The Queen’s Gambit is a Netflix Original limited series that follows a young orphan’s obsession with chess and her journey to become a World Champion. The story spans over 7 hour long parts, showing us the career defining moments for Beth Harmon, chess prodigy. Let’s consider the pros and cons of The Queen’s Gambit…
Pros: Firstly, this is an exceptionally well told and compelling story from start to finish. Scott Frank particularly deserves credit for adapting Walter Tevis’ book and making such a complex game digestible for people without extensive chess knowledge. Secondly, the performances are topnotch all-around. Real life Grandmasters were consulted during filming and it shows by the way Anya Taylor-Joy exudes confidence in this role. Finally, the theme of relying on others for support instead of resorting to drugs is a powerful and inspiring message which is prevalent throughout this show.
Cons: My only negative has more to do with the format this show is presented in, rather than the content itself. I am of course referring to the time commitment, which in this case is roughly 7 hours broken up into hour long episodes. Although Netflix does make it incredibly easy to binge through content, I can see why the length of a limited series could make one hesitant to take the plunge. Ultimately however, the show uses this format to it’s advantage and allows the audience to live and breathe in this world with its characters.
I give The Queen’s Gambit a solid A. Although it is essentially a 7 hour movie, this show exceeded my expectations with every passing episode. I highly recommend it to everyone with a Netflix subscription. Happy Watching!
“Chess isn’t always competitive. Chess can also be beautiful.”