The Queen’s Gambit: No Rest for the Weary
The Queen’s Gambit (2020), image provided by Decider
“Creativity and psychosis often go hand in hand. Or, for that matter, genius and madness.”
- Jean Blake, The Queen's Gambit
First, I just want to say that I know that this isn’t a movie. It’s technically a miniseries, but I was so moved by it that I decided to cover it. Sue me. Usually, before I watch a series or movie, I watch its trailer. That wasn’t the case for this series. Netflix recommended it one morning, and I decided to oblige. It must have been fate because it was one of the best series that I had seen in a while. Having been let down by Jordan Peele’s Antebellum (the plot, not the acting), recently, I blamed COVID-19 for the film and television industry’s rapid decline in creativity. I quickly recanted my thoughts after watching The Queen’s Gambit.
To be clear, I knew nothing about chess before watching this series; I had no interest in learning about it either. What drew me in was the cinematography and the main character, Beth Harmon, played by breakout actress Anya Taylor-Joy. Harmon is strong in her beliefs, creative in her methods (the way she plays chess), and deep in her addiction to chess and prescription pills. We’ve all known a person like Beth Harmon, someone so passionate about succeeding at something; and if you don’t know anyone that reminds you of her, then that’s because the someone is you. Their passion becomes an obsession and then madness quickly ensues. It’s like watching a movie that you know is going to make you cry, but you do it anyway because there’s something beautiful about tragedy. Take Steve Jobs, for example. He was extremely wealthy. Although we (the public) didn’t discover the extent of the madness that steered his success until he died, it was eventually disclosed in a major motion film. Michelangelo, Albert Einstein, and Mozart. They were and are still referred to as eccentric, being led by the nose by their passions. However, they are also considered geniuses. Harmon follows in their footsteps, being the first successful female chess player.
Watching this series got me thinking. Is it better to die in the arms of your passion or live in the shadow of what-if? Passion is better than any brand of alcohol or drug because it makes you immune to fear of failure; graveyards are overflowing with fearful people. I mean, if the outcome is death, regardless, passion doesn’t seem like such a bad exit strategy. I digress. To me, The Queen’s Gambit has little to do with chess and a lot to do with life’s nuances. This series deserves several Emmys; it is a simple story told with unparalleled grit. It’s the series that I didn’t know I wanted.
