There’s a special place in my heart for period dramas, so naturally I started watching The Queen’s Gambit as soon as I stumbled upon the preview on Netflix. The miniseries is set during the Cold War and centers on fictional character Beth Harmon, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, as she rises through the ranks as a young woman and prodigy in the world of competitive chess.
Following the orphaned Beth from age nine to 22, the story is laced with themes of drug and alcohol addiction, feminism, trauma, obsession, and loss. The series is based on the 1983 coming-of-age novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, and has ten episodes in total.
Creativity: 10/10
The visual choices for the adaptation are incredibly creative and highlight the beauty and artistry that can come from a game of chess. Beth has dreamlike visions of the chessboard and its pieces throughout. There are several instances where viewers are put inside of her mind as she expertly calculates her moves.
Accuracy: 10/10
Although the characters are not based on real people, the costumes, sets and dialogue contribute to the realistic representation of the United States in the late 50s and 60s. As time progresses in the series, so do the aesthetics of the characters and their surroundings. The series also consulted several chess experts for the details of the matches, making those scenes riveting to watch.
Acting 10/10
This character-driven drama is carried by the cast and lead, Anya Taylor-Joy, with her magnetic qualities that keep you intrigued even without dialogue. Her chess opponents, including Thomas Brodie-Sangster of Nanny McPhee fame, are just as mesmerizing and have personalities that are fully-developed and unique.
I highly recommend The Queen’s Gambit for its intense storyline and interesting premise. I knew almost nothing about chess before I watched it, but I soon found myself intrigued with the methodology and expertise behind international competitive chess. The plot makes it difficult to stop watching, as you are always wondering if Beth ever beats her Russian rival (I’m not telling!)
I thought it was overall pretty reminiscent of a sports movie, in which you watch the protagonist get better at their craft with hard work in order to succeed against all odds. The show tackles some heavy themes as well as some compelling and heart-wrenching moments for Beth and those around her. I thought the adaptation of the novel had everything a good Netflix limited series has, but I think I’m going to look into reading the book too.