If you have Netflix, you have heard about The Queen’s Gambit. This is the most-watched Netflix original of 2020 and it has become a real phenomenon all over the world. I will admit the thought of watching a TV show based on chess did not appeal to me. What an ignorant fool I was! This is one of the best TV shows I have seen in 2020.
How to Stream or Download The Queen’s Gambit
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The Movie Review
The story is about a young girl called Beth Harmon. After her mother dies, she lives in an orphanage and she is not happy. The janitor at the orphanage takes a shine to her, teaches her chess and that is where she discovers she has a real talent for chess. What I like about this was that while the janitor helps her develop this talent and love, it was herself that realizes she has a real talent for the game.
Now, it would be so easy for me to say that the show is just about Beth becoming a chess prodigy and becoming the best chess player in the world. Now granted, her becoming an amazing chess player is part of the story. However, it is more about Beth herself and the struggles she has that make this such a captivating show.
Beth is played by the phenomenally talented Anya Taylor-Joy who deserves a ton of awards for this role. During her time at the orphanage, they gave her pills that she becomes addicted to. This results in her having various addictions as she grows up which affects her personally as well as her chess game.
The supporting cast in this show is also fantastic. We have Jolene who is Beth’s childhood friend, she also makes new friends with Harry and Benny that help her with chess game. It is cool stuff and I liked how each character in the show has their moment to shine and you have a reason to care about them.
The Queen’s Gambit is set in the 1950s and the 1960s. While this time period is before my time, I love the way it looks on the screen. From what I can tell, they managed to recreate this period of time as authentically as they possibly could and it makes it stand out from the majority of other shows that have shown up (especially on Netflix) the last few years.
This is a mini-series of seven episodes and I feel it is the perfect length. This is a show that just flies by when you are watching it. You will want to binge-watch as many episodes in one sitting as possible. The show has no filler at all and a perfect beginning, middle, and a tremendous ending that is very satisfying. Do not just think of The Queen’s Gambit as a show about chess, it is far more than that.
