"The Queen's Gambit" is a mini-series that can be said to be the dark horse of 2020, sweeping the major rankings after its debut.
After watching this series, I realized that it not only tells the story of a genius child's growth, but also attempts to discuss more topics such as women, marriage, self-redemption, individualism, and cooperation.
Several key women appear around Harmon:
- Harmon's birth mother: She committed suicide after failing to seek help from Harmon's biological father. When Harmon asks "Who is he?" she answers, "He is a mistake."
- Harmon's adoptive mother: After experiencing two failed relationships, she turned to alcoholism and depression, eventually dying in a foreign land.
- Harmon's classmate: The proud classmate who invited Harmon to her house for an apple pie party, once looked down on Harmon's cheap attire. After graduating, she immediately got married but encountered Harmon in a discount supermarket with a child. At this moment, the camera reveals a bag of bottles hidden under the baby carriage, indicating that she is likely to be an alcoholic as well.
- Harmon's African-American friend from the orphanage: Jolene, as a black girl, hardly anyone is willing to adopt her, making her an outsider in the orphanage. She works to earn tuition fees, wants to study law and become a lawyer, and is independent, happy, and ambitious. She also becomes one of the key figures in Harmon's self-redemption.
After sorting it out, it is interesting to find that the screenwriter seems to be telling people that married life is not always ideal. As for why it is portrayed this way, I can't guess, maybe it is to express women's sense of independence and autonomy?
Among them, the life of the genius girl Harmon is described in detail, showing the unknown side of being a genius: loneliness, addiction, caution, aggressiveness, decadence, individualism, and self-redemption.
The series also presents an interesting contrast between the strategies of the United States and Russia in chess matches. In the United States, it is generally individual combat, with one person playing and contemplating the game; while in Russia, it is team combat, with the chess position being analyzed together during the adjournment.
As a genius, Harmon was defeated twice by Borgov, partly because individual combat is always at a disadvantage compared to collective wisdom.
After experiencing family setbacks and failures in chess, Harmon begins her self-redemption after a period of decline. She finds her former opponent for training before the world championship and receives assistance from her American companion during the adjournment of the final match, ultimately defeating Borgov.
Watching the entire series is enjoyable and satisfying, with no particularly abrupt points, and the character transformations are also natural, making it a model for movies of the genius genre.