The Queen’s Gambit

Just finished episode 5 and loved watching the vast differences between Beth's relationship with Beltik and her relationship with Benny. Even though he never admits it outright, Beltik's attraction to Beth was overshadowed by the beating his ego took by realizing she is a better chess player than he is, but with Beth and Benny, it was pure and unbridled sexual tension that came through in their mutual obsession of the game. I'm also getting really frustrated with the fact that they keep showing Beth doing all this drinking but never experiencing any symptoms of drinking...she doesn't even seem to get drunk, it obviously doesn't affect her game. I don't understand why they spend so much time showing her drink and she seems to be immune to it.

Just finished ep 6 and after five episodes, we finally got to see Beth actually get drunk and some of its minor consequences. Anya Taylor-Joy played the drunk scenes so effectively because, IMO, she played the drunk scenes the way drunk scenes should be played...the most effective way to play a drunk scene is by trying to hide the fact that you're drunk and Anya did this brilliantly. Oddly, the rest of this episode felt like so much filler, like the writers weren't sure where they wanted to go with the story at the end of episode 5. The chemistry between Beth and Benny was off the charts and it's too bad it ended the way it did. The sudden re-appearance of her adopted father wanting the house back seemed to come out of nowhere and I don't think the re-appearance of her orphanage pal Jolene just as her descent into real alcoholism begins is a coincidence. Can't believe there's only one episode left, curious to see how they wrap this up.

The final episode started off oddly, but the ending was riveting if a bit predictable. The appearance of adult Jolene was pretty pointless except that it got her to the janitor's shrine...the only moment I recall seeing any real emotion from Beth. I loved that Townes, Benny, and the rest of her former opponents re-appeared to help her beat the Russian. Even though I know nothing about chess, I found this show fascinating and I think Scott Frank is a director to watch.

Anya Joy-Taylor is a very sexy woman . Could watch her in anything