Well - WOW! The Queen's Gambit is really excellent. A Grand Master of a show! Strangely, I held back at first when this got rave reviews. I shouldn't have waited.
Everything about The Queen's Gambit works.
It's about connections; our connections to the characters and the characters connections with each other, especially the connections the central character makes. It's gripping and you want to watch more. It's exciting; we feel triumph. It's emotional; we feel pain. It is brilliantly acted. It looks absolutely superb - as a brilliant 50's-60's period piece it works fabulously well.
We swiftly make a connection with young Beth Harman, an other-worldly chess genius. We wonder at her brilliance, we wonder at her weaknesses. Above all - we wonder at how she is able to maintain such incredible focus. Across the episodes it isn't revealed to us what it is that is powering this prodigy - and we wonder at that too. The answers are left open - in a very pleasing way.
We go with Beth Harmon on a fantastic journey. We enjoy the superb cars, clothes and hotel interiors - just as she does. But it's very far from plain sailing. We see her "play" with a range of American societal norms - and she rejects all of them. She is very much her own person, beholden to no-one and this in itself is a magnificent and uplifting thing to see. However - Beth has issues. NO spoilers!!!
The series has rise and fall which is superbly modulated. It's not clear how it's going to go - except that there will be a final reckoning and it IS absolutely excellent. No spoilers!!!
I LOVED this! I don't normally gush - but The Queen's Gambit is BRILLIANT. I was gripped. I said; "Wow" in every episode. I wanted more.
If you are considering watching The Queen's Gambit, don't hesitate - say to yourself; "Let's play".
Everything about The Queen's Gambit works.
It's about connections; our connections to the characters and the characters connections with each other, especially the connections the central character makes. It's gripping and you want to watch more. It's exciting; we feel triumph. It's emotional; we feel pain. It is brilliantly acted. It looks absolutely superb - as a brilliant 50's-60's period piece it works fabulously well.
We swiftly make a connection with young Beth Harman, an other-worldly chess genius. We wonder at her brilliance, we wonder at her weaknesses. Above all - we wonder at how she is able to maintain such incredible focus. Across the episodes it isn't revealed to us what it is that is powering this prodigy - and we wonder at that too. The answers are left open - in a very pleasing way.
We go with Beth Harmon on a fantastic journey. We enjoy the superb cars, clothes and hotel interiors - just as she does. But it's very far from plain sailing. We see her "play" with a range of American societal norms - and she rejects all of them. She is very much her own person, beholden to no-one and this in itself is a magnificent and uplifting thing to see. However - Beth has issues. NO spoilers!!!
The series has rise and fall which is superbly modulated. It's not clear how it's going to go - except that there will be a final reckoning and it IS absolutely excellent. No spoilers!!!
I LOVED this! I don't normally gush - but The Queen's Gambit is BRILLIANT. I was gripped. I said; "Wow" in every episode. I wanted more.
If you are considering watching The Queen's Gambit, don't hesitate - say to yourself; "Let's play".