[Spoiler Alert, Trigger Warnings – contains references to suicide and substance abuse]
Chess is officially on trend. For that, we have Scott Frank and his riveting Netflix mini-series ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ to thank. The show premiered on the 23rd of October 2020 and is based on Walter Tevis’s novel of the same name. ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ quickly found its way into the Top Ten in 92 countries, ranking number one on Netflix in the UK.
But what is so interesting about a chess prodigy in the 1960s? Well, just about everything. Beth Harmon, played by the magnetic Anya Taylor-Joy, arrives as an orphan at the Methuen School for Girls following the tragic yet mysterious death of her mother. During Beth’s time in the school she battles a troubling tranquilizer addiction but is taken under the wing of fellow orphan Jolene. She also forms an unlikely friendship with the custodian, Mr. Shaibel, who coaches her chess-playing abilities. Later, we see Beth as a teenager when she leaves behind Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp) and Jolene (Moses Ingram) to move in with her new adoptive parents Mr. and Mrs. Wheatley. From there she begins her ascent in the world of chess, moving from local to national tournaments at an astounding speed.
Beth’s story is truly compulsive. Touching on a number of dark themes such as substance abuse, loneliness and suicide, it is a cautionary tale exploring the perils of a genius. It is also a highly entertaining coming-of-age story documenting the trials of being a young woman in the midtwentieth century. Beth faces a male-dominated world with admirable courage and a killer wardrobe, effortlessly destroying anyone who gets in her way.
The series is full of sad figures, but for me Beth’s adoptive mother Alma Wheatley (Marielle Heller) is the most heartbreaking of them all. A gifted piano player debilitated by crippling shyness, an obvious drinking problem and a husband frequently disappearing on “business trips”, she successfully encapsulates the poignancy of unfulfilled potential. As mother and daughter, their relationship is unconventional but on the whole happy. Alma is a key figure of support for Beth in both chess and her personal life. So, Alma’s sudden death is a devastating turning point in the plot.
The series has a handful of love interests (all chess players, of course) who weave in and out of Beth’s journey. Townes (played by Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), the heart-throb Beth meets at her first tournament is a kind figure who clearly cares about Beth. When they meet again at the US Open in Las Vegas, Townes is working as a journalist and asks to take her picture for the magazine. They share an almost intimate moment over a game of chess but are interrupted by Townes’s roommate, who Beth suspects is also his boyfriend. Beth leaves abruptly and we do not meet Townes again until the Moscow international tournament in the final episode.
Next is Harry Beltik (played by Harry Melling or ‘Duddikins’ to some of us), who Beth also meets at one of her first tournaments. Initially, Harry is arrogant and clearly underestimates Beth’s ability but we eventually see him become one of her biggest supporters. After the death of Alma, Harry moves in with Beth to become her chess-mentor. They embark on a strange and at times uncomfortable sexual relationship that ends rather suddenly when Harry realises that Beth cannot return his feelings.
Last is Benny Watts (played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster), the US national champion who Beth defeats in Ohio. After the tournament, Beth returns to New York with Benny and he becomes her next mentor. They sleep together once but Beth becomes disenchanted with him when he starts discussing chess moves after sex (can we blame her?).
The fact that Beth doesn’t end up with one of these men in the final episode is a refreshing twist, even more so when they all come together to support her in the Moscow International. It demonstrates a much needed shift away from the typical love story plot that female-led shows are often railroaded into.
However, the series does have it’s downfalls. For me the fact that the only black character, Jolene, is as a source of emotional and monetary support to the white main character is too formulaic. Furthermore, the series at points somewhat glamourises Beth’s substance abuse, creating dangerous ties between drug-use and genius. When Beth does eventually realise that she is able to play just as well without drugs or alcohol, she’s suddenly addiction free and recovery is reduced to as simple as winning one chess game. Understandably, this portrayal of a real and complex issue has caused some controversy.
Nevertheless, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ covers some important issues. The series is engaging and it is not hard to understand why it so quickly became ranked as number one in the UK. It is stylish, entertaining, unorthodox and truly deserving of its 97% approval rating.
Words By: Rosie Harkin-Adams
Edited By: Olivia Snelson