The Queen's Gambit: Review


As someone who isn't addicted to Television shows or any series, I surprised myself by watching this in one sitting. 

It was a Friday afternoon. I sat on my couch, relaxing my nerves after an intense week of reading, critiquing and writing, as a part of my MFA course. Not to mention, the long hours of zoom sessions were beginning to take a toll on me.  My husband suggested that I take a break from books and writing. "It would do you good to relax and unwind for a few hours, instead of taxing that brain of yours," he said. I agreed. 

I had heard that A Suitable boy by Vikram Seth was adapted into a Netflix series and was directed by Mira Nair. While searching for 'A Suitable boy,' I stumbled upon 'The Queen's Gambit'. The poster of Anya-Taylor Joy with a chess board stared back at me. Quickly I checked for reviews and saw that it was rated as one of the top shows on Netflix. The synopsis seemed interesting as well. 

The Queens's Gambit chronicles the life of chess prodigy Beth Harmon who loses her mother in a car accident. Admitted in an orphanage, she stumbles upon the janitor in the basement and begins to play with him. Under his guidance, she masters the moves and quickly picks up the nuances of the game. Beth's journey sees her beating the local champions, being adopted by a childless couple, inability to fit in her school, secretly smuggling chess magazines, drugs, victories, fame, recognition, downfall, substance abuse and regaining her rightful place as a champion. 

Directed in a brilliant manner, the characters exhibit a lot of depth. The nail biting chess matches were the compelling part of the series. Its interesting how Beth's life at the orphanage gains meaning and a new found purpose on meeting the Janitor. The story traces her successes, death of her foster mom, the janitor, her downfall, struggle with substance abuse and triumph. The dialogues about drawing parallels between chess board and real life are interesting. These 7 episodes immerse you into the world of 64 black and white squares. While the chess board is black and white, real life is full of grey shades. Its up to us to find that silver lining that eventually makes us champions. With its brilliant direction and stellar performances, the show elicited nothing less than an applause as the last episode ended. It was a weekend well spent. 



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