A Review of The Queen’s Gambit from an Unenthusiastic TV Show Watcher

If you were like me and searched for a TV show to fill your winter break leisure time, you may have stumbled across the popular Netflix original “The Queen’s Gambit.”

I didn’t think the show would be particularly interesting, considering that it revolves around chess, but out of sheer curiosity, I ended up clicking on it. Surprisingly, after watching the first episode, I couldn’t help but continue. I rarely watch TV shows, let alone enjoy them, so I was surprised when I felt myself getting hooked.

Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t watched the show yet and you want to figure out what happens on your own, do not read any further!

“The Queen’s Gambit” revolves around a girl named Elizabeth Harmon (Beth), played by Anya Taylor-Joy. Beth becomes an orphan at only nine years old when her biological mother passes away in a car accident. At her orphanage, she develops a friendship with the janitor, Mr. Shaibel, who teaches her how to play chess in the orphanage basement. Within a few episodes, it becomes apparent that Beth, with the help of some green pills, is a chess prodigy. For the rest of the series, Beth basically goes on a rampage and destroys almost every chess opponent. 

The first thing that I found intriguing about the show was its abnormal plot. Netflix watchers know what I’m talking about when I describe the cliche and overused, rags to riches story following a teenage athlete on his path to stardom. 

But in “The Queen’s Gambit,” the athlete is a chess player, and she is the life of the party. Beth doesn’t battle social anxiety or introversion but rather addiction to pills and alcohol. Although I have played chess before, I always thought of the game as a relatively reserved activity. As a result, seeing Beth get hammered before a match was a bit shocking, to say the least. 

I was also drawn to “The Queen’s Gambit” by its old-school setting. A time without COVID-19 and cellphones. Weird outfits and classic furniture. Landline telephones and in-person flirting. It was an escape from our modern world currently infected with viruses and mayhem. I found joy in imagining that I was in the show. The thought of living in another era was amusing for me, but it was a much-needed escape from my current life. 

To make it more interesting, there are several times in the show where the characters start speaking a completely different language to non-chess players. “Knight E4. Pawn C3. Queen B6.” It makes no sense to the average person, but it’s a fascinating glimpse into these players’ minds. In one scene, Beth visualizes an entire chessboard on the ceiling of the orphanage and replays various scenarios to determine what she could do to win a game.

Although that scene seems like a dramatic stretch, real-life professional chess players actually do the same. They can keep track of all the pieces on the gameboard and play entire games in their head without ever touching the physical pieces. Watching this made me view chess players in a completely different light upon finishing the show.

Besides, who doesn’t like watching underdogs win? I found it extremely satisfying to watch an unranked female and former orphan dominate grandmasters in chess. Something about witnessing Beth climb the whole competitive chess ladder made me like the show that much more.

However, most importantly, I was hooked onto the show by the portrayal of Beth. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the paradoxical character wonderfully. Beth is shy but still a fighter. She is aggressive but cautious. Anxious but confident. Taylor-Joy transmits Beth’s intense turmoils and thoughts perfectly through expressive facial expressions and revealing body language. I found it incredible.

If I were to continue listing all of the things that I enjoyed about the show, this would go on forever, so I’ll stop here. As fans, here’s to the potential second season of “The Queen’s Gambit.” Although I’m not sure if it can get any better than it’s already been, we can only hope. In the meantime, I’ll be grinding on Chess.com to become a grandmaster in two weeks.