Rating: 5/5
“The Queen’s Gambit,” a Netflix mini-series released on Oct. 23, 2020, follows the life of orphan-turned-chess-prodigy Beth Harmon. Focusing on Beth’s experiences competing in chess tournaments, the show touches on issues of substance abuse, women’s inequality, and adoptive families.
A factor that drew me to the show was the sophistication of the trailer. Prematurely, I would have assumed the television show to be a boring chess documentary, but the ‘60s setting and the dramatic cinematography piqued my interest. Anya Taylor-Joy, the star of the show who plays Beth, portrays a young orphan who becomes addicted to tranquilizer pills in an orphanage. The show captures her relapses and journey into overcoming her addiction and shows how substance abuse can change one’s life. Despite having a short run of seven episodes, the writers did a remarkable job of making the most out of each scene and Taylor-Joy’s screen time.
Following Beth’s path to become the greatest chess player in a world dominated by male chess players, the show does an exemplary job of tackling women’s inequality. Starting competitive play in local chess tournaments, a young Beth Harmon faces male counterparts who underestimate her. Each scene smashes the old-fashioned stereotype that girls cannot play chess as we get to see all of the strategies and calculated moves Beth considers while playing the game.
I also liked that the viewers get to see Beth and her adoptive mother form a meaningful connection through the game of chess. As Beth becomes more successful in local and national competitions, her adoptive mother becomes her biggest supporter along her entire journey. Whether the scenes are of Beth rambling to her mother about a chess move she missed or tearfully explaining to her about how she needed to study, their interactions reinforced the idea that family isn’t always connected by blood. The relationship that Beth forms with her adoptive mother throughout the mini-series was immensely heartwarming.
Regarding the most significant theme of the show, Taylor-Joy transforms into a strong-willed young woman who learns that she doesn’t need tranquilizers and alcohol to play chess well. In the early episodes, Beth heavily relies on tranquilizers to enhance her game while playing chess. Her addiction to these pills soon turns into alcoholism, which worsens once her adoptive mother passes away. Taylor-Joy’s breakdown and relapse during these scenes are the most captivating and raw performances I have ever seen in a television show.
An outstanding element of “The Queen’s Gambit” that brings the substance abuse narrative full circle is in the last episode. Ending the series, we see Beth, again competing against the best chess player in Russia. For a brief moment, her confidence falters and she feels the urge to take the tranquilizer pills, but instead makes a proactive choice to not take them. Ultimately, Beth realizes that she didn’t need tranquilizers to enhance her chess abilities.
In my opinion, “The Queen’s Gambit” is Netflix’s best-written original series and is a true testament to the outstanding quality the streaming service has to offer. Casting Anya Taylor-Joy for this role was a clever move, and I would highly suggest that all viewers give the series a try, simply for her performance alone.
