The Queen's Gambit
In a Kentucky orphanage in the 1950s, a young girl discovers an astonishing talent for chess while struggling with addiction.
Wokeness: 40%
Overall Score: 80%
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User Submitted Reviews
Jon Loder
Great Walter Tevis novel. Almost great movie.
First of all, Anya brought the Tevis version of Beth to life with absolute perfection. There were two significant variations from the novel. One being that a major character was converted to a homosexual. The other was some deleted misbehavior by Jolene when they were in the orphanage. That omission deprived the viewer of experiencing the forgiveness that solidified her and Beth's friendship. Walter Tevis is my favorite novelist of the 20th century. He only wrote six. Aside from The Hustler, this was probably the best depiction of the 4 of his stories in film. I hope this woke craze wanes before the other two get producers attention. According to Wikipedia, Mockingbird will be the next one. It is my favorite of his novels.
Created: 07-03-2022
John Doe
Undeniably some woke but still worth watching
There's a lot of shoehorning of gay/lesbian characters into the mix, which is especially odd and out of place it feels given how hostile 1960s America was to those folks and how open they are about it.
However, there is a compelling story that unfolds and our protagonist is very relatable in being both a genius and a kind of broken character.
Even if you aren't into chess, I'd still say that the story is interesting and at the very least they are good at building atmosphere
Created: 05-29-2023
scallanan
Created: 08-22-2024
Michaels
Who controls the past controls the future
This TV series skillfully immerses you in a 1960s that never was. It is a rewriting of history to promote an agenda.
* No such female world champion of chess.
* Girl boss.
* Her mentors are betas except the janitor.
* Mother tells her how awful men are.
* Director shows mother spoke truthfully.
* Gay and lesbian hook-ups in the 1960s.
* Turned character from the book gay.
* Annoying black female complains of prejudice.
* Annoying black female uses word "cracker".
* Annoying black female is used as mistress by rich white man.
* Annoying black female is deus ex machina savior.
My woke meter has redlined. That said, it's also pretty good if regarded as an alternate timeline. Was the French woman a Soviet spy? My wife, a former Soviet, was instantly suspicious, and I tend to think she was right.
Created: 06-20-2025
NoWo
The Wakanda of the chess world ...
They don't have heroes, so they invent them.
Steal them, actually.
The main character is, in my opinion, Bobby Fischer, with small boobs and a tight little arse. Also, strangely, less insane.
But basically stealing the life story of a straight white male, and reskinning it as a strong independent female. Lesbian, obviously. In the '60s. Which still happened more often than a woman dominating chess. For those not familiar: same feeling as those 90 pounds waifs beating up 250 pounds commandos.
It's a touchy subject with me, considering how 'they' have successfully erased (Pierre) Curie from history, and are trying cancel Watson & Crick to push (Rosalind) Franklin instead.
The show is well made. Very much so. Taylor-Joy is good, undoubtedly.
But it crosses its Is and dots its Ts. Every white male a combination of stupid, crass and 'oppressive'. Every female perfect, because of course.
It's a sad thing that, being late to the party (the Party?), I give this only a 3/5 woke score simply because no character spontaneously breaks into a song about the joy of socialism.
Well, I haven't watched to the end ...
Created: 06-20-2025
