Setting Viewership Record, 'The Queen¡¯s Gambit' Is One Of The Most Satisfying Series Of Recent Times
¡°Chess isn't always competitive. Chess can also be beautiful. It was the board I noticed first. It's an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it. I can dominate it. And it's predictable, so if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame." - Beth Harmon
If a piece of art consumes you and leaves you sated, you know that it¡¯s extremely special. This year has been full of such experiences. With so much content offered to us on a platter and nowhere to go, most of us have taken immense pleasure in binge-watching our hearts out. The latest one that has left the internet gasping for more is limited series The Queen¡¯s Gambit.?
What made this show soar high was consistent word of mouth, to an extent that it snowballed into becoming Netflix¡¯s most watched series of the year! It has been on a record-breaking spree just a month after its release.?
Going by the viewership data, 62 million households watched The Queen¡¯s Gambit for the first 28 days of release, making it Netflix¡¯s most popular scripted limited series ever.
For the unversed, this seven-part limited series chronicles the story of an orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon, who grapples with alcohol and drug addiction and eventually goes on to compete with several elite chess players across the world, tackling the inherent sexism in the sport at the same time. Not only is this ride into the world of Harmon nail-biting but it also gives a detailed insight into the lesser-known world of chess.?
The Queen's Gambit is based on a 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. The show is set in a 1960s backdrop and has a lot of other fascinating things to offer besides chess.
It has even managed to captivate those viewers who cannot differentiate between a rook and a bishop. The storyline is addictive, the cinematography is a visual treat and it has some powerhouse performances that will make your jaw drop. Anya Taylor-Joy who plays the main lead is so convincing with her powerful acting without many dialogues will make you wonder if she is actually a grandmaster of chess in real life.?
Interestingly, the makers were very keen on maintaining authenticity in depicting chess. The scenes involving the game were designed in such a way that every move is accurate to the T.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Scott Frank said,?
"You can freeze frame anything, and it's a real chess setup. There's even a whole sequence where you never see the board, but they're still actually moving the pieces where they're supposed to. The actors always knew exactly where every piece was supposed to go."
The actors were also taught the way to hold and move the pieces like experienced players. The tournaments were also a reflection of reality including all the nitty-gritties. The set-up of the room, chess clocks, writing down of moves, adjourning a game - everything was exactly like real chess competitions. Right from costumes to set design, this show is an epitome of perfection. A small detail that isn¡¯t very hard to miss is the usage of checkered patterns in Beth¡¯s costumes.?
The direction is so intricate and eye-pleasing that you¡¯ll soon feel like you are a part of Beth's world witnessing her life alongside.?
What makes The Queen¡¯s Gambit stand out from the bevy of amazing shows is that despite centering around Chess, it also has sub-plots that beautifully depict stories about grief, addiction, trauma, strangers becoming family and the most important one - being a woman in a male-dominated arena.
It¡¯s a classic rags-to-riches story of a determined woman overcoming all odds to be the best. In this journey, she does lose herself from time to time but she never gives up. The curiosity that gave birth to her unfailing interest in Chess, never lost precedence even when she fell off the tracks due to her addictions. Her passion for chess and her goal to prove her talent not on the basis of gender but capacities is something that¡¯ll leave you inspired beyond words.
Thanks to the show, even the novel is now on The New York Times bestseller list. What¡¯s more, google search queries for chess have increased exponentially so have the searches for ¡®how to play chess¡¯.
The Queen¡¯s Gambit has also made it to the Top 10 in 92 countries and ranked No. 1 in 63 countries. It currently has a 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 8.8/10 IMDb score.
At this point, I am pretty sure that you are intrigued. For the last time, don¡¯t waste a single minute - treat your senses with this phenomenal series and thank us later.
