Posted on Oct 26, 2020

"The Queen's Gambit" Released On Netflix, So Of Course I Had To ~Check~ It Out

They had me at Anya Taylor-Joy.

Ehis Osifo

BuzzFeed Staff

Ever since I watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a wee babe, I've had an obsession with chess. Can I play? Not at all. But am I still fascinated by this high-stakes game of boxes and mini figurines? Abso-friggin'-lutely.

Warner Bros.

So, when I found out that Netflix was releasing a show about this woman from the '50s who was the bomb.com at chess, I was immediately intrigued.

I would like to see it

HOWEVER, when I found out that the series starred Emma's Anya Taylor-Joy and Nanny McPhee's Thomas Brodie-Sangster, I knew I had to watch this show posthaste.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomas Brodie-Sangster speaking to each other in ''The Queen's Gambit''

Without further ado, here are my thoughts on the pilot of TQG:

Before we jump in, here's the synopsis that Netflix gives for The Queen's Gambit:

1. OK, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that chasing pills with a nip of alcohol is NOT a good idea:

Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon takes a sip of alcohol

2. Oh, no. Unnamed red-headed female is an orphan. Sad!

I'm not sure she's gone to a better place

3. I'm REEEAAALLLYYYYY hoping this orphanage lady doesn't turn out to be a trash human:

And I'm sure that you and I are going to be good friends

4. OH NO! Those are the pills she took in the beginning. I knew not to trust this lady:

Bottle filled with pills

Bottle of pills with a man and a woman speaking in the background

5. OMG, Beth's mom def killed herself:

Two women speaking

Woman looking in the rearview mirror of a vehicle

6. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

A chess board with someone about to move a piece. Leo DiCaprio pointing at something while holding a beverage and a cigarette

7. AHH, so the drugs help her see the chess board. I see where this is going...:

A chess board with pieces hanging upside down

A chess board with pieces hanging upside down

8. Name a more iconic duo:

A young Beth Harmon playing chess with and older man

9. "Don't do it, girl. It's not worth it." "I'm not gon' do it, girl. I'm just thinking about it."

A hand holding pills on top of a blanket

10. If I had a nickel...:

I want to know what a cocksucker is

11. WINNER WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER!

The Queen's Gambit

12. Nine-year-old chess prodigy. #TeamBeth!!

you're astounding

13. Fuckin'. Baller.

That's mate in three

14. The look of utter disdain on this child's face:

A young Beth Harmon holding a doll

15. TWO GAMES AT ONCE!! BALLER X 2!!

A young Beth Harmon simultaneously playing two games of chess with two men

16. IF THIS WOMAN COMES FOR BETH AND MR. SHAIBEL'S MENTORSHIP, IMMA FLIP A TABLE!

we can't have you playing chess in the basement

17. Ah, yes. The state finally made it illegal to pump kids with tranquilizers, and now they's tweakin' for the goods!

You're having withdrawal symptoms

18. OK, I don't like that Jolene gave her drugs, but I'd be lying if I said that the sentiment didn't pull at my heartstrings:

Moses Ingram as Jolene handing drugs to a young Beth Harmon

19. My girl Beth is about to SCHOOL these boys! Today's lesson? Chess, BITCH!

Young Beth Harmon standing in a classroom surrounded by young men seated at desks with chessboards

20. Beth is a savage:

What surprised me was how bad they played

21. Beth, honey, those aren't Tic Tacs:

Beth reaching into a large jar of pills

Beth ingesting several pills

Good golly, miss Molly! To say I'm hooked is an understatement. Needless to say, I will be watching Episode 2, and NOT just for Thomas Brodie-Sangster.

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