Series Review: The Queen’s Gambit
Netflix Original (link)
Language: English
Verdict: Good (3.5/5)
I had heard about Netflix original series, the Queen’s Gambit, from a LinkedIn post, which described how this particular series caused a new wave to learn chess.
I usually take Netflix subscription once in every quarter. I can not justify the cost with the content they offer. So once in a while when something interesting pops up, like a new season of Agents of Shield or a new season of Brooklyn 99 or this time it was the movie Ludo, I renewed my subscription for a month 😊. Till now I have liked only two Netflix originals: ‘Never Have I Ever’ and ‘the Queen’s Gambit’.
I am not a big fan of chess. My working memory is so small that I can not remember a three-digit number for 2 mins, so there was no chance for me to remember a whole board position and then inside my mind strategize three or four moves ahead, so after my first attempt (at the age of 10) to play chess with my big brother and winning it with beginners luck, I had retired 😜.
The story
This series is not about chess. Chess could have been replaced by any other sports or competitions. This is a old school story about a talented rookie who became a overnight success. I am saying this is old-school, because nowadays the stories tries to highlight that talent is not always enough, one also needs a lot of hard work and dedication. Winning is not everything, at least winning should not be the definition of success. This is a old school story because here, if one has talent he or she can go all the way, they can become overnight success. And at the end, winner takes it all.
The Queen’s Gambit is a story about how Beth, who orphaned at the age of 9, became a chess sensation worldwide. She struggled with substance abuse all her life. Through out the episodes it felt like she did not trust anyone or anything. It is a coming of age story of a girl, who felt all alone in the world.
The Series
I have found a weird way this story had been told. Every scene (I don’t know why? may be the lighting or the ambient music) I felt like this is a very important moment in the story and I need to pay attention, the story will refer to this moment later. However, it rarely did. Other than couple of exceptions of flashbacks, overall this is a linear story. Also, it felt like every character had a ulterior motive and something sinister is brewing within. That also was a hoax, people turned out to be mostly nice.
Finally
It was a good bring watch. I skipped the long chess playing scene and was able to finish in one evening. I will recommend a watch.
Originally published at https://www.sharmisthadey.com on December 15, 2020.
