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The Queen's Gambit created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott


  • The Queen's Gambit (2020)

  • Created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott

  • Written and Directed by Scott Frank

  • Based on the 1983 novel, The Queen's Gambit, by Walter Tevis

  • Premiered on Netflix, 2020

  • Starring Anya Taylor-Joy

  • Genre/Format: Drama, Historical Fiction/Television Mini-Series

  • Multiple Awards and Nominations Including:

  • Rating: TV-MA (Common Sense Media recommends for ages 15+)

  • Summary: The Queen's Gambit takes place beginning in 1958 where we meet Beth Harmon, a 9 year-old girl whose mother has just died in a suspicious car crash. Beth moves into an orphanage where they make the girls take two pills every day, a vitamin and a tranquilizer. She's advised by another girl to save the tranquilizer for nighttime. Beth proves to be a math whiz who finishes her work early and, therefore, is rewarded by getting to clean the erasers in the basement. There, Beth befriends the janitor who teaches her to play chess. She quickly proves herself to be unusually gifted and, with the help of her little pill, hallucinates a chess board and pieces on the ceiling at night, playing games in her head until she falls asleep. By the end of the first episode Beth, still 9 years old, has beaten an entire high school team playing against all of them simultaneously, and has developed an addiction to pills.

  • Creator Background: Scott Frank is a writer, producer, and director who began his career writing for The Wonder Years and also wrote the screenplays for Get Shorty, The Minority Report and The Wolverine. Allan Scott is from Scotland and has written numerous screenplays but is best known for his work on The Queen's Gambit.

Walter Tevis is an author of many novels and short stories, including The Hustler, The Color of Money, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and The Queen's Gambit, all of which were made into a movie or television series.

  • Critical Evaluation: The Queen's Gambit stands out because its subject matter is unique. There isn't another show that follows a young woman's chess career from the age of nine to 19. As a period piece, the sets and costumes are beautiful, but it's a very realistic, often flattering portrait of the late 1950's. Beth must always push against the way women and girls are required to conform, with their hopes and dreams quashed. The men around her are patriarchal with fragile egos, yet another obstacle Beth must overcome. And, although Beth must contend with her own internal demons, she is a well-developed and interesting character. This is an honest portrait of a troubled young woman who came from difficult circumstances and is impossible to turn away from.

  • Creative Use for a Library Program: The library will host a monthly (weekly if there is demand) chess club. Teens can get lessons, practice with one another, and generally have fun with chess

  • Speed-Round Talk: The Queen's Gambit is a TV series that follows 9-year old Beth for ten years, from the moment she is orphaned to her domination as a chess Grandmaster.

  • Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: There might be challenges to this show because of drug use, especially underage drug use, language and some sexual content. My response is that it is a realistic story of what women endured and how one woman pushed through barriers to achieve her goals. Her actions do have consequences, so her drug use and alcoholism are not treated lightly. There are other items in the library that have worse behaviors, so there is no reason to omit this.

  • Reason for Inclusion: This is a very popular show and one that young adults will want to watch. Although not exactly a role model, Beth is inspirational in her ability to go after her goals and succeed. Her drug and alcohol use can serve as a warning, or as a lesson, to other young adults.


References

Netflix. (2020). The Queen’s Gambit | Date Announcement. You Tube.

Tevis Family Copyright Trust. (2021). Biography. waltertevis.org.

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