The Queen’s Gambit | Netflix

Thelonious Monk · 02-11-2020 11:49PM

Really good after 3 eps. Just when I thought my Netflix subscription wasn't worth watching Peep Show on repeat, this is the best show I've seen in a while. Lead actress is amazing.

46 Long · 03-11-2020 01:37AM

Man with broke phone wrote: »

I always wonder who is recommending these films and if they are in the same target market or age group as me.

So to save me the time is this a coming of age drama based on a teenage girl who plays chess and sticks it to the patriarchy?

As a middle aged builder man would I be wasting my time?

I've been enjoying it a lot. The novel it's based on was written by the same author who did The Hustler and The Color of Money. There's no real 'smash the patriarchy' agenda or forced diversity. It feels almost like a TV series from maybe five years ago - when they were still making morally ambiguous television for adults and not pushing a woke agenda down your throat. All in all it's a solid, workmanlike period drama of about the same caliber as something like 'The Crown'.

Lirange · 03-11-2020 09:50AM

A very enjoyable watch all the way through. An engaging charismatic lead. No lulls or pacing issues. The brilliant aesthetic, production design, and attentiveness to detail even distracted me at times from the story. We watched one ep an evening. We don’t so much as mini-binge the best shows. Just to make it last and have something to look forward to each evening.

Only a few insignificant quibbles. The actress portraying younger Beth had blue eyes rather than brown. Coloured contacts could have addressed this. Even though they’re typically conspicuous with that annoying dilated pupil effect. As mentioned upthread some aspects of the final ep seem a bit cloying. But that’s easily forgivable given the consistent quality from start to finish. I rarely rewatch shows. But I’m sure I probably will watch QG again by Christmas.

Hector Savage · 03-11-2020 11:13AM

sodacat11 wrote: »

As a chess coach myself I enjoyed the chess content and the fact that it will promote chess to a wider public but as a piece of drama I found it lacking in some areas. I thought that the main character was far too model like and unbelievable. As with all American series everyone has to look like a supermodel and wear designer clothes and everything just felt too glossy compared to the best European dramas which are always very realistic. I thought too that the storyline was shallow and predictable and that some areas which could have been developed more just weren't. By the end of it I was reminded of Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act for some reason. I thought that the guy in the hat was a strong character as was the step mother but the main character was just too unbelievable. Having said all that , we did watch the whole seven episodes in one sitting and we did enjoy it so 7/10 would be a fair assessment.

And a Mary Sue to boot, shouldn't they make it look like a bit of a struggle at least and not just have her easily beat every opponent ??

Even the best have to struggle to get there - if they made it more about that and less about "Women are better then MEN !!!" (we get it!!!) it would have been a lot better ....still decent though..

sparrowcar · 03-11-2020 11:23AM

This is must watch television.
Netflix seems to do 50's 60's stuff really well. Same feeling as Mindhunters in terms of authenticity of that era.

The young and older lead actresses are amazing and the story really well told. Myself and the misses glued to it and finish the last episode tonight.

IMO this is a strong 9/10.

Hector Savage · 03-11-2020 11:24AM

storker wrote: »

Analysis of the final game against Borgov:

So based on an actual game ... between men ?

But me must clean history ...

woke nonsense.

sparrowcar · 03-11-2020 11:29AM

Hector Savage wrote: »

So based on an actual game ... between men ?

But me must clean history ...

woke nonsense.

Your comment is actually woke nonsense.
The story works much better as a female, just a simple casting decision. Keep your drama for after hours.

TomSweeney · 03-11-2020 11:38AM

Hector Savage wrote: »

So based on an actual game ... between men ?

But me must clean history ...

woke nonsense.

It was fantastic 10/10, it just shows how women are unfairly treated in these fields, and STEM in general. This show proves that women are much better than men in all these areas.

You're obviously just a misogynist that hates women and wants them kept out of traditional mens hobbies.

storker · 03-11-2020 11:45AM

Hector Savage wrote: »

So based on an actual game ... between men ?

But me must clean history ...

woke nonsense.

What's your point here?

TomSweeney · 03-11-2020 12:01PM

storker wrote: »

What's your point here?

Ignore the troll, he just hates women and thinks they should be in the kitchen.

This show proves how not only women are as good as men in these things - but far superior.

Peter_OConnor · 03-11-2020 03:19PM

I'd say give it a go. You'll be hooked after the first episode or else it's not for you. I thought the same thing but it turns out it is really entertaining and not what I would call a teenage coming of age drama. It is emotionally intelligent writing. It could have been very dark but they didn't go there so it is quite uplifting.

Man with broke phone wrote: »

I always wonder who is recommending these films and if they are in the same target market or age group as me.

So to save me the time is this a coming of age drama based on a teenage girl who plays chess and sticks it to the patriarchy?

As a middle aged builder man would I be wasting my time?

TP_CM · 03-11-2020 03:43PM

Spoiler alert below

Yes I enjoyed it. All the characters were cast very well. Was it 7 episodes? It didn't seem to drag in any place and moved quite well. I liked the way they didn't spend too much time on any of the wins.

My only criticism of the story itself is that it's a bit too easy; Underdog wins game after game against the big dogs. Of course we love it. Seeing a deprived girl win game after game in a man's world. It's the movie equivalent of piling loads of butter and sugar together in a dessert! Grand, I liked it, but I wanted a bit more of a grown up's storyline. Essentially it's just another David and Goliath. But a bit of escapism from reality is good for the soul I suppose.

Lirange · 03-11-2020 10:31PM

TP_CM wrote: »

Spoiler alert below

My only criticism of the story itself is that it's a bit too easy; Underdog wins game after game against the big dogs. Of course we love it. Seeing a deprived girl win game after game in a man's world. It's the movie equivalent of piling loads of butter and sugar together in a dessert! Grand, I liked it, but I wanted a bit more of a grown up's storyline. Essentially it's just another David and Goliath. But a bit of escapism from reality is good for the soul I suppose.

I have a different recollection:

She had at least 3 notable losses. All significant to Beth’s journey. The story spent time on the aftermath of them accordingly. Two losses to Borgov (Mexico City & Paris) and one to Benny Watts (Las Vegas). The losses initially started with Mr. Shaibel in the Janitor’s basement. She was not just a wunderkind with a gift. She was a genius. So of course she was going to win the vast majority of her matches. The story was about some of the costs that often seem to come with being a genius and her biggest life setbacks weren’t at Chess tournaments.

She was never a great Beltik level player that was going to grind her way to being an unlikely World Champion. That would actually be more unrealistic. Borgov was the only real rival to her genius. The other main opponents she had to overcome in the story were her own daemons. The ones conjured up from her experiences starting from childhood.

storker · 03-11-2020 11:18PM

Hector Savage wrote: »

So based on an actual game ... between men ?

Yep - the consultant chess grandmaster was a man. It's likely his choice of candidate games came initially from his memory, and would have been played by men since top level chess players are mostly men. That the game he chose was played by men proves nothing one way or the other.

But me must clean history ...

No cleaning required. Judit Polgar is a Hungarian grandmaster, trained with her sisters, also high-level players, by their father. Polgar played in women'e events only rarely, preferring to do her thing in the men's events, during the course of which she counted among her scalps that of Kasparov, Karpov, Spassky and Kramnik. Beth Harmon took one game out of three from a Russian grandmaster. Not really so outlandish when compared with Polgar.

(And despite what some reviewers keep saying, Harmon didn't finish the series as World Champion.)

woke nonsense.

The novel on which the series is (very closely) based was written in 1983, before the advent of third-wave feminism, never mind woke-ism.

storker · 03-11-2020 11:28PM

Hector Savage wrote: »

And a Mary Sue to boot, shouldn't they make it look like a bit of a struggle at least and not just have her easily beat every opponent ??

Even the best have to struggle to get there - if they made it more about that and less about "Women are better then MEN !!!"

The series never suggested that women are better than men. Harmon lost two games against Borgov and only won one. If anything, the message is, yes that a woman can do as well as men - especially in a cerebral activity like chess - but the message is also that you can rise above your difficulties and make good in the end, but it's much harder to do it alone. And who is it who comes through for Harmon when she really needs it? A woman and, shock, horror, a number of...men.

In fact, the only thing that comes close to an accusation of sexism is at Beth's first tournament when her and the only other female are, by amazing coincidence, playing each other and their board is sharing table with the water cooler. After that, her main moan about her being a woman in a male chess world is that people are far to keen to talk about that instead of about the bloody chess, because the chess is all that interests her. (See quote upthread).

(we get it!!!)

It's quite obvious that you didn't get it. At all. Not even close.

storker · 03-11-2020 11:41PM

Hector Savage wrote: »

And a Mary Sue to boot

She's no Mary Sue - are you sure you know what the term means?

Beth Harmon is self-centred, has a capacity for dishonesty, forgets her friends and is prone to anger and sometimes cruelty. Hardly Mary-Sue material.

little bird · 05-11-2020 12:00AM

I’m enjoying The Queen’s Gambit. Makes me want to dust off the auld chessboard. Soundtrack good too.

Ficheall · 05-11-2020 04:34PM

TomSweeney wrote: »

it just shows how women are unfairly treated in these fields, and STEM in general. This show proves that women are much better than men in all these areas.

Obviously HectorSavage is talking out his backside, but this isn't really any more accurate.

10-11-2020 03:14AM

I thought young Beth, Isla Johnston, was brilliant.

paleoperson · 10-11-2020 03:20AM

Women hate chess, trust me.

ShooterSF · 10-11-2020 03:24AM

Really enjoyed this but one thing and it isn't really a complaint about the show, just something personal but I found it hard to get behind Beth after

she reveals she never sent the 10 dollars. Dunno why for a fictional story it just really stuck with me.

46 Long · 10-11-2020 04:06AM

paleoperson wrote: »

Women hate chess, trust me.

Judit Polgár would like a word

JP Liz V1 · 10-11-2020 04:32AM

Deleted User wrote: »

I thought young Beth, Isla Johnston, was brilliant.

Yes as good as main lead Ana

Odeta · 10-11-2020 06:35AM

paleoperson wrote: »

Women hate chess, trust me.

I love playing chess

whisky_galore · 10-11-2020 10:35AM

ShooterSF wrote: »

Really enjoyed this but one thing and it isn't really a complaint about the show, just something personal but I found it hard to get behind Beth after
she reveals she never sent the 10 dollars. Dunno why for a fictional story it just really stuck with me.

Found it odd to be rooting for a character who is for the most part dour and dislikable but there you go.

Thecageyone · 10-11-2020 05:55PM

I'm enjoying this, really didn't think I would but thought I'd check it because of all the hype. I don't give 2 figs about chess, for me it's just the competitive streak of the main character that's intriguing, honestly could be about any competitive game. Both the young and older actresses who play Harmon are excellent. It's a very sylish series, and though the main character may not be the most pleasant or likable in general as mentioned - you can't help but root for her, as the characters she faces off against are often even less likable

Iscreamkone · 10-11-2020 06:11PM

Everybody's got a Bourgov in their life.

Outkast_IRE · 10-11-2020 06:16PM

Think this was one of the best things netflix has produced all year.

TK Lemon · 10-11-2020 10:02PM

I finished this up tonight and I quite enjoyed it.

Arghus · 11-11-2020 05:55PM

I took a chance on this. I know it's getting good reviews, but a lot of things get good reviews and can leave me cold. And sometimes I think there's a tendency on the part of critics to praise something for its elements - like on-screen representation of the previously little seen - or even a work's themes or political message and to kind of let it off the hook for other elements where it can be lacking. So when I saw a new show about a female chess prodigy, I was a bit skeptical about how good it really was.

Well, so far - two episodes in - it is really good.

Maybe it lays the emotive hand holding of the soundtrack on a little bit too strong at times and perhaps Elizabeth is just too impossibly brilliant to be true, but those are minor enough quibbles. It's gripping, emotionally nuanced, well acted, quite funny in places and it looks great. If it can keep up this standard to the end, this is a real winner.

The Queen’s Gambit | Netflix

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