It takes a lot of people suggesting a show for me to sit down and finally watch it. I am very simple minded when it comes to entertainment. As a viewer, I like to relax and ask to not think too much. In my mind, thinking is what all other times of the day are for! However, “The Queen’s Gambit” took me outside of my comfort zone and I was not at all mad about it, nor could I stop thinking about it.
“The Queen’s Gambit” is a Netflix original, coming-of-age drama created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott. The series follows the life of chess player, Beth Harmon, who is played by Anya Taylor-Joy.
At a young age, Harmon becomes an orphan. Her trauma develops into a very cynical, sarcastic and shockingly charming persona. For lack of a better trope, Harmon is literally not like other girls. As one of the only girls competing at various chess tournaments, she gains the attention of several outlets. However, Harmon often finds that they are evidently more invested in her stake as a woman than they are in her success as a chess player.
I often find myself fascinated by Hollywood’s obsession with trauma. I don’t know which celebrities have actually experienced being an orphan, but I’d assume not that many. However I’ve noticed that in the past, instead of approaching the topic tenderly they have decided to make movies about the orphan being a psychotic adult posing as a child murderer (“Orphan” 2009) or wizards (“Harry Potter” 2001). I was pleased that “The Queen’s Gambit” did not follow either of these past examples and instead focused on very real experiences and side effects of trauma and loss.
As a viewer, I started to actively want to understand Harmon and despite my reservations about some of her actions, I felt sorry for her and I wanted her to succeed. As a woman, the series felt very empowering. I was especially invested in Harmon’s lack of interest in the opinions of others, often regarding men. Women continue to enter predominantly male dominated places and to watch a character do that so beautifully felt incredibly refreshing.
Aside from the story itself, the series was also visually stunning. “The Queen’s Gambit” is set in the 1960s primarily in Lexington, while venturing out to other tournaments and hotels around the globe. It has been so long since I’ve been able to watch a film in theaters, but this series felt like a movie even from the comfort of my couch.
This series was the best series I’ve seen on Netflix in some time and every person I’ve advised to watch it has enjoyed it just as much as I have, if not more. I will probably watch it again if I have the time. I don’t really have anything negative to say about the series. If I had to think of something, I would say that it is upsetting that Harmon isn’t real. I really wish she was, so we could be buddies and she could beat me at chess sometimes.