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The Queen's Gambit (miniseries)

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The Queen's Gambit
GenreDrama
Created byScott Frank
Allan Scott
Based onThe Queen's Gambit
by Walter Tevis
Directed byScott Frank
Starring
Music byCarlos Rafael Rivera
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Marcus Loges
  • Mick Aniceto
CinematographySteven Meizler
EditorMichelle Tesoro
Running time46–67 minutes
Production companies
  • Flitcraft Ltd
  • Wonderful Films
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)

The Queen's Gambit is an American drama television miniseries based on Walter Tevis's 1983 novel of the same name. It was created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott and released on Netflix on October 23, 2020.[1][2]

Synopsis

The Queen's Gambit is a fictional story that follows the life of an orphan chess prodigy named Beth Harmon from the age of eight to twenty-two during her quest to become the world's greatest chess player while struggling with emotional issues and with drug and alcohol dependency. The story begins in the mid-1950s and proceeds into the 1960s.[3]

Cast and characters

Main

  • Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon, the young adult competitive chess player who is determined to become the greatest chess player in the world.
    • Isla Johnston as young Beth
    • Annabeth Kelly as five-year-old Beth
  • Bill Camp as Mr. Shaibel, the custodian at the Methuen Home for Girls who taught Beth how to play chess
  • Moses Ingram as Jolene, a fellow orphan at the Methuen Home
  • Christiane Seidel as Helen Deardorff
  • Rebecca Root as Miss Lonsdale[4]
  • Chloe Pirrie as Alice Harmon, Beth's deceased biological mother
  • Akemnji Ndifornyen as Mr. Fergusson
  • Marielle Heller as Mrs. Alma Wheatley, who with her husband Allston adopted Beth as a young teenager.
  • Harry Melling as Harry Beltik, a friend and one of Beth's competitors in Kentucky
  • Patrick Kennedy as Allston Wheatley, Alma's husband and Beth's estranged adoptive father
  • Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Townes, a fellow chess player for whom Beth develops an unrequited love
  • Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts, a friend and one of Beth's major competitors
  • Marcin Dorociński as Vasily Borgov, the Russian world champion chess player and Beth's fiercest competitor

Recurring

  • Sergio Di Zio as Beth’s father
  • Dolores Carbonari as Margaret, Beth's high school classmate
  • Matthew Dennis Lewis as Matt
  • Russell Dennis Lewis as Mike
  • Janina Elkin as Mrs. Borgov, wife and translator of Vasily Borgov

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byTeleplay byOriginal release date
1"Openings"Scott FrankScott FrankOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)
Elizabeth "Beth" Harmon is orphaned when her mother dies in a car crash. She is taken to an orphanage, where the children are given drugs to make them compliant. Beth sees custodian Mr. Shaibel playing chess in the basement and becomes intrigued by the game. He eventually agrees to teach her. She improves quickly and becomes obsessed with chess. Taken to a high school to play the student chess club, she beats them all handily and later comments to Mr. Shaibel on their rudimentary play. After the state passes a law forbidding giving tranquilizers to children, Beth suffers withdrawal. She is caught stealing a jar of the pills, and passes out due to an overdose.
2"Exchanges"Scott FrankScott FrankOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)
After her overdose, Beth is prohibited from playing chess. She is adopted as a teenager by the Wheatleys. On an errand for Mrs. Wheatley, Beth discovers that her adoptive mother is taking the same tranquilizers that she was given at the orphanage and secretly begins to use them. Beth enters a chess tournament with money borrowed from Mr. Shaibel. As she cruises through her matches in the tournament, she develops a crush on one of her later opponents Townes. Beth comes home to find that Mr. Wheatley has left Mrs. Wheatley. Beth fears that she will be sent back to the orphanage, but Mrs. Wheatley tells her they will lie so she can stay. During her final match against Harry Beltik, the highest-ranked player, Beth becomes flustered and runs to the restroom; she takes a tranquilizer pill, then wins the match handily. Mrs. Wheatley hatches a plan to enter Beth into tournaments to win more money.
3"Doubled Pawns"Scott FrankScott FrankOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)
Ms. Wheatley and Beth check into their hotel room in Cincinnati. Beth wins the tournament. Her mother asks for 10% of the prize money as an agent commission, but Beth gives her 15%. Beth continues to miss school while traveling to tournaments, where she is quickly gaining national recognition for her achievements. Back at school, Beth is invited to her first social event with the Apple Pi club. She realizes she has nothing in common with typical teenage culture and becomes overwhelmed. She swipes a bottle of alcohol and escapes back home. In 1966, Beth heads to Las Vegas for the US Open where she is reunited with Townes, who is now writing articles on chess. They return to his hotel room where Townes takes her picture and they play chess. Beth runs into Benny Watts who points out a weakness in her game against Beltik. Beth is taken aback and suddenly loses confidence. She experiences her first loss against Watts the next day.
4"Middle Game"Scott FrankScott FrankOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)
Beth travels to Mexico City with Ms. Wheatley, who spends most of her time with Manuel, a pen pal. Beth plays a kid from Russia named Georgi Giev, after playing for two days, they end their game and she tells him he's the best she's ever played. In the elevator, she uses her knowledge of Russian to overhear Soviet world champion Vasily Borgov and two associates. While they underestimate her, Borgov tells them she is an orphan, and a survivor like them. Manuel abandons Mrs. Wheatley just like Mr. Wheatley did. The following day, Beth plays Borgov, and after an intense game, loses to him. Back in the hotel room, Beth is telling her mother about this when she realizes that she isn't responding and is dead. The coroner expects that it was hepatitis.
5"Fork"Scott FrankScott FrankOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)
Beth goes back home and spends time with Harry Beltik, the former Kentucky champion, training and growing close until he decides to move out and go back to college. Beth then meets up with Benny Watts in a tournament to have a rematch.
6"Adjournment"Scott FrankScott FrankOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)
Beth travels to the tournament in Paris and the chance at a rematch with Borgov, coming full circle back to the opening moment of episode 1. Beth spends the night with Cleo, a model. Hungover, she loses once more to Borgov. After the tournament in Paris, Beth goes back home again and soon learns her adoptive father has returned home.
7"End Game"Scott FrankScott FrankOctober 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)
Jolene arrives and informs Beth that Mr. Shaibel has died. They both go to the funeral and Beth returns to see the orphanage, coming to grips with the past which helps her move forward. Beth gives up her funding from the Christian organization after they request something from her Beth is unwilling to do. After seeking alternative funding, Beth goes to Russia to play in a tournament. She finally beats Borgov. At the end, she jumps out of the car that is taking her to the airport. Instead she finds a number of old men playing chess outdoors. When they realize who she is, she is invited to play.

Production

Development

On March 19, 2019, Netflix had given the production a series order consisting of six episodes. The series was directed by Scott Frank, who also created the series with Allan Scott. The two also served as executive producers alongside William Horberg.[1] The series was released on October 23, 2020.[2] Carlos Rafael Rivera composed the series score.[5] Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov and chess coach Bruce Pandolfini acted as consultants.[6][7]

Casting

Alongside the series order announcement, it was announced that Anya Taylor-Joy was set to star as the lead.[8] In January 2020, it was reported Moses Ingram had joined the cast of the series.[9] Upon the miniseries premiere date announcement, it was announced that Bill Camp, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Harry Melling and Marielle Heller were cast in starring roles.[10][11]

Filming

Principal photography began in August 2019 in Cambridge, Ontario.[12] Filming also took place in Berlin,[13] including the Kino International, the Berlin Zoo and the Friedrichstadt-Palast.[14]

Reception

Audience viewership

On October 28, 2020, the series became the most watched series on Netflix.[15][16]

Critical response

Anya Taylor-Joy's performance garnered widespread critical acclaim

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the miniseries received an approval rating of 100% based on 42 reviews, with an average rating of 8.04/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Its moves aren't always perfect, but between Anya Taylor-Joy's magnetic performance, incredibly realized period details, and emotionally intelligent writing, The Queen's Gambit is an absolute win."[17] Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 based on 27 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18]

Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a B and described the lead actress, "Taylor-Joy excels in the quiet moments, her eyelids narrowing as she decimates an opponent, her whole body physicalizing angry desperation when the game turns against her."[19] Reviewing the miniseries for Rolling Stone, Alan Sepinwall gave it 3 out of 5 stars and said, "An aesthetically beautiful project with several superb performances, all in service to a story that starts to feel padded long before the end comes."[20] Variety's Caroline Framke wrote "The Queen's Gambit manages to personalize the game and its players thanks to clever storytelling and, in Anya Taylor-Joy, a lead actor so magnetic that when she stares down the camera lens, her flinty glare threatens to cut right through it."[21]

Chess community response

The series received praise from the chess community for its portrayal of the game and players. It was however critiqued for how it used exclusively male players' games as its basis for its fictional games. Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Shahade wrote "using some women's games would have been awesome" on Twitter.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b Petski, Denise (March 19, 2019). "Netflix Orders 'The Queen's Gambit' Limited Series From Scott Frank; Anya Taylor-Joy To Star". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  2. ^ a b McHenry, Jackson (August 27, 2020). "The Queen's Gambit Trailer: Anya Taylor-Joy Dives Into Chess, Drugs, and More Chess". Vulture. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  3. ^ "NETFLIX ORDERS LIMITED SERIES THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT FROM SCOTT FRANK" (Press release). Netflix Media Center. March 19, 2019. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  4. ^ Root, Rebecca [@rebeccaroot1969] (December 20, 2019). "A Netflix series next year called The Queen's Gambit xx" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 21, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Twitter. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; December 21, 2019 suggested (help)
  5. ^ "Carlos Rafael Rivera Scoring Netflix's 'The Queen's Gambit'". FilmMusicReporter. August 27, 2020. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  6. ^ Berman, Judy (October 20, 2020). "Netflix's Marvelous The Queen's Gambit Is the Kind of Prestige Drama TV Doesn't Make Anymore". Time. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  7. ^ Hartmann, John (October 23, 2020). "The Queen's Gambit - Out Today On Netflix!". Chess Life. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  8. ^ Thorne, Will (March 19, 2019). "Anya Taylor-Joy to Star in 'The Queen's Gambit' Limited Series at Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  9. ^ Sneider, Jeff (January 15, 2020). "Newcomer Moses Ingram Joins Denzel Washington in Joel Coen's 'Macbeth'". Collider. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  10. ^ Roots, Kimberly (August 27, 2020). "Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders Stars Play a Risky Game in Netflix Chess Drama The Queen's Gambit — Watch". TVLine. Archived from the original on August 27, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  11. ^ Nolfi, Joey (August 27, 2020). "Anya Taylor-Joy puts the patriarchy in check in The Queen's Gambit teaser". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 27, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  12. ^ "'The Queen's Gambit' filming in Cambridge for 2 days". Cambridge Times. August 22, 2019. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  13. ^ Cooper, Leonie (February 20, 2020). "'The Witch' star Anya Taylor-Joy: "People always want to put you in a box"". NME. Archived from the original on May 12, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  14. ^ Wintermayr, Arabella (October 23, 2020). "„Das Damengambit": Zug um Zug in den Netflix-Olymp". Musikexpress (in German). Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  15. ^ Watercutter, Angela (October 28, 2020). "Why The Queen's Gambit Is the No. 1 Netflix Show Right Now". Wired. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  16. ^ Lawler, Kelly (October 28, 2020). "'The Queen's Gambit': This Netflix miniseries about chess is one of the best shows of 2020". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  17. ^ "The Queen's Gambit: Miniseries (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  18. ^ "The Queen's Gambit: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  19. ^ Franich, Darren (October 21, 2020). "The Queen's Gambit plays familiar moves with style and star power: Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  20. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (October 20, 2020). "'The Queen's Gambit': A Female Bobby Fischer Keeps Her Challengers in Check". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  21. ^ Framke, Caroline (October 21, 2020). "'The Queen's Gambit,' Starring a Magnetic Anya Taylor-Joy, Is a Shrewd Study of Genius: TV Review". Variety. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  22. ^ Shahade, Jennifer [@JenShahade] (October 28, 2020). "#TheQueensGambit is so brilliant but using some women's games would have been awesome. Many viewers google Beth Harmon and are disappointed to find she is totally fictional. Imagine the consolatory wink in redirection to Polgar or Menchik or Rudenko stories/games. #Playlikeagirl" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020 – via Twitter.
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