. Maybe one wants to have the best animated action sequences while another prides itself on humor. Charlotte’s Web has, to a certain extent, name recognition, but it’s not a flashy story. What it is is a sincere story. It doesn’t talk down to its young audience, and it doesn’t shy away from the idea that Wilbur is constantly on the verge of being killed by characters we are supposed to like (or that his newfound friend has a short life span). And while the ending is a positive one, it’s not a stand up and cheer kind of ending. So in that regard, HBOMax did the original book justice.

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