The Queen’s Gambit: The Crucial Life of a Prodigy
by Eva Solorio, Reporter
Entertainment and Culture
Many of Netflix’s shows many have won over their viewers. They’ve been nominated for countless award shows. Marriage Story, an original, was nominated for the Oscars six times. The Queen’s Gambit comes as no surprise; it’s an immediate hit. Inspired by the identically-named book, the show delves into the mind of a young girl named Beth Harmon (played by Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphan with a complicated past. She develops an interest in chess, and from there becomes a prodigy. Although the complex game may not seem interesting at first, the show has earned praise for the complexity of Harmon’s story, the acting, and the cinematography. Not only does it apply to the hardships of chess, it applies to the work of any passion-filled person who runs across doubt.
Beth Harmon’s life is never portrayed as fun or care-free. From the get go, the show begins with preteen Harmon and her mother enduring a car accident, where Harmon’s mother passes away. Harmon is a very shy and private person. After the accident, she is sent to an orphanage where she learns chess from the custodian, Mr. Shaibel. She is immediately hooked on the game. Set in the 1950s, adults giving tranquilizer pills (used for treating anxiety, fear, tension, and others) to children at orphanages was standard practice. Harmon becomes addicted to these tranquilizers and fills her visions with the game of chess in order to win matches with Mr. Shaibel. One of my favorite things about the show is that it is not a sappy, coming-of-age TV show; don’t get me wrong, sometimes we need a show like that. The Queen’s Gambit offers a fresh new view of a young girl facing an addiction that is withholding her successful career in chess.
Initially, I was hesitant to watch it because the only experience I have of chess is participating in a chess club in elementary school (which I wasn’t very good at, either). I gave in because it was such a highly-praised show, with 97% percent on Rotten Tomatoes. I ended up loving the show. It is versatile in both the story and the cinematic experience. Overall, the show is beautiful to watch thanks to the mood-changing colors and consistent 1950s aesthetics.
It kept me engaged because a part of me longed for Harmon to get over her past traumas and her addiction to live life to the fullest; I just remember thinking how much potential she had. Every episode brought something new, and as a viewer, it encouraged me to spend more time pursuing my passions and growing along with it.
The performance of Taylor-Joy as Harmon was highly praised. “I didn’t realise until I met her that she was a voice I’d had in my head for as long as I remember. I’m goofier and lighter-hearted than Beth – but we have a lot of the same struggles and at our core, we’re pretty similar. I was heartbroken when I had to stop playing her,” says Taylor-Joy in an interview with The Guardian. “I feel as if Beth Harmon lives in all of us, even if it’s just a tiny bit of her personality. She chooses to persevere because of that passion she has… It’s a story about overcoming your personal demons and coming to peace with yourself.”
The Queen’s Gambit is a show not to be missed. The book is also a good read if you would like to paint the images on the ceiling as Harmon does with her chess pieces! You’ll finish the show feeling satisfied with the story-telling, getting to know each of the characters almost personally. Plus you’ll be head over heels with the beautiful cinematography and the fabulous acting. Don’t forget to add The Queen’s Gambit to your queue!
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet.